“Antibiotics are not your food”: Seminars on rational use of antibiotics
Striving to contribute to the rational use of antibiotics and prevention of antimicrobial resistance and as part of the ongoing initiative celebrating the European Antibiotic Awareness Day, Studiorum, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Macedonia, the Health Insurance Fund of Macedonia and the Institute for Public Health of the Republic of Macedonia are initiating a series of seminars for health professionals, patients and general public under the motto “Antibiotics are not your food”. The first seminar will take place on 26 September 2014 (Friday) in Veles at the premises of the Municipality of Veles.
As part of the perennial activities and efforts made towards awareness raising on rational use of antibiotics, Studiorum implements a vocational education and awareness raising project on the rational use of antibiotics and prevention of microbial resistance under the slogan “Antibiotics are not your food”. Along with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Macedonia, the Health Insurance Fund of Macedonia, the Institute for Public Health of the Republic of Macedonia and a number of professional associations, Studiorum regularly celebrates, since its inception in 2008, the European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) under the auspices of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Given the exceptionally high levels of antibiotic prescription, dispensing and consumption in the country, the project on the rational use of antibiotics includes educational activities for health professionals on local level aiming at raising awareness on rational use of antimicrobial drugs and at reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The project’s key activities consist of eight educational seminars to be organized weekly in several cities in Macedonia between 26 September and 27 November 2014. The seminars are primarily developed for health professionals in the hospital settings as well as for pharmacists and epidemiologists working at the Centers for Public Health throughout the country.
The first seminar will take place on 26 September in Veles. The opening remarks will be given by a representative of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Macedonia and by the President of the Council of the Municipality of Veles Dr. Aleksandar Kolev. The threat of antimicrobial resistance worldwide and in Macedonia as well as the consumption of antibiotics on national level will be discussed by Prim. Dr. Golubinka Boshevska, National coordinator for AMR, Prof. Dr. Nikola Panovski from the Faculty of Medicine and Kristina Hristova, MSc from the Health Insurance Fund of Macedonia.
The project implementation is supported by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, through funding from the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium.