ZIMBABWE will this week join the rest of the world in commemorating World Antibiotic Awareness Week to raise awareness on the need to preserve available antibiotics and responsible use of the drugs to avoid antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
BY MUNESU NYAKUDYA
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the commemorations are running from today until Friday under the theme: Seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional before taking antibiotics.
“It is proposed to hold public lectures at the University Of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences in Harare, Africa University in Mutare and the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo,” the ministry said.
“These institutions have medicine and medicine-related faculties and furthermore, their location will enable the presenters proposed for the radio stations to attend the public lectures, thereby maximising on their travel.”
“All relevant stakeholders will be invited to the events, and these include faculty students, medical personnel, members of the public and the members of the national AMR programme.
“The lectures will be presented by some of the national core group members and members of the advisory committee, and will focus on the findings on antibiotic use and resistance in the AMR situational analysis.
“The implementation of the national AMR action plan will also be presented. It is proposed to have lengthy discussions as well as question and answer sessions in order for the various issues on AMR to be ventilated and captured,”the statement added.
