An atmosphere of excitement at the peak of WAAW celebrations in Surabaya and Lampung

FAO through its Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) in Indonesia together with the Ministry of Agriculture have reaffirmed their commitment to reduce and control antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The commitment was conveyed at the peak of the World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW), which took place on Sunday (18 November) at the Airlangga University Campus, Surabaya.

"Antibiotic resistance has become a global problem. The whole world is working hand-in-hand to control the rate of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria that medicines are no longer able to treat, because of resistance due to improper use," said Director of Veterinary Public Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Syamsul Ma'arif in front of hundreds of Surabaya residents who attended the World Antibiotic Awareness Week Festival.

According to Syamsul, Indonesia is still left behind in efforts to deal with imprudent use of antibiotics. However, if all parties collaborate, coordinate and communicate to control the use of antibiotics, the rate of resistance can be reduced. "Antibiotic resistance is actually an event, which happens naturally. Now, the task before us is how to control the accelerating rate of resistance," he explained.

During World Antibiotic Awareness Week, November 12 to 18, 2018, FAO ECTAD Indonesia and the Ministry of Agriculture collaborated with other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Human Development and Culture, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Commission to Control Antimicrobial Resistance (KPRA) of the Ministry of Health, the Parents Care Foundation (Yayasan Orang Tua Peduli), and the Association of Egg Layer Farmers to hold a series of activities. These included a farmers' workshop to increase the understanding of farmers (as antibiotic users) on the dangers of AMR, public lectures and radio talk-shows and seminars in various cities.

Musafir, a resident of Kediri who participated in the main Antibiotic Awareness Week event in Surabaya said that he strongly supported the government's efforts to conduct a public awareness campaign on the dangers of imprudent use of antibiotics. "But an AMR campaign like this should reach down to neighbourhoods and households. I have experience it myself, if I go to the puskesmas (health centre) when I catch a cold, usually I will be given antibiotics," he said.

Meanwhile in Lampung, Deputy Metro Mayor, Djohan, S.E, M.M, along with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, FAO ECTAD Indonesia and the Lampung Province Association of Egg Layer Farmers signed a joint commitment to guarantee poultry food products as free from antibiotic residues. The commitment signing to provide healthy chicken produce free of antibiotic residues was witnessed by members of the local administration and thousands of people who joined a number of AMR-related activities such as exercise sessions and a children’s painting competition.

A Global AMR Report released in 2016 estimates that antimicrobial resistance will be the number one killer in the world by 2050 when the estimated death toll from AMR-related illness will reach 10 million people per year, the largest number of which will occur in Asia