November 14 - 20, 2011 is Antibiotic Awareness Week
Several Canadian organizations are working to promote the prudent use of antimicrobials through the use of educational resources for professionals and the public.
An ongoing Canadian initiative, AntibioticAwareness.ca is coordinated by health-related organizations across the country. These groups partnered last year to promote the first Antibiotic Awareness Day in Canada. This year, that promotion will extend to a week of activities during Antibiotic Awareness Week, which runs November 14 – 20, 2011.
Antibiotic Awareness resources available online include factsheets on AMR in food animal production, hospitals and community settings, and northern and remote communities. A “prescription pad” for doctors to give directly to patients seeking antibiotics is also available. For patients, there is advice on knowing when to see a doctor, the use of over-the-counter medications, and what to do to keep children healthy. During Antibiotic Awareness Week, the website will also feature live webcasts of Canadian experts discussing the latest information on antibiotic resistance and public health.
English webcasts:
Monday, November 14 & Thursday, November 17, 2011
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. CST.
French webcast:
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. CST.
Canadian partners joining to recognize the threat of AMR through AntibioticAwareness.ca include:
- National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID);
- Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC);
- Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (AMMI) Canada;
- Community and Hospital Infection Control Association (CHICA) Canada;
- Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases (CFID);
- Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS);
- Do Bugs Need Drugs (DBND);
- Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI);
- Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA);
- Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA); and
- Canadian Association for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (CACMID).
For more information or to get involved, contact Renée Barclay, Communications Coordinator at NCCID. Tel. 204.949.0309 or email rbarclay@icid.com. Visit AntibioticAwareness.ca.
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World Health Day
April 7, 2011
Antimicrobial resistance: no action today, no cure tomorrow
The BC Centre for Disease Control is home to the Do Bugs Need Drugs? program in BC. Do Bugs Need Drugs is a community education program that aims to reduce the misuse and overuse of antibiotics.
Every year, the World Health Organization launches World Health Day on April 7th. The 2011 theme for World Health Day was Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread.
In support of the 2011 theme, Do Bugs Need Drugs? hosted a webinar with Dr. David Patrick, the Medical Epidemiology Lead for Antimicrobial Resistance and the Do Bugs Need Drugs? program at BCCDC. This presentation is available for viewing online.
We encourage everyone interested to order free print material. These include posters;a guide for patients to managing common infections, available in 10 languages, and stickers. These resources are great for physicians' offices, libraries, schools, community centres, and other public places.
Resources of interest
The World Health Organization web site has a comprehensive fact sheet and a World Health Day brochure, as well as articles of interest
The Public Health Agency of Canada monitors and publishes statistics and information about antimicrobial use and rates of resistance in Canada
Antibiotic utilization trends in BC
Antimicrobial resistance trends in BC - 2010 report
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Do Bugs Need Drugs? promotes three key messages:
- Wash Your hands. Handwashing is the best way to stop the spread of infections
- Not all bugs are created equal. Antibiotics work against bacteria, but not against viruses
- Use antibiotics wisely. Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics
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