Pharmacists are at the forefront of the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Learn more about AMR by reading on, or use the button below to learn how you can take part in WAAW 2024 with CPA.
Every year, more than one million people lose their lives to antimicrobial resistance - AMR.
Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, occurs when the over or improper usage of antimicrobials – the drugs used to fight sources of infection like bacteria or parasites – leads to them becoming ineffective, as pathogens evolve to become resistant to treatment. As AMR increases around the world, infections that had been rendered mundane by antimicrobial treatments are once again becoming deadly and new, life-threatening conditions are emerging.
The role of Pharmacists
As well as developing new drugs and experimenting with new treatment pathways, one of the key ways we can fight the rise of AMR is through ensuring the practice of better antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). AMS is about making sure that antimicrobials are only used when clinically necessary – making sure you don’t get a prescription for an antibiotic to fight a viral infection for example – and used in effective, efficient ways by both patients and healthcare providers, reducing the risk that microbes can evolve resistance to the drugs.
Because human beings are in a constant “arms race” with pathogens for an upper-hand, even if scientists develop better antimicrobials, without improved and sustainable AMS pathogens will continue to become resistant to them. By 2050, annual deaths from AMR could rise as high as 10 million people, with millions more suffering disability or disadvantage as a result of the reversal of a century of healthcare gains.
"I never thought this would happen to me...the same way I never thought a car accident would happen to me."
When she was 25 years old, Vanessa suffered serious injuries from a car accident that left her requiring years of facial reconstruction surgery. During the course of her recovery, Vanessa developed MRSA – a potentially life threatening infection resistant to multiple antimicrobials. Poor understanding of AMR delayed Vanessa getting the treatment she needed for months.
Read our recommendations to the 2024 UN High-Level Meeting on AMR
In September 2024, delegates gathered at the UN General Assembly for a high-level meeting (HLM) focused on the global AMR crisis. Ahead of that meeting, CPA issued a series of 10 recommendations on what international action is needed to turn the tide in the fight against AMR and strengthen global health systems against emerging public health threats.
As primary care clinicians and experts in the proper usage of drugs, Pharmacists have a critical role to play in promoting good AMS and leading the fight against AMR. Pharmacists act as leaders and change-makers in establishing and enforcing best prescribing practice. They also bring unique clinical insight and knowledge to the safe, effective and sustainable use of antimicrobials, playing a vital leadership function in multidisciplinary care teams.
As primary care clinicians and experts in the proper usage of drugs, Pharmacists have a critical role to play in promoting good AMS and leading the fight against AMR. We act as leaders and change-makers in establishing and enforcing best prescribing practice across multidisciplinary healthcare teams, bringing unique clinical insight and knowledge that enables the safe, effective and sustainable use of antimicrobials.
Pharmacists bring unique clinical insight and knowledge that enables the safe, effective and sustainable use of antimicrobials, playing a vital leadership function in multidisciplinary care teams. They’re also at the forefront of research and monitoring efforts to better understand the usage of antimicrobials and create local, national or global policies for their better management.
Our work at CPA
With a number of the Commonwealth’s lower-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) being most vulnerable to the consequences of AMR, CPA is working around the world to empower Pharmacists to be effective leaders in the fight against AMR. We work around the world to educate healthcare practioners and the public on the dangers posed by AMR, advocate for strengthened healthcare systems and effective public policy responses to the crisis, and empower Pharmacists to act now to improve AMS in their countries.
Our innovative flagship programmes
Since 2019, the Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS) programme – delivered in collaboration with Global Health Partnerships (formerly THET) – works to strengthen health systems in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia through partnerships with UK hospitals and clinicians. The programme works to build in-country expertise in AMR and AMS, improve surveillance and monitoring of the use of antimicrobials, strengthen Pharmacist leadership skills and enhance infection control processes.
Increasingly CwPAMS also works to highlight the problem of substandard and falsified medications entering local pharmaceutical supply chains, posing threats to patient safety directly (through poor quality care) or indirectly (by failing to effectively fight infection and so increase the risk of resistant strains of a microbe evolving).
Our Surveillance and Prescribing support for Antimicrobial Stewardship Resource Capacity Building (SPARC) initiative grew out of the CwPAMS programme and builds on the technical expertise we’ve developed through it over the last half decade. As well as further developing our monitoring work through Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) data collection on the use of antimicrobials, SPARC provides training and resources for quality improvement in AMS.
SPARCs flagship achievement to date is the development and launch of the Prescribing Companion App, a free digital resource that enables Pharmacists and healthcare professionals in 22 countries to easily access national guidance on the proper prescribing and management of antimicrobials.
Funding for CwPAMS & SPARC
Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS) and the Surveillance and Prescribing support for Antimicrobial Stewardship Resource Capacity-building (SPARC) Programme are both initiatives to tackle AMR and promote AMS. They are backed by funding from The Department of Health and Social Care’s Fleming Fund, a UK aid programme supporting up to 25 countries across Africa and Asia to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The Fleming Fund invests in strengthening data surveillance systems through a portfolio of country grants, regional grants and fellowships managed by Mott MacDonald, and global projects managed by partners.
"Without the programme, I would not be aware of the things that you don't usually think about [having an] impact."
Hanna Kumwenda is a Malawian Pharmaicst working on AMR and AMS. Hear how CwPAMS’Â Africa Leadership Fellowship-AMS initiative, she was able to develop her leadership and project management skills to be a more effective advocate for AMS in her country.
AMR & AMS Resources from CPA
Prescribing Companion App
Produced by the SPARC team, our Prescribing Companion App contains best practice guidance on antimicrobial prescribing for 22 countries, including some non-Commonwealth states, aligned to national guidelines in those countries. It’s completely free and available on web, Android and iPhone.
CPD Platform
Our CPD Platform hosts two free courses on AMR and AMS open to any Commonwealth Pharmacist. CPA members can login with their CPD account if they already have one; non-members can use the link below to register for a free account and gain access to both AMR/AMS modules at no cost.
CwPAMS Recorded Webinars
CwPAMS has produced more than 20 videos, from 5 minutes to 90 minutes in length, on an array of AMS and AMR relevant topics connected to the work of the programme. You can watch the full playlist using the button below.
Animal Health Leaflets
Are you a Pharmacist or healthcare professional concerned about the proper use of antibiotics in agriculture? Our SPARC team have prepared a series of promotional leaflets you can use to promote awareness of AMR and AMS in animal health, and encourage relevant professionals to use our Prescribing Companion App.
WHO Live WAAW Webinars
Throughout World AMR Awareness Week 2024, the World Health Organisation is hosting a huge range of webinars relating to AMR and AMS, many of which are relevant to Pharmacists. Use the button below to access the full list and register for events that interest you.
Join CPA for WAAW 2024
This WAAW 2024, CPA is drawing attention to the role Pharmacists play as healthcare leaders in tackling AMR. We’ll be active all week on social media sharing content, insight and learnings from our programmes. Join us on social media using the hashtags #CPAPharm and #AMR, and use the resources below to join the campaign.
Generic assets
Download a pack of generic Pharmacy and WAAW-themed graphics you can use freely to show your support for CPA and the goals of WAAW.
Customisable photo frame
Add a photo of yourself to our customisable CPA branded frame, perfect for showing your support as an individual for this year’s WAAW theme.
Write a post showing support for our three key messages
1. AMR is one of the most pressing strategic threats to global health we face, with the potential to reverse a century of health gains, especially in LMICs.
2. Health organisations must work together to empower Pharmacists other healthcare professionals strengthen healthcare systems to tackle AMR through AMS.
3. More funding, resource and commitment is needed from governments and global health organisations to save millions from death or disability arising from AMR.
Help us empower Pharmacists around the Commonwealth by donating to CPA
As a registered charity, the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association depends on the generosity of its members and supporters to help fund our crucial work across the world – especially advocating for global international action on emerging health threats, for example through the implementation of our 10 Recommendations on AMR. You can use the form provided to make a one-off donation of any size to CPA.
Become a Patron of CPA
If you’d like to go above and beyond in showing your commitment to Commonwealth Pharmacy and the work CPA does to support Pharmacists, you can also become a Patron of CPA for just £15 GBP per month.
Access more resources from WHO
World AMR Awareness Week is organised every year by the Word Health Organisation to raise awareness of AMR and the need for international action. You can find additional graphics, resources and useful information on how to take part in the wider global campaign on the WHO website at the link below.