We all have a part to play in stopping infections from becoming resistant to medical treatments
A message from the First Nations Health Authority's Infection Prevention Consultation Services
World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week (Nov. 18-22), held annually, promotes global awareness and action to prevent the spread of infections that are resistant to antibiotics. Education is a key part of ensuring everyone is aware of best practices that reduce AMR's impact on health and wellness.
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures play a pivotal role in this effort by helping to prevent infections from occurring in the first place. This is one of the most direct ways to reduce antimicrobial use and prevent drug resistance.
What is AMR?
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites develop resistance to antimicrobial agents—such as antibiotics—making treatments ineffective. This can lead to infections that are increasingly difficult or even impossible to treat, significantly raising the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.
AMR is recognized as one of the top 10 global health threats by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations, with profound impacts on public health, health care costs, preventable deaths, and extended hospital stays.
An estimated one in four infections in Canada are already resistant to the drugs generally used to treat them. Up to 5,400 people die each year because AMR infections could not be treated in time.
What causes AMR?
If you take an antibiotic for a bad cold, you might ask: “What's the harm? It's medicine, and it's prescribed by a health professional."
The reality is improper use of antibiotics can encourage the growth of resistant bacteria. When you take an antibiotic, it kills many microbes. Mainly those that are more susceptible to the medication, while more resistant microbes may survive. If you take your antibiotics in a way other than is recommended (like not finishing your prescription after feeling better) it can allow more resistant microbes to survive.
What does this mean for me?
The next time you take antibiotics for a serious illness, they may not work when you really need them.
Everyone can play a part to stop infections from becoming resistant to treatment and to prevent the harmful effects of AMR on individuals and communities. Awareness, education, knowledge sharing, advocacy, and action are critical steps in this effort.
To learn more about AMR, please read:
