Rising global threat as antimicrobial resistance claims over million lives annually: WHO

NEW DELHI: Antimicrobial resistance is allegedly leading to over a million deaths every year worldwide, a number the World Health Organisation (WHO) warns could rise sharply in the coming decades unless urgent action is taken. On World AMR Awareness Week, the WHO urged nations to Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the very foundations of modern medicine, jeopardising decades of medical progress, as around the world and particularly in South-East Asia common infections are becoming harder to treat, said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia (WHO-SEARO). It poses one of the greatest dangers to global health, food security, and development. It is already claiming lives, undermining essential treatments and placing enormous strain on health systems, she added. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines. As a result, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective, making infections difficult or impossible to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, disability and death. According to the WHO, AMR is one of the top global public health and development threats. It is estimated that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens. The South-East Asia Region, which includes India, faces distinctive challenges such as diverse health systems, varying levels of access to medicines, and unique patterns of antimicrobial usage. In responding to these, we have opportunities for innovation and leadership through fostering regional partnerships, investing in laboratory capacity, and supporting community-based initiatives, Dr Boehme said. She said that building on the momentum of the 2024 United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on AMR, the current call to action urges all stakeholders, governments, civil society, health-care providers, veterinarians, farmers, environmental actors and the public to translate political commitments into tangible, accountable and life-saving interventions. India launches updated action plan to combat rising antimicrobial resistance The Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Report 2025 documents the disproportionate impact of antibiotic resistance in low- and middle-income countries and in nations with weaker health systems. Alarmingly, in 2023, resistance was most frequent in the South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions. The Regional Roadmap on AMR in the South-East Asia Region (20252030) was endorsed by Member States at the Seventy-eighth Session of the WHO Regional Committee in October 2025. It provides a framework to accelerate progress towards global AMR targets and to strengthen country-led action. It emphasises stronger national leadership, integration within health priorities, sustainable financing and improved governance. The WHO South-East Asia Regional Office, together with Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR partners the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, and the United Nations Environment Programme has committed to supporting all Member States in implementing the Regional Roadmap and achieving the UN General Assembly Political Declaration targets by 2030. Dr Boehme said the Regional Office is currently supporting Member States to update and implement their National Action Plans to align with the Political Declaration and the Regional Roadmap; strengthen the role of their national regulatory authorities in addressing AMR; mainstream AMR into primary health care and health system activities; and advance antimicrobial stewardship while updating national treatment guidelines to rationalise the use of antimicrobials. On World AMR Awareness Week 2025, the message is clear: we must act now. Our actions can, and must, ensure that infections remain treatable, surgeries stay safe, and progress continues for future generations, she said. She stressed that long-term investment and strategic action in the human, animal and environmental health sectors should be prioritised. Strengthening surveillance, ensuring equitable access to quality medicines and diagnostics, fostering innovation and building resilient systems all require long-term commitment and resources, she added.