The One Health Bacteriology Group at KCCR, led by Dr. Charity Wiafe Akenten, recently engaged clinicians at the Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, through a presentation on the Surveillance of Clinical Outcomes and Patient-Centred Effects of Antimicrobial Resistance (SCOPE-AMR) project.

The presentation highlighted the transition from traditional antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance, which primarily focuses on bacterial identification and resistance patterns, to a more comprehensive patient-centred surveillance approach. SCOPE-AMR seeks to understand not only the occurrence of resistant infections but also their impact on patient outcomes, treatment effectiveness, antibiotic use practices, and healthcare delivery.

Clinicians were introduced to the project’s objectives and the critical role they play in its successful implementation. Discussions focused on the surveillance of severe infections, with particular emphasis on the application of World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for blood and urine culture sampling. Additional topics included the accurate completion of patient case report forms to facilitate effective tracking of patient outcomes, strengthening antimicrobial stewardship practices, and generating high-quality evidence to inform national and global strategies for combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The engagement provided an important platform for collaboration between healthcare professionals and researchers, reinforcing the shared commitment to combating antimicrobial resistance and improving patient care in Ghana.