World Antibiotic Awareness Week is being marked 14-20 November 2016. Antibiotics have saved millions of people’s lives from infections that were once deadly.
We have come to rely on antibiotics in modern medicine and agriculture, to treat humans and animals that are sick and to prevent others from becoming infected. But they are losing their power, as ‘superbugs’ that resist treatment develop and spread, due to overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals. We must change the way that we use these medicines.
During World Antibiotic Awareness Week, WHO is sharing fact sheets, photo stories, videos and infographics to increase awareness and understanding of the problem:
- 13 real-life stories from people around the world who have been affected by antibiotic resistance
- WHO fact sheet on antibiotic resistance
- Infographics and posters with messages for the public, policymakers, health workers (doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, dentists, hospital and clinic managers) and the agriculture sector on what they can do, and additional infographics on the causes of antibiotic resistance and how it spreads
- Videos with basic messages for the public on what they can do
- Radio spot with key messages for the public
- Interactive online quiz: How much do you know about antibiotic resistance?
- Q&A ‘Why is vaccination important for addressing antibiotic resistance?’
- Video Q&A with Dr Keiji Fukuda and Dr Marie-Paule Kieny on antimicrobial resistance
Follow #AntibioticResistance on WHO’s social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
For more information on antibiotic resistance, World Antibiotic Awareness Week and the ‘Antibiotics: Handle with care’ campaign, visit: wwwwho.int/campaigns/world-antibiotic-awareness-week
