News and Opinions  –  2018

ReAct highlights during World Antibiotic Awareness week 2018

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2018-11-26

Same as previous years, ReAct focused on regional activities for World Antibiotic Awareness Week in 2018. ReAct Africa, ReAct Asia Pacific and ReAct Latin America arranged about 40 activities to raise awareness and to change behavior - this among general public, media, students, policy makers and health care personnel in the three regions. The activities took place in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Ecuador and Argentina. 

In the regions ReAct met students, health care professionals, held seminars, arranged community workshops, media workshops and civil society meetings. We interacted with media, conducted campaigns, carried out awareness walks and carnivals. Body paint, a theater and a photo competition was also on the agenda during the week.

We also sent out 3 newsletters (articles listed below) and put extra online focus on the ReAct Toolbox and the free online course “Antibiotic Resistance – The silent Tsunami”.

List of all activities in ReAct Africa, ReAct Asia Pacific and ReAct Latin America. Here you also find contact information for each node.

ReAct Africa: National AMR Symposium in Kenya

The third, and without a doubt, the most important activity of the World Antibiotic Awareness Week in Kenya, was the National Antimicrobial Resistance Symposium. The symposium was held on 14th and 15th of November 2018 at the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The two-day event was themed “Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance Together.” Read article.

Song, dance and debate mark WAAW in Thailand

A rap song and dance contest, colorful exhibitions, video releases and detailed discussions on national policy marked the observance of the World Antibiotic Awareness Week in Thailand.

Over 150 delegates from seven countries in the south and south-east Asia region participated in two days of both deliberations and fun in Bangkok that also saw attendance from students of several leading medical universities in Thailand. Read article.

New book from ReAct Latin America! Food as medicine, the kitchen as a pharmacy

In connection to World Antibiotic Awareness Week and World Food Day , ReAct Latin America and San Isidro Institute launched the book “Food as medicine, the kitchen as a pharmacy”.

As part of the launch, a multidisciplinary conversation was held where a broad group of participants: culinary teachers, social researchers, agronomists, agro-ecological producers and community leaders joined in. Read article

Innovate4AMR: workshop for 11 finalist teams from 9 countries with WHO in Geneva

During World Antibiotic Awareness Week the online competition Innovate4AMR holds its workshop for finalists with WHO in Geneva. The finalist teams will have the opportunity to meet with health experts and make connections with groups who could help operationalize their proposed solution. Read article.

ReAct Asia Pacific holds the second edition of photography contest

ReAct Asia Pacific organized a photography contest for students to commemorate the World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2018. This was the second edition of the contest – and this year it was made sweeter with the addition of a separate Short Movie competition. Read article.

Other during World Antibiotic Awareness Week

Four take-aways from the WHO consumption report

On the first day of the World Antibiotic Awareness Week, WHO released the first global surveillance report on antimicrobial consumption. Read article, where we present four take-aways from the report to provide some overview and help with reading and interpreting the report.

ReAct INTERVIEW: Stefan Swartling Peterson, Unicef: strong health systems key to prevent infections and spread of antibiotic resistance

Anger and fascination for the “know-do gap” – the gap between knowing and doing – led Stefan Swartling Peterson, Chief of Health at Unicef, into global health. He became Professor of Global Health and now he has been Chief of Health at Unicef for almost 3 years – and is constantly focusing on moving from knowledge into action. Read interview.

Sustainable investments in solutions to address antibiotic resistance

Investing to deliver on the objectives of the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance is urgently needed. The return of economic and health investments in managing antimicrobial resistance will be large and are needed across several sectors to minimize the negative impact of antimicrobial resistance. Read analysis.

Animal drug companies fuelling antibiotic resistance

A steady rise in per capita income, growing urban population and falling retail prices of chicken meat have made poultry production one of the fastest growing segments of the agricultural sector in India today. As a result, India is now the world’s fifth largest egg producer and the eighteenth largest producer of broilers. All this rapid expansion has however come at a high cost. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics, for growth promotion in particular in other words to ‘fatten chicken’, is fueling antibiotic resistance in the country. Read article.

A booklet series on antimicrobial resistance in food animal production in South East Asia

The antibiotic resistance problem in South East Asia is compounded by the rapidly rising use of antibiotic in the region as the population grapples with a very high burden of infectious diseases. Antibiotic resistance is also emerging as an important concern in the food-animal farming sector. Countries in focus: India, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Read more and download booklets. 

Logo for the ReAct Toolbox with grey world map

ReAct Toolbox – a repository on antibiotic resistance

The ReAct Toolbox provides you with information, inspiration and guidance to take action. The Toolbox offers:

  • Updated information based on scientific evidence and experiences from practitioners, researchers and advocates.
  • Practical advice and examples from across the globe.
  • Links to useful external resources and tools selected by experts.

Visit the ReAct Toolbox.

Free online course: Antibiotic Resistance – The Silent Tsunami

Understand antibiotic resistance and what actions are needed to address this increasingly serious global health threat: take this re-branded version of the course Antibiotic Resistance: the Silent Tsunami! Go to the course. 

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