Publications

Armed conflict significantly exacerbates the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), compounding global public health challenges. Disruption of healthcare systems, population displacement, and unregulated antimicrobial use in crisis settings create conditions conducive to the proliferation of multidrugresistant pathogens. Conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Iraq illustrate how war undermines infection prevention, surveillance, and stewardship, while amplifying transmission dynamics both within and across national borders. The combination of damaged infrastructure, inadequate pharmaceutical supply chains, and compromised governance hinders effective response, surveillance, and stewardship interventions. This review highlights the mechanisms linking conflict to AMR, explores public health and regional consequences, and underscores the ethical and policy dimensions of equitable antimicrobial allocation. Strengthening global health governance, implementing context-specific stewardship programs, and enhancing surveillance and supply chain resilience are essential strategies to mitigate AMR in conflict-affected settings. Coordinated international action, grounded in humanitarian law and public health principles, is crucial to prevent long-term global proliferation of resistant pathogens.