The World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW) is an annual event observed since 2015 with an aim to tackle the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to help stop its further emergence and spread. This year celebrated during 18-24 November, WAAW in Mongolia saw active cooperation from stakeholders across the health, food and agricultural sectors and various joint events aimed at health professionals, pharmacists, herders and general public throughout the week.
The campaign week kicked off with a joint conference on 18 November with representatives from the Ministry of Health (MOH), National Center for Public Health (NCPH), General Authority for Veterinary Services (GAVS), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and WHO Mongolia. “Today, if we don’t act now and be stewards for the future, the problem of antimicrobial resistance will only exacerbate,” said WHO Representative in Mongolia Dr Sergey Diorditsa emphasizing the urgent need to take action by everyone and the need for a multi-sectoral approach.
Then on 21 November, multi-sectoral stakeholders such as MOH, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MOFALI), General Agency for Specialized Inspection (GASI), GAVS, FAO and WHO convened for the first National Workshop on AMR to discuss priority activities and joint action and to formulate recommendations for tripartite partners national counterparts. The need to translate commitment into action and to reinforce and enhance existing mechanisms that covers human and veterinary medicines in tackling AMR were unanimously stressed during the workshop.
Training for pharmacists was organized on 19 November to encourage and instil the practice of “the role of pharmacists on AMR”. From 21 to 22 November, online training facilitated providing updated information on AMR to rural family healthcare center doctors and staff. It was then followed by an in-class training for district family healthcare center staff at the First Central Hospital (FCH). Additionally, FCH held a mini-exhibition for health professionals, public and patients with display of information on antibiotics, recent research studies on AMR and 3D printed models of bacteria.
Awareness raising activities directed at the general public took place throughout the week. PSAs, posters and interviews on the consequences of overuse and misuse of antibiotics and advice on preventing infection were disseminated through traditional as well as social media.
As part of the campaign, organizers and participants of all events formed a “human chain” to call on everyone to take part in stopping overuse and misuse of antibiotics to stop the spread of AMR.