Doha: Healthcare facilities across Qatar in collaboration with the Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Department’s National Infection Prevention and Control and Antimicrobial resistance (IPC/AMR) Unit at Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) celebrated World Antimicrobials Awareness Week (WAAW) 2022, a global campaign that is celebrated annually during the third week of November.
The aim of the campaign is to improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and encourage best practices among the public, stakeholders and policymakers.
This year, the slogan for this campaign was “Handle Antimicrobial with Care,” and the theme was “Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together.”
Some activities to celebrate WAAW at healthcare facilities included conducting special ceremony to kickstart the campaign at the facilities with physicians sharing personal experiences about the importance of proper antimicrobial use, conducting live lectures to medical staff, decorating the facilities with WAAW material, utilising monitors across facilities flashing short clips and messages to increased awareness among patients and their families, placing posters and flyers with key awareness messages across the facility, playing AMR word games, and competitions for best antimicrobial awareness posters and best decorations and prizes given as incentive. To increase the visibility of this global campaign, healthcare facilities participated in the “Go Blue” colour campaign for AMR Awareness during the WAAW by wearing blue when participating in the WAAW events, adjusting social media profiles to blue, and sharing with friends, family, and colleagues, and on social medica when Going Blue.
The Ministry has also conducted an extensive social media campaign in support of efforts to promote awareness and optimal use of antimicrobial resistance.
In addition to healthcare facilities, the invitation to celebrate WAAW was also sent to the animal health sector, food safety sector, environmental health, and academic institutions urging them to participate in the celebration and encourage the prudent use of antimicrobials.
