Theme: Spread awareness, Stop resistance

The world antimicrobial awareness week (WAAW) aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policymakers to avoid the further emergence and the spread of drug-resistant infections.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria and other organisms no longer respond to medicines, making common infections hander to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. The factors involved to cause antibiotic resistance are overuse and misuse of medicines. As a result, ‘multi’ and ‘pan’ resistant bacteria (also called “superbugs”) emerge and cause non-treatable infections.

How to stop Antimicrobial resistance

  • Development and implementation of multisectoral national action plans.
  • To promote best practices to reduce the levels of antimicrobial resistance and slow its development.

WAAW is a global campaign held every year to increase the awareness of antimicrobial resistance and the need to stop the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria to achieve a healthy atmosphere.