ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE KILLS MILLIONS WORLDWIDE

Act Now to Address this Growing Public Health Problem

Each year, from 18 to 24 November, the world observes World Antimicrobial Awareness Week – because the loss of effective antibiotics threatens every aspect of modern medicine. This year’s theme, “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future”, reminds us that awareness alone is not enough. We must take decisive action.

Globally 1.27 million people die each year directly from drug-resistant infections, with nearly 5 million deaths linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). If current trends continue, experts warn that by 2050, AMR could cause 10 million deaths annually and an economic loss of USD 100 trillion.

Behind these statistics lie human stories – patients battling infections that no longer respond to treatment, and families suffering as hospitals struggle to cope.

AMR: A One Health Challenge

Antimicrobial resistance is not just a clinical issue. It is a One Health issue – linking human, animal, and environmental health.

As Professor Devi Sridhar noted in The Guardian, the global rise in cheap meat production has led to extensive antibiotic use in farming – not only to treat illness but to prevent it and promote faster animal growth.

She highlights that: “An estimated 73% of all antimicrobials sold globally are used in animals raised for food.” This overuse fuels resistant bacteria that spread through meat, water, soil – and across borders. As she powerfully put it: “How pork is produced in China affects whether your child’s antibiotics work in Edinburgh. Whether a woman in Lagos survives a C-section is linked to how chickens are farmed in Brazil.”

That is the essence of One Health: our food systems, our environment, and our health are inseparable. Therefore, stewardship must extend beyond hospitals and clinics to include farms, fisheries, and the environment.

Shared Responsibility and Collective Action

Antimicrobial resistance crosses borders, sectors, and professions. No single institution or nation can overcome it alone – it demands a united response rooted in shared responsibility and collective action.

Every actor has a vital role to play:

• When a doctor prescribes antibiotics only when truly necessary – that is stewardship.
• When a nurse upholds strict infection-control practices – that is protection.
• When a pharmacist educates patients on proper use – that is guidance.
• When hospital leaders strengthen stewardship programmes – that is leadership.
• And when communities understand that antibiotics do not cure viral infections – that is prevention.

Each responsible decision strengthens our collective defence against resistance. At the national level, Malaysia must continue to invest in surveillance, enforcement, research, and responsible agricultural and environmental management.

Antimicrobial stewardship is not the duty of a few – it is the responsibility of all. Only through coordinated action across human health, animal health, and the environment can we preserve the power of these life-saving medicines.

Act Now on this Public Health Problem

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), and also the Third World Network (TWN), have long championed the responsible and equitable use of medicines. Since the 1970s, CAP has been raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance and its implications for public health and food safety.

Our focus has always been on empowering consumers, strengthening accountability, and ensuring equitable access to effective medicines. We continue to advocate for stronger policies to regulate antibiotic use, transparent monitoring systems, and public education that promotes informed, responsible choices.

Above all, we believe that access to safe, effective, and affordable medicines is a universal right – not a privilege.

We must act now on this public health problem. If we delay, common infections could again become deadly, and routine surgeries too dangerous to perform. But if we act decisively – investing in prevention, stewardship, research, and education – we can safeguard these precious medicines for generations to come.

Let us continue to work hand in hand – health authorities, professionals, civil society, and communities – to ensure that antimicrobial resistance does not undo decades of medical progress.

Together, we can preserve the power of antimicrobials and secure a healthier, safer future for the people of Penang, for Malaysia, and for the world.

– Excerpts of speech by CAP President Mohideen Abdul Kader, on behalf of the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) and the Third World Network (TWN), at the launching ceremony of the “World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) Celebration, JKNPP 2025” at Hospital Pulau Pinang on 30 October 2025