Health
Drug-resistant bacterial infections kill 1m people annually – WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says drug-resistant bacterial infections kill about one million people globally every year, calling for coordinated action across human, animal, food and environmental sectors to curb the growing threat.
Jean-Pierre Nyemazi, Acting Director of the AMR Department at WHO Headquarters, said this at a virtual media conference marking an exhibition at the European Parliament on AMR and its human impact.
The virtual conference preceded the exhibition, “AMR: The Human Stories Behind a Silent Pandemic,” being held at the European Parliament from 28 September to 2 October and featuring stories of people affected by AMR across Europe.
“AMR is taking many lives. One million people die every year due to drug-resistant bacteria alone – that is, two people every minute die of bacterial AMR,” Mr Nyemazi said.
He said the scale of deaths meant that AMR should no longer be treated as a “silent pandemic”, stressing that “we know what works” to prevent and control the threat.
“Preventing infections is the number one priority. This can be done through better vaccination, infection prevention and control, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and improved animal husbandry,” he said.
“All of these work and can prevent AMR.”
Mr Nyemazi said strengthening surveillance, responsible use of antimicrobials, access to quality medicines and diagnostics, and reduction of environmental contamination could also make a difference.
“The tools exist, and the evidence is there, but the cost of inaction is rising. The longer we delay action, the higher the cost becomes,” he said.
He said the One Health approach, which recognises the links between human, animal, plant and environmental health, was essential because drug-resistant pathogens could move across sectors and borders.
According to him, parliamentarians have a critical role in ensuring that national AMR commitments are supported by legislation, financing and accountability.
“The media also plays an indispensable role. Journalists help bring AMR out of scientific circles and into public debate,” he said.
“They raise awareness, combat misinformation, and ensure that AMR remains visible to decision-makers and the public alike.”
He said WHO Member States approved an updated Global Action Plan on AMR at the World Health Assembly in May, providing a framework for combating AMR over the next 10 years through a One Health approach.
Mr Nyemazi said the updated plan placed stronger emphasis on prevention, governance, behavioural change and measurable targets, and that the four Quadripartite organisations developed it jointly.
He said the organisations comprised the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), WHO and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
“What is new about the updated Global Action Plan on AMR for the next 10 years is that it is truly multi-sectoral – a genuine One Health plan.
“The previous plan was heavily focused on human health; this time the four Quadripartite organisations worked together and engaged all sectors,” he said.
Mr Nyemazi said a 10 per cent reduction in AMR was achievable through infection prevention and control, vaccination and improved access to quality antimicrobials, with better coordination, education and surveillance capable of delivering further gains.
He also called for investment in new antibiotics, antifungals, phage therapy and other technologies, while stressing the need to preserve existing medicines.
He said there was also a major access problem, with many regions unable to obtain even existing antibiotics.
A member of the European Parliament, Martin Häusling, said excessive antibiotic use in food-producing animals was contributing to the problem, particularly through mass treatment.
“When it comes to food-producing animals, we still use far too many last-resort antibiotics, and we must get away from that,” Mr Häusling said.
He said AMR was a global issue that could affect anyone, adding that it could destroy families and livelihoods.
To tackle it, the parliamentarian said it was important to create public awareness so that parliaments could address the issue properly, adding that the issue was still not taken as seriously as a future challenge should be.
Rob Purdie, an AMR survivor and member of the WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors, said his experience demonstrated the consequences of delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Mr Purdie said an infection that began with a headache eventually progressed to fungal meningitis after he received antibiotics for a condition that had not been properly diagnosed.
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He said he eventually spent about $250,000 on hospital costs and had been unable to work for about five years.
“My ability to earn a living was eliminated for about five years in a single-income household where I provided for my wife and two children,” he said.
Mr Purdie said his experience underscored the need to keep AMR visible in public discussions.
“That is why it is so important for those of us who have survived and can speak, to remove the word ‘silent’ from the ‘silent pandemic’,” he said.
(NAN)
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The woman who tested positive for Ebola in Nigeria and was evacuated to Switzerland for treatment has been discharged from hospital after making a full recovery.
She was discharged from Geneva University Hospitals on Wednesday, after medical personnel confirmed her recovery, Reuters reported on Thursday, quoting a statement from the hospital.
“After the medical team confirmed her full recovery, the cantonal physician authorised the patient being treated for Ebola virus disease to leave the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) on 11 November 2026,” the hospital said.
The Uganda-born woman and her husband, a Swiss diplomat, were evacuated from Nigeria to Switzerland on 26 October. Her evacuation was confirmed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate.
The patient had returned to Abuja from Uganda on 3 October. She developed symptoms days later and was admitted to a private health facility before the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) was notified. Laboratory tests confirmed the infection on 20 October.
Nigeria continues Ebola surveillance
The NCDC’s latest Ebola situation dashboard, updated on 12 November with data as of 11 November, lists one confirmed case, no deaths and seven negative cases.
It also shows that 62 contacts linked to the confirmed case have been identified. Of these, 52 have completed their mandatory 21-day follow-up, while 10 remain under monitoring.
The NCDC said its response includes contact tracing, investigation of reported alerts, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures, and surveillance at the country’s points of entry.
On 11 November, NCDC disclosed that Nigeria recorded no additional confirmed Ebola cases since the imported infection was confirmed.
The agency has urged healthcare workers to remain vigilant, ask patients about their travel and exposure histories, and promptly report suspected cases to public health authorities.
READ ALSO: Ebola: Nigeria records no new cases 21 days after imported infection – NCDC
Regional outbreak continues
The situation in Nigeria is part of a wider outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease affecting parts of Africa.
In its latest situation update published on 6 November, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the DRC had recorded 10,668 confirmed cases and 5,198 deaths as of 3 November, across 67 health zones in eight provinces.
Kenya had recorded nine confirmed cases and two deaths, while Nigeria had reported one imported case. WHO said there had been no new confirmed cases in Kenya or Nigeria since its previous update.
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PREMIUM TIMES journalist Mariam Ileyemi has emerged as the third-prize winner in the Nigeria AMR Media Awards (NAMA), recognising her reporting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The NAMA is a national category of the 2026 Global AMR Media Awards (GAMA), which recognises journalists and other media professionals whose work raises awareness of drug-resistant infections and promotes action against the growing public health threat.
The 2026 awards received 382 entries from four global regions, with Africa accounting for 193 submissions. Asia-Pacific followed with 134 entries, while Europe and the Americas recorded 28 and 27 entries, respectively. Nigeria submitted 96 entries for the global and national competitions, representing about a quarter of the total submissions.
Ms Ileyemi was recognised for her report examining the gender dimensions of AMR, including how gender-based violence, social inequalities and barriers to healthcare affect women’s exposure to drug-resistant infections and access to treatment.
In the report, published in March 2026, she highlighted calls by health experts for gender-responsive policies to address antimicrobial resistance.
The recognition adds to her reporting on AMR. In November 2024, she collaborated with Nike Adebowale-Tambe, the PREMIUM TIMES Head of Health and Development Desk, on a special investigation examining the experiences of Nigerians affected by drug-resistant infections and the challenges they face when medicines fail.
In the NAMA category, Kazeem Biriowo of Nigerian Tribune won first prize, while Julian Adetinuyo of News Scope Africa came second.
Seven other journalists received special mentions: Folashade Akpan of the News Agency of Nigeria, Chioma Obinna of Vanguard, Helen Oji Emmanuel of Blueprint, Fatima Saka of DistinctNews, Chinyere Okorafor of Nigeria Health Times, Laide Akinboade of Daily Asset and Odimmegwa John Peter of New Africa Horizon.
The winners in the Nigerian category will receive certificates and cash prizes supported by the Art for Health Initiative, a non-profit organisation.
The awards were announced on 11 November during the Sixth Global Media Forum on AMR, ahead of World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, observed annually from 18 to 24 November.
Nigeria is scheduled to host the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR in Abuja from 6 to 8 December 2026. The conference, the first of its kind to be held on African soil, is expected to bring together government representatives and other stakeholders to strengthen global action against antimicrobial resistance.
Other Nigerian winners
Other Nigerian journalists also received recognition in the global award categories.
In the category for reporting on the Fifth High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR, Annabel Nwachukwu of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria won first prize, followed by Edward Samuel Ikpete of Voice of Nigeria in second place and Doris Obinna of The Sun in third. Alice Etuka of The Fact Daily received a special mention.
In the People’s Reporting category, Isioma Appiah-Yeboah of Clean Beat Radio won first prize, Racheal Abujah of NAN won second, and Helen Shikanda, a Kenyan, came third. Princess Ekwi-Ajide of the Anambra Broadcasting Service, Smith Nwokocha of Port Harcourt Wakawaka Blog and Chioma Vivian James of True Verdict received special mentions.
Patience Ihejirika of Leadership Newspaper and Benedict Ifeanyi Chukwu of Kaftan TV also received special mentions in the Africa category.
The Global AMR Media Awards are organised by the Global AMR Media Alliance, a network of media professionals working to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance and promote its visibility within global health security and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Media coverage of AMR
Speaking after the announcement, Shobha Shukla, chairperson of the Global AMR Media Alliance, congratulated Nigerian journalists and commended Ojoma Akor, founding chairperson of the Nigeria AMR Media Alliance, for highlighting the effects of AMR and strengthening media efforts to address the problem.
Ms Shukla said AMR was not merely a medical or scientific issue but also a societal and development challenge that required action beyond laboratories and hospitals.
“We need an informed public, accountable governments, and responsible practices across human, animal, and environmental health,” she said.
She said the media has the power to connect these issues, amplify the experiences of affected communities and turn public awareness into action.
Ms Shukla urged journalists to move beyond reporting AMR solely as a health news issue and help build public support for responsible antimicrobial use and stronger health systems.
Ms Akor, in her comments, described the inaugural NAMA awards as an important milestone for health and science journalism in Nigeria, noting that AMR had received insufficient attention in newsrooms despite its implications for public health, healthcare delivery, food security and national development.
She said the awards recognised journalism’s role in making an often-unseen public health threat visible, translating complex scientific evidence into accessible information, amplifying the experiences of affected communities and holding institutions accountable.
“As an alliance, we remain committed to building the capacity of journalists, encouraging investigative and solutions-oriented reporting, and ensuring that AMR receives the sustained attention it deserves,” she said.
Chidera Rosecamille Aneke, founder of the Art for Health Initiative, said AMR is one of the organisation’s focal areas and explained that its support for the NAMA awards was intended to encourage innovative storytelling.
“AMR is one of our organisation’s focal areas, and we are glad to support the NAMA awards to push innovative storytelling to communicate AMR in ways the audience can understand,” she said.
She said the initiative works at the intersection of storytelling, media and the arts to promote public understanding and action on critical health issues.
Understanding antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond effectively to medicines used to treat infections. This makes infections harder to treat and increases the risk of severe illness and death.
The problem affects human and animal health, food production and the environment, making it a One Health concern.
Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2024–2028 cites estimates that 64,500 deaths in the country were directly attributable to AMR in 2019, while 263,400 deaths were associated with it. The country has also acknowledged surveillance gaps that make it difficult to establish the full scale of drug-resistant infections.
About Mariam Ileyemi
Mariam Ileyemi is a Nigerian journalist on the Health and Development Desk at PREMIUM TIMES. Her reporting covers antimicrobial resistance, disease prevention, and primary healthcare.
She was named PREMIUM TIMES Reporter of the Year 2025 and is a fellow of the Africa Health Communications Fellowship and Media-EIS Fellowship, among others.
She was recently nominated for the Outstanding Health Investigation Award at the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN) Annual Awards. She is also a recipient of the Mamman Marshall Scholarship for Women in Journalism.
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