By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The World Health Organization (WHO) Representative and Head of Mission to Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu disclosed that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) claims over 60 million lives in Nigeria each year since 1990.
Dr. Ursu disclosed this in a message to mark the 2025 World Antimicrobial Resistance ( AMR) Week in Nigeria .
He said, “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 the largest number of deaths occurring among the under-five age group.”
“He noted AMR as a global threat affecting the health of vulnerable populations in low- and medium-income countries.
Dr. Ursu said,”AMR is already affecting health, healthcare costs, food security, environment, economies, and sustainable development.”
The WHO representative stated that, sadly, AMR is impeding medical progress and threatening the ability to treat common diseases.
“Globally, in 2021 alone, AMR was associated with an estimated 4.71 million deaths, while 1.14 million were directly attributable and 1.05 million indirectly attributable, with 250,000 deaths directly attributed to AMR in sub-Saharan Africa”, he said.
WHO expressed fear that an “estimated 178 million daily are lost due to AMR and will cost nearly US$1 trillion annually to the global economy if left unchecked.”
Also. AMR could claim up to 39 million lives by 2050, according to WHO projections in 2021.
Dr. Ursu called for collective action by governments and societies to integrate AMR into their primary health care system, adding that AMR is a threat to modern medicine and universal health coverage (UHC).
“Investment in AMR action is SMART and an essential step towards a healthier, more secure future”, he noted.
WHO laments that drug-resistant infections are increasing in individuals, but the awareness, financing, investment and actions remain inadequate.
“The outbreaks of multidrug-resistant infections among poor IPC settings and among vulnerable groups & children are silently killing the people in the community or hospital settings, thus jeopardizing health systems, including child mortality, maternal mortality, and other key indicators”, he pointed out.
According to Dr. Ursu, the 2025 AMR Week kicks off with the theme “ Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future”, underscoring the urgent need for bold, coordinated, cross-sectoral action to address AMR as a present danger that demands immediate, sustained action.
