Government departments today opened a symposium to call on healthcare professionals and the public to work together on the safe use of antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance.

More than 300 experts and partners from public health, human and veterinary medicine, agriculture, food, environment and the pharmaceutical industry attended the two-day regional symposium jointly opened by the Department of Health, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department, and the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department.

They reviewed the latest science and gained insights on how to better tackle the issue.

World-renowned speakers have been invited to share their expertise and experience in putting their antimicrobial resistance plans into action.

Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan said antimicrobial resistance poses a global threat to the sustainable development of human medicine, veterinary medicine and food security by reducing available options to treat and prevent bacterial infections.

Prof Chan said the Government has long recognised the growing problem and various sectors have been implementing control measures to contain its spread.

Following the establishment of the High Level Steering Committee on antimicrobial resistance in 2016, the Hong Kong Strategy & Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance was launched in 2017 to outline the key areas, objectives and actions to contain the problem's growing threat in Hong Kong, she said.

The symposium is one of the major events taking place in conjunction with World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2018 from November 12 to 18.

The Department of Health said healthcare professionals should refer to the guidelines on the use and choice of antibiotics, while patients should closely follow their doctors' instructions and should not use antibiotics indiscriminately.