Serbia marks World Antibiotic Awareness Week

World Antibiotic Awareness Week  14-18 November 2016

A massive campaign for the rational use of antibiotics has begun in Serbia, pointing to the dangers of inappropriate antibiotic use and appealing to the public and all levels of society – as well as health professionals – to strengthen surveillance of antimicrobial use. WHO, in close collaboration with the Serbian Ministry of Health and through its Second Serbia Health Project, funded by the World Bank, promoted World Antibiotic Awareness Week and the proper use of antibiotics in the country.

On 17 November 2016, the draft Strategy for Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics was presented at an expert meeting entitled Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics and the Rational Use of Antibiotics. The meeting featured global and national initiatives, data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic consumption in Serbia (which is still high in relation to other European countries), and results achieved in AMR control and responsible antibiotic use.

Minister of Health of the Republic of Serbia Dr Zlatibor Lončar opened the meeting, which was attended by representatives of all relevant institutions in the health care system, professional associations, nongovernmental organizations and the media.

In her address, WHO Representative in Serbia Dr Zsofia Pusztai highlighted the key messages of this year’s campaign, including the importance of following existing guidelines on antibiotic use, opting for antibiotic prescriptions only after appropriate tests have been conducted and resorting to preventive immunization and heightened hygiene as means of fighting infections. She also drew attention to the second annual report of the Central Asian and Eastern European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance network and appealed to the public to become antibiotic guardians.

Minister Lončar also announced much stricter control of the disbursement and use of antibiotics in the coming period.