Hanoi, 18 November 2021: Viet Nam’s campaign to raise awareness on the responsible use of antimicrobials kicked off today with an advocacy event at the Green One UN House. The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) call on individuals, groups, institutions, and communities to do their role in helping stop the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials at hospitals, farms and homes.
The World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), held on 18-24 November annually, aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites resist the effects of medications, making common infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. Antimicrobials are used to fight diseases in humans, animals and plants and include antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and anti-parasitic medicines.
In Western Pacific region, including Viet Nam, the WAAW slogan is “Stewards for the Future: One Region, One Movement to Fight against Antimicrobial Resistance” to promote mass movement to fight AMR as an overarching principle, underpinned by the value of protecting self, society and future generations.
“Over the past year, with the complicated situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Viet Nam, raising people’s awareness about the use of antimicrobials with “5 rights” applied: the right patient, the right drug, the right dose, the right route, and the right time is needed to be enhanced. Disease control and resistance prevention are both now more important than ever. Departments of Health at all levels, from central to local levels, need to focus more to improve and optimize the safe and responsible use of antimicrobials, contributing to the prevention of drug resistance in treatment and for the future”, states Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Truong Son, Vice Minister of Health.
Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development says, “Antimicrobials misuse in the livestock sector, aquaculture and crop production is a major concern as a risk for emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant micro-organisms. We have eliminated the use of antimicrobials for growth promotion and are working with producers to maintaining animal health, welfare and productivity. We call for animal health and agriculture professionals to use only high-quality antimicrobials manufactured according to international standards and sold only by authorized distributors”
“Antimicrobial resistance poses a fundamental threat to human health and remains one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity and global consumption of antibiotics in humans has risen in the past two decades, primarily driven by an increased use in low- and middle-income countries, says Dr. Kidong Park, WHO Representative to Viet Nam. “The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance must be addressed urgently, through a One Health approach involving bold, long-term commitments from governments and other stakeholders. WHO continues standing ready to support the government’s work in ensuring future access to and efficacy of these essential medicines.”
“Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem. Resistant micro-organisms and genes do not recognize geographical or ecological borders. Resistance arising in one geographical location or species can spread with ease to other geographical locations through movements of food, water, animals and/or people; it can spill over into other species.” says Dr. Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative to Viet Nam. “FAO follows the One Health approach to collaborate across disciplines and sectors to support governments, producers, traders and other stakeholders to adopt measures to minimize the use of antimicrobials and to reduce antimicrobial resistance, while being sensitive to the needs of agri-food systems”.
Antibiotics are one of mankind’s most important discoveries. They allow us to survive serious bacterial infections. However, as we keep misusing and overusing antibiotics, we could be back to where we were a century ago, being at the mercy of pathogens and not surviving even routine infections.
Viet Nam to “go blue” for AMR on from 18 to 24 November: how to get involved
Although millions of people are affected by antimicrobial resistant infections every year, few have heard of it. This year, MOH, MARD, WHO and FAO are calling for individuals, communities and organizations to join a Blue Day to build awareness of AMR and the medicines we must collectively preserve.
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From left to right: Dr. Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative to Viet Nam; Dr Cao Hung Thai, Vice Director, Medical Service Administration, MOH; Dr Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Viet Nam who took the lead in the 2021 Antimicrobial Awareness Week are lighting the UN building with blue
Light blue was selected as the colour of AMR Awareness, representing the multisectoral collaboration required to address this health threat.
Join the campaign - 'Go Blue’ on from 18 to 24 November and share why you are Going Blue with friends, family, colleagues, and on social media. Adjust your social media profiles to blue.
Post a photo in the event page (https://fb.me/e/1i39JKY7y). The photos with the most number of reactions will receive a special gift from WHO and FAO.
In posting a photo, use one or more of these hashtags and proposed captions:
- Hashtags: #AMR #BlueDay #WHOVietNam #FAOVietNam
- Captions: I use antibiotics responsibly. I do not overuse and misuse antibiotics.
The Green One UN House will be lighted blue during the WAAW as a commitment to addressing AMR. You can also light up your landmark, offices, hospitals, clinics, laboratory facilities, pharmaceutical headquarters, universities in blue to join the campaign.
Below are sSome photos of the event:
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The UN Building in Hanoi lighted blue for promotion of responsible use of antimicrobials
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MOH, WHO and FAO Representatives promoting the responsible use of antimicrobials
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WHO and FAO officers promoting the responsible use of antimicrobials
Photos credit: WHO Viet Nam/Minh Pham