WaterAid Bangladesh organised an event to disseminating the findings of a study titled “Impacts of Wash on AMR and strategies to control AMR through Wash Interventions" at a city hotel in Dhaka.
The event brought together the senior representatives of the government, non-governmental bodies, development partners, donor agencies, media and civil society, all working at the intersection of the One Health approach and AMR, to hear the result of a groundbreaking piece of research by WaterAid and to launch a series of awareness-raising videos to tackle AMR through improved Wash practice.
The event offered a forum for multi-sectoral dialogue of the underlying linkages between Wash and AMR and the need for mainstreaming Wash in Bangladesh's national AMR response.
The study identified clear linkages between unhygienic Wash conditions and antimicrobial resistance development and transmission, namely among low-income urban residents.
Findings of the study indicated several issues of critical significance, including the site of AMR hotspots in crowded poor communities, dense household water contamination with E. coli, poor sanitation facilities within health care settings, gender-differentiated obstacles to access to hygiene facilities, and overall low public awareness of AMR risk and rational use of antibiotics.
To these results, WaterAid Bangladesh produced a series of online videos featuring well-known public personalities to create awareness and influence behaviour change in terms of hygiene, safe water, and sanitation.
The campaign also seeks to advance intersectoral engagement at both the grassroots and policymaking levels.
Professor Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant (State Minister Equivalent), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, was the chief guest of the event.
He highlighted the detrimental consequences that we are going to face due to AMR, and emphasized the urgency of ensuring proper hygiene practices in healthcare facilities.
He also said: "Bangladesh’s health sector is going through a positive change, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will be prioritized. A complete intervention plan will be expected to be submitted by relevant organizations. To educate our future generation, the textbook board will be requested to incorporate one paragraph on handwashing and another on AMR in the curriculum."
Dr Rajesh Narwal, acting representative, WHO Bangladesh, said: "Life-saving antibiotics are becoming increasingly ineffective—this is a silent pandemic in the making. It’s encouraging to see research emerging to guide evidence-based action. While WHO is supporting governments, the real challenge lies in implementation. Wash remains a low-hanging fruit in the fight against AMR and must be prioritized urgently."
Prof. Dr. Tahmina Shirin, director, IEDCR, said: "AMR is a vicious cycle-it's not just about humans, but also animals and the contamination of our water bodies, often driven by pharmaceutical waste. To truly realize the impact of the One Health approach, we need a whole-of-society and whole-of-government response."
Md Khairul Islam, regional director – South Asia, WaterAid, said: “While ministries can help with regulations and enforcement, public awareness is just as vital. Accountability must go hand-in-hand with behaviour change. Since above-the-line media is costly, we focused on leveraging social media to drive awareness and influence behaviour, alongside tightening regulatory measures."
Md Mostafizur Rahman, senior programme officer, climate and environment, Embassy of Sweden: "While the global focus on AMR has been on human health, the environmental dimensions are equally critical. From antibiotic waste to pollution during production, how we treat the environment in the process must be addressed. We must stress the environmental dimensions of AMR, not just human health."
Hasin Jahan, country director, WaterAid Bangladesh, stressed the urgency of aligning environmental health with national AMR strategies and said: "Addressing antimicrobial resistance requires a two-pronged approach—tackling waterborne diseases at the source and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. The unchecked availability of over-the-counter drugs, self-medication, and incomplete treatment courses are only fueling the crisis. Nationwide awareness is now imperative, and it's high time we shift focus toward preventive strategies. Most importantly, we must start thinking about how the WASH and Health sectors can collaborate more closely to combat AMR effectively."
The meeting concluded with an engaging question and answer session, during which participants and experts explored practical means of incorporating Wash into Bangladesh's National Action Plan on AMR, strengthening surveillance measures, and promoting community-based interventions.