World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, 18-24 November 2020

“Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health and development threat. It requires urgent multisectoral action in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). WHO has declared that AMR is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2020 aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections. The scope of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020 has been expanded, changing its focus from "antibiotics" to the more encompassing and inclusive term "antimicrobials".

Together with our Tripartite partners the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), we are calling on all sectors of society to rally around a bold, unified agenda to defeat this global health and development threat. Events during the week will highlight the need to protect crucial medicines beyond antibiotics, including antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitiics which are critical to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals and plants.

The theme for the human health sector for WAAW 2020 is “United to preserve antimicrobials".”

Key WAAW 2020 activities at WHO HQ

Bhutan

Bangladesh

Indonesia

Myanmar

Nepal

Sri Lanka