As the world marks the 2025 World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week, the World Health Organization (WHO) has alerted that in Nigeria, over 60,000 lives have been lost each year since 1990 due to AMR.
WHO Representative, and Head of Mission to Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu in his message on Tuesday said in 2021 alone, an estimated 50,500 (36,900-64,100) deaths were attributed, and 227,000 (167,000-286,000) were associated with bacterial AMR with largest number of deaths occurring among the under five age group.
Dr. Ursu noted that Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was a growing global threat; disproportionately targeting Lower and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) and vulnerable populations.
“AMR is already affecting health, healthcare cost, food security, environment, economies and sustainable development. It’s a multidimensional health threat to modern medicine, universal health coverage and health security gains; evolving rapidly, quietly and reversing decades of medical progress, threatening our ability to treat even the most common illnesses.
“The outbreaks of multidrug resistant infections among poor IPC settings and among vulnerable groups and children are silently killing the people in the community or hospital settings thus jeopardising health systems including child mortality, maternal mortality, and other key indicators. Drug-resistant infections are increasing, but the awareness, financing, investment and actions remain inadequate”, he said.
Speaking further, the WHO Representative in Nigeria stated that, “globally, in 2021 alone, AMR was associated with an estimated 4.71 million deaths while 1.14 million directly attributable and 1.05 million indirectly with 250,000 deaths were directly attributed to AMR in sub-Saharan Africa. Estimated 178 million DALYs are lost due to AMR and will cost nearly US$1 trillion annually to global economy, if left unchecked. AMR could claim up to 39 million lives by 2050 as per recent projections in 2021”.
Furthermore, “in Nigeria, over 60,000 lives have been lost each year since 1990 due to AMR. In 2021 alone, an estimated 50,500 (36,900-64,100) deaths were attributed, and 227,000 (167,000-286,000) were associated with bacterial AMR with largest number of deaths occurred among under five age group”, he said.
According to Dr. Ursu, these alarming estimates and projections underscore the urgency for collective action with whole of government and society approach; an urgent need to integrate AMR with Primary Health care to accelerate AMR response, achieve UHC guided by WHO people centred approach, with broader SWAp, food security, and climate change initiatives.
“From 18 to 24 November, we join with the AMR stakeholders and the community to mark World AMR Awareness Week, under the theme – Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future. The theme underscores the urgent need for bold, coordinated, cross-sectoral action to address AMR as a present danger that demands immediate, sustained action.
“Building on the momentum of the 2024 United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on AMR and Nigeria hosting 5th global high level ministerial AMR conference in Abuja in June 2026; and on occasion of WAAW week, I urge all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, health-care providers, veterinarians, farmers, environmental actors and the public to translate the political commitments into tangible, accountable, life-saving interventions”, he said.
He therefore called for urgent actions “to protect our present and secure our future and prioritize long-term investment and strategic action in the human, animal and environmental health sectors. We
must support to strengthen AMR and one health surveillance, national AMR survey, ensure equitable access to quality medicines and diagnostics, foster innovation and building resilient health systems that require long-term commitment and resources including domestic financing”.
He stated that investment in AMR action was SMART and an essential step towards a healthier, more secure future. “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, ‘Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future’ is a shared responsibility.
Together, we can preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials and ensure a healthier, more sustainable Nigeria for the generations to come”, he said.
