DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sajp.2025.v14i08.001

Pages: 188-195

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges to global health. In 2019 alone, infections caused by resistant pathogens were directly responsible for approximately 1.27 million deaths, and linked to nearly 5 million more worldwide. If this trend continues unchecked, projections suggest that AMR could claim up to 10 million lives annually by 2050, surpassing the toll of many current leading causes of death. This alarming rise stems largely from the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human medicine, veterinary practice, and agriculture practices that hasten the selection and spread of resistant microorganisms. The situation is especially dire in low- and middle-income countries, where limited access to clean water, sanitation, and diagnostic tools amplifies the problem. Recognising the magnitude of this crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified antimicrobial resistance among the top ten global public health threats. In 2015, it launched the Global Action Plan on AMR, urging all health systems to optimise antimicrobial prescribing and strengthen stewardship efforts. Within this context, rational antibiotic use in hospitals has become a cornerstone of infection control. This article based on the «Hospital Guide for the Rational Use of Antibiotics» developed at the Avicenne Military Hospital in Marrakech summarises the key principles of responsible antimicrobial therapy and demonstrates how the WHO AWaRe classification can be applied in daily clinical decision-making.