SASOCP position statement on the pharmacist’s role in antibiotic stewardship 2018

Abstract

Antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed medicines in global healthcare practice today. Their effectiveness is crucial and often life-saving in humanity’s battle against pathogens and infectious diseases. Antibiotic/antimicrobial stewardship strategies and programmes have become vital to the preservation of effective antibiotics and the optimisation of their use. The South African Society of Clinical Pharmacy (SASOCP) has written this guideline to outline the importance, role and purpose of pharmacists in such stewardship programmes, both in the public, as well as the private hospital sectors in South Africa. It also provides an overview of various approaches to antibiotic preservation, behavioural change, stewardship measures, and monitoring strategies.

Ongoing strategies to improve the management of upper respiratory tract infections and reduce inappropriate antibiotic use particularly among lower and middle-income countries: findings and implications for the future

“…Activities include the development of the National Department of Health Antimicrobial Resistance National Strategy Framework, 2014-2024 building on the WHO global strategy to contain and reduce rising AMR rates these and other hospitals 250,307 . As part of this, a number of hospitals in South Africa have instigated ASPs to reduce AMR rates, with published guidance on ASPs helping to instigate such programmes [309][310][311] .…”

Healthcare-associated infections including neonatal bloodstream infections in a leading tertiary hospital in Botswana

“…These high rates of HAIs in LMICs are a concern with a number of studies demonstrating the effectiveness of different interventions to prevent HAIs [8,[21][22][23]. This includes audit and feedback, improving environmental hygiene, increasing the use of antiseptic products, instigation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) as well as sterilization of devices [8,[24][25][26][27]. Surveillance of HAIs is also a critical component of any future strategy to reduce HAIs within hospitals [7,28].…”

Antimicrobial utilization research and activities in Botswana, the past, present and the future

“…Pharmacists are typically involved with improving antimicrobial use in hospitals as part of antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) and Drug and Therapeutics Committees (DTCs) [13,14], although there are concerns with the lack of ASPs in some African countries and hospitals in Botswana [1,15,16]. It is widely known that delays in administration of the initiated antibiotic is associated with poor prognosis [17].…”