'Spread awareness and stop resistance' is the theme of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2021 as announced by The Tripartite organization- the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
Antimicrobials: Handle with Care
WAAW is celebrated every year between 18-24 November. This camping is basically based on increasing awareness regarding antimicrobial resistance. The importance is given to stress maintaining the best healthcare practices to stop drug-resistant infections.
When was it first celebrated?
World antimicrobial awareness week was first started in Europe. This initiative was taken to increase the perception of antibiotic resistance. It was mainly done among the health care workers and the general public. Later on, more countries joined to further spread the cause globally.
In order to avoid the outspread of drug resistance infection, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is celebrated annually. The movement's focus is to educate people to obtain better health care protection and to stop the emerging problem of resistance to antibiotics. The aim is to aware people of this through education training and fruitful communication.
WHO goals for Antimicrobial Awareness Week
The main goals on which WHO is focusing are
- 1) To raise and guide people about antibiotics
- 2) To expand research under excellent supervision
- 3) To introduce ways to reduce infections as much as possible
- 4) To educate the general public to use the medicines in more effective ways
- 5) To be devoted never to stop investments
How to observe World Antibiotic Awareness Week?
Make it common among children:
- 1) To continuously ask children to stay hygienic.
- 2) Ask them to wash their hands before and after eating, especially after coming home from outside.
- 3) To maintain a distance from a sick person.
- 4) To always cover their wounds and avoid touching them.
To eat healthy
Always guide people to be healthy. Focus more on vegetables and fruit as they hold more nutritional value. Try to add garlic, ginger or onion as they contain anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties.
WAAW is no doubt a significant event as it helps people to know more about antimicrobial infection. This event helps in taking precautionary measures and enables us to be prepared whenever we visit a doctor, which indirectly helps doctors to diagnose disease much effectively to provide appropriate treatment.
