Ethiopia Launches Fourth National Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance

 

Ethiopia has unveiled its fourth National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), reaffirming its commitment to tackling this pressing global health threat.

The launch places Ethiopia among a growing number of African countries with firm strategies to address AMR, which occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to withstand drugs designed to kill them.

Support for this effort was provided by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the World Bank, and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC).

“Resistance to infection is rising worldwide. Without decisive measures, by 2050 we could see a 70% increase in AMR-related impacts, costing the global economy an estimated USD 1 trillion,” warned Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, Dr Mekdes Daba. Speaking at the launch event marking World AMR Awareness Week, she described antimicrobial resistance as a growing crisis that demands urgent and coordinated action.

Africa CDC Deputy Director General, Dr Raji Tajudeen, echoed this concern, calling AMR “no longer a silent pandemic.” Ranked among the top ten global public health threats, AMR is already undermining health systems, food safety, economic growth, and environmental stability across Africa. “This is not a distant threat – it is a present reality,” he said.

Africa currently accounts for over one million AMR-related deaths annually, representing approximately 21% of the global toll. Without immediate action, projections indicate that by 2050 AMR-related deaths in Africa could soar to 4.1 million each year, pushing millions into extreme poverty and reversing decades of progress in infectious disease control.

Ethiopia’s new action plan positions the country as a continental leader, setting a model for progress and inspiring other nations to act. Dr Mekdes highlighted Ethiopia’s strong track record, including its active membership in the Global Leaders Group on AMR and its success in increasing AMR awareness among health professionals by 50%. The country has also conducted over 54 public awareness campaigns, mobilising communities to confront this growing threat.

Dr Tajudeen noted Africa’s progress on antimicrobial resistance, citing strengthened national coordination committees, enhanced surveillance and laboratory capacity, and baseline data from the influential Mapping Antimicrobial Resistance and Antimicrobial Use Partnership (MAAP) study, supported by the AU’s Landmark AMR Report released in 2024.

Yet challenges remain, including poor access to quality diagnostics and medicines, underfunded action plans, weak infection prevention and control, limited data for policymaking, and fragmented One Health surveillance systems.

“I would like to encourage Member States to ensure that AMR remains one of the critical agendas at the highest political levels, including within AU bodies,” said Dr Tajudeen.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).