FAO's WAAW 2023: Bridging gaps, building awareness on antimicrobial resistance

FAO Bangladesh marks World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) 2023 under the theme "Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together." 

The Bangladesh AMR Response Alliance (BARA) spearheads week-long activities, supported by the Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) program, USAID, and Flaming Fund UK. The kickoff includes a workshop at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH), featuring a sensitization session for veterinary and medical students.

The inauguration involved a rally and a quiz competition focusing on antimicrobial resistance for students in the veterinary and medical fields. Brigadier General Md Shamim Ahsan, Director of Chittagong Medical College Hospital, chaired a workshop as part of the celebrations.

Emphasising the importance of the younger generation, he said, "Our next generation is our future; we must collectively raise awareness among them and be conscious of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Despite challenges in the medical field, we will progress through the One Health approach."

Meanwhile, volunteers distributed posters advocating for the rational use of antibiotics throughout the day on the CMCH campus to enhance AMR awareness. World AMR Awareness Week occurs globally from November 18-24 each year, underscoring the global effort required to combat AMR through the integrated One Health approach, balancing and optimising human and animal health.