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IDPH Marks U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week and honors DMH and HSHS for honor roll status

By Lindsay Romano Nov 17, 2025 | 4:28 PM

November 17, 2025 -The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging public awareness of appropriate use of antibiotics and antifungals during U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week. The annual observance is held November 18-24.

As part of this year’s observance, IDPH is recognizing nearly 90 Illinois hospitals who have taken extra measures to prevent antimicrobial resistance, where bacteria and other germs can develop a resistance to the drugs that were designed to fight them. Decatur Memorial was recognized as a Gold Awardee and HSHS St. Mary’s was awarded a silver.  Honor roll status is awarded in three categories: Bronze, for hospitals that have implemented at least two of the six priorities; Silver, for hospitals implementing at least four priorities; and Gold, for hospitals that have implemented all six priorities.

As part of the awareness effort, Governor JB Pritzker has issued a proclamation and recorded a video to encourage Illinoisans to learn more about antimicrobial resistance and the steps they can take to protect themselves. You can find links to both at IDPH’s US Antibiotic Awareness Week webpage. You can get more information about antimicrobial resistance on the IDPH website at Antimicrobial Stewardship.
“Antibiotics are powerful medicines that fight infections, but they can stop working if we don’t use them correctly,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “When we take antibiotics when they are not needed, germs can learn to fight back, making infections tougher to cure. This week, we’re celebrating nearly 90 Illinois hospitals for leading the way in using antibiotics wisely. When doctors, patients, and families all work together, we can keep these life-saving medicines working for everyone – now and in the future.”
Director Vohra notes that antibiotics do not treat viruses, such as those that cause colds, the flu, RSV, or COVID-19. Use of antibiotics when not medically recommended can increase the likelihood of antimicrobial resistance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year, more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur in the United States, and more than 35,000 people die as a result.
The overall goal of U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week is to get everyone working together to improve the global prescribing and use of antimicrobials such as antibiotic and antifungal drugs. The CDC estimates that as many as 30 percent of prescriptions for antibioticsare not medically necessary, representing approximately 47 million prescriptions.