World AMR Awareness Week 2023: Prevent infections and improve antimicrobial use to make sure they remain effective | News

18 November 2023, Cairo, Egypt – As World AMR Awareness Week 2023 begins today, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean emphasizes the urgent need to address the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Antibiotic resistance threatens health care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Drug-resistant infections are more and more common and are spreading faster. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans, animals and food production settings lead to new resistance profiles. Antibiotics are being used instead of accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment and in the absence of effective infection prevention and control measures, such as clean water, sanitation and hygiene. This endangers people’s well-being, puts a strain on health systems and, ultimately, wastes resources.

“Our medical care relies heavily on antibiotics: they must continue to be effective,” highlighted Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “We must safeguard the future of health care and guarantee the welfare of our communities. This means improving the way we prescribe antimicrobials.”

Young medical professionals, WHO represent our future health workforce, will be most affected during their careers by a rise in drug-resistant infections. They are well-placed to help improve antibiotic prescribing practices. WHO just released an antibiotic book to guide their use for over 30 common infections. Each antibiotic is classified according to whether they can be “Accessed”, “Watched”, or “Reserved. Adopting this “AWaRe” classification requires all actors of the health system.

“I am calling on all health workers to use antimicrobials responsibly and to prescribe antibiotics only when necessary as per national guidelines and the WHO AWaRe antibiotic book” added Dr Al-Mandhari. “I also urge the public to only take antibiotics when prescribed by a health professional. Health care workers and the public have the future of our antimicrobials in their hands. Seizing this opportunity is exactly what we mean by Health for All by All.”