Mainstreaming antimicrobial resistance interventions into primary health care in Sweden: mission report

Overview

Antimicrobial resistance (‎AMR)‎ is a major threat to global health. WHO worked with Sweden and three other countries (‎Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Thailand)‎ to identify best practices, gaps and further opportunities for integrating AMR interventions into primary health care in Sweden. Factors that contribute to low levels of AMR and relatively low antimicrobial use (‎AMU)‎ in Sweden include an enabling policy and governance environment, high levels of community awareness about AMR, comprehensive collection and monitoring of AMU data, and active antimicrobial stewardship programmes. The Government of Sweden is also working on initiatives to strengthen access to essential antibiotics. Key recommendations arising from a WHO and Folkhälsomyndigheten [‎Public Health Agency of Sweden]‎ national workshop in September 2024 to further support AMR-related interventions in primary care in Sweden are to ensure continued allocation of resources to the integration of antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention and control work; and to expand existing community engagement initiatives to other population groups that would benefit.