Tribune News Network
Doha
As part of the World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week events in which Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) participated this year under the theme, ‘Educate, Advocate, Act Now’, Dr Khalid Al Awad, director of health protection in the Preventive Health Directorate at PHCC, said that the Infection Prevention and Medication Management Team at PHCC organised a number of activities to engage staff and patients at health centres.
Various activities were held at health centres by healthcare providers as part of the campaign. Each health centre set up an awareness corner to promote the campaign, managed by healthcare providers.
Explaining that antimicrobial drugs are a group of medicines used to prevent and treat diseases caused by microbes, he said that AMR Awareness Week is an important opportunity to raise awareness about the risks associated with the irresponsible use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs.
Celebrated annually from November 18 to 24, this week aims to enhance understanding of drug resistance in microbes and encourage responsible practices to maintain the effectiveness of antibiotics for future generations. It also raises community awareness about the rational use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents.
This week seeks to mobilize action by individuals, institutions, and governments to combat AMR, which poses a significant public health threat.
What Are Antimicrobials?
Dr Al Awad further explained that antimicrobial drugs are a group of medicines used to prevent and treat diseases caused by microbes. These include antibiotics (effective against bacteria), antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics. These drugs are essential tools in medical treatment, but their misuse or inappropriate use can lead to AMR, making treatment more challenging. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites stop responding to these drugs. As a result, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents lose their effectiveness, making infections difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread and death.
Educational activities
Apart from activities to engage staff and patients at health centres, the Infection Control Team, in coordination with the Corporate Communications and Public Relations Team, promoted the campaign through media outlets and PHCC’s social media platforms. The efforts included the distribution of educational cards and hosting awareness lectures for staff and visitors through online platforms in both Arabic and English, focusing on antimicrobial awareness.
Daily lectures were also delivered to health centre employees during the week-long campaign, emphasizing antibiotic resistance. Patients at health centres were encouraged to participate in the campaign. Surveys were sent out to visitors to raise awareness about antimicrobials. Awareness corners were set up, offering educational materials and brochures distributed to participating patients.
"We look forward to collaborating with all healthcare professionals and the public to achieve the goals of the World AMR Awareness Week and protect public health now and for future generations,” said Dr. Khalid Al Awad.
The risks of AMR
He elaborated that antimicrobial drugs are used to kill or inhibit the growth of various microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, which cause numerous infections in humans, including upper and lower respiratory tract infections, blood infections, tonsillitis, urinary tract infections, fungal infections, and others. He emphasised that antimicrobial drugs are generally safe when used correctly.