Student

The Faculty of Pharmacy, Integral University, Lucknow observed “World Antibiotic Awareness Week from 18 through 24th November'2019 in accordance with WHO guidelines.

World Antibiotic Awareness Week aims to increase awareness of global antibiotic resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotics are commonly used to treat bacterial infections, but public awareness and understanding of antibiotic resistance is low, as per World Health Organization (WHO). In 2015, the 68th World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, calling for a dedicated global campaign to raise public awareness and understanding of antibiotic resistance. As a result, the World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW) is observed every November to promote global education on antibiotics, how they should be used, and the growing risks of antibiotic resistance. It is commemorated by governments, health facilities, schools and communities across the globe. This year it is being observed from November 18 to 24 and aims to highlight the best practices among the general public, health workers and policymakers to help stop the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

The Faculty of Pharmacy organised many events during the program which includes visit to hospitals and rural areas, awareness walk, street plays and a seminar with the theme "Antibiotic Resistance: Threat to Global Health ".

The main focus of the staff and students of Pharmacy is to raise awareness among physicians, health care specialists and general public on the rational use of antibiotics through visiting hospitals and rural areas.

Requesting the Health Care specialists on prescribing the right antibiotic and only if needed, encouraging school children on importance of hand and oral hygiene, advising general public on proper nutrition and getting recommended vaccines to prevent infections is being communicated.

As a medicine expert, the pharmacists are also counseling the patients on the proper way of storage and administration of antibiotics, the right time and advised duration of treatment as part of the Be Antibiotics Aware, an educational effort by Center for Disease Control to raise awareness about the importance of safe antibiotic prescribing and use.

The awareness walk was held from Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital to Hazratganj and street play performed at Gandhi Pratima to extend awareness with respect to health, hygiene and drug related aspects concerning antibiotic resistance.