Gulu University students, under their umbrella ISPARE (International Students Partnership for Antibiotic Resistance Education), have joined the rest of world to mark the Antibiotics Resistance Awareness Week. The students have started making charts and placards with rich information about the causes and dangers of antibiotic resistance and reminding the world on impending ‘doom’ following inappropriate use of Antibiotics.
Every November, the World Health Organization (WHO) set aside the World Antibiotics Awareness Week (WAAW) which is aimed at increasing global awareness about the problem of antibiotic resistance. This is to encourage best practices in the general public, health workers, and policymakers. This year’s awareness week is from 12th to 18th November.
Antibiotics are medicines used to treat diseases caused by microorganisms like bacteria. It has been proven that the persistent overuse and misuse of these medicines have made the microorganism resistant to medicines, which formerly, were used to treat the same microbes. This formed the basis for the awareness week.
“Our major approach is to educate high school students on antimicrobial resistance and what we can do to reduce it”, said Mbaziira Daniel who is ISPARE Ambassador to Uganda and also the Guild president of Gulu University.
He added that changing the mindset of high school students makes them act as ambassadors to their families and communities. He also noted that fighting antibiotics resistance requires everyone’s effort.
H.E Mbaziira Daniel told Campus bee that the whole idea of ISPARE originated from the University of Manchester in the UK. This movement has spread to Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. In Uganda, Gulu University is the pioneer University but plans are underway to extend to other Universities.
With the increasing practice of self-prescription and medication, awareness campaigns have been instrumental in reducing antibiotics resistance.
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