World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) is observed annually between 18 to 24 of November globally. The main aim of the WAAW is to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers, farmers, animal health professionals and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) (collectively known as the Tripartite) have been jointly supporting the WAAW since 2015 together with the general public, students, policy makers, and professionals from various sectors around the world. The theme for WAAW 2021 is “Spread awareness, stop resistance”. As in previous years, the overall slogan for antimicrobial resistance awareness and WAAW is “Antimicrobials: Handle with care”.
Antimicrobials are the essential medicines used to treat infection with microorganism like bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites in human, animals and plants. These agents have substantially reduced the burden of diseases in human and animals and also contributed to food security and safety. However, emergence and spread of AMR in several microorganisms is complicating the management of many infectious diseases. AMR occurs when these microorganisms change naturally and also triggered by inappropriate use, misuse or overuse in human, animals and plants whereby they don’t respond to treatment with the antimicrobials which they used to be before. AMR endangers animal health and welfare, as well as food production and also adversely affects the functioning of human, animal and plant health systems and the economy. Resistant microorganisms circulate through human, animals and the environment. Further, these resistant microorganisms do not have geographical or political barriers. Hence, AMR is a globally recognized issue which requires engagement of all sectors – human, animal, plant and environment, a ‘One Health approach’.
Therefore, the Department of Livestock, as the focal point for AMR for the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests, would like to request all the agencies concerned to join the global community to spread the message and promote good practices to control the AMR.
For more information, please visit the following sites:
- FAO: Click Here
- OIE: Click Here
- WHO: Click Here
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