Antimicrobial Resistance

Question 1

What is antimicrobial resistance?

Answer 1

When bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time, no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

Question 2

What is the WHO action plan?

Answer 2

• Improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance
• Strengthen knowledge through surveillance and research
• Reduce the incidence of infection
• Optimise the use of antimicrobial agents, and
• Develop the economic case for sustainable investment that takes account of the needs of
  all countries and increase investment in new medicines, diagnostic tools, vaccines and
  other interventions.