The First World Antibiotic Awareness Week

A global action plan to tackle the growing problem of resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines was endorsed at the Sixty-eighth World Health Assembly in May 2015. One of the key objectives of the plan is to improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance through effective communication, education and training.

The theme of the campaign, Antibiotics: Handle with Care, reflects the overarching message that antibiotics are a precious resource and should be preserved. They should be used to treat bacterial infections, only when prescribed by a certified health professional. Antibiotics should never be shared and the full course of treatment should be completed – not saved for the future.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health today. It is rising to dangerously high levels in all parts of the world, and it is compromising clinician’s ability to treat infectious diseases and putting people everywhere at risk.

WHO is encouraging all Member States and health partners to join this campaign and help raise awareness of this issue. A variety of resources will be made available to support local campaigns including factsheets, infographics, posters and multi-media materials.

For more information on the campaign visit: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/antibiotic-resistance/en/