Rising antibiotic resistance is considered one of the major threats to global health. Every year, about 700,000 people worldwide die from multidrug-resistant bacteria. Only 33 thousand of them live in the European Union.

In order to maintain the effectiveness of antibiotics in our country through their proper use and ensure that their use is prescribed only by a health specialist, the Public Health and Reform Center of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, with the support of the World Health Organization, carried out extensive educational and propaganda work among the population.

Educational hand-out materials on the use of antibiotics were distributed to people at bus stops as part of awareness activities. In order to attract the attention of residents, educational (advertising) boards were installed on five buses. As part of the work, a survey was conducted among 2 thousand people in the cities of Baku and Sumgayit to determine awareness level of the population about antibiotics. The survey determined the level of knowledge of people on this issue, and provided information based on best practices in this area.

As a result of the survey, it was found that 51.8% of the participants had taken antibiotics in the last 12 months. 12.1% of the respondents said that they took the medicines they used for similar diseases without a doctor's prescription, and 6.1% of them took antibiotics with the advice of close people. 11.7% of the respondents believe that after healing as a result of antibiotic treatment, it is right to take the same antibiotic when they get sick the next time, without consulting a doctor.

The results of the survey showed that there is a need for strict control mechanisms regarding use of antibiotics. People's use of antibiotics without a doctor's prescription increases bacterial resistance to antibiotics, which in turn can lead to longer hospitalization, higher health care costs, disability and death.