World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2024 (WAAW)

At a glance

  • November 18 – 24 is World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW).
  • TATFAR members from Canada, the European Union, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States share their activities to recognize WAAW.
  • Together we can combat global antimicrobial resistance.

Get involved with WAAW activities

From November 18 - November 24, TATFAR joins World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW). WAAW is a global observance to raise awareness and increase understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR or AR). The theme of WAAW 2024 is "Educate. Advocate. Act now."

We can all take action to protect these important drugs so that they remain effective for people and animals—using the right antibiotic or antifungal, at the right time, dose and duration.

TATFAR activities

Read about other TATFAR members activities and check their websites to get involved.

    Canada

    The Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are responding to antimicrobial resistance through actions outlined in the Pan-Canadian Action Plan on AMR. For World AMR Awareness Week, we will be highlighting actions taken, and sharing resources and materials to raise awareness on antimicrobial resistance.

    To mark World AMR Awareness Week, several Canadian federal department buildings will be lit blue to increase awareness of AMR. Participate in the World Health Organization's "Go Blue For AMR" campaign, by:

    • Wearing the colour blue during WAAW
    • Visiting and sharing photos of Canadian landmarks going blue during WAAW

    Social Media

    Keep an eye on the social channels below for updates during World AMR Awareness Week:

    Resources and Materials

    European Union (EU)

    European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) takes place November 18 and is an annual European health initiative, coordinated by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in partnership with WAAW. The latest data confirm that, across the European Union, the number of patients with infections caused by resistant germs is increasing and that antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to public health. You, too, can participate in EAAD!

    Norway

    Norway's support of World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week includes activities organized by various national competence centers, covering both primary and specialist healthcare services. At the national level, we aim to update our AMR data, and publish a news article on our website.

    United Kingdom (U.K.)

    England's national toolkit for WAAW and EAAD was launched in September and it details our key focus areas.

    Themes

    Daily themes have been mapped to highlight which of the 2024 - 2029 nation action plan they align to. Resources for the daily themes.

    There are 3 cross-cutting themes underpinning all 5 days:

    • Children and young people.
    • Sustainability.
    • Addressing health disparities and inequalities.

    A summary of key messages, aligned with each daily theme, can be downloaded to use for communications.

    • Day 1: 'Prevention' theme (including infection prevention and control measures and vaccination). This themes links to outcome 1 (infection prevention and control and infection management) of the NAP.
    • Day 2: 'Antimicrobials in clinical practice' theme (for example consider audits on or promoting good practice for antibiotic course length, promoting shorter course length, empiric prescribing, intravenous-oral switch, promotion of current clinical guidelines).
      • This theme links to outcome 4 (antimicrobial stewardship and disposal) of the NAP. Engagement with patients and the public – see toolkit section on public awareness. This links to outcome 2 (public engagement) of the NAP.
    • Day 3: 'Optimising diagnostics' theme (increasing understanding of established and innovative methods of detection of infection, antibiotic-resistant or otherwise). This theme links to outcome 6 (innovation and influence) of the NAP.
    • Day 4: 'Antimicrobials and untrue or spurious allergy' theme (including issues such as untrue penicillin allergy labels and de-labelling spurious antibiotic allergy labels). This theme links to outcome 4 (antimicrobial stewardship and disposal) of the NAP.
    • Day 5: 'Antimicrobial resistance and the environment and research' theme (linking AMR with environmental considerations, such as disposal of antibiotics and environmental contamination. One Health approaches to tackling AMR through research may also be highlighted on this day). This theme links to outcome 7 (using information for action) of the NAP.

    Social media

    Social media hashtags: #ConfrontAMR, #AntibioticGuardian, #KeepAntibioticsWorking #WAAW

    Surveillance report publications

    Webinars

    • Recording for the launch webinar for the WAAW toolkits from all 4 UK nations, our national (UK) action plan on AMR (published May 2024) and celebration of 10 years of the Antibiotic Guardian campaign.

    Key resources

    • Information and resources on the UK's plans to see AMR contained and controlled by 2040 are available on the UKHSA website on GOV.UK
    • There are similar resources on the NHS England AMR web page, which also includes information on what the NHS is doing to tackle AMR
    • The TARGET antibiotics toolkit hub aims to support healthcare professionals in championing AMR stewardship
    • The e-bug website has resources aimed at children and young people on AMR and infection prevention and control
    • The Antibiotic Guardian campaign website invites the public, students and educators, farmers, the veterinary and medical communities and professional organisations, to become Antibiotic Guardians
    • The UK One Health Report is a joint report which brings together antibiotic resistance and consumption data from humans, animals, food, and the environment (published November 2023)
    • The Pathogen Surveillance in Agriculture, Food and Environment (PATH-SAFE) Programme is a cross-government programme which aims to improve food safety by developing a national surveillance network using DNA sequencing and environmental sampling.
    • AMR local indicators are produced by UKHSA and published on the Fingertips website
    • APHA will be publishing an article on their blog about their international work.
    • RUMA Companion Animal and Equine are running the Antibiotic Amnesty campaign for the third year.

    United States (U.S.)

    U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) is an annual one-week observance that raises awareness about the importance of appropriate use of antibiotics and antifungals and the threat antimicrobial resistance poses to people, animals, plants and their shared environment. U.S. Federal agencies, including the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) will participate in the week using Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.

    Download and share

    Spark conversation on social media

    #AntimicrobialResistance, #USAAW24, #BeAntibioticsAware, #WAAW

    Mark your calendar for upcoming webinars and podcasts

    CDC resources on antibiotic/antifungal use and antimicrobial resistance

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    Content Source:
    National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)