11/21/2025
Way to go team!
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), observed annually from November 18–24, is a global initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This year’s theme, “Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together,” underscores the critical role that healthcare providers, patients, and policy makers all play in preserving the effectiveness of antimicrobials.
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats to global public health, and is unfortunately outpacing advances in modern medicine. Exposure to antimicrobials results in the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria and fungi in our communities. As a result, common infections are becoming harder (and sometimes impossible) to treat, leading to prolonged hospital stays and increased mortality. In Canada, this is also compounded by limited access to new antimicrobials and ongoing supply chain challenges with existing antimicrobials.
Healthcare providers are on the front lines of this crisis, and we can all play an active role in tackling AMR. Antimicrobial stewardship means prescribing the right drug, at the right dose, for the right amount of time. Equally important, is reducing the risk of bacterial infection (and therefore the need for antibiotics) through infection prevention measures such as hand hygiene, and vaccination promotion. Open communication with patients about the risks of unnecessary antibiotic use also plays a vital role in public awareness.
At the IWK, Jeannette Comeau, MD and Jennifer Curran, PharmD co-lead the multidisciplinary Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) with a goal of supporting healthcare providers in antimicrobial stewardship efforts at both a patient and system level. The program consists of an interdisciplinary team of vital members within microbiology, infectious diseases, pediatrics, women’s health, infection prevention and control, and pharmacy. Firstline, the app designed to provide IWK specific guidance in the treatment of common infections and antimicrobial use, is frequently updated in collaboration with teams across the institution. Yearly antibiograms are published with surveillance of local antimicrobial resistance patterns, and the prospective antimicrobial assessment services aims to provide patient level support to clinicians in antimicrobial decision making.
Combating antimicrobial resistance requires a united, multidisciplinary approach. By championing judicious antimicrobial use and reinforcing infection prevention, together, we can help preserve the effectiveness of these life-saving medicines for future generations.
