Guidance on establishing national and local AMR surveillance systems in the Western Pacific Region
Overview
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is impacting our health, economies and development. Up to 5.2 million people may die because of resistant bacterial infections across the Western Pacific Region from 2020-2030. Childbirth, surgery, cancer treatment and other interventions will become impossibly dangerous if bacterial infections no longer respond to available antibiotics.
AMR surveillance provides the evidence base to address AMR, by guiding patient care, informing local, national and regional actions and monitoring the effectiveness of interventions. AMR surveillance data allow detection of outbreaks of AMR pathogens, inform response measures, and underpin antimicrobial stewardship and monitoring of trends in infection and resistance.
Member States are encouraged to use “Guidance on establishing national and local AMR surveillance systems in the Western Pacific Region” and the accompanying Excel-based assessment tool to establish, evaluate and strengthen their AMR surveillance system.
The guidance covers AMR in fast-growing bacteria causing human infections and emphasizes strengthening surveillance in hospitals to tackle AMR. It complements the “GLASS manual for antimicrobial resistance surveillance in common bacteria causing human infection” (WHO 2023) and “Responding to Outbreaks of Antimicrobial-resistant Pathogens in Health-care Facilities: Guidance for the Western Pacific Region” (WPRO 2022).
