The World Health Organisation has sounded the alarm over a rising tide of antibiotic resistance, with one in six common bacterial infections worldwide in 2023 resistant to antibiotic treatments, and the highest rates in South-East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean, and Africa.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is outpacing medical advances and urged stronger global surveillance, responsible antibiotic use, and greater investment in diagnostics, vaccines, and new treatments.

For people living with cancer, this growing resistance poses a serious risk. Infections are among the most frequent and severe complications during and after treatment, especially for those undergoing chemotherapy or surgery, when the immune system is weakened. When antibiotics lose their effectiveness, even common infections can become life-threatening, and essential cancer treatments may need to be delayed or modified.

For digestive cancer patients, who often face complex procedures and hospital stays, antibiotic resistance further jeopardises recovery and quality of life.

The WHO calls for urgent R&D efforts, as the number of pharmaceutical companies developing antibiotics has dropped from around 20 in 2000 to just four today.

Author:

Nikola Mihinjač