The Ministry of Public Health is celebrating World Antibiotic Awareness Week (from today until November 19)  under the theme ‘consult your doctor before taking antibiotics’, which has been spearheaded by World Health Organisation (WHO) as a global event to better understand and raise awareness of the problem of antibiotic resistance.
The aim of the celebration is to raise awareness about the rational use of antibiotics and microbial resistance in the world. The event will also promote best practices among the general public, healthcare workers and other relevant sectors to avoid the emergence of more cases of resistance to antibiotics and their spread. 
Director of Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health Huda Amer al-Katheeri said that the celebration of the World Antibiotic Awareness Week this year highlights the importance of microbial resistance to antibiotics as a multi-sectoral problem and represents a great burden on human and animal health, as well as on the local and global economy. She noted that during the celebration, programmes for the optimal use of antibiotics would be promoted effectively among healthcare providers, policymakers, and patients, as well as the livestock sector.
Al-Katheeri added that the Ministry of Public Health, through the Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Department, continues to work on the preparation of the national plan of action to combat antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics in line with WHO’s recommendations this year.
The events, organised by the Ministry of Public Health on the occasion of the World Antibiotic Awareness Week, include many important activities to highlight awareness of antibiotic resistance and its optimal use in all health facilities in the country. 
It will also urge all relevant parties to effectively commemorate this important event, as well as carrying out activities to raise awareness of antibiotic resistance and its optimal use for the public, school and university students. Also, the event will seek to provide awareness materials on antibiotic resistance to be disseminated in the health sector and all relevant sectors.
The Ministry of Public Health held a workshop entitled ‘one healthy approach to combat microbial resistance to antibiotics in the State of Qatar’ as well as the Ministry’s representatives presented a scientific lecture during the 4th International Congress on Pathogens at the Human-Animal Interface (ICOPHAI) under the title ‘Qatar’s experience in the establishment of a national action plan to address the resistance of microbes to antibiotics’.

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