President Barack Obama on Friday announced an aggressive plan to fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The move was adopted by the White House after it was reported that an estimated 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths happen every year in the United States.

President Obama also listed key goals to fight the spread of antibiotics-resistant microbes over the next five years.

The plan also outlined steps to prevent and contain antibiotic-resistant infections through better surveillance of superbugs. Also it asked to maintain the effectiveness of current and new drugs and even develop next-generation therapeutics.

As per sources familiar with the issue, the plan of the Obama administration's efforts to nearly double the amount of federal spending dedicated to combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

President Barack Obama's budget request calls for more than $1.2 billion to combat and prevent antibiotic resistance, they said.

On the other hand, several scientists, doctors and other public-health officials have warned that if antibiotic resistance were to continue at the present rate than normal infections among people can also become life-threatening.

Common modern surgeries and treatments, such as knee replacements, organ transplants and cancer treatments, could again become dangerous due to high risk of infections.

They further said that the people that will be at the higher risk include hospital patients and nursing-home residents.

Obama in an interview with WebMD stated that antibiotics are vital to national security. They save the lives of service members wounded in battle an also prevent against bio-terrorism, he said.

Under the plan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will aim to cut Clostridium difficile infections by 50%, and reduce carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections acquired during hospitalization by 60%.

It will also aim to lower Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections by at least 50%.