World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2019

Patient Safety Week 2019 runs from November 18th to 22^nd, and is organized in France by the Ministry of Solidarity and Health, and managed by the care-associated infections network (REPIAS). This year’s slogan “Antibiotics, they’re valuable, let’s use them better” echoes the World Week for Good Use of Antibiotics of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is taking place at the same time.

The prevention of healthcare-associated infections and the fight against antimicrobial resistance are key objectives of the Clean Hospitals network created by Professor Didier Pittet. This project is a continuation of what he has accomplished with WHO for the global promotion of hand-hygiene. This scientificand humanitarian adventure was written by the French author Thierry Crouzet in a book entitled Clean hands Save Lives. They subsequently collaborated on a second book, Resistants, a thriller that aims to educate the general public about the pitfall’s antibiotic resistance. Reading this book on the occasion of this World Awareness Week is a great way to better understand the associated issues that its author recently explained to RéPias.

Clean Hospitals focuses on reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections through improving healthcare environmental hygiene, including: surfaces, medical devices, water, air, and waste management. Healthcare Environmental Hygiene teams are spearheading the fight against multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs), which are becoming all too common. Although the environmental role in the diffusion of MDROs in France remains difficult to measure precisely, it is becoming clear that it plays a crucial role.

Clean Hospitals aims to create and promote evidence-based research in this field, as well as to define the research agenda and stimulate industrial innovation. The group works to include all relevant stakeholders that can play a role in improving environmental hygiene and patient safety. Without high standards in the field, innovation is far more difficult. However, all positive, measurable and coherent developments must contribute to the prevention of infections and the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Wishing a good patient safety week to everyone!