The global spotlight is on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during World AMR Awareness Week (November 18 to 24), with experts warning about the grave threats posed by the misuse and overuse of medicines. AMR undermines the efficacy of antibiotics and other antimicrobials, making once-treatable infections harder to manage and increasing the risk of severe illness, disability, and death.
Thomas Joseph, Head of AMR Awareness at the WHO, emphasized that AMR is a growing crisis. “As bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant, procedures like cancer chemotherapy, organ transplantation, and cesarean sections are at risk,” he said. Data from 2019 attributes 1.27 million deaths directly to bacterial AMR, with a total of 5 million deaths associated globally. Experts project these numbers could increase by 50% in the next 25 years.
Key Drivers of AMR
Experts highlighted misuse and overuse of antimicrobials, poor access to quality medicines, lack of awareness and inadequate sanitation and hygiene as critical drivers of AMR. Shobha Shukla, Chairperson of Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA), called for equitable access to healthcare tools and resources. “Health responses must be people-centered, rights-based, and gender-transformative. Health security for everyone demands equity and justice”, she said.
A Personal Tragedy Highlights the Risks
Felix Liauw, a member of the WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors, shared his tragic experience of losing his 3-month-old son due to the extensive misuse of antibiotics. “Without proper diagnosis, my son was shifted from first-line antibiotics to third-line ones without success. Eventually, we learned he had a rare genetic condition, but it was too late,” he said. Felix’s story underscores the importance of precise diagnosis and cautious antibiotic use.
Call to Action for Healthcare Professionals
Doctors and healthcare providers are urged to prescribe antibiotics only after proper diagnosis and to be vigilant against hospital-acquired infections. Infection prevention and control measures are vital to curbing the spread of resistant pathogens. “Antimicrobial resistance is invisible, but its consequences are not,” Felix emphasized.
As AMR continues to challenge global health, healthcare professionals have a pivotal role in ensuring judicious use of antimicrobials and advocating for equitable access to diagnostics and treatment. Together, the medical community can drive change to safeguard public health.
