Framed as a preparatory moment ahead of the 5th High Level Ministerial Meeting on AMR in Nigeria, the briefing brought together global health leaders, policymakers, and media advocates to confront a challenge that cuts across borders, sectors, and systems. What emerged was a clear and unsettling message - AMR is not only a scientific or medical issue, but a deeply political, economic, and social crisis that exposes global inequalities and demands immediate, coordinated action.
At its core, antimicrobial resistance refers to the ability of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites to resist the medicines designed to kill them.
This resistance is driven largely by the misuse and overuse of antimicrobial drugs - antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics - across human health, agriculture, and environmental systems. As Chairperson of Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA) Shobha Shukla explained during the briefing, this overuse is not confined to hospitals or clinics; it is embedded in food production, livestock management, and even environmental pollution. The result is a world in which common infections are becoming harder - and in some cases impossible - to treat, turning once-manageable illnesses into life-threatening conditions.
Yet what makes AMR particularly alarming is not just its scale, but its invisibility. Unlike pandemics that erupt suddenly and command immediate global attention, AMR operates quietly, accumulating over time. It does not dominate news headlines in the same way, yet it is already among the top ten global health threats - and also threatens our food systems and our environment. Millions of deaths are associated with drug-resistant infections, and without intervention, this number is expected to rise significantly. As highlighted in the briefing, an estimated 4.9 million deaths were linked to AMR in 2019 alone, underscoring the magnitude of the crisis.
The upcoming ministerial meeting in Nigeria represents a pivotal moment in addressing this challenge. For the first time, such a high-level global meeting on AMR will take place on African soil, signalling a shift in both geography and perspective. Historically, discussions on AMR have been dominated by high-income countries, but this meeting reflects a growing recognition that the burden of AMR falls disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries. Weak health systems, limited access to diagnostics, and inadequate regulation of medicines create conditions where misuse is more likely and consequences more severe.
Dr Ayoade Alakija, Ministerial Global Envoy on AMR, Government of Nigeria, who is leading the organisation of the meeting, emphasised that AMR must be understood through a broader lens - one that goes beyond human health to include animals, agriculture, and the environment. This One Health approach recognises that human health is deeply interconnected with other systems, and that solutions must be equally integrated. Antibiotics used in livestock, for example, can contribute to resistance that affects human populations; environmental contamination can further spread resistant organisms. Addressing AMR therefore requires collaboration across multiple sectors, including health, agriculture, environment, and finance.
This multisectoral approach also highlights a key challenge: governance. AMR is not an issue that can be solved by a single ministry or institution. It demands coordination at national, regional, and global levels, as well as sustained political commitment. The briefing stressed that previous global commitments - such as those made at the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on AMR in 2024 - must now be translated into concrete action. The Nigeria meeting is expected to focus on accelerating the implementation of national action plans, ensuring that commitments are not merely symbolic but operational.
However, implementation requires resources, and here lies another critical tension. While the economic case for investing in AMR is strong - every dollar invested can yield significant returns in health and productivity - funding remains insufficient. As Dr Alakija pointed out, without adequate financing, even the most well-designed strategies cannot be realised. Investment is needed not only in treatment but in prevention, including water, sanitation, hygiene, surveillance systems, and public awareness. These are often less visible than pharmaceutical solutions, yet they are essential in reducing the spread of infections and the need for antimicrobials in the first place.
Equity in AMR response
The briefing also underscored the importance of equity in the global response to AMR. While the threat is universal, its impacts are not evenly distributed. Those living in underserved communities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, face higher risks due to limited access to healthcare, diagnostics, and effective treatment. This inequality raises ethical as well as practical concerns. A global response that fails to address these disparities risks leaving the most vulnerable behind, undermining both justice and effectiveness.
In this context, the role of media becomes particularly significant. The Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA), which organised the briefing along with its country chapters such as Nigeria AMR Media Alliance (NAMA), positioned journalists not as passive observers but as active participants in the response to AMR. Media has the power to shape public understanding, influence behaviour, and hold governments accountable. Evidence-based reporting can make AMR visible, translating complex scientific issues into narratives that resonate with the public and policymakers alike. Without this visibility, AMR risks remaining a “silent pandemic,” overshadowed by more immediate crises.
At the same time, the media must navigate its own challenges in reporting on AMR. The issue is complex, technical, and often lacks the immediacy that drives news cycles. Yet the briefing emphasised that this complexity is precisely why responsible, sustained reporting is essential. By highlighting not only the risks but also the solutions - such as improved hygiene, responsible use of medicines, and investment in health systems - media can contribute to meaningful change.
The upcoming ministerial meeting will also serve as a platform for reinforcing global accountability mechanisms. Initiatives such as the Troika mechanism, which ensures continuity between successive meetings, aim to maintain momentum and prevent commitments from fading over time. This reflects a broader recognition that addressing AMR is not a one-time effort but a long-term process requiring sustained engagement.
Dr Jean Pierre Nyemazi, Director of Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR reminded that "In Jeddah, we agreed on Troika mechanism to keep continuity from one meeting to another. So, past discussions held at 4th High Level Ministerial Meeting on AMR in Jeddah in 2024 are informing the organising of 5th Meeting in Nigeria in 2026."
Ultimately, the Global Media Briefing painted a picture of a world at a crossroads. On one hand, there is growing awareness of the scale and urgency of AMR, as well as a strengthening of global commitments and frameworks. On the other hand, there are significant gaps in implementation, funding, and equity that threaten to undermine progress. The question is not whether AMR can be addressed, but whether the global community is willing to act with the speed, coordination, and commitment required.
As the world looks toward the 5th High Level Ministerial Meeting in Nigeria, the stakes could not be higher. AMR challenges the very foundation of modern medicine, threatening to reverse decades of progress and render routine treatments ineffective. But it also offers an opportunity - to rethink how health systems operate, how medicines are used, and how global cooperation is structured.
The message from the briefing was clear: AMR is not a distant threat waiting on the horizon. It is already here, shaping lives and outcomes in ways that are often unseen but deeply consequential. The task now is to bring it into focus - not only as a scientific issue, but as a human one, demanding urgent, collective, and sustained action.
Is the world on crossroads?
Ultimately, the Global Media Briefing painted a picture of a world at a crossroads. On one hand, there is growing awareness of the scale and urgency of AMR, as well as a strengthening of global commitments and frameworks. On the other hand, there are significant gaps in implementation, funding, and equity that threaten to undermine progress. The question is not whether AMR can be addressed, but whether the global community is willing to act with the speed, coordination, and commitment required.
As the world looks toward the 5th High Level Ministerial Meeting in Nigeria, the stakes could not be higher. AMR challenges the very foundation of modern medicine, threatening to reverse decades of progress and render routine treatments ineffective. But it also offers an opportunity - to rethink how health systems operate, how medicines are used, and how global cooperation is structured.
The message from the briefing was clear: AMR is not a distant threat waiting on the horizon. It is already here, shaping lives and outcomes in ways that are often unseen but deeply consequential. The task now is to bring it into focus - not only as a scientific issue, but as a human one, demanding urgent, collective, and sustained action.
Saher Siddiqui - CNS
(Citizen News Service)
