Supporting World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) 2024: 18 to 24 November

In 2019, it was estimated that almost 5 million deaths were associated with bacterial AMR, including 1.27 million deaths being directly caused by it.

What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?

AMR occurs when microorganisms causing disease—such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites—become resistant to antimicrobial medicines like antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics. This reduces the effectiveness of these treatments.

While resistance is a natural phenomenon, it is exacerbated by:

• misuse of antimicrobial drugs
• poor infection prevention
• limited development of new medicines
• insufficient global infection surveillance

Why does this matter?

Antimicrobial medicines are critical for treating illnesses like tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and infections like UTIs, chest infections, and food poisoning. They’re also essential for routine procedures like caesareans, hip replacements, and chemotherapy to prevent infections.

However, growing resistance makes these treatments less effective, increasing risks for patients, prolonging illness, and heightening mortality rates. With few new medicines in development, the impact on modern medicine is profound, affecting us all.

What you can do

• Only take antibiotics prescribed for you and complete the course unless advised otherwise.
• Never save antibiotics for future use or share them with others.
• Dispose of unused medicines responsibly—never in household waste or down the drain—to avoid harming the environment.

Antibiotic resistance is a global health threat. Without effective antimicrobials, many medical treatments will become too risky to perform.

Go Blue for AMR

On Tuesday 19 November, we will be lighting up the outside of Gloucestershire Royal Hospital to support WorldAMR Awareness Week. The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages leading global animal and human health organisations to ‘Go Blue’ by ‘wearing’ the colour on social media, at events and on buildings.

Sharing messages with our staff this WAAW

At our hospitals, we will be sharing messages with colleagues across the organisation this week, including video guides and webinars on how they can support the campaign.

WAAW resources

• Find out more about World AMR Awareness Week and Antimicrobial Resistance
• Everybody can pledge to become an Antibiotic Guardian including families and educators:

Caring for children with coughs this winter

Coughs and colds are a common part of childhood, especially during the winter. Most of these infections are caused by viruses and children recover quickly with a bit of rest and paracetamol.

However, many parents of young children can be very worried when their children are unwell and would welcome support and guidance on what to do and when to seek help.

A simple tool has been developed that can help navigate parents through these worries. The Caring for children with cough leaflet was produced by researchers at the University of Bristol after extensive work with parents. It explains what parents should do when looking after a child with cough and when parents should take their child to see a doctor. This leaflet is in routine use by local NHS services.