Solutions for the region and recommendations for future initiatives

Based on the identified barriers in the previous step, there are four key areas where actions are needed to promote cross-regional collaboration.

Training and education

• Focused on AMR and ASP

• Information technology and support staff

• Laboratory staff

• Media engagement to promote lay education

We will cover training and education in further detail in week 3 of this course.

Building capacity

• Continuing medical education/continuing professional development

• Undergraduate and postgraduate (build from an early stage)

• Online courses/ASP programs to overcome resource barriers and cost of travel

• Collaboration with WHO and EMRO

Infrastructure strengthening and support

• Electronic records

• Monitoring and standards

• Efficient use of budgets

• Adaptability in governance (department level, consistent with available resources)

• Development of new drugs in the region (rapid registration system)

Enhancing regional research

• AMR rates

• Point prevalence data of resistance and antibiotic use

• Collaboration between professionals and nations

• National surveillance data

• Improvement in surveillance in the region

• Central database

• Enhance Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS) uptake and adherence/reporting

Surveillance and GLASS in particular are discussed in more detail in week 2 of this course.

Overall we can see that AMR is an important issue in the Gulf, Middle East and North African countries, and similarities and differences in MDRO management across the region are evident. Barriers to effective management have been identified and may guide the development of actionable solutions.

Discuss in the comments: Would any of these solutions be appropriate for the challenges in your setting?