The slogan for this year is 'Antimicrobials: handle with care' and the theme for the human health sector is 'United to preserve antimicrobials'.The World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) is celebrated from November 18 to November 24 every year. It aims at increasing awareness about global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and encourage best practices among the general public, healthcare workers and policy makers to avoid further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
The slogan for this year is ‘Antimicrobials: handle with care’ and the theme for the human health sector is ‘United to preserve antimicrobials’.
Dr Rajesh Karyakarte, head of the Department of Microbiology and the Hospital Infection Control Committee (HICC) of BJ Government Medical College and Sassoon General Hospitals, said several activities have been organised to celebrate World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW).
These include a webinar for all healthcare workers including doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff, poster competition on antimicrobial use awareness for undergraduate and postgraduate students and programmes to increase awareness among general public, regarding proper use of antibiotics through various platforms like posters, radio and newspaper.
The department of microbiology, BJGMC, is also a part of AMR surveillance project under the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which contributes its data to the World Health Organisation.
“Our antibiotic policy has been uploaded on the college website… all the clinicians and residents are made aware of this and they follow the policy,” said Dr Murlidhar Tambe, dean of B J Government Medical College.