Antibiotics Awareness Week: Managing the global public health crisis
Every November, the world unites for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW)—a critical global campaign led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the need for responsible antibiotic use. As we observe WAAW 2025, the message is more urgent than ever: Antibiotics are precious, and misusing them risks pushing humanity toward a post- antibiotic era where simple infections may once again become deadly.
World Antibiotics Awareness Week offers us an opportunity to pause, reflect and appreciate one of the most transformative achievements in the history of medicine: ANTIBIOTICS. Since their discovery, antibiotics have saved countless lives, turned once-fatal infections into manageable diseases, and reshaped the landscape of modern healthcare. Their impact is so profound that it is difficult to imagine surgery, intensive care, or even routine medical treatment without them.
Today, however, the effectiveness of antibiotics faces a major threat. ‘’Misuse’’ and “Overuse”— whether through unnecessary prescriptions, self-medication, or incomplete treatment courses—have led to a rapid rise in Antibiotic resistance. Dangerous bacteria are becoming resistant to the very medicines designed to eliminate them, putting communities at risk and making simple infections harder to treat. Antibiotic resistance is now recognized as a global public health crisis.
Against this backdrop, Antibiotics Week serves not merely as a celebration, but as a call to action. It urges governments, healthcare workers, policymakers and citizens alike to adopt responsible antibiotic practices. Each of us has a role in preserving these life-saving drugs for the future.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is not a distant threat. It is here, advancing faster than many predicted.
A global study led by AIG Hospitals warns that India is facing a super bug explosion and 83% of people walking into hospitals for treatment already carry a drug resistant bacteria in comparison to Italy which showed 31.5%, USA 20% and Netherlands in just 10.8% of such patients.
But the good news is that it is still possible to control and slow its spread—through awareness, responsible practices, and united global action. This week serves as a reminder that safeguarding antibiotics is not just a medical issue; it is a shared responsibility among individuals, healthcare providers, farmers, policymakers, and entire communities.
We can no longer take for granted
Antibiotics have saved millions of lives and revolutionized modern healthcare. They’ve made surgeries routine, transformed the treatment of infections, and given countless people the chance to live long, healthy lives. But we are at a crossroads. The same antibiotics that once conquered the deadliest infections are losing their power. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)—driven by misuse, overuse, and self-medication—is making once-treatable infections harder to manage and threatening our ability to perform even the most basic medical procedures.
AMR is here
AMR isn’t a future threat; it’s happening right now. Dangerous bacteria are evolving faster than we can develop new antibiotics—and with it, the ability to treat infections is disappearing. AMR already kills millions every year, and if left unchecked, we risk a return to a world where minor surgeries carry high risks, and common infections are deadly again.
If we don’t act, the consequences are dire:
- Increased mortality from infections we once controlled.
- Longer hospital stays and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
- Higher risks for vulnerable populations—newborns, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
- A return to a time when routine surgeries are high-risk due to the inability to manage infections.
The Message of WAAW 2025
This year’s theme is simple but profound: Antimicrobials are not ordinary medicines— they are precious resources that must be used carefully, appropriately, and only when absolutely necessary. Every time an antibiotic is misused, we move closer to a world where they no longer work at all. The campaign’s key focus areas:
- Public Awareness: People must understand that antibiotics don’t treat viral infections (like the common cold or flu) and that using them inappropriately only accelerates resistance.
- Healthcare Providers: Doctors and nurses must prescribe antibiotics wisely—only when needed and in the correct doses.
- Policymakers: Governments must implement policies to combat AMR on a global scale.
- Agriculture: The overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming contributes to AMR and must be curbed.
The need for immediate behavioral change
Awareness is the first step, but awareness alone isn’t enough. We need action. Every individual, healthcare provider, and policymaker has a responsibility to protect antibiotics— our most powerful weapons against infection.
- Don’t demand antibiotics for viral infections.
- Complete your prescribed course—even if you feel better before it’s finished.
- Never share antibiotics or use leftovers from a previous illness.
- Practice good hygiene to prevent infections and reduce the need for antibiotics.
Key messages of WAAW 2025
To protect antibiotics, WAAW promotes several crucial messages:
- Do not demand antibiotics for viral infections
Colds, flu, viral fevers, and most sore throats do not require antibiotics. Using them unnecessarily only fuels drug resistance.
- Always complete prescribed courses
Stopping antibiotics once symptoms improve allows surviving bacteria to grow stronger and more resistant.
- Never share or use leftover antibiotics
Every antibiotic course is tailored to a specific infection. Sharing or self-medicating is dangerous.
- Practice good hygiene and prevention
Handwashing, vaccinations, safe food practices, and responsible sanitation reduce infection spread—decreasing the need for antibiotics.
- Healthcare providers must prescribe wisely
Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists play a key role in ensuring antibiotics are used only when truly needed and following strict guidelines.
- Agriculture and veterinary sectors must use antibiotics responsibly
Overuse in livestock farming contributes significantly to AMR. Better hygiene, animal welfare, and controlled antibiotic practices can reduce reliance on these drugs.
- Our minimalistic antibiotic use in laparoscopic surgery and a message to dear colleagues...
As committed to safe, evidence-based healthcare, I have taken a proactive step toward this global cause. Over past 3 years, in the capacity of Senior Consultant Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery, we have successfully implemented a Minimalistic-Antibiotics Policy for elective laparoscopic surgeries—particularly, in gallbladder, hernia, appendix, kidney and liver and ovarian cyst surgeries, where we discharge most of the patients on “No Antibiotics”, a policy backed by international guidelines and reinforced by our own clinical experience. In these 3 years, we did not encounter any major infective complication, after discharging from hospital in any of the above mentioned surgeries, after adhering to the international guidelines before and during surgery. This consistent success underscores the fact that healthy patients undergoing clean laparoscopic procedures do not benefit from extended antibiotic courses and, in fact, are safer without Laparoscopic surgery, with its small incisions, minimal tissue handling, and rapid recovery, carries an inherently low risk of infection. For clean procedures such as Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and Hernia repair, one or two doses of prophylactic antibiotics often provide more than enough prophylactic cover. Overuse, exposes patients to unnecessary medication and contribute to community- level resistance.
Across hundreds of cases performed under these policies, postoperative outcomes have remained consistently excellent. We have observed:
- Exceptionally low surgical site infection rates
- Shorter postoperative recovery times
- Reduced hospital stay and faster return to normal activities
- Fewer antibiotic-related side effects
- A significant reduction in unnecessary antibiotic exposure
These results reaffirm that good surgical practice, not excessive antibiotic use, is the cornerstone of infection prevention.
As we observe Antibiotics Awareness Week, we honour not only the discovery of antibiotics but also the responsibility that comes with their use. Our commitment to rational antibiotic practice is a meaningful contribution to a global movement. Through awareness, scientific discipline, and responsible medical practice, we can protect antibiotics for future generations.
Dr. Rafiq Simnani, Senior Consultant, Laparoscopic Laser and Robotic Surgery.
