LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- The world is facing a silent but deadly health crisis, common infections are becoming untreatable as bacteria grow increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
Due to this, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning that drug-resistant infections, also known as Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), are rising at an alarming rate, threatening the foundation of modern medicine.
A new report from the WHO reveals a sharp global increase in drug-resistant bacterial infections, posing a growing threat to effective medical treatment. In 2023, one in six laboratory confirmed bacterial infections showed resistance to antibiotic therapy, jeopardizing the ability to treat everything from urinary tract infections to life-threatening bloodstream infections.
“These findings are deeply concerning. As antibiotic resistance continues to rise, we’re running out of treatment options and putting lives at risk,” Director of WHO’s antimicrobial resistance (AMR) division, Yvan J-F. Hutin said.
Drug-resistant bacteria, often referred to as “superbugs,” already directly cause over one million deaths annually and contribute to nearly five million more. The problem is being driven by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in humans, animals, and agriculture, accelerating the natural evolution of bacterial resistance.
The WHO’s 2023 AMR surveillance report analyzed resistance trends in 22 commonly used antibiotics. Over the past five years, more than 40 percent of these antibiotics showed rising resistance levels, with an average annual increase of 5–15 percent. Resistance to treatments for urinary tract infections, for example, now exceeds 30 percent globally.
Of particular concern is the widespread resistance of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, two bacterial pathogens responsible for severe infections like sepsis. According to the WHO, 40 percent of E. coli and 55 percent of K. pneumoniae infections are now resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, the standard first-line treatment.
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“Antimicrobial resistance is outpacing advances in modern medicine, threatening the health of families worldwide,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned.
Surveillance capacity remains uneven across regions. Nearly half of the world’s countries still fail to report any AMR data, leaving major blind spots in tracking the crisis. Resistance levels were highest in Southeast Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean, where one in three infections reported showed resistance. In Africa, one in five infections was drug-resistant.
Experts point to weak health systems and inadequate diagnostics as key factors behind the regional disparities.
“It’s not surprising that resistance is higher where health infrastructure is weaker. In such settings, testing is limited, and only the most severe cases may be diagnosed and reported,” Head of WHO’s AMR surveillance unit, Silvia Bertagnolio said.
Adding to the concern is the lack of new antibiotics and diagnostic tools in development.
“The increasing antibiotic use, the increasing resistance, and the reduction of the pipeline is a very dangerous combination,” Hutin warned.
Amid the rise of antibiotic resistance and new treatments lagging behind, the world faces a growing threat that could turn once-treatable infections into deadly illnesses. Notably, urgent global action is needed to expand surveillance, improve stewardship, and accelerate innovation before time runs out.
