The World Health Organization and a Member of the European Parliament have called for stronger action across the health, agriculture and environmental sectors to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
WHO warned that the misuse and overuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines in humans and animals are contributing to drug-resistant infections, threatening lives, livelihoods and modern medicine.
The organisation said bacterial antimicrobial resistance was associated with more than 4.7 million deaths globally in 2021, including about 1.14 million deaths directly attributable to AMR.
WHO urged governments to strengthen legislation, surveillance, diagnostics, infection prevention, vaccination and responsible antimicrobial use, while improving access to quality healthcare.
Stakeholders also stressed the need for stronger coordination among governments, healthcare providers, pharmacies, farmers, the private sector and the public, in line with the One Health approach.
