Developing a logic model for communication-based interventions on antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The importance of communication in enhancing people's awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is consistently recognised in global and national action plans (NAPs). Despite this, there have been relatively few national AMR communication campaigns which use a structured approach to take account of the local context, encompass co-design with the target audience and use a logic model to help inform its design, implementation and evaluation. Designing a logic model for communication-based interventions can help map out the planning, resources, messaging, assumptions and intended outcomes of the campaign to maximise its impact, ensure it is fit for context and minimise any unintended consequences on individuals and society. Building on an AMR research project in Tanzania, Supporting the National Action Plan for AMR (SNAP-AMR), we co-designed the SNAP-AMR Logic Model with key stakeholders to implement AMR communication campaigns and related legacy materials to be employed in support of the Tanzanian NAP, but with broader relevance to a range of contexts. In developing the SNAP-AMR Logic Model, we reviewed relevant communication theories to create and target messages, and we considered behavioural change theories. We defined all key elements of the SNAP-AMR Logic Model as follows: (1) resources (inputs) required to enable the design and implementation of campaigns, e.g. funding, expertise and facilities; (2) activities, e.g. co-design of workshops (to define audience, content, messages and means of delivery), developing and testing of materials and data collection for evaluation purposes; (3) immediate deliverables (outputs) such as the production of legacy materials and toolkits; and (4) changes (outcomes) the campaigns aim to deliver, e.g. in social cognition and behaviours. The SNAP-AMR Logic Model efficiently captures all the elements required to design, deliver and evaluate AMR communication-based interventions, hence providing government and advocacy stakeholders with a valuable tool to implement their own campaigns. The model has potential to be rolled out to other countries with similar AMR socio-cultural, epidemiological and economic contexts.

A Point Prevalence Survey of Antimicrobial Use at Geita Regional Referral Hospital in North-Western Tanzania.

We conducted a point prevalence survey (PPS) to determine the prevalence of antibiotic use at Geita Regional Referral Hospital (GRRH) located along the shores of Lake Victoria in north-western Tanzania. This has led to the identification of gaps for improvement. This PPS study was conducted on 9-10 March 2023. Patient-related information, including sociodemographic and clinical data, was collected from medical records. STATA software version 15.0 was used to perform descriptive data analysis. About 94.8% (55/58) patients were on antibiotics with a mean (±SD) prescription of 2 (±0.5) antibiotic agents ranging from 1 to 4 different agents. The commonest indications of the antibiotic prescription were medical prophylaxis 47.3% (26/55) followed by empiric treatment 41.8% (23/55). In total, 110 prescriptions were made, of which metronidazole (25.5%; n = 28), ceftriaxone (23.6%; n = 26), and ampicillin-cloxacillin (23.6%; n = 26) were frequently observed. Only 67.3% (n = 74) of prescriptions complied with Tanzania Standard Treatment Guidelines. Moreover, according to the WHO-AWaRe classification, 50.9%, 23.6%, and 25.5% were under the Access category, Watch category, and Not Recommended category, respectively. The prevalence of antibiotic use among patients admitted to GRRH was high, whereby medical prophylaxis and empiric treatment were the commonest indications for antibiotic prescription. To support rational therapy and antimicrobial stewardship initiatives, we recommend that laboratories in regional hospitals be equipped to conduct sustained routine culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Antimicrobial use across six referral hospitals in Tanzania: a point prevalence survey.

OBJECTIVE: To delineate the prevalence and factors associated with antimicrobial use across six referral hospitals in Tanzania using WHO point prevalence survey (PPS) methodology to inform hospital-specific antimicrobial stewardship programmes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analytical study. SETTING: Six referral hospitals in Tanzania. PARTICIPANTS: Patients irrespective of age and gender (n=948) admitted in the six referral hospital wards before 8:00 hours on each day of the survey were included in December 2019. Using the WHO PPS methodology, data on hospitals, wards, patients, antibiotics, and indications for antibiotics were collected. OUTCOME MEASURES: We analysed the prevalence of antibiotic use by referral hospital, ward, indication and patient characteristics as the main outcomes. We also described adherence to the Tanzania Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG) and WHO's AWaRe categorisation of antibiotics. RESULTS: Approximately 62.3% of inpatients were prescribed antibiotics, predominantly from the Access group of antibiotics (ceftriaxone, metronidazole or ampicillin-cloxacillin). The overall adherence of antibiotic prescriptions to the Tanzania STG was high (84.0%), with the exception of Sekou Toure Regional Referral Hospital (68.0%) and Maweni Regional Referral Hospital (57.8%). The most common indication for antibiotic prescriptions was community-acquired infections (39.8%). Children less than 2 years of age (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.92, p=0.039); admission to surgical wards (OR 4.90, 95% CI 2.87 to 8.36, p <0.001); and admission to paediatric wards (OR 3.93, 95% CI 2.16 to 7.15, p <0.001) were associated with increased odds of antibiotic use. Only 2 of 591 patients were prescribed antibiotics based on culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing results. CONCLUSIONS: Empirical use of antibiotics is common, and the Access group of antibiotics is predominantly prescribed in children less than 2 years and patients admitted to surgical and paediatric wards. Lack of utilisation of antimicrobial susceptibility testing services in these hospitals requires urgent interventions. Routine monitoring of antibiotic use is recommended to be part of antibiotic stewardship programmes in Tanzania.

National Consumption of Antimicrobials in Tanzania: 2017-2019.

Objective: Surveillance of antimicrobial consumption is essential to the national action plan for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as stipulated in the Global Action Plan on AMR and the Tanzanian National Action Plan on AMR. Given the paucity of antimicrobial consumption data in sub-Saharan Africa region, the objective of this study was to measure antimicrobial consumption in Tanzania. Methods: From 2017 to 2019, data on all antimicrobials imported into Tanzania were obtained from the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority Data, augmented with purchasing data from the Medical Stores Department and data from local manufacturers. Data were collected and analyzed in accordance with the World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical and defined daily doses (DDD) methodology. Results: The average DDD per 1,000 inhabitants per day (DDD/1,000/D) for all antimicrobials was 80.8 ± 39.35. The DDD/1,000/D declined from 136.41 in 2017 to 54.98 in 2018 and 51.02 in 2019. Doxycycline, amoxicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were the most frequently consumed antibiotics during these years, accounting for 20.01, 16.75, and 12.42 DDD/1,000/D, respectively. The majority of antimicrobial consumption in Tanzania occurred in the private sector, with the proportion of private-sector antibiotic consumption increasing annually from 2017 to 2019. Based on AWaRe classification >90% of antimicrobial consumption was Access class medications, with Watch and Reserve class medications accounting for <10% and <1%, respectively. Conclusion: The private sector use of antimicrobials is significantly increasing and should be carefully monitored in accordance with national policies. Future work is necessary to increase reporting of antimicrobial consumption patterns in sub-Saharan Africa.

The reality of task shifting in medicines management- a case study from Tanzania.

OBJECTIVES: Tanzania suffers a severe shortage of pharmaceutical staff. This negatively affects the provision of pharmaceutical services and access to medicines, particularly in rural areas. Task shifting has been proposed as a way to mitigate the impact of health worker shortfalls.The aim of this study was to understand the context and extent of task shifting in pharmaceutical management in Dodoma Region, Tanzania. We explored 1) the number of trained pharmaceutical staff as compared to clinical cadres managing medicines, 2) the national establishment for staffing levels, 3) job descriptions, 4) supply management training conducted and 5) availability of medicines and adherence to Good Storage Practice. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 270 public health facilities in 2011. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered to the person in charge of the facility to collect data on staff employed and their respective pharmaceutical tasks. Availability of 26 tracer medicines and adherence to Good Storage Practice guidelines was surveyed by direct observation. The national establishments for pharmaceutical staffing levels and job descriptions of facility cadres were analysed. RESULTS: While required staffing levels in 1999 were 50, the region employed a total of only 14 pharmaceutical staff in 2011. Job descriptions revealed that, next to pharmaceutical staff, only nurses were required to provide dispensing services and adherence counselling. In 95.5% of studied health facilities medicines management was done by non-pharmaceutically trained cadres, predominantly medical attendants. The first training on supply management was provided in 2005 with no refresher training thereafter. Mean availability of tracer medicines was 53%, while 56% of health facilities fully met criteria of Good Storage Practice. CONCLUSION: Task shifting is a reality in the pharmaceutical sector in Tanzania and it occurs mainly as a coping mechanism rather than a formal response to the workforce crisis. In Dodoma Region, pharmacy-related tasks and supply management have informally been shifted to clinical staff without policy guidance, explicit job descriptions, and without the necessary support through training. Implicit task shifting should be recognized and formalized. Job orientation, training and operational procedures may be useful to support non-pharmaceutical health workers to effectively manage medicine supply.

Quality standards in provision of facility based HIV care and treatment: a case study from Dar es Salaam Region, Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess the quality standards of health facilities providing antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Dar es Salaam from May to July 2005. METHODS: All ten health facilities (both public and private) already designated by Ministry of Health (MOH) to provide ART, six of them since October 2004 and four since May 2005, were included in the study purposively. The other two not designated were randomly picked and added. A checklist with the MOH required standards was used to assess the availability of infrastructure (equipment and staff) for provision of ART, and noted the number of patient eligible, started on ART and their follow ups. RESULTS: The study findings indicated that there were inadequate trained personnel, inadequate laboratory equipments, inadequate antiretroviral drugs and isoniazed was under utilized. There were inadequate confidential places for counseling and information system was weak. Not all the eligible patients were able to start ART and comprehensive HIV care and treatment was not provided in all the designated facilities. CONCLUSION: Quality standards for providing ART in eligible health facilities in Dar es Salaam varied from facility to facility with better quality standards in facilities that were designated earlier than those designated later indicating a potential for improvement in future. However fast Improvement in staff training, infrastructure, equipment and drugs supplies, health management information system is needed if we are to treat estimated more than 400,00 HIV/AIDS patients by the year 2010.