ReAct Europe and Uppsala University go blue to shed light on the antibiotic resistance issue

2021-11-23

ReAct Europe and Uppsala University in Sweden are joining the World Health Organization's WHO's campaign Go-Blue, which sheds light on the silent pandemic that antibiotic resistance constitutes in the world. For two evenings, the University House and the ReAct Europe office is illuminated in blue, to urge the outside world to spread awareness about this threat to the world's healthcare.

New for this year’s World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is the global campaign “Go-Blue for AMR”. Individuals, workplaces, and communities are invited to join a color campaign to spread awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and share stories about antimicrobial resistance effect on families and communities today.

Uppsala University

Anders Hagfeldt, Vice-Chancellor of Uppsala University says:

– Antibiotic resistance is one of the great societal challenges of our time. A complex problem has no simple solutions, but requires collaboration between many actors and several research disciplines. Of course, we and other higher education institutions have an important role to play here. But everyone needs help and therefore in the November darkness we want to draw attention to the issue together with others who are involved in the issue.

ReAct Europe Office

ReAct’s founder, Otto Cars, professor of infectious diseases, points out that much has happened since the network was founded 15 years ago, but the important system changes required to deal with the silent pandemic have failed.

– The trends are still going in the wrong direction. In the EU, 33,000 people die every year due to antibiotic resistance. But the experience of Covid-19 shows that knowledge about infections among the general public all over the world has never been greater than now. The world has shown what can be done if all actors cooperate globally. Thanks to such collaboration, we have developed vaccines and diagnostics in record time. A similar joining of forces is needed to act strong and quick on antibiotic resistance.