Advancement in technology and medicine appear to have reached the highest notch, at the same time the world is at high risk of falling to an era when bacteria reign and people die because of infections.

WHO reports that a growing number of infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and gonorrhea are becoming harder to treat as the antibiotics used to treat them become less effective. In light of this, Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of WHO, said, “Antimicrobial resistance has become a major health and medical crisis. If current trends continue, this will mean the end of modern medicine as we know it.

Affecting any person and any country, antimicrobial resistance has become an important global security agenda, in the lines of terrorism and climate change, and among WHO’s priority areas. Although there isn’t a clear figure on the magnitude of the problem in Africa, many agree that it is a growing concern for countries in Africa where prevalence of infectious diseases is higher than elsewhere in the world. According to the Ethiopian Food, Medicines, Healthcare Administration and Control Authority (EFMHACA), misuse of antimicrobials coupled with rapid spread of resistant microbes and weak surveillance has exacerbated the situation in Ethiopia.

“Antimicrobial resistance is of biggest public health concern for Ethiopia. We have reached a stage where many patients are unable to recover from infectious diseases,” stated Ato Bikila Bayisa, Deputy Director General of EFMHACA on an Antimicrobial Resistance Prevention and Containment Workshop held in Addis on 26 November 2015

Dr Paul Mainuka, acting WHO Representative for Ethiopia assured participants that WHO is encouraging all Member States and health partners to join the campaign to handle antibiotics with care, and help raise antibiotics awareness. “WHO will intensify its support in the areas of awareness raising, surveys, trainings and development of key national guidelines.in the coming years based on the global and regional plan of actions,” he confirmed.

The workshop was the first of a series of events during Antibiotic Awareness Week between 23-30 November 2015 in Addis Ababa. 

A media orientation workshop on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and media campaign on the same subject were also part of the commemorative events of the week.

The media orientation included a comprehensive presentation covering updates on the global magnitude and impact of AMR, WHO strategy and the global action plan on antimicrobial resistance, and the “Strategy for Prevention and Containment of AMR for Ethiopia, Second Edition, 2015 to 2020”. The workshop was attended by 35 media professionals from 18 public and private media, including Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (TV and radio), print media, ministries of health and defence, and the Federal Police

A week-long media campaign was also launched aiming to raise awareness on the appropriate use of antibiotics and the prevention of AMR with the global theme, “Antibiotics: Handle with Care”. Short messages were disseminated on radio for five days. A WHO clip on antibiotics, translated into the official language Amharic, was also aired on TV five days

The global theme ‘Antibiotics: Handle with Care,’ was adopted for the commemorations in Ethiopia reminding how antibiotics are a precious resource and should be preserved. Antibiotics should be used to treat bacterial infections, and are advised to be taken only when prescribed by a certified health professional. Antibiotics should never be shared and the full course of treatment should be completed – not saved for the future.

The first World Antibiotic Awareness Week was held this year responding to WHO strategy of improving awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance. The weeklong campaign aims to increase awareness of global antibiotic resistance and encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

Ethiopia has as taken some actions in tacking antimicrobial resistance over the last five years. Some of the activities include conducting baseline survey, designing strategy and implementing extensive public awareness raising initiatives. The country revised its strategy for the prevention and containment of antimicrobial resistance in 2015 aligning it to the WHO’s global Action plan on antimicrobial resistance

The activities of Antibiotic Awareness Week were undertaken with the technical and financial support of WHO.

For more information

Technical Contact:

Abraham Gebregiorgis
Email:  %20gebregiorgisa [at] who.inttarget="_blank"
Tel: +251 913 539 763

Communication Contact:

Loza Mesfin Tesfaye
Email:  tesfayel [at] who.int 
Tel: +251 911 144 194

Photos: WHO Ethiopia/ Kibnesh Chala