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13/03/2025
PHA Initiative To Educate Children On Antibiotic Resistance
The Public Health Agency (PHA) has emphasised the critical need to educate children and young people about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), highlighting the availability of a free online resource for teachers.
With AMR posing a significant threat to public health, the PHA is urging educators to utilise the e-Bug resource, which aims to promote responsible antibiotic use and understanding of infections among young people.
Hannah Gamble, Programme Manager for Infection, Prevention and Control, explained the urgency of addressing AMR. "Overuse of antibiotics leads to antimicrobial resistance or AMR. AMR means antibiotics are becoming less effective at treating the bacterial infections they are needed for," she said.
"If we continue to use antibiotics this way, we could face a return to the days before antibiotics were available, when people died from minor infections and where the risk of infection made even simple surgery life threatening."
Gamble stressed the importance of educating the next generation about the issue. "Antibiotic resistance is something that affects everyone, and it is the next generation that could face an adult life without effective antibiotics, so it’s important for children and young people to learn about antibiotics, so they can play their part and take steps to help keep antibiotics working now and in the future," she stated.
e-Bug is a free, online educational resource designed for teachers, covering microbiology, hygiene, and health. It provides age-appropriate lessons for key stage one to key stage five students, covering microorganisms, infection prevention, and treatment. The resource is aligned with the Northern Ireland Curriculum.
"e-bug will reinforce key messages on immunity, vaccines, careful antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance," Gamble said.
The e-Bug resource, developed by the UK Health Security Agency in collaboration with teachers, health professionals, and students, offers:
• Background information on the topic
• Detailed lesson plans
• Pupil worksheets
• A variety of engaging activities
Teachers can access the e-Bug resource at www.e-bug.eu/en-xi.
With AMR posing a significant threat to public health, the PHA is urging educators to utilise the e-Bug resource, which aims to promote responsible antibiotic use and understanding of infections among young people.
Hannah Gamble, Programme Manager for Infection, Prevention and Control, explained the urgency of addressing AMR. "Overuse of antibiotics leads to antimicrobial resistance or AMR. AMR means antibiotics are becoming less effective at treating the bacterial infections they are needed for," she said.
"If we continue to use antibiotics this way, we could face a return to the days before antibiotics were available, when people died from minor infections and where the risk of infection made even simple surgery life threatening."
e-Bug is a free, online educational resource designed for teachers, covering microbiology, hygiene, and health. It provides age-appropriate lessons for key stage one to key stage five students, covering microorganisms, infection prevention, and treatment. The resource is aligned with the Northern Ireland Curriculum.
"e-bug will reinforce key messages on immunity, vaccines, careful antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance," Gamble said.
The e-Bug resource, developed by the UK Health Security Agency in collaboration with teachers, health professionals, and students, offers:
• Background information on the topic
• Detailed lesson plans
• Pupil worksheets
• A variety of engaging activities
Teachers can access the e-Bug resource at www.e-bug.eu/en-xi.
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The future of antibiotics depends on all of us to use them properly, the Public Health Agency has said. Ahead of World Antibiotics Awareness Week, 18-24 November, members of the public are urged to help keep antibiotics working.
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