Introduction 

Infectious diseases in children are currently facing a dual crisis: the rise of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and the strains of mass migration. AMR has made standard medicines less effective, turning once-treatable infections into life-threatening cases for children. Simultaneously, migration has overwhelmed health infrastructures in many regions, causing local services to buckle. These factors leave children without access to life-saving care, turning manageable health issues into an expansive regional crisis.

The Rise of Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria and viruses change and no longer respond to treatments that once neutralized them. As a result, common infections become harder to fight, allowing diseases to spread rapidly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), AMR is one of the biggest global health threats. It causes millions of deaths each year. At-risk children, such as those in conflict zones, are the most impacted. In these places, access to quality medicine, clean water, and proper sanitation is limited. This makes treating standard illnesses difficult. When this is compounded by the impact of AMR, mortality rates go up. It also becomes more expensive and resource-intensive to treat these once-curable diseases.

Between August and October 2025, data from the WHO’s global antibiotic resistance surveillance report showed a sharp rise in AMR. About one in six infections was resistant to standard antibiotics. These include pneumonia, as well as urinary, gastrointestinal, and blood infections. Common medications no longer work against common bacteria. This is the first time this issue was found with common illnesses at such a large scale. If this trend continues, deaths caused by AMR could rise to 70 percent by 2050. Countries with the highest rates of AMR include parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Major causes of rising resistance include the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. Poor access to diagnoses and weak infection control are also contributors to AMR.

These developments highlight major gaps in health care systems for children. Many health facilities cannot prevent or control the spread of resistant infections. In addition, stronger medicines are often expensive and can be much harsher on children’s growing bodies. This makes it challenging to access for many countries. UNICEF considers AMR a major threat to children’s health. Regulating antibiotic use, improving infection control, and expanding access to pediatric health systems are all proposed solutions. Solutions must balance urgency, feasibility, and cost.

The Collapse of Health Services due to Migration and Displacement

In 2025, displacement has shifted from a short-term humanitarian challenge into a long-term public health crisis. Migration and displacement occur when individuals are forced to leave their homes. This can be due to conflict, insecurity, or violence. These movements hurt children’s access to healthcare. By the end of 2024, 48.8 million children were displaced by conflict. This was the highest number ever reported, but the number only increased in 2025.

Migration and displacement harm children’s health in many ways. They interrupt immunization, limit access to medicine and clean water, and force children to live in overcrowded conditions. For example, outbreaks of cholera, measles, and respiratory infections are common in displacement camps. Vaccines and clean water are scarce in these areas as well. These outbreaks persist because displaced children live in unsafe and overcrowded environments. Prevention and treatment become difficult to provide. In Africa, around 80,000 displaced children are at risk of cholera due to the poor living conditions. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nigeria have reported the most cases, which could spread to neighboring countries.

As children have underdeveloped immune systems, vaccines typically provide extra fortification against infectious disease. However, disruptions to vaccinations mean that children do not obtain this extra protection. Additionally, infections can affect children differently or more severely. For example, as their airways are smaller, respiratory infections like RSV or pneumonia are more dangerous. Fever and dehydration can also progress faster in children than in adults.

Recent mass displacements have made the situation worse. In Gaza, one in five children under the age of five is unvaccinated or has missed vaccines due to displacement. Before the conflict, vaccination coverage was over 98 percent, but it has now dropped to 70 percent. The destruction of health facilities has worsened the situation. In the Sahel region, 2.9 million people have been displaced, half of whom are children. Attacks on communities have increased the risk of malnutrition and disease. Delays in treatment for infectious diseases have also led to higher death rates. In 2025, conflicts have spanned multiple vaccine cycles, as opposed to causing just single missed doses. Without action, isolated conflicts have the potential to expand into cross-border public health crises.

Conclusion

Children are facing growing risks from infectious diseases. The rise of AMR and the collapse of health services caused by migration have increased in scale and magnitude. New diseases across the world are constantly evolving and becoming more difficult to treat. Children are being infected in greater numbers than seen before. Treating diseases is becoming increasingly difficult. Without clear and collaborative solutions, infections will continue to spread, harming young bodies disproportionately.

Bibliography

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