Against the backdrop of globalized public health development, the One Health concept has garnered widespread attention. As a severe public health crisis endangering humans, animals and ecological environments, antimicrobial resistance is spreading silently, evolving into an unignorable global health challenge. To popularize knowledge about drug resistance and foster public health protection awareness, a themed atrium exhibition elaborately planned by Xia Han from Class 11-2 was successfully held in the fourth-floor atrium. It guided teachers and students of SSBS to break away from a single medical perspective and gain a comprehensive understanding of the antimicrobial resistance crisis.

Antibiotics stand as a milestone discovery in the history of human medical development. They have successfully cured numerous fatal illnesses including pneumonia and sepsis, building a solid line of defense for human life and health. Nevertheless, frequent overuse and misuse have gradually enabled bacteria to develop drug resistance, making antimicrobial resistance (AMR) increasingly severe. It has been ranked by the World Health Organization as one of the top ten global public health threats.

For a long time, most people assumed drug resistance only occurred within hospital medical settings. Latest studies prove that drug-resistant bacteria can spread across boundaries among humans, animals and natural environments, hiding in meat products, domestic pets, natural rivers and soil. This perfectly illustrates the core essence of One Health: human health, animal health and environmental health are integrated and inseparable. Tackling the antimicrobial resistance crisis is never a task exclusive to the medical industry. It calls for joint efforts and coordinated collaboration among physicians, veterinarians, ecological researchers and policy practitioners. Centering on this core idea, the exhibition breaks down cognitive barriers and helps students realize that the fight against antimicrobial resistance is a shared mission for humanity, animals and the entire planetary ecosystem.

The exhibition presents scientific knowledge in progressive layers, leading students to immerse themselves in the microscopic world of bacteria and fully grasp the whole picture of the drug resistance crisis. It clearly explains how drug resistance forms: bacteria acquire survival advantages via random gene mutations and transmit resistance genes through DNA fragments, just like passing around a survival cheat code among bacterial colonies to spread drug-resistant traits rapidly. Furthermore, it corrects prevalent public misconceptions. Superbugs themselves are not the most terrifying threat; the real core of the crisis lies in the declining efficacy of antibiotics, which deprives humans of effective weapons to combat bacterial infections.

The exhibition also sorts out various root causes behind the spread of AMR: excessive and irregular use of antibiotics in clinical treatment, large-scale administration of veterinary antibiotics in livestock breeding to boost production, and drug residues carried by hospital wastewater and agricultural runoff flowing into natural ecosystems. Every link in daily human life, breeding production and natural ecological circulation accelerates the propagation and evolution of drug-resistant bacteria. Meanwhile, it puts forward targeted solutions from individual, social and ecological dimensions, advocating standardized medication use, adherence to full-course treatment protocols, optimized livestock breeding management, improved sewage purification, as well as cross-field data sharing and policy coordination. It makes it clear to all students that everyone has a role to play in curbing the drug resistance crisis.

A highlight of the exhibition lies in its exclusive interactive activity — the One Health Bond DIY Souvenir Workshop, which injects fun and warmth into the event. Combining daily pet-raising life, students can create exclusive handmade works together with their pets. These delicate crafts carry profound health concepts: humans and pets share interconnected health and intertwined destinies. Rational use of veterinary antibiotics, elimination of arbitrary abuse of animal medicines and proper disposal of expired drugs can safeguard pets’ well-being, and in turn protect human health and the overall ecological health as well.

Inspire thoughts through exhibitions and put knowledge into practice through actions. This immersive popular science exhibition transcends narrow health cognition. With accessible knowledge, intuitive science popularization and engaging interactive experiences, it deeply implants the One Health philosophy in everyone’s mind. Health is never an isolated personal issue, but a symbiotic proposition connecting humans with nature and all living beings. Hopefully, everyone can gain new insights from this exhibition, establish all-round health awareness, resist antibiotic abuse with small practical actions, and jointly safeguard a healthy homeland where humans, animals and nature coexist harmoniously.