The European Antibiotic Awareness Day is taking place today – November, 18. Aim of this initiative is, to make the people aware of Antibiotic Resistance and its negative effects. With DDr. Reinhild Strauss from the Austrian ministry of health spoke Carola Timmel.
The European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) is an initiative of the European Centre for Diseases Surveillance and Control (ECDC) and is embedded in to a wide range of measures to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR). All EU member states launch activities adapted to the burning questions within the country.
Also Austria focuses on one particularly urgent problem every year and specifically addresses the relevant specialist groups, says DDr. Reinhild Strauss, head of the section Public Health Service, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Hospital Hygiene, Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) In the Austrian ministry: “This year we focus on prescribing habits in the sector of human medicine and therefore specifically address doctors in hospitals. The topic was chosen because we are currently working on a nationwide common standard for antimicrobial stewardships programmes in hospitals as requested by the WHO Global Action Plan.”
In a European comparison Austria is among those countries with moderate consumption. In the outpatient area there is observed a slightly falling trend in consumption since 1998. The number of prescriptions per 10.000 inhabitants fall from 20 in 1998 to 17.3 in 2014. A relevant survey of antibiotic consumption in the inpatient area is in progress. Numbers should be available in 2017.
By the way – For the first time the World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW,organised by the WHO) is held this week.
Get more informations about the two initiatives under:
World Antibiotic Awareness Week
World Antibiotic Awareness Day
