REPORT ON WORLD ANTIMICROBIAL AWARENESS WEEK (WAAW) 2021, IN TARABA ORGANIZED BY CENTRE FOR INITIATIVE AND DEVELOPMENT (CFID), TARABA

Theme: Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance.

CFID Theme: The Role of Patients and Community Voice in Driving Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS).

Aim: To assess the antimicrobial stewardship gaps, and practices in Taraba state, towards enhancing a One Health Approach in AMR response.

• To make AMR a state recognized issue with engagement of all sectors – human, animal, plant and environment, a ‘One Health approach’.
• To increase recognition of the roles that individuals, governments, civil society organizations and human, animal, environment and plant, health as well as agriculture professionals must all play in tackling antimicrobial resistance in Taraba state.
• To encourage behavior, change towards prudent use of antimicrobials across all relevant sectors and convey the message that simple actions can make a big difference.
• To highlight AMR interventions in Taraba state: situational analysis in various sectors and the way forward in AMS.

Introduction

Centre for Initiative and Development (CFID) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political, non-religious, research focused and patient driven organization in Taraba state with the purpose of creating a society where the people, communities and affected populations are empowered, well informed and involved in their development. CFID is a champion in driving Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices in Nigeria, through health system strengthening and capacity building in target hospital, across six (6) states in Nigeria.

Activities:

The meeting was attended by Representation from diverse sectors namely:

Presentations:

The Monitoring and Evaluation officer (M&E) gave an overview about Centre for Initiative and Development (CFID) while the Statistician and focal person of CFID on Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) gave an introductory note on World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), 2021 with the global theme: spread awareness, stop Resistance. He charged the participants to become AMS champions in their various places of endeavors. The CFID Executive Director, Danjuma Adda presented on World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2021, centered on;

• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the next global pandemic
• The objectives, challenges, and how to curb this menace
• Germ defense strategies
• The scope of the problem; its effects in the community, the overuse, misuse, and inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents/drugs in communities and health facilities.
• The greatest fear as there is decline in the production of antibiotics in the last twenty years.
• The need for Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) in Taraba state
• Employing prevention and control measures
• The role of individuals, policymakers, health professionals, agricultural sectors and other stakeholders
• Ending note by encouraging everyone to take responsibility and play their roles.

Other similar presentations were done by The Director of Public Health, Taraba State Ministry of Health,  the Representative of World Health Organization (WHO): State coordinator, WHO presented on WAAW activity set aside by the tripartite Alliance (WHO, FAO and OIE). The Representatives of Ministry of Agriculture, Veterinary Association of Nigeria, Taraba State Chapter also focuses on areas of their various sectors.

On CFID Quality Improvement AMS Multi-Center Study, the AMS focal person, Obed Tiwah John spelt out the Overall project goal and objective, status of the project and sponsor, the 7 intervention groups (hospitals), close monitoring facilities, activities done so far, needs assessment and SWOT analysis, point prevalence survey (PPS), outcomes and major gaps identified

Panel Discussions were also organized with representatives from WHO, MoH, MoA, NMA, FMC, Vet. Doctors, NYSC, NEPWHAN, College of nursing and midwifery, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria (AMLS)

Outcome:

The CEO CFID, Danjuma Adda spoke on the need to come up with the Taraba Antimicrobial Use Resistance Surveillance System (TAURSS) proposal; the need of AMR surveillance system.

Brief on TAURSS Initiative

The Taraba Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Surveillance System (TAURS) is planned partnership between Taraba State government, WHO, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and AMR stakeholders on Safety and Quality in Health Care and other organisations to draw together multiple different surveillance programs in order to create a comprehensive local picture of different aspects of antimicrobial use and resistance.

Priority Gaps identified during the meeting

• Poor public awareness and weak coordination of AMR awareness activities by government and partners such as vertical disease control programs.
• Poor ‘One Health’ coordination of animal and human national disease surveillance systems, non-existence of a state AMR laboratory surveillance system and no dedicated funding for AMR control activities
• Non-existence of a state Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) coordinating body or guidelines, and poor budgetary support for IPC activities in health facilities
• Lack of antimicrobial stewardship in both private and public sectors across the state
• Studies on the health and economic impact of AMR in Nigeria and Taraba state in particular and poor coordination of research on antibiotic use

Recommendations/Next step

• Set up an AMR TWG in Taraba state
• Set up a Taraba Antimicrobial Use Resistance Surveillance system (TAURSS) in the state.
• The TWG to include ALL key actors on AMR through the One Health Approach.
• Increase awareness on AMR in the state.

Conclusion:

In the course of the awareness, challenges surrounding AMR was discussed, issues boiled down to the overuse, misuse and inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents by patients, individuals, health facilities, agricultural sectors, industries, and civil society and challenges faced by policy makers. The panel came to the conclusion in agreement to Taraba antimicrobial use resistance surveillance system (TAURSS) proposal; the need of AMR surveillance system.

Activity Pictures

Participants during WAAW, 2021

Group Pictures at the end of the WAAW meeting

Participants standing in agreement to Taraba Antimicrobial Use Resistance Surveillance System (TAURSS) proposal.