Risk management and prevention of antibiotics resistance: The PREVENT IT project

Abstract

Background: Globally, a significant increase in the emergence of antibiotic resistant (ABR) path-ogens has rendered several groups of antibiotics ineffective for the treatment of life-threatening infections. It is an endemic in hospital settings and a major concern while handling pathogens involved in an epidemic or pandemic. ABR is a matter of great concern due to its recusant impact on public health and cost to the healthcare system, especially in developing country like India. An indiscriminate and inappropriate usage of antimicrobials, poor infrastructure and sanitation are the major factors driving the evolution of ABR in such countries. Therefore, in addition to the devel-opment of novel therapeutics and safeguarding the efficacy of existing antibiotics, there is an ur-gent need for a programme focussed on the education in risk management and prevention of ABR.

Aim: To promote qualitative teaching activities in academia and society to visualize a future where every individual is aware of ABR and empowered with right education to address the issue.

Methods: The project ‘Risk Management and Prevention of Antibiotics Resistance - PREVENT IT’, funded by the ERASMUS+ Programme of the European Union, converges academicians and non-government organizations (NGOs) to inculcate a sense of awareness towards the increase in the frequency of ABR pathogens, judicial usage of antimicrobials and the economic/health burden of ABR, in students, academicians, clinicians and population at large.

Expected outcome: The project commissioned envisages a behavioural change in individuals and attempts to support policymakers by executing stable changes in the curricula of institutes of higher education, developing advanced workshop modules for the training of academicians and disseminating ABR-related information through conferences/seminars, social media campaigns and an online platform dedicated to ABR. In addition, the project aims to develop a European-Indian network for the management of risk and prevention of ABR.