Report on Antimicrobial Stewardship and AMR Surveillance: Insights From The South Centre WAAW 2024 Webinar

This report by Dr Rasha Abdelsalam Elshenawy presents key insights from the South Centre World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2024 Webinar, focusing on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in resource-limited settings. The discussions addressed critical challenges in AMR surveillance, including data gaps, funding constraints, and weak infrastructure, while highlighting innovative strategies to enhance AMS implementation, such as capacity-building, digital health solutions, and government-led interventions. The report also examines the role of the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) in harmonising global AMR data collection and the success of AMS programmes in developing countries, particularly through sustainable policies and clinician-led initiatives. Emphasising AMR as a public health and global security threat, the report underscores the urgent need for robust AMR surveillance systems, evidence-based stewardship practices, and strengthened global partnerships to combat the rising burden of antimicrobial resistance worldwide.