WHO supports nationwide campaign to combat antimicrobial resistance

In recent years, Viet Nam has witnessed a growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, brought about by the excessive and irrational use of antibiotics at all levels of the health care system and the by the public as a whole. In addition, the use of antimicrobials in animal husbandry, agriculture and food production increases the risk of spread of resistant microorganisms and threatens the safety and sustainability of the food chain. Antibiotic residues in soil, water and the environment further contribute to antimicrobial resistance due to weak regulations around industrial and human waste disposal.

Antimicrobial resistance is a multidimensional issue which not only affects public health, but also the economy and the sustainable development of the nation. During this campaign, WHO stresses the need for everyone to use antibiotics and other antimicrobials responsibly as a key action to address this problem.

"The inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs threatens the capacity of the health system to prevent, control and to treat common infectious diseases, resulting into higher mortality, prolonged treatments and catastrophic expenditures for the patients. Antimicrobial resistance is multidimensional and imperils human and economic survival," said Dr Lokky Wai, WHO Representative to Viet Nam.

What is antibiotic resistance?

Antimicrobial resistance is resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial drug that was originally effective in treating infections caused by it.

Resistant microorganisms (including bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites) are able to withstand attack by antimicrobial drugs, such as antibacterial drugs (e.g. antibiotics), antifungals, antivirals, and antimalarials, so that standard treatments become ineffective and infections persist, increasing the risk of spread to others.

Both the use and misuse of antimicrobial drugs accelerates the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Poor infection control practices, inadequate sanitary conditions, and inappropriate use of human antibiotics in animals to promote growth or prevent disease, encourage the further spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Leading causes of antibiotic resistance are:

• overuse and misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals;
• poor-quality antibiotics;
• the spread of drug resistance in health facilities and in the community;
• poor hygiene.

We all have a part to play during Antibiotics Awareness Week

This year's campaign—with the global theme "Antibiotics: Handle with Care"—calls on individuals and health-care professionals to take action now, to ensure that future generations continue to have effective antibiotics to treat potentially deadly bacterial infections.

WHO encourages individuals to use antibiotics responsibly by always completing the full course of antibiotics prescribed, and to refrain from sharing or using leftover antibiotics, or buying antibiotics without a prescription.

WHO encourages health-care professionals and health providers to take full accountability and responsibility in prescribing and dispensing antibiotics, ensuring that these are given only when truly needed. This includes always selecting the right antibiotic, in the right dose, and for the right duration. Health care providers also need to educate patients on the responsible use of antibiotics and follow good hygiene and infection prevention and control practices.

Moreover, policy-makers across different sectors must tackle antibiotic resistance in Viet Nam by implementing the national action plan to combat drug resistance, enforce measures to regulate the use in the human and agriculture sector and strengthen regulations for waste management and disposal.

"As a society we must take decisive actions to preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials before it is too late," said Dr Wai.

Activities in Viet Nam for AAW week

Viet Nam has lined up various activities this week to promote the safe use of antibiotics.

• From 16-22 November, Departments of Health together with the Provincial People's Committee of the 63 provinces of Viet Nam will participate in a national relay to raise awareness amongst the general public on the responsible and safe use of antibiotics.
• On 26 October 2015, Viet Nam launched a one million pledges campaign to encourage individuals to make a personal pledge to use antibiotics responsibly and help prevent these vital medicines from becoming ineffective. This campaign will culminate in Hanoi at a national event on Saturday 21 November.
• The public can pledge to use antibiotics responsibly by "liking" the Antibiotics Awareness Raising Week Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/AMRWEEKVIETNAM

Progress against antibiotic resistance in Viet Nam

In 2013 Viet Nam became the first country in WHO's Western Pacific Region to approve a national action plan to combat drug resistance.

In June 2014, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) together with the development partners reiterated their commitment by agreeing in an aide-memoire to coordinate and jointly implement the national action plan across different sectors.

In line with WHO's global and regional strategies on antimicrobial resistance, the aide-memoire and national action plan also help to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance among health workers and the general public, enhance and improve the capacity of national surveillance systems on antibiotic use and resistance, ensure adequate supply of quality essential drugs and strengthen safe and rational drug use and infection control across sectors.

More information and campaign materials for Viet Nam are available at www.facebook.com/AMRWEEKVIETNAM

Related links:

• Antibiotic Awareness Week website: http://www.antibioticawarenessweek.org
• Fact sheet: Antimicrobial resistance: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs194/en/
• Action Agenda for Antimicrobial Resistance in the Western Pacific Region: http://www.wpro.who.int/entity/drug_resistance/policy/en/
• Antimicrobial Resistance in the Western Pacific Region: a Review of Surveillance and Health Systems Response: http://www.wpro.who.int/entity/drug_resistance/resources/en/

For further information, please contact:

• WHO Viet Nam Country Office, Dr Socorro Escalante (Group Coordinator Health Systems), Mr Emmanuel Eraly (Communications Officer), +84 121 466 1530,  media.vtn@wpro.who.int