By Ólafur Guðbjörn Skúlason, EORNA Vice-President
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) doesn’t make headlines every day, but it should. While the world has moved on from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, another global health threat continues to grow quietly — one that risks undoing decades of medical progress.
According to the OECD’s Health at a Glance: Europe 2024 report, antibiotic-resistant infections in the EU now cause around 35,000 deaths every year, with a direct economic cost estimated at €6.6 billion. That’s not just a statistic — it’s 35,000 individuals who might have survived otherwise, and billions spent managing infections that once had simple cures.
A rising concern across Europe
The report highlights that 32% of tested bacterial isolates in 2022–23 were resistant to key antibiotics — and in some countries, the situation is far worse. Resistance rates exceed 50% in Romania, Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria, reflecting both the uneven progress across Europe and the urgent need for coordinated antimicrobial stewardship.
Antibiotic consumption — a key driver of AMR — also varies almost fourfold across EU countries. This inconsistency matters. Overuse in one setting can fuel resistance everywhere. Bacteria, after all, don’t recognise borders.
The role of trust and preparedness
Encouragingly, the OECD notes that EU countries have made gradual improvements in health crisis preparedness since the pandemic, with self-reported adherence to WHO International Health Regulations rising from 75% in 2020 to 78% in 2023. Yet, one of the weakest areas remains risk communication — a polite way of saying that not everyone trusts or understands public health messages.
Public trust is not just a “soft” issue; it’s foundational. Finland, the Netherlands and Denmark top the list for citizens’ confidence in their governments’ crisis response. In contrast, fewer than one-third of people in Latvia, Portugal and Greece share that faith. And without trust, even the best infection control strategies struggle to gain traction.
Nurses: the front line of defence
For perioperative nurses, AMR is not an abstract problem — it’s something we face daily. Every antibiotic-resistant infection increases the risk for patients undergoing surgery and complicates recovery. Our vigilance in infection prevention, aseptic technique, and appropriate antibiotic use remains critical.
We also have a powerful role in education. Nurses are among the most trusted professionals in Europe, which places us in a unique position to encourage patients, families and colleagues to use antibiotics responsibly.
Moving forward: small actions, big impact
As Europe continues to strengthen preparedness and rebuild trust, tackling AMR must remain at the centre of the conversation.
A final thought
The pandemic showed us how interconnected health truly is — across professions, systems, and borders. Combating antimicrobial resistance requires the same unity of purpose.
Let’s not wait for the next crisis to act. Every choice we make in the operating room today helps protect the antibiotics of tomorrow.
