Mohammad Hanief
The world is confronting a mounting health emergency as bacteria increasingly develop resistance to the antibiotics once relied upon to cure common infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded a grave warning in its latest Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report 2025, which reveals that one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections worldwide in 2023 did not respond to standard antibiotic treatments. The findings underscore how antimicrobial resistance is spreading at a pace that threatens to outstrip medical innovation and undermine global health security.
The WHO report shows that between 2018 and 2023, antibiotic resistance rose in more than forty percent of the pathogen-antibiotic combinations it monitored, with average annual increases ranging from five to fifteen percent. The data, gathered from over one hundred countries through the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS), highlights an accelerating crisis in which life-saving drugs are losing their power against some of the world’s most widespread infectious diseases. The report compiles resistance prevalence estimates for twenty-two antibiotics used to treat infections of the urinary and digestive tracts, the bloodstream, and certain sexually transmitted infections, revealing disturbing patterns of resistance across eight major bacterial pathogens that cause millions of infections each year.
Antimicrobial resistance is not evenly distributed around the world. The WHO notes that the problem is most acute in the South-East Asian and Eastern Mediterranean regions, where one in three infections are resistant to antibiotics, while in the African region one in five show resistance. Countries where health systems are fragile, diagnostic capacity is weak, and regulation of antibiotic use is poor are the most severely affected. In many such places, antibiotics can be purchased without prescription, leading to widespread misuse and overuse. The absence of strong surveillance networks and laboratory infrastructure has made it difficult to detect resistance early or track its spread, allowing resistant strains to circulate unchecked in communities and hospitals.
The rise of antimicrobial resistance is eroding one of the fundamental pillars of modern medicine. Medical procedures such as organ transplants, cancer chemotherapy, and caesarean deliveries depend on effective antibiotics to prevent and treat infections. As these drugs lose their efficacy, routine surgeries and common illnesses risk becoming fatal. The WHO warns that the progress achieved over decades of medical advancement could be reversed, pushing the world toward a post-antibiotic era in which once-curable diseases again become deadly.
The report draws attention to the growing threat posed by Gram-negative bacteria, which are developing resistance faster than most other pathogens and are particularly difficult to treat. Among them, Escherichia coli and Klebsiellapneumoniae have emerged as leading causes of bloodstream infections that often lead to sepsis and organ failure. Globally, more than forty percent of E. coli and over fifty-five percent of Klebsiellapneumoniae are now resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, which have long been considered first-line treatments for such infections. In Africa, the situation is even more dire, with resistance exceeding seventy percent in some areas. Resistance is also increasing against carbapenems and fluoroquinolones, antibiotics that were once reserved as last-resort options. The growing inefficacy of these drugs has drastically narrowed treatment options and pushed healthcare providers to depend on older, less effective, or more toxic alternatives. In many developing countries, newer antibiotics remain prohibitively expensive and are often unavailable, leaving large sections of the population without access to adequate care.
While the spread of resistance continues, there has been some progress in global monitoring. Participation in WHO’s GLASS network has expanded from twenty-five countries in 2016 to more than one hundred in 2023, representing a significant step toward understanding resistance trends worldwide. However, gaps remain considerable. Nearly half of WHO member states failed to report any data to the system in 2023, and among those that did, many lacked the infrastructure to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the information collected. Countries with the greatest burden of resistance are often the least equipped to monitor it effectively, leaving the global community without a complete picture of the crisis. The WHO emphasizes that reliable surveillance data are essential for guiding treatment protocols and designing effective national strategies, and calls for investments in laboratory capacity, training, and data systems.
The worsening situation prompted world leaders to adopt a political declaration on antimicrobial resistance at the United Nations General Assembly in 2024, setting targets to strengthen health systems and coordinate action across human health, animal health, and environmental sectors. The WHO report reinforces the importance of this “One Health” approach, which recognizes that antibiotic resistance arises not only from human medicine but also from agriculture and the environment. The use of antibiotics to promote animal growth or prevent disease in livestock remains widespread in many parts of the world, contributing significantly to the development of resistant bacteria that can spread through food chains, water sources, and direct human contact. Controlling resistance therefore requires policies that address antibiotic use across all sectors and ensure responsible practices in both healthcare and farming.
Innovation remains central to addressing the crisis, yet the development of new antibiotics has slowed to a near standstill. Pharmaceutical companies have scaled back research due to high costs, regulatory hurdles, and limited financial returns, leaving few new drugs in the pipeline. The WHO stresses the need for global incentives to reinvigorate antibiotic research while guaranteeing equitable access to new medicines, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Alongside innovation, preventive measures are vital. Improved vaccination coverage, better sanitation, clean water, and hygiene can reduce infection rates and limit the need for antibiotics in the first place. Equally important is the promotion of public awareness about responsible antibiotic use. The misuse of antibiotics – taking them without medical advice, stopping treatment too early, or using them for viral illnesses – remains a widespread problem that accelerates resistance. Combating these behaviors requires sustained education and awareness efforts targeting both the public and healthcare professionals.
To support countries in tracking and managing resistance, WHO has expanded its digital GLASS dashboard, which provides detailed data visualizations of global and regional trends in resistance and antimicrobial use. The platform allows policymakers and researchers to access country profiles, analyze progress, and identify priority areas for intervention. This move toward greater transparency and accessibility aims to strengthen international collaboration and promote accountability in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
The WHO’s 2025 report portrays both progress and peril. On one hand, growing international participation in surveillance efforts marks an important achievement in collective response. On the other, the continuing rise in resistance, the uneven capacity among countries to respond, and the lack of new treatment options point to a global health threat that remains largely unchecked. Without decisive and coordinated action, the world risks entering a future where minor injuries or routine infections once again carry deadly consequences.
Antimicrobial resistance now stands as one of the most urgent health challenges of the century. It demands not only stronger policies and systems but also a fundamental shift in how societies value and use antibiotics. The preservation of these vital medicines depends on global solidarity, scientific innovation, and responsible stewardship at every level. The coming decade will determine whether humanity can stay ahead of the evolving resistance or succumb to an era where the simplest infections become untreatable once more.
(The author is a senior analyst based in Kashmir)