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Review
. 2022 Jan;20(1):71-93.
doi: 10.1080/14787210.2021.1935238. Epub 2021 Jul 26.

Progress on the national action plan of Pakistan on antimicrobial resistance (AMR): a narrative review and the implications

Zikria Saleem  1 , Brian Godman  2   3   4 , Faiza Azhar  5 , Aubrey C Kalungia  6 , Joseph Fadare  7 , Sylvia Opanga  8 , Vanda Markovic-Pekovic  9 , Iris Hoxha  10 , Amna Saeed  1 , Manal Al-Gethamy  11 , Abdul Haseeb  12 , Muhammad Salman  1 , Ayaz Ali Khan  1 , Muhammad Umer Nadeem  5 , Inaam Ur Rehman  5 , Muhammad Usman Qamar  13 , Afreenish Amir  14 , Aamer Ikram  14 , Muhammad Azmi Hassali  4
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Free article
Review

Progress on the national action plan of Pakistan on antimicrobial resistance (AMR): a narrative review and the implications

Zikria Saleem et al. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2022 Jan.
Free article

Abstract

Introduction: The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to public health. In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced a global action plan to tackle AMR in the World Health Assembly. Pakistan's national action plan (NAP) for AMR was released in May 2017 by the Ministry of National Health Services. Based on the NAP, strategies have been initiated on a national and provincial scale in Pakistan.

Areas covered: This narrative review of the five components of the Pakistan NAP has been undertaken to discuss some of the challenges in implementation of the NAP for AMR in Pakistan including different opinions and views of key stakeholders, combined with suggestions on potential ways to reduce the burden of the AMR.

Expert opinion: Going forward, healthcare authorities should focus on screening and monitoring of all the objectives of the NAP by establishing proper policies as well as promoting antimicrobial stewardship interventions and Infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. Overall, the comprehensive strengthening of the healthcare system is required to adequately implement the NAP, tackle continued inappropriate antimicrobial use and high AMR rates in Pakistan.

Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial surveillance. antimicrobial stewardship; antimicrobial utilization; national action plan; pakistan.

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