World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week: Educate, advocate, act now

November 18 to 24 is World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW).

Led by the World Health Organization (WHO), WAAW aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices among the public, health workers and policymakers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.

Understanding AMR

Antimicrobials are vital to modern medicine, treating millions of people globally each year.

However, AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve and become resistant to the medications used against them.

This resistance can spread among humans, animals, plants, and through the environment, making infections increasingly difficult to treat.

As a result, ineffective antibiotics and other antimicrobials lead to a higher risk of disease transmission, severe illness, and even death. Today, AMR is recognized as one of the top 10 global public health threats by the WHO.

The importance of addressing AMR

According to a report by The King’s Fund, antimicrobials save lives and can add an average of 20 years to life expectancy worldwide. The threat of AMR affects all medical sectors and undermines treatments relied upon by healthcare providers, veterinarians, and the public alike.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further underscored the challenges of infection management and highlighted the urgent need to reduce inappropriate antimicrobial use. In response to the growing problem of resistance, a global action plan was endorsed at the Sixty-eighth World Health Assembly in May 2015. This plan focuses on improving awareness and understanding of AMR through effective communication, education, and training.

In 2023, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the WHO, and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) rebranded World Antimicrobial Awareness Week as World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week.

A One Health approach to AMR

Addressing AMR requires a holistic, multi-sectoral approach known as the One Health approach.

WAAW serves as a global campaign to enhance awareness and understanding of AMR, encouraging best practices among the public, One Health stakeholders, and policymakers.

AMR affects everyone, and collaboration across sectors is crucial to preserving the efficacy of critical medicines. As a result, the WHO urges all countries in the European Region to participate in WAAW and promote responsible antimicrobial use.

Key strategies for combating AMR

To effectively combat AMR, a multifaceted approach is essential:

Prudent use of antimicrobials: Ensure antimicrobials are prescribed and used correctly to avoid overuse and misuse in human and veterinary medicine, as well as agriculture.

Infection prevention and control: Implement strong infection prevention measures in healthcare settings, communities, and farms, including proper hygiene, sanitation, and vaccination programs.

Surveillance and research: Strengthen surveillance systems to monitor AMR patterns and invest in research to develop new antimicrobials, vaccines, and diagnostic tools.

Public awareness and education: Educate the public and healthcare professionals about the dangers of AMR and the importance of responsible antimicrobial use to promote behavior change.

Global collaboration: AMR is a global challenge that requires international cooperation. Countries must share data, resources, and strategies to effectively combat AMR.

By integrating these strategies, significant progress can be made in controlling and overcoming AMR.

WAAW 2024: Educate, Advocate, Act Now

This year's WAAW theme emphasizes the need for immediate action. By raising awareness and promoting best practices, we can all play a role in combating AMR.

AMR is a complex challenge, but through education, advocacy, and decisive action, we can make significant strides in controlling its spread and impact.

WAAW serves as a crucial reminder of the urgent need to address this global threat to human, animal, and environmental health.

Potential AMR consequences and impacts:

• Infections become harder to treat
• Increased risk of disease spread
• Higher mortality rates
• Routine medical procedures become more dangerous
• 4.95 million deaths associated with bacterial AMR in 2019*
• Potential for 10 million annual deaths by 2050
• Estimated $100 trillion cost to the global economy by 2050**

*Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators. (2022). Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis. The Lancet; 399(10325): P629-655. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02724-0

**Drug-Resistant Infections: A Threat to Our Economic future (March 2027) https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/health/publication/drug-resistant-infections-a-threat-to-our-economic-future

G&L encourages everyone to actively participate in WAAW. Together, we can heighten awareness of global AMR and encourage responsible antimicrobial use to prevent its further emergence and spread.

A comprehensive guide to AMR Week can be found here

Dr. Sarah Hobson is Associate Manager of Regulatory Affairs at G&L.