WAAW 2025: Why the AMR challenge matters for everyone

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a complex and evolving challenge. Every action we take today, from improving stewardship, strengthening surveillance, investing in prevention, and fostering collaboration, will safeguard the effectiveness of antimicrobials for the future.

AMR is not only a problem limited to certain groups of people: it affects all of us. While it is often described as a medical issue, in reality it goes far beyond human health and animal health. Antimicrobials are used not only in humans and clinics, but also in animals, including aquaculture and plants to prevent and treat disease. Resistance itself is a naturally occurring biological process, but human activities, particularly the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials, have dramatically accelerated this phenomenon and is driving the global AMR crisis. When antimicrobials are used inappropriately in any sector, resistant microorganisms could emerge and spread among humans, animals, and the environment. This interconnectedness makes AMR a true One Health challenge.

In animals, drug-resistant infections can lead to treatment failures, higher mortality, and reduced productivity. Farmers may lose income when animals grow more slowly, produce less milk or eggs, or even die from infections that were once easy to treat. These losses disproportionately affect small-scale farmers whose livelihoods depend heavily on the production of livestock or aquaculture. Reduced productivity also threatens food security, especially in regions where animal-sourced foods are a major source of nutrition. Moreover, this failure may increase production costs, affecting local food systems and the broader economy.

The environment is a critical and often overlooked part of the AMR puzzle. Humans and animals share the same ecosystems; therefore, what enters the environment eventually returns to us. Resistant bacteria and antimicrobial residues may contaminate soil and water through manure, wastewater from farms and hospitals, and discharges from manufacturing. Rivers, irrigation canals, and coastal waters can then become pathways for resistant organisms to circulate back to humans, livestock, wildlife, and crops. These environmental reservoirs can allow resistance genes to spread globally, crossing borders and sectors with ease.

Because AMR affects food safety, agriculture, trade, and ecosystems, its impact is social and economic as much as it is medical. People may face trade restrictions when they cannot meet international standards on antimicrobial use and resistance. Industries may experience productivity losses, and health systems can become strained by longer, more expensive treatments for drug-resistant infections. The consequences extend from households and farms to national economies.

For these reasons, addressing AMR requires coordinated action from all sectors of society—veterinarians, farmers, pharmacists, environmental authorities, policymakers, educators, and the public. By working together, we can slow the spread of this crisis, protect the effectiveness of antimicrobials, and safeguard lives, livelihoods, and global health security for generations to come.

Pondpan Suwanthada is Regional AMR Project Officer, World Organisation for Animal Health, Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific

Basilio Valdehuesa is Regional Communication Officer, World Organisation for Animal Health, Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific

Views expressed are the authors’ own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth