International "Antibiotic Awareness Week" against antibiotic resistance
From November 13 - 19, 2017, international organizations such as WHO are calling for "World Antibiotic Awareness Week" to raise awareness about antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotic resistance can arise on the one hand from antibiotic therapies prescribed too often and too uncritically for trivial illnesses such as the common cold. If patients do not follow through with their treatment, the risk of resistance also increases. But the agricultural industry is also an important cog in this increasingly dangerous issue, because antibiotics are used prophylactically and as growth promoters in animal fattening. This is because the drugs are purchased far too cheaply on a large scale and are often used in an uncontrolled manner.
In Switzerland, the following projects have already been past years the media each November 18 about the development and implementation of the "Strategy Antibiotic Resistance Switzerland" informed. In 2017, this information will now be extended. All stakeholders will be given the opportunity to inform about the topic of antibiotic resistance under a common umbrella and to address the affected circles directly. In Europe, with the same objective, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) will be holding a European Antibiotics Day by.
Wide range of events and activities planned
To this end, the Federal Offices of Public Health, Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs, Agriculture and Environment are planning events and activities together with various stakeholders. The aim is to get people talking about the problem of antibiotic resistance.
More information and details about the Antibiotics Week 2017 will be published on the FOPH website on an ongoing basis. All interested parties and stakeholders are invited to become active themselves under the umbrella of the "Antibiotics Awareness Week": If you are interested in participating, you can contact the organizer, the FOPH, at star@bag.admin.ch.
Text: BAG
