ARGENTINA, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will, this week, roll out an antimicrobial resistance detection and surveillance programme here in Guyana.

The programme – ‘Triangular Cooperation Project on Strengthening National and Regional Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Detection and Surveillance’ – is in keeping with an agreement that was signed among Argentina, CARICOM, and PAHO. Over the next two years, it will be rolled out in the 14 CARICOM Member States. The project is focused on addressing AMR through capacity building for the conduct of: high quality testing for the detection of AMR; collate and analyze AMR laboratory data; and finally use the laboratory results to monitor trends and improve prescribing practices.

This week, the partners will initiate the programme through the facilitation of a training seminar with medical personnel here in Guyana. The training, which will include primarily nurses and doctors, entails the collection of samples such as: Hemocultures, Catheters, Skin and soft tissue, sterile fluids, respiratory secretions, genital samples, urine and stools. It should also include transport and labeling of samples and the collection of patient data, as well as instructions for patients for collection of specimens such as urine and stool.
The training programme will be facilitated by Dr. Genara Romero Thomas of the Argentinian Administration of Health Laboratories and Institutes. Thomas will visit Guyana from September 25, 2019.

“Antimicrobial agents play a critical role in reducing morbidity and mortality due to communicable diseases globally. Of increasing concern is the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to many of these agents. This is a well-established public health priority with national, regional (Caribbean), and global implications,” the Argentine Embassy said in a statement on Monday.

It noted that detecting and controlling microbial resistance to medicines is a crucial issue for human and animal health, particularly in our developing countries. “It could happen that by not taking precautions new diseases will develop, and that current medicines cannot fight something like “super-microbes” that expand throughout world (as it has happened with diseases and pests at different times in the history of mankind),” it explained.

To fight against AMR, it is necessary to have a strong partnership between human and animal health, the Argentine Embassy said while noting that it is very important that the public in general avoids the misuse of medication. It reminded that only a doctor can prescribe antibiotics for humans and only a veterinarian for animals.

“AMR frequently occurs in microorganisms that are likely to be transmitted in the community, such as those that cause pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and malaria. The situation is even more critical regarding healthcare associated infections, where antimicrobial resistance (AMR) renders drugs for these illnesses ineffective, often resulting in wide-scale use of broad-spectrum agents. This, coupled with poor infection control practices, contribute towards creating a major global threat for human health. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognised not only as a major public health problem, but also as a development issue because of its huge economic impact,” it explained.

Explaining the project, the Argentine Embassy said high quality Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) testing is essential for clinicians to make accurate diagnoses, formulate treatment plans and subsequently monitor the effects of treatment, and delays in diagnoses and AMR detection can affect the antimicrobial treatment regimen.

“The epidemiological knowledge of prevalent microorganisms and resistance patterns is a key input to guide appropriate treatment choices. The capacity for the detection of AMR is heterogeneous within CARICOM Member States, as are the susceptibility test methods and the quality assurance standards used,” it explained.

It said once the laboratory-based component of the AMR surveillance system is well-established in countries, the promotion of alliances and cooperation among microbiologists, clinicians, epidemiologists and committees for infection control, stewardship and antimicrobials quality control, will be an important step in the achievement of efficient AMR surveillance systems.