Guyanese health practitioners to be trained in treatment of AMR

….as triangular agreement on AMR detection, surveillance implemented

In order to strengthen national and regional detection and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Government of Argentina, the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAH0/WHO) and the Caribbean Community (Caricom) have partnered to train medical professionals in 14 Caricom countries in order to fight against this public health problem.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR or AR) is the ability of a microbe or microorganism to resist the effects of medication that could successfully treat the microbe.
The detection and controlling of AMR is a crucial issue for human and animal health, as well as survival, particularly in developing countries such as those in the Caribbean. By not taking the necessary precautions, new diseases can develop which current medicines cannot fight, and can later result in “super microbes” (microbes that are extensively drug resistant (XDR) or totally drug-resistant (TDR), being expanded globally.
As such, the three aforementioned bodies have partnered to provide instruments and expertise to 14 Caricom countries to curb this major health problem that is also considered to be a developmental issue, given its huge economic impact.
The objective for the 2-year project was disclosed by Argentina’s Ambassador to Guyana, Felipe Alejandro Gardella during a brief press conference on Wednesday at the Argentina Embassy.
“Within this framework, the Argentine Government, The Pan-American Health Organisation and the Caribbean Community subscribed a pledge last year to implement a two-year triangular project which aims at providing instruments and capacities for the detection and integrated surveillance for human and animal, antibiotic resistance in 14 Caribbean countries which is a very important issues of human, animal health and crops, and for our survival,” he noted.
As a result, Guyanese doctors, nurses and medics are expected to benefit from a two-day training session, which will equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to treat AMR. Some of the areas to be covered include: conducting high quality testing for the detection of AMR, collate and analysing AMR laboratory data, and use of laboratory results to monitor trends and improve prescribing practices
These sessions will be facilitated by Dr Genera Romero Thomas of the Argentine Administration of Health Laboratories and Institutes, along with Dr Carlos Malbran, between September 25 and 27.
Additionally, it is expected to have the availability of information among health professionals strengthened. A Caribbean data base (WHONET) will be created in pursuit if collecting and systemising data. The training sessions will also include training of the medical staff in the use of WHONET and the application of laboratory standardised procedures.