By Chioma Obinna
As the world observes World Antimicrobial Resistance, AMR, Awareness Week 2025, the World Health Organisation, WHO, has issued one of its strongest warnings yet on the escalating threat of drug-resistant infections, calling for urgent, coordinated action to prevent millions of avoidable deaths and a looming global economic catastrophe.
In a message to mark the Week, WHO Representative and Head of Mission to Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu described AMR as “a multidimensional health threat evolving rapidly, quietly, and reversing decades of medical progress.”
He warned that antimicrobial resistance is no longer a distant or emerging problem but “a present danger that is already disproportionately targeting lower- and middle-income countries and the world’s most vulnerable populations.”
Globally, AMR is killing at staggering rates. In 2021 alone, it was associated with 4.71 million deaths with 1.14 million directly attributed to drug-resistant infections. Sub-Saharan Africa where health systems are often overstretched recorded 250,000 direct AMR deaths that year.
“Drug-resistant infections are increasing, but the awareness, financing, investment and actions remain inadequate. Outbreaks among poor IPC settings, vulnerable groups and children are silently killing people in the community and hospitals.”
Ursu emphasised that AMR is eroding gains in child and maternal health, threatening progress toward universal health coverage and risking the collapse of essential modern medical procedures such as surgeries, cancer care and organ transplants.
Economically, the world could lose US$1 trillion annually if AMR remains unchecked, with an estimated 178 million healthy life years (DALYs) already lost.
Nigeria remains one of the most affected. Since 1990, the nation has lost over 60,000 lives annually to AMR. In 2021 alone, 50,500 deaths were directly attributed to drug-resistant infections, while 227,000 more were associated with AMR. Shockingly, the highest burden fell on children under five.
“These alarming estimates underscore the urgency for collective action,” Ursu stressed.
“Nigeria must accelerate AMR response by integrating prevention and control measures into primary health care guided by WHO’s people-centered approach.”
He called for AMR to be embedded into broader national priorities; including food security, climate change resilience, and sector-wide approaches (SWAp) for health.
This year’s global theme is a direct call to action one that WHO says cannot be ignored. “The theme underscores the urgent need for bold, coordinated, cross-sectoral action. AMR is a present danger that demands immediate, sustained action.”
Ursu urged governments, civil society, healthcare workers, veterinarians, farmers, environmental agencies and communities to translate political commitments—made at the 2024 UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR into “tangible, accountable, life-saving interventions.”
Nigeria is set to host the 5th Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR in Abuja in June 2026, placing the country at the center of global AMR action in the coming years.
Ursu highlighted key priority areas that require urgent strengthening to include; AMR and One Health surveillance systems, National AMR surveys and laboratory capacity, Equitable access to quality medicines and diagnostics, Innovation in treatment, vaccines and stewardship approaches, and resilient health systems with long-term domestic financing.
“Investment in AMR action is SMART. It is an essential step towards a healthier, more secure future.”
Ursu emphasised that solutions exist and that every sector holds part of the cure. “Whether it is a hospital administrator establishing an antimicrobial stewardship team or a farmer adopting sustainable waste management practices, every action counts. No matter your role whether shaping policy, delivering care, protecting ecosystems or raising awareness this is a shared responsibility.”
Ursu said: “Together, we can preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials and ensure a healthier, more sustainable Nigeria for the generations to come.”
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