Antibiotic Awareness Week: November 16-22, 2015
Statement
“ …the world is heading towards a post-antibiotic era in which common infections will once again kill.”
- Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization
The World Health Organization recognizes antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the most serious public health threats to the treatment of infectious diseases worldwide. Dr. Chan’s statement at the G7 Health Minister’s meeting in October 2015 sets the stage for this year’s Antibiotic Awareness Week.
Antibiotic Awareness Week is a worldwide initiative to raise awareness of AMR and to encourage the responsible use of antibiotic drugs among the general public and health care providers.
Last year, 23 million antibiotic prescriptions were dispensed by pharmacies across Canada. While antibiotics can save lives, their overuse and misuse can lead to antibiotic resistance. This increases the risk that antibiotics may not work when we really need them.
At the 68th World Health Assembly in May 2015, a global action plan was endorsed to tackle the growing problem of AMR. I’m pleased to note that the Government of Canada is working closely with international and provincial and territorial colleagues to meet the global objectives by focusing on stewardship, surveillance and innovation, as part of our Antimicrobial Resistance and Use in Canada: A Federal Framework for Action and our Federal Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and Use.
As a government, we are dedicated to preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics by exploring education opportunities and best practices for responsible antimicrobial use. We do this through our campaign to raise awareness of AMR among Canadians, promote the appropriate use of antibiotics, and inform health professionals of the resources available to support discussions with their patients.
We are making progress on surveillance. Earlier this year the first report of the Canadian Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (CARSS) was released, providing a national picture of AMR and antimicrobial use across Canada to help policy makers and stakeholders take action to mitigate the threat of AMR.
We’re also exploring new solutions to preserve antibiotic effectiveness through research and development efforts at home and abroad. In 2016, Canada will provide additional funding to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to further study AMR.
Everyone has a role to play to reduce the risks of antibiotic resistance. For Canadians, the best line of defence is to prevent infection by taking precautions such as washing hands often and staying at home when sick. Canadians should talk to their health care provider to identify the most appropriate treatment for an infection, and if prescribed, take antibiotics as directed.
Health care providers play a vital role in reducing the risks of antibiotic resistance and conserving the effectiveness of existing antibiotics for the future. They reinforce with their patients when antibiotics are appropriate and how to take them.
This Antibiotic Awareness Week, take some time to learn what you can do to reduce the risks of antibiotic resistance for you, your family and your community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jane Philpott
Minister of Health
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