By Julian Osamoto
The World Health Organization (WHO) says bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is associated with more than 4.7 million deaths worldwide in 2021.
It warns that inadequate funding, weak surveillance and poor coordination has continued to undermine efforts to tackle the threat.
Acting Director of the Antimicrobial Resistance Department in WHO Dr Jean-Pierre Nyemazi, said AMR threatens the treatment of infections, animal and plant health, food safety and the environment and called for coordinated action across all sectors to address the challenge.
Nyemazi identified the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials, poor infection prevention, inadequate water and sanitation, and environmental pollution as major drivers of resistance. “the updated Global Action Plan on AMR for 2026 to 2036 would guide countries in turning those commitments into action”.
He also announced that Nigeria would host the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR in Abuja, in December 2026, under the theme, “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments through Local Action.”
“The conference will review progress, address implementation challenges and renew political commitment. It will also provide an opportunity to launch the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against AMR”.
Similarly, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned that global antibiotic use in livestock could rise by nearly 30 per cent by 2040 without stronger preventive measures.
Deputy Chief Veterinarian, Dr Junxia Song, said improved animal health and farm management could reduce antibiotic use by up to 57 per cent.
Song said FAO’s 2026–2036 AMR roadmap would strengthen national action plans, disease prevention, surveillance, laboratory capacity and sustainable financing.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Environment Programme’s AMR Coordinator, Aitziber Echeverria, said environmental pollution contributes to the emergence and spread of resistance.
She identified pharmaceutical manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare and municipal waste management as priority sectors for reducing the release of antimicrobial residues and resistant microorganisms.
Echeverria urged governments to improve wastewater treatment, strengthen environmental monitoring and involve environmental authorities in national AMR plans from the outset. She warned that neglecting environmental factors could undermine efforts to tackle resistance in human and animal health.
Also, WHO Senior Technical Officer and Lead of Multisectoral Coordination on AMR, Dr Kefas Samson, identified inadequate financing, weak surveillance, limited diagnostic capacity, staff shortages and unequal access to quality-assured antimicrobials as major implementation challenges.
He noted that WHO is promoting targets for 2030, including ensuring that 70 per cent of antibiotics used in human healthcare belong to the WHO Access group and that 80 per cent of countries can test for priority bacterial and fungal pathogens.
At the animal health level, WOAH Programme Officer, Dr Jane Lwoyero, said vaccination, farm biosecurity, disease surveillance and early detection could reduce animal infections and the need for antibiotics.
She cited annual global losses of up to 300 billion dollars from animal diseases and said fewer than 20 per cent of WOAH member countries vaccinate animals against notifiable diseases.
