World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) is taking place this week, 18–24 November, in order to raise awareness globally not only about the threats posed by the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), but of the ways in which we can collectively tackle the problem. 

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents, such as antibiotics. As a result, antimicrobial drugs become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and even death. AMR occurs in humans, making the treatment of illness and injury harder. But it also occurs in and can be transmitted by animals and plants. It can, therefore, also be foodborne. This is why the international community advocates a One Health approach to tackling AMR, where animal health, human health, plant and environmental health are considered collectively in understanding and addressing the problem. International efforts to tackle AMR, and WAAW itself, are led by a Quadripartite of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

For this year’s WAAW theme, the Quadripartite is calling on the global community to “Educate. Advocate. Act now” – to educate stakeholders on AMR, advocate for bold commitments and take concrete actions in response to AMR.

The theme is well suited to the FAO-implemented and Republic of Korea-funded Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT) project, which has education and advocacy at the heart of its aims to raise awareness among all stakeholders in the food supply chain about the threat of foodborne AMR and how to tackle it. ACT is being implemented in six countries, all of which have been celebrating WAAW 2024.

In the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the ACT project targeted all relevant stakeholders by holding a press conference for a general audience, by taking the “educate” message to students, and by encouraging public and private sector decision makers to advocate for more action. The press conference was held at the Franz Tamayo University, UNIFRANZ, in the city of Santa Cruz, where students and public and private sector actors heard from the ACT project coordinator, Jorge Berrios, and Miguel Quiroz, Executive General Director of the Bolivian National Service for Agricultural Health and Food Safety (SENASAG), who highlighted the meaning of the 2024 theme. Bolivian activities also included a webinar to which representatives of national authorities from across the region, and international organizations, were invited, to discuss relevant issues with members of the Bolivian Committee for the Containment of AMR (CC-RAM). An in -person event was also organized by the country’s State Agency for Medicines and the ACT project. 

In Cambodia, the ACT project also involved students in their efforts to “educate” and to promote awareness about foodborne AMR. The project teamed up with two other Cambodia-based AMR projects to hold an event at the University of Battambang. “The event has made me realize that knowing the effects of AMR is important to curb the problem – now I know to tell other students about it to take preventive measures,” said Theng Vireak, an agro- ecological science department student at the National University of Battambang. The event involved officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Centre for Disease Control in the Ministry of Health, the Vice-Rector of the National University of Battambang and about 170 students. 

Meanwhile, in Mongolia, two events were held, targeting students and the media. A two-day discussion on “Antimicrobial Resistance, Prudent Use of Antimicrobial Drugs, and Food Safety” focused on educating 235 students from two major universities: the School of Food Industrial Technology at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology and the School of Veterinary Medicine at the Mongolian University of Life Sciences. In parallel, FAO Mongolia and the General Authority for Veterinary Services (GAVS)  held an open information session for journalists to highlight the goals and significance of WAAW. Enkhtur Byakharjav, the ACT national project coordinator, shared key messages during the meeting and delivered interviews on two national Mongolian television channels. 

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The ACT project

Photo © FAO
Caption: Students from two universities in Mongolia learnt about the threat of foodborne AMR.