SC Webinar Report – AMS, COVID-19 & Pandemic Preparedness, May 2025

Webinar Report:

Advancing Antimicrobial Stewardship Policies: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic and Priorities for Future Health Emergencies

By Dr Rasha Abdelsalam Elshenawy

Our recent South Centre webinar examined how the pandemic created a dual challenge for global health:

– MISUSE: 35-75% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients received antibiotics despite low bacterial co-infection rates.

– ACCESS BARRIERS: The pandemic disrupted supply chains and healthcare access, limiting antimicrobial availability in many regions.

This paradox—overuse alongside access challenges—must inform future pandemic preparedness.

Our experts call for:

– Integrating antimicrobial stewardship into emergency response

– AMS frameworks must be established BEFORE health emergencies

– Strengthening surveillance systems and diagnostic capacity

– Ensuring sustainable and equitable access to antimicrobials

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SC Statement to INB13, 7 April 2025

South Centre Statement to the Resumed Thirteenth Meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body to Draft and Negotiate a WHO Convention, Agreement or Other International Instrument of Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response

7 April 2025

Negotiations resume for a WHO pandemic agreement, aiming to finalise the text in 5 days. Will Member States show the needed leadership and will to deliver an impactful outcome with equity at the core?

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SC Webinar on AMS & COVID-19, 14 April 2025

Strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship Policy: Insights from COVID-19 and Future Pandemic Preparedness

South Centre Webinar

Date: 14 April 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CEST | 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM EDT | 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM IST
Location: Virtual (Zoom)

In this one-hour webinar, we will explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes and what lessons can strengthen future pandemic preparedness, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

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