Antimicrobial resistance: the silent pandemic of the 21st century

Imagine a time when a minor cut, a common fever, or a routine surgery could become life-threatening because medicines no longer work. This frightening scenario is increasingly becoming a reality due to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), often called the "Silent Pandemic of the 21st Century." Unlike COVID-19, AMR spreads quietly over many years, making it difficult for people to notice until infections become difficult or impossible to treat. Antimicrobials are medicines used to kill or stop the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Antibiotics are antimicrobials used specifically against bacteria. When these medicines are used incorrectly or excessively, microorganisms develop the ability to survive the drugs that once killed them. This process is known as antimicrobial resistance.