A street campaign in promoting the prudent and responsible use of antibiotics at the peak of WAAW celebration

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasingly serious threat to global health. Not only human health but also animal health and the environment are threatened by AMR. An estimated 700,000 people die each year from antimicrobial resistant infections and the health and productivity of an untold number of animals may be compromised due to infections which are resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Antimicrobial is a class of medicines, which include antibiotics. It is used to treat bacterial infections in humans and animals. However, the persistent overuse and misuse of antibiotics in agriculture (livestock, aquaculture and crop production) and human health make bacteria resistant to the drugs used to treat them (superbugs).

“AMR is predicted to become the number one killer in the world and could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050 if we do nothing from now on,” said Director of Veterinary Public Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Syamsul Ma'arif in front of hundreds of Lampung residents, who attended the World Antibiotic Awareness Week celebration.

This year's World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW) was celebrated on 18-24 November 2019. The FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) together with the Ministry of Agriculture Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with various local institutions, organised and participated in a series of activities in Jakarta, Bogor, Lampung, and Surabaya.

The whole week's activities were focused on increasing public awareness and understanding of the importance of using antibiotics and other antimicrobials prudently and responsibly in the livestock sector, the threat of antimicrobial resistance to food security, and strengthening community awareness of the responsible use of antibiotics. Activities ranged from a radio and TV broadcast, national and local competitions, and a media briefing, to farmers’ seminars and a Studium Generale seminar for university students.

In Jakarta, the Ministry of Agriculture - FAO ECTAD - USAID took part in a radio broadcast on Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) and a TV broadcast on Voice of Indonesia; these dialogues included a discussion on the danger of using antibiotics without a prescription in the livestock sector. In addition, video blog (vlog) and speaking competitions were held to encourage young people to learn about AMR and the use of antibiotics in the livestock sector.

AMR Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials were launched and talk shows were held on Antimicrobial Resistance Control for hundreds of farmers and the private sector in Bogor and Bandar Lampung, aimed to increase farmers’ understanding of responsible antibiotic use and the hazard of AMR.

The peak of the 2019 World Antibiotic Awareness Week celebration was held at KORPRI Field, Bandar Lampung. The Ministry of Agriculture, FAO ECTAD and USAID, in collaboration with the Lampung Governor, Lampung Livestock Services, University of Lampung and the national layer farmers association (Pinsar Petelur Nasional - PPN) held a street campaign to promote the prudent and responsible use of antibiotics. The campaign included a health walk, eating 2000 antibiotic-free eggs and the MURI Record award to Lampung for obtaining 14 Veterinary Control Number (NKV) certificates for layer farms within a 10-month period (the highest number of NKV achievements thus far).

The Veterinary Control Number is a government certificate of compliance with sanitation and hygiene requirements as a guarantee of food safety for foods of animal origin. This is an appreciation of the hard work of PPN Lampung and all parties in encouraging farmers to implement good biosecurity and hygiene practices, which keep chickens free from disease, reduces the use of antibiotics and disinfectants, and most importantly increases egg production.

"This is the solution to reducing the use of antimicrobials in livestock. These simple actions reduce the use of antimicrobials on farms. A clean and well-managed farm produces healthy animals that are less susceptible to diseases and therefore need less antimicrobials," added the FAO ECTAD Team Leader, James McGrane in his speech at World Antibiotics Awareness Week in Lampung.

To close the 2019 World Antibiotic Awareness Week, Studium Generale seminars were held on “The Role of Universities in Controlling AMR” for students at the University of Lampung and on “Food Security for Our Families” held by the NGO Bersama Atasi Resistensi Antibiotik (BARA) at Widya Mandala Catholic University in Surabaya.

“By working together and by working across the public health, animal health and food production sectors, we can help prevent bacteria from becoming resistant to our main weapons against them – antibiotics – and keep more people around the world healthier, safer, and economically productive,” said USAID’s Director of Office of Financial Services, Ravindral Suaris.

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