The World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) was introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) to increase global awareness of antimicrobial resistance. The WAAW takes place every year from 18-24th of November. The theme of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2021 is ‘Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance’. During this week best practices are shared among the general public, health workers and policy makers to show the importance of stopping the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

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D r. N i m r a z a m a n
P h a r m - D , R P h , M P H , M . P H I L
Awareness Session On Antimicrobial
Awareness
“Antimicrobials: Spread
Awareness, Stop
Resistance”

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Warning !
A n e w p l a g u e i s s w e e p i n g a c r o s s t h e p l a n e t
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Resistance: A global public health issue

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World Antimicrobial Awareness
Week (18-24 Nov)
• The Wor ld Antimicr obial Awar enes s Week (WAAW )
w as introduced b y the World H ealth Or ganization
(W HO) to in c re as e the g lo b a l aw areness o n
antimic r obial r e s is ta n c e .
• The WAAW tak es plac e ever y year from 1 8-2 4th o f
N ovember.
• The theme o f Wor ld Antimicr obial Awar enes s Week
(WAAW ) 2 0 2 1 is ‘S pr ead Aw arenes s, Stop
R es is tanc e’ .
• D ur ing this w eek bes t pr ac tices are shar ed among the
gener al public , health w or kers and polic y mak ers to
s how the impor tance o f s topping the fur ther
emer genc e a n d s pr ead o f antibiotic r es is tanc e .
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As WHO ramps up its fight against antibiotic resistance, a new multi-country survey shows people
are confused about this major threat to public health and do not understand how to prevent it
from growing.
This survey points out some of the practices, gaps in understanding and misconceptions which
contribute to the phenomenon resistance
AND THE RESULTS WERE VERY ALARMING !!!!!
• Almost two thirds (64%) of some 10 000 people who were surveyed across 12 countries say they
know antibiotic resistance is an issue that could affect them and their families, but how it affects
them and what they can do to address it are not well understood.
• 64% of respondents believe antibiotics can be used to treat colds and flu, despite the fact that
antibiotics have no impact on viruses.
• Close to one third (32%) of people surveyed believe they should stop taking antibiotics when they
feel better, rather than completing the prescribed course of treatment.
What is antimicrobial resistance?
Is the community aware about this massive public
health issue
what are their misconceptions and beliefs ?

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What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?
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• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, parasites, viruses or
fungi change to protect themselves from the effects of antimicrobial drugs
designed to destroy them.
• This means previously effective antimicrobial medicines (e.g. antibiotics)
used to treat or prevent infections may no longer work.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified AMR as ‘one of the top
10 global public health threats facing humanity.
• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health and development threat. It
requires urgent multisectoral action in order to achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).

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In addition to the impact on a patient’s health, AMR results
in substantial financial cost for patients and healthcare
systems.
Antimicrobial resistance could increase global healthcare
costs by more than 1 trillion $ per year by 2050 .
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6929930/)
 Each year, 700,000 people die of AMR. Without
action, the death toll could rise even higher, to as
many as 10 million deaths annually by 2050
 It cause a 3.8 percent reduction in annual gross
domestic product (GDP), as identified in a 2017
report entitled 'Drug-Resistant Infections: A
Threat to Our Economic Future'.
(https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/health/brief/antimicrobial-resistance-amr)

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How has antimicrobial resistance
developed?
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What accelerates the emergence and spread of
antimicrobial resistance?
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• AMR occurs naturally over time, usually through genetic
changes.
• Antimicrobial resistant organisms are found in people, animals,
food, plants and the environment (in water, soil and air).
• They can spread from person to person or between people and
animals, including from food of animal origin.
• The main drivers of antimicrobial resistance includes :
 the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials;
 lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
for both humans and animals; poor infection and disease
prevention and control in health-care facilities and farms;
 poor access to quality, affordable medicines, vaccines and
diagnostics;
 lack of awareness and knowledge; and lack of enforcement of
legislation.

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ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AND COVID-19
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• As we find ourselves in a middle of a pandemic, it
becomes even more urgent to highlight antimicrobial
resistance.
• WHO advises that misuse of antibiotics during COVID-19
pandemic could lead to further 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.
Key message
Antibiotics do not prevent or
treat COVID-19 but can cause
adverse effects, allergic
reactions, drug interactions and
increase risk of future resistant
infections
COVID-19 pandemic has
presented many additional
challenges (including
antimicrobial shortages)
for managing patients with
infections

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Antimicrobials are unique medicines
In general, the
impact of
medications are
limited to the
patient taking them
Use of antibiotics
has an impact not
just for the patient
using them but the
global community
as well

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Antimicrobial Stewardship
Antimicrobial
stewardship
Right
antimicrobials
Right patient
Right time
Right dose
Right route
Right duration
Right
documentation
Antimicrobial stewardship is
a coordinated program that promotes
the appropriate use of
antimicrobials (including antibiotics),
improves patient outcomes, reduces
microbial resistance, and decreases the
spread of infections caused by
multidrug-resistant organisms.

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• In the community
• General Practice
• Not prescribing antibiotics for colds and
flu
• Delayed prescribing
• Shared decision making
• Public declarations in the practice about
conserving antibiotics
• Pharmacies
• Offering symptomatic support for cold
and flu
Antimicrobial Stewardship – not just
for hospitals

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• In the home
• Not taking antibiotics that haven’t
been prescribed for you
• Discarding old antibiotic medicines
appropriately
• In industry
• Investing in research and development
for antimicrobials
Antimicrobial Stewardship – not just for
hospitals

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To prevent and control the spread of antibiotic
resistance, individuals can:
• Only use antibiotics when prescribed by a
certified health professional.
• Never demand antibiotics if your health
worker says you don’t need them.
• Always follow your health worker’s advice
when using antibiotics.
• Never share or use leftover antibiotics.
• Prevent infections by regularly by washing
hands, preparing food hygienically, avoiding
close contact with sick people, practising
safer sex, and keeping vaccinations up to
date.

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There are many things each one
of us can do to help limit
antimicrobial resistance
development and spread of
antimicrobial resistant bacteria.

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Are we heading towards
“Post-antibiotic Era”
• Modern medicine, especially surgery and cancer
treatments, depends on effective antibiotics to
minimise the risk of infection
• Currently, antibiotics reduce post-operative infection rates to
below 2%
• 440,000 new cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis annually
• Without effective antibiotics, this could increase to around
40% to 50%. Up to 30% of these patients could die from
resistant bacterial infections
• The risk of mortality without access to effective antibiotics
may make some treatments and surgical procedures too risky
to continue
• 2 million people acquire serious infections due to
antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year and according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
23,000 of them die as a result

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ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE CRISIS
An increase in resistant organisms
+
A limited number of new antimicrobial drugs
=
a problematic scenario
The pharmaceutical industry has largely turned away from antibiotic research due to
the low likelihood of getting a return on investment. Any new class of antibiotics
would need to be used sparingly to conserve their effectiveness, meaning sales
would be slow.”

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?
End of the road?
“Antibiotic resistance should be
added to the list of national
emergencies”.
In the nearest future
• Strep throat to a scraped knee could kill you.
• A simple hip replacement would result in 1 and 6 deaths.
• The cost to treat drug-resistant cases is estimated to be at least
double.
Bad bugs need new drugs !

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Superbugs* are visible manifestations of our
prolonged failure to preserve antibiotics
Known but neglected.
Need immediate action
Known but
inevitable

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We need to preserve this resource by working together
Combating antimicrobial resistance: No action today, no cure
tomorrow
Antibiotics
are
a precious
resource

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“
“We must remember that one determined
person can make a significant difference,
and that a small group of determined
people can change the course of history.”
- -Sonia Johnson
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