Drug-resistant bacterial infections kill one million people annually – WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says drug-resistant bacterial infections kill about one million people globally every year, calling for coordinated action across human, animal, food and environmental sectors to curb the growing threat.

Jean-Pierre Nyemazi, Acting Director of the AMR Department at WHO Headquarters, said this at a virtual media conference marking an exhibition at the European Parliament on AMR and its human impact.

The virtual conference preceded the exhibition, “AMR: The Human Stories Behind a Silent Pandemic,” being held at the European Parliament from 28 September to 2 October and featuring stories of people affected by AMR across Europe.

“AMR is taking many lives. One million people die every year due to drug-resistant bacteria alone – that is, two people every minute die of bacterial AMR,” Mr Nyemazi said.

He said the scale of deaths meant that AMR should no longer be treated as a “silent pandemic”, stressing that “we know what works” to prevent and control the threat.

“Preventing infections is the number one priority. This can be done through better vaccination, infection prevention and control, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and improved animal husbandry,” he said.

“All of these work and can prevent AMR.”

Mr Nyemazi said strengthening surveillance, responsible use of antimicrobials, access to quality medicines and diagnostics, and reduction of environmental contamination could also make a difference.

“The tools exist, and the evidence is there, but the cost of inaction is rising. The longer we delay action, the higher the cost becomes,” he said.

He said the One Health approach, which recognises the links between human, animal, plant and environmental health, was essential because drug-resistant pathogens could move across sectors and borders.

According to him, parliamentarians have a critical role in ensuring that national AMR commitments are supported by legislation, financing and accountability.

“The media also plays an indispensable role. Journalists help bring AMR out of scientific circles and into public debate,” he said.

“They raise awareness, combat misinformation, and ensure that AMR remains visible to decision-makers and the public alike.”

He said WHO Member States approved an updated Global Action Plan on AMR at the World Health Assembly in May, providing a framework for combating AMR over the next 10 years through a One Health approach.

Mr Nyemazi said the updated plan placed stronger emphasis on prevention, governance, behavioural change and measurable targets, and that the four Quadripartite organisations developed it jointly.

He said the organisations comprised the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), WHO and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

“What is new about the updated Global Action Plan on AMR for the next 10 years is that it is truly multi-sectoral – a genuine One Health plan.

“The previous plan was heavily focused on human health; this time the four Quadripartite organisations worked together and engaged all sectors,” he said.

Mr Nyemazi said a 10 per cent reduction in AMR was achievable through infection prevention and control, vaccination and improved access to quality antimicrobials, with better coordination, education and surveillance capable of delivering further gains.

He also called for investment in new antibiotics, antifungals, phage therapy and other technologies, while stressing the need to preserve existing medicines.

He said there was also a major access problem, with many regions unable to obtain even existing antibiotics.

A member of the European Parliament, Martin Häusling, said excessive antibiotic use in food-producing animals was contributing to the problem, particularly through mass treatment.

“When it comes to food-producing animals, we still use far too many last-resort antibiotics, and we must get away from that,” Mr Häusling said.

He said AMR was a global issue that could affect anyone, adding that it could destroy families and livelihoods.

To tackle it, the parliamentarian said it was important to create public awareness so that parliaments could address the issue properly, adding that the issue was still not taken as seriously as a future challenge should be.

Rob Purdie, an AMR survivor and member of the WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors, said his experience demonstrated the consequences of delayed diagnosis and treatment.

Mr Purdie said an infection that began with a headache eventually progressed to fungal meningitis after he received antibiotics for a condition that had not been properly diagnosed.

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He said he eventually spent about $250,000 on hospital costs and had been unable to work for about five years.

“My ability to earn a living was eliminated for about five years in a single-income household where I provided for my wife and two children,” he said.

Mr Purdie said his experience underscored the need to keep AMR visible in public discussions.

“That is why it is so important for those of us who have survived and can speak, to remove the word ‘silent’ from the ‘silent pandemic’,” he said.