Antimicrobial resistance causes one million annual deaths globally

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for approximately one million deaths annually, a rate equivalent to two lives lost every minute. During a high-level exhibition at the European Parliament, Dr. Jean-Pierre Nyemazi, Acting Director of the WHO Department of Antimicrobial Resistance, emphasized that resistant pathogens impact humans, animals, food systems, and the environment, crossing national borders and administrative sectors.

To combat this, the WHO highlights the importance of the ‘One Health’ approach, which includes expanding vaccination coverage, enforcing infection prevention standards, and securing clean water and sanitation. A 10-year Global Action Plan on AMR, approved by Member States in May 2026, provides a roadmap with a target of a 10 per cent reduction in the crisis.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the crisis is already straining health systems. Dr. Jaurès Cédric Yapi, a medical microbiologist at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University and the Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire, noted that AMR is a daily reality contributing to significant mortality alongside HIV/AIDS and malaria. He stressed that African nations must prioritize strengthening diagnostics, surveillance networks, and professional training to manage the rising threat.