Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Enhancing antimicrobial stewardship through pharmacy across the Commonwealth

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Antimicrobial medicines include antifungals, antibiotics, antiparasitics and antivirals. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microorganisms like bacteria that cause infection and disease adapt to resist their effect. One of the main causes of AMR is the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial medications in human health, animals and the environment. By 2050 it is predicted that more people will die of AMR related causes than Cancer, making it an urgent crisis. On the 21st of September 2016, 193 countries of the United Nations agreed a landmark declaration to rid the world of superbugs. Without global action it is conceivable that simple infections could soon become entirely untreatable with existing antimicrobials. Pharmacists play a crucial role in the fight to tackle AMR.

The CPA Partnerships to Tackle AMR

AMR is today’s problem and it needs to be top of everyone’s agendas. This is not an easy issue to solve; increasing awareness of AMR and optimising the use of antibiotics are only part of the solution, but everyone can all a play a part, no matter how small.

The Commonwealth spirit would encourage us to commit to work together and share the tools, resources and expertise that we have to support all our nations in developing and delivering an effective action plan to tackle this issueP

A Global Action Plan on AMR

Endorsed at the World Health Assembly in May 2015, this plan aims to ensure the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases with safe and effective medicines continues, based on five strategic objectives:

To improve awareness and understanding of AMR
To strengthen surveillance and research
To reduce the incidence of infection
To optimize the use of antimicrobial medicines
To ensure sustainable investment in countering AMR

CWPAMS

The Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme is a joint initiative with the Tropical Health and Education Trust which focuses on different African countries working with partners in the UK

SPARC

The Surveillance and Prescribing Support for Antimicrobial Stewardship Resource Capacity Building (SPARC) Programme builds on the technical expertise of CwPAMS in all Commonwealth countries

AMS TOOLS AND RESOURCES

A collection of Tools and Resources to improve the implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship

CPD

An e-Learning platform for pharmacists, including modules on AMS and Infectious Diseases as well as a Behaviour Change Toolkit

PUBLICATIONS

A collection of publications for various topics related to our work in pharmacy across the Commonwealth including AMR and COVID-19

fellowshipS

Our CPA Fellowship Programmes include the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England's Global Health Fellowship (CPhO Fellows) as well as the CwPAMS Africa Leadership Fellowship-AMS (ALF-A) currently in development

CPhO Fellows