malvernmugadzikwa
Online Reporter
THE Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) together with the Ministry of Health and Child Care will host this year’s edition of the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) campaign for Africa in Harare.
The annual event will this year run from November 18 -24 under the theme “Preventing antimicrobial resistance together”.
Dr Tinashe Hodobo from the Veterinary Services Department said WAAW has been running since 2016.
“Last year, the commemorations were held in Senegal and this year it is in Zimbabwe, where we expect high-level delegates from FAO, WHO and Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources, among other international organisations,” Dr Hodobo said.
FAO assistant director-general and regional representative for Africa, Dr Abebe Haile-Gabriel, said: “Antimicrobial agents, including antibiotics, have saved millions of lives, substantially reducing the burden of diseases in people and animals, improving quality of life, contributing to better food security and safety, and aiding increased life expectancy.”
However, the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in several microorganisms, Dr Haile-Gabriel said, is reversing these benefits and further complicating the management of many infectious diseases.
Bongani Ndlovu