2.1 The importance of AMR surveillance

As you saw in Video 1, AMR surveillance is central to:

• assessing the scale of the AMR problem at a local, national or global level
• measuring patterns of AMR over time in a particular place or places
• informing public health policies on antimicrobial usage
• improving health outcomes in people and animals.

Surveillance is one of the five strategic priorities to tackle the rise in AMR globally (WHO, 2015) as outlined in the Global Action Plan (GAP) on AMR.

Surveillance data (animal or human) can be utilised to support patient care by informing treatment decisions (i.e. choice of therapy). Individual results might be used to determine treatment for a patient, and, when aggregated and analysed at local and/or national level, surveillance data can inform prescribing guidelines (Figure 2).

Figure 2 Surveillance data can help promote key actions at local, national and global levels (Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, 2014).

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Three concentric circles titled ‘How surveillance can improve health outcomes’. The smallest circle is labelled ‘Locally: Allow healthcare professionals to make better informed clinical decisions to ensure better patient outcomes’. The next circle is labelled ‘Nationally: Guide policy and ensure appropriate and timely public health interventions’. The largest circle is labelled ‘Globally: Provide early warnings of emerging threats and data to identify and act on long-term trends’.

Figure 2 Surveillance data can help promote key actions at local, national and global levels (Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, 2014).