Resources for World AMR Awareness Week
The Commission supports World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) by providing a range of resources and coordinating initiatives to support the effective use of antimicrobials in preventing and containing antimicrobial resistance, and support local WAAW activities.
The theme for 2025 is “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future.”
World AMR Awareness Week is an opportunity to focus on, and promote, the safe and appropriate use of antimicrobials in your health service or hospital and note the challenge of antimicrobial resistance for safe health care. These activities demonstrate the importance of appropriate antimicrobial use for patient safety.
WAAW resources
A range of resources has been developed by the Commission to support hospitals and health service organisations run activities and events in the lead up to and during Antimicrobial Awareness Week. These include:
Useful websites
International websites
- Antibiotic Awareness Week - Canada
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - US Antibiotic Awareness Week
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) - European Antibiotic Awareness
- New Zealand Ministry of Health - Resources for antimicrobial resistance
- National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) – Canada
- UK Health Security Agency - Keep Antibiotics Working Campaign
- World Health Organization (WHO) Campaign - World Antibiotic Awareness Week
International websites
- Antibiotic Awareness Week - Canada
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - US Antibiotic Awareness Week
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) - European Antibiotic Awareness
- New Zealand Ministry of Health - Resources for antimicrobial resistance
- National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) – Canada
- UK Health Security Agency - Keep Antibiotics Working Campaign
- World Health Organization (WHO) Campaign - World Antibiotic Awareness Week
Antimicrobial stewardship
Visit the Commission's AMS web page for more information about antimicrobial stewardship and more resources.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Clinical Care Standard
The Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Clinical Care Standard aims to ensure that a patient with an infection receives optimal treatment with antimicrobials - the right antimicrobial to treat their condition, the right dose, by the right route, at the right time and for the right duration based on accurate assessment and timely review.
QUM Learning Modules
The Commission and the former NPS MedicineWise have developed a series of QUM Learning Modules on antimicrobial prescribing aimed at junior medical staff, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and university students. The topics of these modules include pyelonephritis, bacteraemia, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, community-acquired pneumonia and surgical antibiotic prophylaxis.
Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard
The Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard includes Action 3.18 and 3.19 on antimicrobial stewardship. The intention of this criterion is to ensure appropriate prescribing of antimicrobials, as part of the broader systems within a health service organisation to prevent and manage infections and improve patient safety and quality of care.