Global Antimicrobial Stewardship with a Focus on Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health crisis. Antimicrobial Stewardship involves adopting systematic measures to optimize antimicrobial use, decrease unnecessary antimicrobial exposure and to decrease the emergence and spread of resistance. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face a disproportionate burden of antimicrobial resistance and also face challenges related to resource availability. Although challenges exist, the World Health Organization has created a practical toolkit for developing Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) that will be summarized in this article.

Keywords: Antimicrobial stewardship; antimicrobial resistance; low- and middle-income countries.