Week, November 14th- 20th 2016, was designated as World Antibiotics Awareness week with the aim of raising awareness of Antibiotic resistance and to encourage the responsible use of antibiotics among the general public and health care providers. It was first observed in 2015 following the endorsement of a global action plan to tackle antibiotic resistance at the 68th World Health Assembly. One of the key objectives of the plan is to improve awareness and understanding of antibiotic resistance through effective communication and education.
The theme of the campaign, “Antibiotics: Handle with Care” reflects the fact that antibiotics are a precious resource and should be preserved. That is, they should be prescribed only when necessary, taken only when prescribed by a certified human or animal health professional and should never be shared or saved for the future.
Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria change in such a way that antibiotics can no longer destroy them. Since the 1940s, antibiotics have greatly reduced a variety of illnesses from simple skin and ear infections to life-threatening blood stream infections. However, these drugs have been used so widely and for so long that the bacteria that the antibiotics are designed to kill have adapted to them, making the drugs less effective.
According to WHO, Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. They warn that if something is not done the world will head towards “a post-antibiotic era in which common infections will once again kill.”
Everyone has a role to play to reduce the risks of antibiotic resistance. For the general public, the best method of prevention is to avoid infection by taking hygiene measures such as washing hands often and by also staying at home when sick. Patients should also:
- Ask if tests will be done to make sure the right antibiotic is prescribed: An informed patient is a safe patient.
- Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed by your doctor. That is, do not skip doses and ensure that you complete all your medication, even when you start feeling better.
- Only take antibiotics prescribed for you; do not share or use leftover antibiotics.
- Do not save antibiotics for the next illness, discard any leftover medication
- Do not ask for antibiotics when your doctor thinks you do not need them.
This Antibiotic Awareness Week, take some time to learn what you can do to reduce the risks of antibiotic resistance, not just for this generation but the next.
