Commonwealth Partnership for Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS)

This project is a collaboration between the NTU Makerere University Partnership with a range of multi-disciplinary collaborators in the UK and Uganda as listed above. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious and escalating problem globally, with detrimental impacts on health and wellbeing especially in low resource regions. The purpose of this project is to reduce AMR emergence and spread by strengthening infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship in Wakiso district, Uganda, with a focus on capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge exchange, as well as advancing education through teaching and research.  The project uses a One Health approach which emphasizes collaboration between human and animal health as well as the environment. Consequently, we work with a range of collaborators to support our work.

Using a One Health approach, we aim to raise awareness about Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and provide training for human health practitioners, community health workers, animal health workers, university students, and primary school learners on antimicrobial stewardship.

We have collected data on antimicrobial prescribing practices at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital and conducted community surveys on access to and use of antimicrobials in both humans and animals.

To date, our partnership achieved the following:

• Organised trainings on antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship, and infection prevention control for 131 human health practitioners (including community pharmacy staff), 37 animal health practitioners, and 472 community health workers.
• Conducted sensitisation sessions for more than 300 pupils from primary schools in Uganda and the UK.

The CwPAMS project has improved knowledge on antimicrobial resistance and enhanced practices in infection prevention and antimicrobial use among human and animal health practitioners, community pharmacy staff, and community health workers. This improvement follows trainings on antimicrobial stewardship, antimicrobial resistance, and infection prevention and control. It has led to improved antimicrobial stewardship at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital through the establishment of a ‘Medicines and Therapeutics Committee’ and related activities. Additionally, it has increased the sharing of resources and opportunities on Antimicrobial Stewardship and Antimicrobial Resistance through two established online communities of practice, catering to both students and health practitioners. This project has also facilitated the development of draft Antimicrobial Stewardship action plans at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital and five lower-level health facilities. Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital pharmacists have undergone Global Point Prevalence Survey of Antimicrobial Consumption and Resistance (GLOBAL-PPS) data collection training. Furthermore, there has been increased awareness among students regarding Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Infection Prevention and Control through sensitisation sessions conducted in schools. Our successes have been presented in various webinars, including those organized by the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association, THET, and the Uganda National One Health Technical Working Quarterly Meetings.

• CwPAMS Networking Platform