Every year, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to stop the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
As resistance grows to a wider range of drugs, we have broadened the focus of this campaign from antibiotics to all antimicrobials. The theme for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020 for the human health sector is “United to preserve antimicrobials.”
Together with our Tripartite partners the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), we are calling on all sectors of society to rally around a bold, unified agenda to defeat this global health and development threat. Events during the week will highlight the need to protect crucial medicines beyond antibiotics, including antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics which are critical to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals and plants.
Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals and plants – Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals and plants are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant infections. Poor medical prescribing practices and patient adherence to treatment also contribute. For example, antibiotics kill bacteria, but they cannot kill viral infections like colds and flu. Often they are incorrectly prescribed for those illnesses, or taken without proper medical oversight. Antibiotics are also commonly overused in farm animals and agriculture.
Lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for both humans and animals – Lack of clean water and sanitation in health care facilities, farms and community settings and inadequate infection prevention and control promotes the emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
COVID-19 – The misuse of antibiotics during COVID-19 pandemic could lead to accelerated emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, not by a bacteria and therefore antibiotics should not be used to prevent or treat viral infections, unless bacterial infections are also present.
Leading a global response
The Tripartite Organizations are launching a One Health Global Leaders Group on AMR to address the urgent challenge posed by antimicrobial resistance.
The new Global Leaders Group will advance the AMR global action plan launched in 2015—to ensure that, in generations to come, we can continue to prevent and treat infectious diseases with safe and effective medicines.