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All you need to know about World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2021

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Est read time 3 minutes. Published on 27th Feb 2021

The World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW), also known as World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, is an annual event conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This year, WAAW was celebrated from 18-24 November. The main aim of the event was to increase global awareness of antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance. It also emphasised the importance of following the best healthcare practices to prevent the emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.As health issues and medical emergencies can happen at any time, you must take health insurance for the much-needed financial backup during such tough times.

History of World Antibiotic Awareness Week

Every year in November, initiatives are taken in many countries around the world to increase awareness about antibiotic resistance. According to experts, prudent use of antibiotics is one of the most important steps to deal with antibiotic resistance. This idea was put forward for the first time in Europe in 2007. After this decision, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) held meetings to discuss the issue and form a proposal for the same. They also decided to develop tools and materials that would be made available to different countries. This initiative was called the European Antibiotics Awareness Day (EAAD).

• Public campaigning in Europe

  The first-ever public campaign was done in Europe to increase understanding about antibiotic resistance among the healthcare workers and the public. The campaign also aimed to reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics in the continent. As the campaigns continued to grow and spread, more countries kept joining the initiative.

• Global initiatives

To take EAAD further, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched the World Antibiotics Awareness Week (WAAW) in 2015. This was done to raise awareness on a global level and to take necessary steps to check the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. WAAW also encouraged best practices among healthcare workers, public, veterinarians, food producers, and policymakers. The overall campaign emphasised the importance of antibiotics and their use for treating bacterial infections only when prescribed by a certified healthcare practitioner.

WHOsaw antibiotic resistance as arising problem all over the world. Poor standard of living and unhygienic conditions were causing infections and illnesses that were resistant to antibiotics. Hence, in May 2015, this issue was upgraded to an international emergency. According to WHO, new resistance mechanismswere making antibiotics less effective. This made it increasingly difficult to treat tuberculosis, pneumonia, blood poisoning and otherlife-threatening infections.

5 important goals outlined by WHO

1. Raising awareness about antibiotics
2. Increasing research and supervision
3. Reducing infections
4. Using antimicrobial medications the right way
5. Committing to continual investment

How to observe World Antibiotic Awareness Week?

1. Increase awareness among children: Teach children about basic cleanliness - ask them to wash hands frequently, do not leave cuts and wounds open, maintain a safe distance from family members when they are sick, and more. Parents must also teach kids to keep the home environment clean and wash hands before eating. These small, but important steps will prevent infections and this is the best defence against antibiotic resistance.
2. Consume nutritious foods:Consuming more fruits and vegetables is a simple way to increase one’s nutrient intake. These foods contain vitamin C and other nutrients that help strengthen the immune system and ward off infections. Some popular options are onions, garlic, chives, shallots, and other foods with antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
3. Cultivate happiness: Staying happy is important for one’s overall health. According to experts, the incidence of infections and other conditions is lower in happy people. Even if they fall sick, they recover quickly. Hence, one must focus on things that make them happy.

Conclusion:

World Antibiotic Awareness Week is an important event as it alerts the public and healthcare workers about antibiotic resistance – a global health issue. It also encourages us to know more about the antibiotic basics so that we are prepared with the details and questions when we visit a doctor, helping them reach the right diagnosis and suggest appropriate treatment. Also, make sure you take health insurance to avail of the quality and timely treatment without worrying about the hospital bills.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.