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Allel K, Fernandez-Miyakawa M, Gaze W, Petroni A, Corso A, Luna F, Barcelona L, Boden L, Pitchforth E. Opportunities and challenges in antimicrobial resistance policy including animal production systems and humans across stakeholders in Argentina: a context and qualitative analysis. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e082156. [PMID: 38889938 PMCID: PMC11191766 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gaps in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance and control, including implementation of national action plans (NAPs), are evident internationally. Countries' capacity to translate political commitment into action is crucial to cope with AMR at the human-animal-environment interface. METHODS We employed a two-stage process to understand opportunities and challenges related to AMR surveillance and control at the human-animal interface in Argentina. First, we compiled the central AMR policies locally and mapped vital stakeholders around the NAP and the national commission against bacterial resistance. Second, we conducted qualitative interviews using a semistructured questionnaire covering stakeholders' understanding and progress towards AMR and NAP. We employed a mixed deductive-inductive approach and used the constant comparative analysis method. We created categories and themes to cluster subthemes and determined crucial relationships among thematic groups. RESULTS Crucial AMR policy developments have been made since 1969, including gradually banning colistin in food-producing animals. In 2023, a new government decree prioritised AMR following the 2015 NAP launch. Our qualitative analyses identified seven major themes for tackling AMR: (I) Cultural factors and sociopolitical country context hampering AMR progress, (II) Fragmented governance, (III) Antibiotic access and use, (IV) AMR knowledge and awareness throughout stakeholders, (V) AMR surveillance, (VI) NAP efforts and (VII) External drivers. We identified a fragmented structure of the food production chain, poor cross-coordination between stakeholders, limited surveillance and regulation among food-producing animals and geographical disparities over access, diagnosis and treatment. The country is moving to integrate animal and food production into its surveillance system, with most hospitals experienced in monitoring AMR through antimicrobial stewardship programmes. CONCLUSION AMR accountability should involve underpinning collaboration at different NAP implementation levels and providing adequate resources to safeguard long-term sustainability. Incorporating a multisectoral context-specific approach relying on different One Health domains is crucial to strengthening local AMR surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasim Allel
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Heatlh Economics Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | | | - William Gaze
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Alejandro Petroni
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandra Corso
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Laura Barcelona
- Comisión Nacional de Control de la Resistencia Antimicrobiana, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lisa Boden
- University of Edinburgh Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, UK
| | - Emma Pitchforth
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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Bajwa M, Afzal S, Sheikh SA, Saleem Z. Drug Inspector as an antibiotic Steward: challenges and recommendations to implement national action plan of Pakistan on antimicrobial resistance. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2024. [PMID: 38872588 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2024.2368825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite significant measures, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Pakistan, struggle to curtail non-prescription antibiotic sales, enforce regulations, and implement National Action Plan (NAP) against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). NAP Pakistan entails drug inspectors (DIs) to ensure prescription-based sales of antibiotics. This study seeks to understand the perspective of DIs regarding antimicrobial sales without prescription, underlying factors, and policy implementation status. METHODS A qualitative study employing a semi-structured interview guide using in-depth interviews with purposively selected 17 DIs was conducted. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and data were analyzed following a thematic analysis framework utilizing MAXQDA 2022 software. RESULTS Five main themes emerged after data analysis: (1) drug inspector - the regulator of the antimicrobial armamentarium, (2) the policy context, (3) awareness regarding AMR, (4) barriers to combatting AMR, and (5) the way forward: strategies and recommendations. CONCLUSION A weak regulatory framework, low level of awareness, quackery, vested interests, and socio-economic factors augment inappropriate antibiotic utilization. Opting for better policies and strengthening the DI fraternity as outlined in NAP Pakistan is recommended. Recognizing drug inspectors as effective surveilling units and mobilizing field force against irrational antibiotic utilization is the need of the hour and requires policy reformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mishal Bajwa
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Shairyar Afzal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Pakistan
- Department of Pharmacy, DHQ Hospital Jhelum, Jhelum, Pakistan
| | - Sadaf Areej Sheikh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Zikria Saleem
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
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Chan OS, Wu P, Cowling B, Lee E, Yeung M, St-Hilaire S, Tun H, Wernli D, Lam W. Prescribing antibiotics prudently-A survey of policy implementation drivers among physicians and veterinarians. One Health 2024; 18:100752. [PMID: 38832078 PMCID: PMC11145358 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background As the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) problem accelerates, humans and animals are suffering from the consequences of infections with diminishing antimicrobial treatment options. Within the One Medicine and One Health mandate, which denotes a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach to improve medicine and health across human and animal sectors, we investigate how human and veterinary medical practitioners apply their medical and policy knowledge in prescribing antimicrobials. Different regions and locations establish different intermediary policies and programs to support clinicians in that pursuit. In Hong Kong, there are locally adapted programs at governance and clinical levels in the human medical field. However, there is no locally adapted veterinary antibiotic prescription guideline or stewardship program, and veterinarians adopt overseas or international professions' antimicrobial use guidelines. Such a policy environment creates a natural experiment to compare local policy implementation conditions and clinicians' knowledge, perception, and practice. Method We construct the investigative survey tool by adaptation of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) and Capacity, Opportunity, and Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) models. We identify, compare and contrast factors that influence clinicians' antimicrobial prescription behavior. The factors are considered both intrinsically, such as personal attributes, and extrinsically, such as societal and professional norms. Findings The absence of locally adopted antimicrobial guidelines influences AMR stewardship program implementation in local Hong Kong veterinary community. As medical allies, physicians and veterinarians share similar demographic influence, organization considerations and perception of public awareness. Both cohorts prescribe more prudently with more years-in-practice, time available to communicate with patients or caretakers, and public awareness and support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia S.K. Chan
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Peng Wu
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ben Cowling
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Elaine Lee
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, 5/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michelle Yeung
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, 5/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sophie St-Hilaire
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Hein Tun
- The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Didier Wernli
- Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva, Sciences II, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, CH-1211 Genève, Switzerland
| | - Wendy Lam
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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Al Meslamani AZ. Is the world crippled by antimicrobial resistance, or simply lacking information? Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2024; 22:365-368. [PMID: 38381552 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2024.2322429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Z Al Meslamani
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Qiu Y, Ferreira JP, Ullah RW, Flanagan P, Zaheer MU, Tahir MF, Alam J, Hoet AE, Song J, Akram M. Assessment of the Implementation of Pakistan's National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance in the Agriculture and Food Sectors. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:206. [PMID: 38534641 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13030206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The agriculture and food (agrifood) sectors play key roles in the emergence, spread, and containment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Pakistan's first National Action Plan (NAP) on AMR was developed to guide One Health interventions to combat AMR through 2017-2022. To improve subsequent iterations, we assessed the implementation of Pakistan's NAP in the agrifood sectors (NAPag) in October 2022, using the Progressive Management Pathway on AMR tool developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The assessment tool addressed four crucial focus areas of the NAPag: governance, awareness, evidence, and practices. Each focus area contains multiple topics, which involve four sequential stages of activities to progressively achieve systematic management of AMR risk in the agrifood sectors. High-level representatives of the NAPag stakeholders provided information for the assessment through pre-event documentary review and workshop discussions. The assessment results showed that Pakistan's NAPag had an overall moderate coverage (59%) of the anticipated activities. Gaps were particularly notable in strengthening governance, good practices, and interventions in non-livestock sectors. Furthermore, only 12% of the evaluated activities were fully executed and documented, consistently remaining at the planning and piloting stages in the livestock sector across all the examined topics. Insufficient attention to non-livestock sectors, inadequate regulation and enforcement capacity, and resource constraints have hindered scalable and sustainable interventions under the current plan. This assessment provides valuable insights to strengthen the inclusiveness and contribution of the agrifood sectors in the next NAP iteration. In the short-to-medium term, strategic prioritization is necessary to optimize the use of limited resources and target the most critical gaps, such as improving awareness among key stakeholders and fortifying regulations for prudent antimicrobial use. In the long term, integration of AMR into the country's broader health, development, and agricultural transformation agendas will be needed to generate sustainable benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Qiu
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters, 00153 Rome, Italy
| | - Jorge Pinto Ferreira
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters, 00153 Rome, Italy
| | - Riasat Wasee Ullah
- Office of the Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Peter Flanagan
- FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
| | | | | | - Javaria Alam
- FAO Country Representative Office, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Armando E Hoet
- FAO Reference Center on Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Junxia Song
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters, 00153 Rome, Italy
| | - Muhammad Akram
- Office of the Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
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Sartorius B, Gray AP, Davis Weaver N, Robles Aguilar G, Swetschinski LR, Ikuta KS, Mestrovic T, Chung E, Wool EE, Han C, Gershberg Hayoon A, Araki DT, Abd-Elsalam S, Aboagye RG, Adamu LH, Adepoju AV, Ahmed A, Akalu GT, Akande-Sholabi W, Amuasi JH, Amusa GA, Argaw AM, Aruleba RT, Awoke T, Ayalew MK, Azzam AY, Babin FX, Banerjee I, Basiru A, Bayileyegn NS, Belete MA, Berkley JA, Bielicki JA, Dekker D, Demeke D, Demsie DG, Dessie AM, Dunachie SJ, Ed-Dra A, Ekholuenetale M, Ekundayo TC, El Sayed I, Elhadi M, Elsohaby I, Eyre D, Fagbamigbe AF, Feasey NA, Fekadu G, Fell F, Forrest KM, Gebrehiwot M, Gezae KE, Ghazy RM, Hailegiyorgis TT, Haines-Woodhouse G, Hasaballah AI, Haselbeck AH, Hsia Y, Iradukunda A, Iregbu KC, Iwu CCD, Iwu-Jaja CJ, Iyasu AN, Jaiteh F, Jeon H, Joshua CE, Kassa GG, Katoto PDMC, Krumkamp R, Kumaran EAP, Kyu HH, Manilal A, Marks F, May J, McLaughlin SA, McManigal B, Melese A, Misgina KH, Mohamed NS, Mohammed M, Mohammed S, Mohammed S, Mokdad AH, Moore CE, Mougin V, Mturi N, Mulugeta T, Musaigwa F, Musicha P, Musila LA, Muthupandian S, Naghavi P, Negash H, Nuckchady DC, Obiero CW, Odetokun IA, Ogundijo OA, Okidi L, Okonji OC, Olagunju AT, Olufadewa II, Pak GD, Perovic O, Pollard A, Raad M, Rafaï C, Ramadan H, Redwan EMM, Roca A, Rosenthal VD, Saleh MA, Samy AM, Sharland M, Shittu A, Siddig EE, Sisay EA, Stergachis A, Tesfamariam WB, Tigoi C, Tincho MB, Tiruye TY, Umeokonkwo CD, Walsh T, Walson JL, Yusuf H, Zeru NG, Hay SI, Dolecek C, Murray CJL, Naghavi M. The burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in the WHO African region in 2019: a cross-country systematic analysis. Lancet Glob Health 2024; 12:e201-e216. [PMID: 38134946 PMCID: PMC10805005 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(23)00539-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A critical and persistent challenge to global health and modern health care is the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Previous studies have reported a disproportionate burden of AMR in low-income and middle-income countries, but there remains an urgent need for more in-depth analyses across Africa. This study presents one of the most comprehensive sets of regional and country-level estimates of bacterial AMR burden in the WHO African region to date. METHODS We estimated deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributable to and associated with AMR for 23 bacterial pathogens and 88 pathogen-drug combinations for countries in the WHO African region in 2019. Our methodological approach consisted of five broad components: the number of deaths in which infection had a role, the proportion of infectious deaths attributable to a given infectious syndrome, the proportion of infectious syndrome deaths attributable to a given pathogen, the percentage of a given pathogen resistant to an antimicrobial drug of interest, and the excess risk of mortality (or duration of an infection) associated with this resistance. These components were then used to estimate the disease burden by using two counterfactual scenarios: deaths attributable to AMR (considering an alternative scenario where infections with resistant pathogens are replaced with susceptible ones) and deaths associated with AMR (considering an alternative scenario where drug-resistant infections would not occur at all). We obtained data from research hospitals, surveillance networks, and infection databases maintained by private laboratories and medical technology companies. We generated 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for final estimates as the 25th and 975th ordered values across 1000 posterior draws, and models were cross-validated for out-of-sample predictive validity. FINDINGS In the WHO African region in 2019, there were an estimated 1·05 million deaths (95% UI 829 000-1 316 000) associated with bacterial AMR and 250 000 deaths (192 000-325 000) attributable to bacterial AMR. The largest fatal AMR burden was attributed to lower respiratory and thorax infections (119 000 deaths [92 000-151 000], or 48% of all estimated bacterial pathogen AMR deaths), bloodstream infections (56 000 deaths [37 000-82 000], or 22%), intra-abdominal infections (26 000 deaths [17 000-39 000], or 10%), and tuberculosis (18 000 deaths [3850-39 000], or 7%). Seven leading pathogens were collectively responsible for 821 000 deaths (636 000-1 051 000) associated with resistance in this region, with four pathogens exceeding 100 000 deaths each: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Third-generation cephalosporin-resistant K pneumoniae and meticillin-resistant S aureus were shown to be the leading pathogen-drug combinations in 25 and 16 countries, respectively (53% and 34% of the whole region, comprising 47 countries) for deaths attributable to AMR. INTERPRETATION This study reveals a high level of AMR burden for several bacterial pathogens and pathogen-drug combinations in the WHO African region. The high mortality rates associated with these pathogens demonstrate an urgent need to address the burden of AMR in Africa. These estimates also show that quality and access to health care and safe water and sanitation are correlated with AMR mortality, with a higher fatal burden found in lower resource settings. Our cross-country analyses within this region can help local governments to leverage domestic and global funding to create stewardship policies that target the leading pathogen-drug combinations. FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and Department of Health and Social Care using UK aid funding managed by the Fleming Fund.
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Afzal S, Khan FU, Aqeel MT, Ullah M, Bajwa M, Akhtar M, Majid M. Impact of a pharmacist-led educational intervention on knowledge, attitude, and practice toward the rational use of antibiotics among healthcare workers in a secondary care hospital in Punjab, Pakistan. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1327576. [PMID: 38348350 PMCID: PMC10859775 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1327576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and decreasing efficacy of the available antimicrobials have become a significant public health concern. The antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) ensures the appropriate use of antimicrobials and mitigates resistance prevalence through various interventions. One of the core components of the ASP is to educate healthcare workers (HWs). Therefore, this study aims to identify the impact of a pharmacist-led educational intervention targeting knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding rational antibiotic use among healthcare professionals in a secondary care hospital in Punjab. Methods: This is a single-center, questionnaire-based, pre-post interventional study conducted over a six-month time period. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26. Results: Regarding the pre-interventional knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) score of the respondents, 90.3% had a good knowledge score, 81.5% had a positive attitude, and 72.3% of HWs (excluding doctors) had a good practice score. Additionally, 74.6% of the doctors had a good practice score. After educational intervention, there was a significant improvement in the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the respondent HWs (p-value <0.001). Furthermore, males have higher knowledge scores compared to females in the pre- and post-intervention stages (p-value <0.05), and doctors differ from nurses regarding knowledge scores in both pre- and post-intervention stages. Conclusion: Considering educational programs as the backbone of the ASP, it is imperative to sustain efforts in the ongoing educational programs of HWs to foster high awareness and adherence to the ASP among HWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shairyar Afzal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Department of Pharmacy, District Head Quarter Hospital Jhelum, Jhelum, Pakistan
| | - Farman Ullah Khan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy Xian Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | | | - Matti Ullah
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Mishal Bajwa
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Masoom Akhtar
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Majid
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Ahmed S, Tareq AH, Ilyas D. The Impact of Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship Training Sessions on Knowledge of Healthcare Students of Wah Cantonment, Pakistan. INQUIRY : A JOURNAL OF MEDICAL CARE ORGANIZATION, PROVISION AND FINANCING 2024; 61:469580241228443. [PMID: 38339805 PMCID: PMC10859065 DOI: 10.1177/00469580241228443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Promoting awareness regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and stewardship (AMS) is crucial as it results in treatment failures and an economic burden on a country. This study was conducted to determine the baseline knowledge of healthcare students and the impact of conducting training sessions regarding AMR and AMS on the knowledge of healthcare students. This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design at Wah Medical College, Pakistan, and its subsidiary institutes in 4 months. Two hundred twenty-six healthcare students were selected via stratified sampling through a proportional allocation from 3 academic student groups. Training sessions were conducted and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23. The median age of the participants was 22 while most were females (54.9%). There was a significant difference in means of AMR score between BScN and AD-BTM student groups and among AD-BTM and MBBS student groups. In the case of AMS scores, the difference in means was significant among all student groups. The training sessions were found effective as the mean AMR and AMS knowledge scores among all the student groups increased significantly after the intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh Ahmed
- Wah Medical College, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | | | - Doua Ilyas
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Saeed U, Insaf RA, Piracha ZZ, Tariq MN, Sohail A, Abbasi UA, Fida Rana MS, Gilani SS, Noor S, Noor E, Waheed Y, Wahid M, Najmi MH, Fazal I. Crisis averted: a world united against the menace of multiple drug-resistant superbugs -pioneering anti-AMR vaccines, RNA interference, nanomedicine, CRISPR-based antimicrobials, bacteriophage therapies, and clinical artificial intelligence strategies to safeguard global antimicrobial arsenal. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1270018. [PMID: 38098671 PMCID: PMC10720626 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1270018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents in combating bacterial infections faces a grave peril in the form of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), an exceedingly pressing global health issue. The emergence and dissemination of drug-resistant bacteria can be attributed to the rampant overuse and misuse of antibiotics, leading to dire consequences such as organ failure and sepsis. Beyond the realm of individual health, the pervasive specter of AMR casts its ominous shadow upon the economy and society at large, resulting in protracted hospital stays, elevated medical expenditures, and diminished productivity, with particularly dire consequences for vulnerable populations. It is abundantly clear that addressing this ominous threat necessitates a concerted international endeavor encompassing the optimization of antibiotic deployment, the pursuit of novel antimicrobial compounds and therapeutic strategies, the enhancement of surveillance and monitoring of resistant bacterial strains, and the assurance of universal access to efficacious treatments. In the ongoing struggle against this encroaching menace, phage-based therapies, strategically tailored to combat AMR, offer a formidable line of defense. Furthermore, an alluring pathway forward for the development of vaccines lies in the utilization of virus-like particles (VLPs), which have demonstrated their remarkable capacity to elicit a robust immune response against bacterial infections. VLP-based vaccinations, characterized by their absence of genetic material and non-infectious nature, present a markedly safer and more stable alternative to conventional immunization protocols. Encouragingly, preclinical investigations have yielded promising results in the development of VLP vaccines targeting pivotal bacteria implicated in the AMR crisis, including Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium difficile. Notwithstanding the undeniable potential of VLP vaccines, formidable challenges persist, including the identification of suitable bacterial markers for vaccination and the formidable prospect of bacterial pathogens evolving mechanisms to thwart the immune response. Nonetheless, the prospect of VLP-based vaccines holds great promise in the relentless fight against AMR, underscoring the need for sustained research and development endeavors. In the quest to marshal more potent defenses against AMR and to pave the way for visionary innovations, cutting-edge techniques that incorporate RNA interference, nanomedicine, and the integration of artificial intelligence are currently under rigorous scrutiny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umar Saeed
- Clinical and Biomedical Research Center (CBRC) and Multidisciplinary Laboratories (MDL), Foundation University School of Health Sciences (FUSH), Foundation University Islamabad (FUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Rawal Alies Insaf
- Regional Disease Surveillance and Response Unit Sukkur, Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Zahra Zahid Piracha
- International Center of Medical Sciences Research (ICMSR), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Azka Sohail
- Central Park Teaching Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | | | | | - Seneen Noor
- International Center of Medical Sciences Research (ICMSR), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Elyeen Noor
- International Center of Medical Sciences Research (ICMSR), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Yasir Waheed
- Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC), Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Maryam Wahid
- Clinical and Biomedical Research Center (CBRC) and Multidisciplinary Laboratories (MDL), Foundation University School of Health Sciences (FUSH), Foundation University Islamabad (FUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muzammil Hasan Najmi
- Clinical and Biomedical Research Center (CBRC) and Multidisciplinary Laboratories (MDL), Foundation University School of Health Sciences (FUSH), Foundation University Islamabad (FUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Imran Fazal
- Clinical and Biomedical Research Center (CBRC) and Multidisciplinary Laboratories (MDL), Foundation University School of Health Sciences (FUSH), Foundation University Islamabad (FUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
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Khan M, Rahman-Shepherd A, Noor MN, Sharif S, Hamid M, Aftab W, Isani AK, Khan RI, Hasan R, Shakoor S, Siddiqi S. Incentivisation practices and their influence on physicians' prescriptions: A qualitative analysis of practice and policy in Pakistan. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0001890. [PMID: 37384598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Focus on profit-generating enterprise in healthcare can create conflicts of interest that adversely impact prescribing and pricing of medicines. Although a global challenge, addressing the impacts on quality of care is particularly difficult in countries where the pharmaceutical industry and physician lobby is strong relative to regulatory institutions. Our study characterises the range of incentives exchanged between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians, and investigates the differences between incentivisation practices and policies in Pakistan. In this mixed methods study, we first thematically analysed semi-structured interviews with 28 purposively selected for-profit primary-care physicians and 13 medical sales representatives from pharmaceutical companies working across Pakistan's largest city, Karachi. We then conducted a content analysis of policies on ethical practice issued by two regulatory bodies responsible in Pakistan, and the World Health Organization. This enabled a systematic comparison of incentivisation practices with what is considered 'prohibitive' or 'permissive' in policy. Our findings demonstrate that incentivisation of physicians to meet pharmaceutical sales targets is the norm, and that both parties play in the symbiotic physician-pharma incentivisation dynamics. Further, we were able to categorise the types of incentive exchanged into one of five categories: financial, material, professional or educational, social or recreational, and familial. Our comparison of incentivisation practices with policies revealed three reasons for such widespread incentivisation linked to sales targets: first, some clear policies were being ignored by physicians; second, there are ambiguous or contradictory policies with respect to specific incentive types; and third, numerous incentive types are unaddressed by existing policies, such as pharmaceutical companies paying for private clinic renovations. There is a need for policies to be clarified and updated, and to build buy-in for policy enforcement from pharmaceutical companies and physicians, such that transgressions on target-driven prescribing are seen to be unethical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mishal Khan
- Department of Global Health, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Afifah Rahman-Shepherd
- Department of Global Health, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Muhammad Naveed Noor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sabeen Sharif
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Meherunissa Hamid
- Department of Global Health, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wafa Aftab
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | - Rumina Hasan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Shakoor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sameen Siddiqi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
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11
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Noor MN, Rahman-Shepherd A, Siddiqui AR, Aftab W, Shakoor S, Hasan R, Khan M. Socioecological factors linked with pharmaceutical incentive-driven prescribing in Pakistan. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 6:bmjgh-2022-010853. [PMID: 36731921 PMCID: PMC10175940 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-010853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Pharmaceutical marketing through financial incentivisation to general practitioners (GPs) is a poorly studied health system problem in Pakistan. Pharmaceutical incentivisation is seen to be distorting GPs prescribing behaviour that can compromise the health and well-being of patients. We draw on a conceptual framework outlined in the ecological system theory to identify multiple factors linked with pharmaceutical incentivisation to GPs in Pakistan. We conducted qualitative interviews with 28 policy actors to seek their views on the health system dynamics, how they sustain pharmaceutical incentivisation and their effect on the quality of care. Our analysis revealed four interlinked factors operating at different levels and how they collectively contribute to pharmaceutical incentivisation. In addition to influences such as the increasing family needs and peers' financial success, sometimes GPs may naturally be inclined to maximise incomes by engaging in pharmaceutical incentivisation. On other hand, the pharmaceutical market dynamics that involve that competition underpinned by a profit-maximisation mindset enable pharmaceutical companies to meet GPs' desires/needs in return for prescribing their products. Inadequate monitoring and health regulations may further permit the pharmaceutical industry and GPs to sustain the incentive-driven relationship. Our findings have important implications for potential health reforms such as introducing regulatory controls, and appropriate monitoring and regulation of the private health sector, required to address pharmaceutical incentivisation to GPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naveed Noor
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.,Centre for Social Research in Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Afifah Rahman-Shepherd
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Wafa Aftab
- Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Shakoor
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Rumina Hasan
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.,Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Mishal Khan
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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12
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Noor MN, Khan M, Rahman-Shepherd A, Siddiqui AR, Khan SS, Azam I, Shakoor S, Hasan R. Impact of a multifaceted intervention on physicians' knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to pharmaceutical incentivisation: protocol for a randomised control trial. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e067233. [PMID: 36332959 PMCID: PMC9639112 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In settings where the private sector constitutes a larger part of the health system, profit-gathering can take primacy over patients' well-being. In their interactions with pharmaceutical companies, private general practitioners (GPs) can experience the conflict of interest (COI), a situation whereby the impartiality of GPs' professional decision making may be influenced by secondary interests such as financial gains from prescribing specific pharmaceutical brands. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This study is a randomised controlled trial to assess the impact of a multifaceted intervention on GPs' medical practice. The study sample consists of 419 registered GPs who own/work in private clinics and will be randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group GPs will be exposed to emotive and educational seminars on medical ethics, whereas control group GPs will be given seminars on general medical topics. The primary outcome measure will be GPs' prescribing practices, whereas the secondary outcome measures will be their knowledge and attitudes regarding COI that arises from pharmaceutical incentivisation. In addition to a novel standardised pharmaceutical representatives (SPSR) method, in which field researchers will simulate pharmaceutical marketing with GPs, presurvey and postsurvey, and qualitative interviewing will be performed to collect data on GPs' knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to COI linked with pharmaceutical incentives. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses will be performed to measure a change in GPs' knowledge, attitudes and practices, while qualitative analysis will add to our understanding of the quantitative SPSR data. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethics approval has been obtained from the Pakistan National Bioethics Committee (# 4-87/NBC-582/21/1364), the Aga Khan University (# 2020-4759-1129) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (# 26506). We will release results within 6-9 months of the study's completion. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ISRCTN12294839.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naveed Noor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Mishal Khan
- Department of Global Health & Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Afifah Rahman-Shepherd
- Department of Global Health & Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Sabeen Sharif Khan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Iqbal Azam
- Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Shakoor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Rumina Hasan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Disease, The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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13
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Chan OSK, Wernli D, Liu P, Tun HM, Fukuda K, Lam W, Xiao YH, Zhou X, Grépin KA. Unpacking Multi-Level Governance of Antimicrobial Resistance Policies: the Case of Guangdong, China. Health Policy Plan 2022; 37:1148-1157. [PMID: 35775460 PMCID: PMC9558914 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czac052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Against the backdrop of universal healthcare coverage and pre-existing policies on antimicrobial use, China has adopted a state-governed, multi-level, top-down policy governance approach around an antimicrobial resistance (AMR) national action plan (NAP). The Plan relies on tightening control over antimicrobial prescription and use in human and animal sectors. At the same time, medical doctors and veterinarians operate in an environment of high rates of infectious diseases, multi-drug resistance and poor livestock husbandry. In exploring the way that policy responsibilities are distributed, this study aims to describe how Guangdong as a province adopts national AMR policies in a tightly controlled public policy system and an economy with high disparity. We draw on an analysis of 225 AMR-relevant Chinese policy documents at the national and sub-national levels. We adopt a multi-level governance perspective and apply a temporal sequence framework to identify and analyse documents. To identify policy detail, we conducted keyword analysis using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) on policies that conserve antimicrobials. We also identify pre-existing medical and public policies associated with AMR. Our findings highlight the emphasis and policies around antimicrobial use regulation to address AMR in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Sinn Kay Chan
- The University of Hong Kong School of Public Health, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Didier Wernli
- Geneva Transformative Governance Lab, Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ping Liu
- The University of Hong Kong School of Public Health, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hein Min Tun
- The University of Hong Kong School of Public Health, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Keiji Fukuda
- The University of Hong Kong School of Public Health, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wendy Lam
- The University of Hong Kong School of Public Health, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yung Hong Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 300013
| | - Xudong Zhou
- School of Medicine, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Karen A Grépin
- The University of Hong Kong School of Public Health, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
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14
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Khan M, Rahman-Shepherd A, Bory S, Chhorn S, Durrance-Bagale A, Hasan R, Heng S, Phou S, Prien C, Probandari A, Saphonn V, Suy S, Wiseman V, Wulandari LPL, Hanefeld J. How conflicts of interest hinder effective regulation of healthcare: an analysis of antimicrobial use regulation in Cambodia, Indonesia and Pakistan. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:bmjgh-2022-008596. [PMID: 35589155 PMCID: PMC9121421 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-008596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There has been insufficient attention to a fundamental force shaping healthcare policies—conflicts of interest (COI). We investigated COI, which results in the professional judgement of a policymaker or healthcare provider being compromised by a secondary interest, in relation to antimicrobial use, thereby illuminating challenges to the regulation of medicines use more broadly. Our objectives were to characterise connections between three groups—policymakers, healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies—that can create COI, and elucidate the impacts of COI on stages of the policy process. Methods Using an interpretive approach, we systematically analysed qualitative data from 136 in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions in three Asian countries with dominant private healthcare sectors: Cambodia, Indonesia and Pakistan. Findings We characterised four types of connections that were pervasive between the three groups: financial, political, social and familial. These connections created strong COI that could impact all stages of the policy process by: preventing issues related to medicines sales from featuring prominently on the agenda; influencing policy formulation towards softer regulatory measures; determining resource availability for, and opposition to, policy implementation; and shaping how accurately the success of contested policies is reported. Interpretation Our multicountry study fills a gap in empirical evidence on how COI can impede effective policies to improve the quality of healthcare. It shows that COI can be pervasive, rather than sporadic, in influencing regulation of medicine use, and highlights that, in addition to financial connections, other types of connections should be examined as important drivers of COI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mishal Khan
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK .,Department of Pathology and Microbiology, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Afifah Rahman-Shepherd
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | | | - Anna Durrance-Bagale
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Rumina Hasan
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.,Department of Pathology and Microbiology, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Chanra Prien
- University of Health Sciences, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | | | | | | | - Virginia Wiseman
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.,The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Luh Putu Lila Wulandari
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia
| | - Johanna Hanefeld
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.,Center for International Health Protection, Robert Koch Institut, Berlin, Germany
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15
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Ahmed SM, Naher N, Tune SNBK, Islam BZ. The Implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Bangladesh: Challenges and Lessons Learned from a Cross-Sectional Qualitative Study. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11050690. [PMID: 35625334 PMCID: PMC9137577 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11050690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This study explored the current situation of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) implementation in Bangladesh and examined how different sectors (human, animal, and environment) addressed the AMR problem in policy and practice, as well as associated challenges and barriers to identifying policy lessons and practices. Informed by a rapid review of the available literature and following the World Health Organization (WHO) AMR situation analysis framework, a guideline was developed to conduct in-depth interviews with selected stakeholders from January to December 2021. Data were analysed using an adapted version of Anderson’s governance framework. Findings reveal the absence of required inter-sectoral coordination essential to a multisectoral approach. There was substantial coordination between the human health and livestock/fisheries sectors, but the environment sector was conspicuously absent. The government initiated some hospital-based awareness programs and surveillance activities, yet no national Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework was established for NAP activities. Progress of implementation was slow, constrained by the shortage of a trained health workforce and financial resources, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. To summarise, five years into the development of the NAP in Bangladesh, its implementation is not up to the level that the urgency of the situation requires. The policy and practice need to be cognisant of this fact and do the needful things to avoid a catastrophe.
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16
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Hein W, Aglanu LM, Mensah-Sekyere M, Harant A, Brinkel J, Lamshöft M, Lorenz E, Eibach D, Amuasi J. Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance: Development and Implementation of the Ghanaian National Action Plan (2017–2021). Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11050613. [PMID: 35625257 PMCID: PMC9137880 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11050613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, Ghana has been recognised as a leading player in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa. However, based on our literature review, we could not ascertain whether the core elements of the national action plan (NAP) were implemented in practice. In this paper, we present a qualitative analysis of the development of AMR-related policies in Ghana, including the NAP. We conducted 13 semi-structured expert interviews to obtain at a more thorough understanding of the implementation process for the AMR NAP and to highlight its accomplishments and shortcomings. The results show that AMR policies, as embodied in the NAP, have led to an extended network of cooperation between stakeholders in many political fields. Broadly, limited allocation of financial resources from the government and from international cooperation have been deplored. Furthermore, the opportunity for using the NAP in mainstreaming the response to the threat of AMR has not been seized. To the general public, this remained hidden behind a number of other relevant health topics such as infection prevention, veterinary services and pharmaceutical regulation. As a One Health (OH) challenge, developing countries could integrate AMR NAPs into other health and environmental programmes to improve its implementation in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Hein
- German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA), 20354 Hamburg, Germany
- Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany;
- Correspondence:
| | - Leslie Mawuli Aglanu
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), PMB UPO, Kumasi, Ghana; (L.M.A.); (J.A.)
- University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Anne Harant
- Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Johanna Brinkel
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (J.B.); (M.L.); (E.L.)
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), 20354 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maike Lamshöft
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (J.B.); (M.L.); (E.L.)
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), 20354 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eva Lorenz
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (J.B.); (M.L.); (E.L.)
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), 20354 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Eibach
- Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (Germany), 53113 Bonn, Germany;
| | - John Amuasi
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), PMB UPO, Kumasi, Ghana; (L.M.A.); (J.A.)
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB UPO, Kumasi, Ghana;
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17
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A comparative assessment of action plans on antimicrobial resistance from OECD and G20 countries using natural language processing. Health Policy 2022; 126:522-533. [DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2022.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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18
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Harant A. Assessing transparency and accountability of national action plans on antimicrobial resistance in 15 African countries. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2022; 11:15. [PMID: 35073967 PMCID: PMC8785006 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-021-01040-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an increasing public health threat to low- and lower-middle income countries. Recent studies found that in fact poor governance and transparency correlate more strongly with AMR than factors such as antibiotic use. While many African countries now have national action plans (NAPs) on AMR, it is unclear whether information is publicly available on their implementation, surveillance and financing. METHODS Here, the transparency of information related to AMR national action plans in 15 African countries is assessed, based on a governance framework for AMR action plans. Public availability is assessed for AMR documents, progress reports, AMR surveillance data, budget allocations, as well as bodies and persons responsible for implementation of NAPs. Government websites and search engines were perused using search terms related to the studied criteria and countries. RESULTS Results show that most countries have a national action plan publicly available. AMR surveillance data was available for a few countries, but systematic progress reports and funding allocations were absent in all but one country. Information on a body mandated to coordinate NAP implementation was available for most countries, but their functionality remain unclear. Most countries have nominated at least one person responsible for AMR nationally. In general, information was often fragmented and frequently available on external, non-government websites. It appears that commitments on AMR made in the often comprehensive NAPs are rarely met in a timely manner, exhibiting rather weak accountability for AMR results. The article provides concrete policy recommendations on how transparency and accountability may be improved with little effort. CONCLUSIONS Making information available can enable stakeholders such as civil society to demand accountability for results and lead to much needed specific actions on curbing AMR in countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Harant
- Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences, University of Hamburg, Max-Brauer Allee 60, 22767, Hamburg, Germany.
- German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA), Neuer Jungfernstieg 21, 20354, Hamburg, Germany.
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19
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Mokwele RN, Schellack N, Bronkhorst E, Brink AJ, Schweickerdt L, Godman B. OUP accepted manuscript. JAC Antimicrob Resist 2022; 4:dlab196. [PMID: 35146427 PMCID: PMC8826632 DOI: 10.1093/jacamr/dlab196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Objectives Patients and methods Results Conclusions
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Nelly Mokwele
- School of Pharmacy, Division of Clinical Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa
| | - Natalie Schellack
- School of Pharmacy, Division of Clinical Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Elmien Bronkhorst
- School of Pharmacy, Division of Clinical Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa
| | - Adrian J. Brink
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Louise Schweickerdt
- Skills Centre, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa,Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Brian Godman
- School of Pharmacy, Division of Clinical Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
- Centre of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates
- Corresponding author. E-mail:
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20
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Understanding Antimicrobial Resistance from the Perspective of Public Policy: A Multinational Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception Survey to Determine Global Awareness. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10121486. [PMID: 34943698 PMCID: PMC8698787 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10121486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Minimizing the effect of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) requires an adequate policy response that relies on good governance and coordination. This study aims to have a better comprehension of how AMR is understood and perceived by policy-makers and stakeholders in a multinational context. A digital survey was designed to capture the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) towards AMR, and it was distributed to politicians, policy advisors, and stakeholders. A total of 351 individuals from 15 different countries participated, 80% from high-income countries (HICs) and 20% from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Netherlands, Spain, and Myanmar were the top 3 represented countries. Participants had sufficient knowledge regarding AMR and reported the importance of political willingness to tackle AMR. Overall, LMIC participants demonstrated better knowledge of AMR but showed poor perception and attitude towards antimicrobial use compared to HIC participants. In addition, level of education and field of expertise were significantly associated with knowledge, perception, and practices regardless of demographic characteristics. Inter-regional differences in KAP regarding AMR exist among politicians, policy advisors, and relevant stakeholders. This study captures multinational policy-maker and stakeholder mapping that can be used to propose further policy implementation on various governance levels.
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21
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Enticott G, Earl L, Gates MC. A systematic review of social research data collection methods used to investigate voluntary animal disease reporting behaviour. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:2573-2587. [PMID: 34843177 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Voluntary detection of emerging disease outbreaks is considered essential for limiting their potential impacts on livestock industries. However, many of the strategies employed by animal health authorities to capture data on potential emerging disease threats rely on farmers and veterinarians identifying situations of concern and then voluntarily taking appropriate actions to notify animal health authorities. To improve the performance of these systems, it is important to understand the range of socio-cultural factors influencing the willingness of individuals to engage with disease reporting such as trust in government, perceived economic impacts, social stigma and perceptions of 'good farming'. The objectives of this systematic review were to assess how different social research methodologies have been employed to understand the role these socio-cultural dimensions play in voluntary disease reporting and to discuss limitations to address in future research. The review uncovered 39 relevant publications that employed a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies including surveys, interviews, focus groups, scenarios, observations, mixed-methods, interventions and secondary data analysis. While these studies provided valuable insights, one significant challenge remains eliciting accurate statements of behaviour and intentions rather than those that reflect desirable social norms. There is scope to develop methodological innovations to study the decision to report animal disease to help overcome the gap between what people say they do and their observable behaviour. A notable absence is studies exploring specific interventions designed to encourage disease reporting. Greater clarity in specifying the disease contexts, behavioural mechanisms and outcomes and the relationships between them would provide a more theoretically informed and policy relevant understanding of how disease reporting works, for which farmers, and in which disease contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth Enticott
- Cardiff School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lynsey Earl
- Diagnostic and Surveillance Services, Biosecurity New Zealand - Tiakitanga Pūtaiao Aotearoa, Ministry for Primary Industries - Manatū Ahu Matua, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - M Carolyn Gates
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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22
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Mustafa ZU, Saleem MS, Ikram MN, Salman M, Butt SA, Khan S, Godman B, Seaton RA. Co-infections and antimicrobial use among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Punjab, Pakistan: findings from a multicenter, point prevalence survey. Pathog Glob Health 2021; 116:421-427. [PMID: 34783630 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2021.1999716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
There are reports of high rates of antibiotic prescribing among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 around the world. To date, however, there are few reports of prescribing in relation to COVID-19 in Pakistan. Herein, we describe a point prevalence survey of antibiotic prescribing amongst patients hospitalized with suspected or proven COVID-19 in Pakistan. A Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) was undertaken in seven tertiary care health facilities in Punjab Provence, Pakistan. Baseline information about antimicrobial use according to the World Health Organization (WHO) standardized methodology was collected on a single day between 5th and 30 April 2021. A total of 617 patients' records were reviewed and 578 (97.3%) were documented to be receiving an antibiotic on the day of the survey. The majority (84.9%) were COVID-19 PCR positive, 61.1% were male and 34.9% were age 36 to 44 years. One quarter presented with severe disease, and cardiovascular disease was the major comorbidity in 13%. Secondary bacterial infection or co-infection (bacterial infection concurrent with COVID-19) was identified in only 1.4%. On the day of the survey, a mean of 1.7 antibiotics was prescribed per patient and 85.4% antibiotics were recorded as being prescribed for 'prophylaxis'. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were azithromycin (35.6%), ceftriaxone (32.9%) and meropenem (7.6%). The majority (96.3%) of the antibiotics were empirical and all were from WHO Watch or Reserve categories. Overall, a very high consumption of antibiotics in patients hospitalized with suspected or proven COVID-19 was observed in Pakistan and this is concerning in view of already high rates of antimicrobial resistance in the region. Antimicrobial stewardship programs need to urgently address unnecessary prescribing in the context of COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zia Ul Mustafa
- Department of Pharmacy Services, District Headquarter Hospital Pakpattan, Pakpattan, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Muhammad Salman
- Department of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Shehroze Khan
- Punjab University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, Lahore Pakistan
| | - Brian Godman
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.,Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - R Andrew Seaton
- Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK.,Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Glasgow, UK
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23
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Engler D, Meyer JC, Schellack N, Kurdi A, Godman B. Antimicrobial Stewardship Activities in Public Healthcare Facilities in South Africa: A Baseline for Future Direction. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10080996. [PMID: 34439046 PMCID: PMC8388942 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10080996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing problem worldwide, including South Africa, where an AMR National Strategy Framework was implemented to instigate antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) and improve antimicrobial prescribing across sectors. To address the need to assess progress, a sequential mixed methodology with an explanatory research design was employed. In Phase 1, a self-administered questionnaire was completed by healthcare professionals (HCPs) from 26 public sector healthcare facilities across South Africa to assess compliance with the Framework. The results were explored in Phase 2 through 10 focus group discussions and two in-depth interviews, including 83 participants. Emerging themes indicated that public healthcare facilities across South Africa are facing many challenges, especially at entry level primary healthcare (PHC) facilities, where antimicrobial stewardship activities and ASPs are not yet fully implemented. Improved diagnostics and surveillance data are a major shortcoming at these facilities. Continuous education for HCPs is deficient, especially for the majority of prescribers at PHC level and health campaigns are nearly non-existent. Involvement and visibility of management at certain facilities is a serious shortfall. Consequently, it is important to call attention to the challenges faced with improving antimicrobial prescribing across countries and address these to reduce AMR, especially in PHC facilities, being the first point of access to healthcare for the vast majority of patients in developing countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deirdré Engler
- Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0204, South Africa; (J.C.M.); (A.K.); (B.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Johanna Catharina Meyer
- Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0204, South Africa; (J.C.M.); (A.K.); (B.G.)
| | - Natalie Schellack
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pretoria, Arcadia 0007, South Africa;
| | - Amanj Kurdi
- Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0204, South Africa; (J.C.M.); (A.K.); (B.G.)
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS), Strathclyde University, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Brian Godman
- Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0204, South Africa; (J.C.M.); (A.K.); (B.G.)
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS), Strathclyde University, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Sains Malaysia, George Town 118000, PNG, Malaysia
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24
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Durrance-Bagale A, Jung AS, Frumence G, Mboera L, Mshana SE, Sindato C, Clark TG, Matee M, Legido-Quigley H. Framing the Drivers of Antimicrobial Resistance in Tanzania. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:991. [PMID: 34439041 PMCID: PMC8389026 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10080991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite global awareness of the key factors surrounding antimicrobial resistance (AMR), designing and implementing policies to address the critical issues around the drivers of AMR remains complex to put into practice. We identified prevalent narratives and framing used by epistemological communities involved in the response to AMR in Tanzania, interrogated how this framing may inform policymaking, and identified interventions that could be tailored to the groups believed responsible for AMR. We interviewed 114 key informants from three districts and analysed transcripts line by line. Our results suggest that many different groups help drive the spread of AMR in Tanzania and need to be involved in any effective response. Human health is currently perceived as driving the response, while other domains lag behind in their efforts. For AMR programmes to be successful, all sectors need to be involved, including civil society groups, community representatives, and those working in communities (e.g., primary care physicians). However, current plans and programmes largely fail to include these viewpoints. The perceived presence of political will in Tanzania is a significant step towards such a response. Any strategies to tackle AMR need to be tailored to the context-specific realities, taking into account constraints, beliefs, and power dynamics within countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Durrance-Bagale
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK; (A.-S.J.); (T.G.C.); (H.L.-Q.)
| | - Anne-Sophie Jung
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK; (A.-S.J.); (T.G.C.); (H.L.-Q.)
| | - Gasto Frumence
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam 11103, Tanzania; (G.F.); (M.M.)
- SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro 65125, Tanzania; (L.M.); (S.E.M.); (C.S.)
| | - Leonard Mboera
- SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro 65125, Tanzania; (L.M.); (S.E.M.); (C.S.)
| | - Stephen E. Mshana
- SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro 65125, Tanzania; (L.M.); (S.E.M.); (C.S.)
- Catholic University of Health and Allied Science, Mwanza 33109, Tanzania
| | - Calvin Sindato
- SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro 65125, Tanzania; (L.M.); (S.E.M.); (C.S.)
- Tabora Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Tabora 45026, Tanzania
| | - Taane G. Clark
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK; (A.-S.J.); (T.G.C.); (H.L.-Q.)
| | - Mecky Matee
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam 11103, Tanzania; (G.F.); (M.M.)
- SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro 65125, Tanzania; (L.M.); (S.E.M.); (C.S.)
| | - Helena Legido-Quigley
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK; (A.-S.J.); (T.G.C.); (H.L.-Q.)
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25
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Rahman-Shepherd A, Balasubramaniam P, Gautham M, Hutchinson E, Kitutu FE, Marten R, Khan MS. Conflicts of interest: an invisible force shaping health systems and policies. Lancet Glob Health 2021; 9:e1055-e1056. [PMID: 34297953 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(21)00202-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Afifah Rahman-Shepherd
- Department for Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | | | - Meenakshi Gautham
- Department for Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Eleanor Hutchinson
- Department for Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Freddy E Kitutu
- Department of Pharmacy, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Robert Marten
- Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mishal S Khan
- Department for Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
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26
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Sulis G, Sayood S, Gandra S. Antimicrobial resistance in low- and middle-income countries: current status and future directions. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2021; 20:147-160. [PMID: 34225545 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2021.1951705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Rising rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally continue to pose agrave threat to human health. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately affected, partly due to the high burden of communicable diseases.Areas covered: We reviewed current trends in AMR in LMICs and examined the forces driving AMR in those regions. The state of interventions being undertaken to curb AMR across the developing world are discussed, and the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on those efforts is explored.Expert opinion: The dynamics that drive AMR in LMICs are inseparable from the political, economic, socio-cultural, and environmental forces that shape these nations. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated underlying factors that increase AMR. Some progress is being made in implementing surveillance measures in LMICs, but implementation of concrete measures to meaningfully impact AMR rates must address the underlying structural issues that generate and promote AMR. This, in turn, will require large infrastructural investments and significant political will.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Sulis
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sena Sayood
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis
| | - Sumanth Gandra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis
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27
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Eriksen J, Björkman I, Röing M, Essack SY, Stålsby Lundborg C. Exploring the One Health Perspective in Sweden's Policies for Containing Antibiotic Resistance. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10050526. [PMID: 34063697 PMCID: PMC8147834 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10050526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is considered to be a major threat to global health. The main driver of antibiotic resistance is antibiotic use. Antibiotics are used in humans, animals, and food production and are released into the environment. Therefore, it is imperative to include all relevant sectors in the work to contain antibiotic resistance, i.e., a One Health approach. In this study, we aimed to describe and analyse Sweden’s policies related to containing antibiotic resistance, from a One Health perspective. Twenty-three key policy documents related to containment of antibiotic resistance in Sweden were selected and analysed according to the policy triangle framework. Sweden started early to introduce policies for containing antibiotic resistance from an international perspective. Systematic measures against antibiotic resistance were implemented in the 1980s, strengthened by the creation of Strama in 1995. The policies involve agencies and organisations from human and veterinary medicine, the environment, and food production. All actors have clear responsibilities in the work to contain antibiotic resistance with a focus on international collaboration, research, and innovation. Sweden aims to be a model country in the work to contain antibiotic resistance and has a strategy for achieving this through international cooperation through various fora, such as the EU, the UN system, and OECD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaran Eriksen
- Department of Global Public Health—Health Systems and Policy (HSP): Improving the Use of Medicines, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden;
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Venhälsan, Södersjukhuset, 118 83 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence:
| | - Ingeborg Björkman
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Health Services Research, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden; (I.B.); (M.R.)
| | - Marta Röing
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Health Services Research, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden; (I.B.); (M.R.)
| | - Sabiha Y. Essack
- Antimicrobial Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa;
| | - Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg
- Department of Global Public Health—Health Systems and Policy (HSP): Improving the Use of Medicines, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden;
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28
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Gilbert W, Thomas LF, Coyne L, Rushton J. Review: Mitigating the risks posed by intensification in livestock production: the examples of antimicrobial resistance and zoonoses. Animal 2020; 15:100123. [PMID: 33573940 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2020.100123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Major shifts in how animals are bred, raised and slaughtered are involved in the intensification of livestock systems. Globally, these changes have produced major increases in access to protein-rich foods with high levels of micronutrients. Yet the intensification of livestock systems generates numerous externalities including environmental degradation, zoonotic disease transmission and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. Where the process of intensification is most advanced, the expertise, institutions and regulations required to manage these externalities have developed over time, often in response to hard lessons, crises and challenges to public health. By exploring the drivers of intensification, the foci of future intensification can be identified. Low- and middle-income (LMICs) countries are likely to experience significant intensification in livestock production in the near future; however, the lessons learned elsewhere are not being transferred rapidly enough to develop risk mitigation capacity in these settings. At present, fragmentary approaches to address these problems present an incomplete picture of livestock populations, antimicrobial use, and disease risks in LMIC settings. A worldwide improvement in evidence-based zoonotic disease and AMR management within intensifying livestock production systems demands better information on the burden of livestock-associated disease, antimicrobial use and resistance and resources allocated to mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Gilbert
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK
| | - L F Thomas
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK.; International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - L Coyne
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK
| | - J Rushton
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK..
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