Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global threat, undermining decades of medical progress and endangering the health of people, animals, plants, and ecosystems. Antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents that once reliably treated common infections are losing effectiveness, contributing to over a million deaths annually, with projections indicating a worsening impact in the coming decades. The rise of drug-resistant pathogens makes infections harder to treat, increases the risk of severe illness and death, and complicates the control of disease spread worldwide.
As World AMR Awareness Week approaches from 18 to 24 November 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners are calling on all countries to translate political commitments into tangible life-saving actions. This year’s theme, “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future,” builds on momentum from the 2024 UN High-Level Meeting on AMR and its political declaration, emphasizing the need for strengthened surveillance, improved access to quality medicines and diagnostics, innovation, and resilient health and food systems. WHO stresses that protecting antimicrobials is a shared responsibility and that timely action is essential to safeguard these critical medicines for current and future generations.
AMR arises when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents, rendering standard treatments ineffective. This resistance increases the difficulty of managing infections and elevates the risks of disease spread, severe illness, and death. Given that AMR transcends borders and sectors, coordinated action across health, agriculture, environment, and community sectors is crucial. Individuals at all levels—from hospital administrators implementing stewardship programs to farmers adopting sustainable waste management—play a role in preventing and mitigating AMR.
World AMR Awareness Week serves to raise awareness and understanding of AMR, promote global action against the emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens, and advocate for concrete interventions based on international resolutions and conferences. Governments, civil society organizations, health partners, and communities are encouraged to organize events and campaigns to engage citizens, supported by advocacy and technical materials provided by the AMR Quadripartite organizations, including FAO, UNEP, WHO, and WOAH.
By uniting efforts across sectors and borders, World AMR Awareness Week emphasizes that preserving the effectiveness of antimicrobials is vital to protecting public health and building a healthier, more sustainable world for future generations.
