Emerging directions in research on laboratory capacity strengthening for drug resistant infections in low-and-middle-income countries

Charitonos, Koula; Littlejohn, Allison and Seal, Timothy (2019). Emerging directions in research on laboratory capacity strengthening for drug resistant infections in low-and-middle-income countries. In: EARLI 2019, 12-16 Aug 2019, Aachen, Germany.

URL: https://www.earli.org/EARLI2019

Abstract

The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a threat to our ability to treat common and life-threatening infections on a global scale. Identifying the emergence of AMR requires strengthening of surveillance for AMR, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the burden of infection is higher and health systems are least able to respond. Situation in LMICs is highly dependent on how well the health system in each country functions, however little is known about how to offer laboratory capacity strengthening in ways that bring about effective change. In response to this major challenge, the UK Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) launched the Fleming Fund to support LMICs in developing AMR surveillance systems, with a direct focus on laboratory surveillance. The paper draws on the scoping phase of a four-year research study funded by the Fleming Fund, where we synthesised existing knowledge around areas of change needed to improve AMR surveillance. To achieve this, we interviewed twenty-three (n=23) experts worldwide on the views on the strengthening AMR surveillance in LMICs, on practitioners’ needs in terms of subject and learning and also the broader AMR surveillance system. The paper presents this data and discusses emerging directions in research on laboratory capacity strengthening for drug resistant infections in low-and-middle-income countries.

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