World AMR Awareness Week

World AMR Awareness Week

About

World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) is a global campaign to raise awareness and increase understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to promote global action to tackle the emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections. WAAW is observed annually from 18 to 24 November.  

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to medicines intended to kill them. As drug resistance increases, antimicrobial agents, such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals and antiparasitics, become ineffective and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat.  

2026 Theme

“One Health, one action: Prevent AMR now” 

Our world is more connected than ever. The medicines that save lives, the food we produce, the economies we depend on, and the health of our environment are all connected. When drug-resistant pathogens emerge and spread, they impact our health, animal health, food security, economies and sustainable development. Their emergence and spread are also influenced by the health of our environment. 

AMR is no longer a future challenge; it is a global threat.  

Bacterial AMR is already associated with more than 4.7 million deaths annually. Without urgent action, AMR could cause up to 39 million deaths by 2050, and cost the global economy more than US$3.4 trillion annually, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries. 

Around the world, governments, health professionals, veterinarians, environmental experts, farmers, researchers and communities are already taking action to prevent AMR. They are improving the access, responsible use and safe disposal of antimicrobials, strengthening water, sanitation and hygiene, promoting sustainable food systems, diagnostics and vaccines, reducing pollution and protecting the environment. Every action matters.  

World AMR Awareness Week 2026 shines a spotlight on this shared responsibility. Under the theme “One Health, one action: Prevent AMR now”, the campaign calls on everyone to do their part, recognizing that the health of people, animals, plants, and the environment is closely connected, and that actions in one sector can affect them all.  

WAAW 2026 theme in six languages:

Arabic: !صحة واحدة، خطوة واحدة: لنوقف مقاومة مضادات الميكروبات الآن

Chinese: 同一健康，同一行动：立即预防抗微生物药物耐药性 

French: Une santé, une action: Agir maintenant pour prévenir la RAM 

Russian: Единое здоровье, единое действие: Предотвратим УПП сейчас

Spanish: Una sola salud, una sola acción: prevenir la RAM ya 


WAAW 2025 campaign resources

WAAW 2024 campaign resources

Key Messages

 

What are antimicrobials

  • Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

  • Antimicrobials are agents used to prevent, control and treat infectious diseases in humans, animals and plants. They include antibiotics, fungicides, antiviral agents and parasiticides. Disinfectants, antiseptics, other pharmaceuticals and natural products may also have antimicrobial properties. 

  • AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. 

  • AMR is happening here and now. It is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, environment and sustainable development today. 

  • Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, plants and environment are accelerating the development and spread of AMR worldwide. 

  • The challenges of AMR are complex and multifaceted, but they are not insurmountable. A One Health response to AMR will help save millions of lives, preserve antimicrobials for generations and secure the future from drug-resistant pathogens. 

Did you know?

 

AMR WAAW

  • In 2019, nearly 5 million human deaths worldwide were associated with bacterial AMR, of which 1.3 million human deaths were directly attributable to bacterial AMR. 

  • The development of a new antibiotic can take 10-15 years and cost more than USD 1 billion. 

  • Releases from unused drugs disposed of in toilets, bins or waste dumps contribute to exacerbating AMR. 

  • Keeping animals healthy is an important measure to reduce the need for antimicrobial treatment in the first place. 

  • In a high-impact scenario, AMR will reduce global annual GDP by 3.8 percent by 2050. Left unchecked, in the next decade, AMR could result in a GDP shortfall of US$ 3.4 trillion annually and push 24 million more people into extreme poverty. 

  • When preparing food, washing hands before cooking and keeping food preparation areas clean can help prevent the spread of drug-resistant microbes. 

  • Human-induced pollution exacerbates AMR in the environment. The treatment of waste streams of municipal, agricultural, and industrial origin are important preventive measures. 

  • Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in homes and health facilities can reduce the need for antibiotics to treat diarrhoea by up to 60 percent. WASH helps prevent drug-resistant infections, saves lives and reduces health care costs.