In the heart of Sub-Saharan Africa, a silent battle is being waged against an invisible foe: antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This growing threat to global health and food security has prompted the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to take decisive action. A recent study published in *Frontiers in Veterinary Science* sheds light on the progress and challenges of AMR surveillance in the region, offering a roadmap for future interventions.
The FAO’s ‘Assessment Tool for Laboratories and AMR Surveillance Systems’ (FAO-ATLASS) has been a game-changer, enabling 27 Sub-Saharan African countries to evaluate their AMR surveillance capabilities. Between 2018 and 2024, 221 laboratories and 24 national AMR surveillance systems were assessed, revealing a mixed bag of progress and persistent gaps.
“Quality assurance was the most critical gap for laboratories,” said Labia Irene I. Ouoba, lead author of the study and a scientist at the FAO Regional Office for Sub-Saharan Africa in Accra, Ghana. “Access to reference strains, reagents, and participation in proficiency testing schemes were among the major common concerns.”
The assessments, which assigned Progressive Improvement Pathway (PIP) stages from “1-limited” to “5-sustainable,” showed that a mere 9.5% of laboratories were at PIP stage 3 or higher, indicating sufficient capacity for reliable AMR data production. The situation was similarly grim for national surveillance systems, with only 8.3% reaching PIP stage 3.
However, the story doesn’t end there. The FAO and its partners have been working tirelessly to bridge these gaps, providing training, reagents, equipment, and enrolling laboratories in proficiency testing programs. A post-ATLASS survey conducted in 2024 revealed that these efforts have borne fruit. Ten laboratories moved from PIP stage 2 to 3, eight from stage 1 to 2, and two from stage 2 to 4. Moreover, about 60% of the laboratories reported increased management commitment to AMR activities.
The commercial impacts of these improvements are significant. Reliable AMR data is crucial for evidence-based decision-making in the agriculture sector, ensuring the safety and quality of food products and safeguarding public health. As AMR surveillance systems progressively improve, so too will the ability of African countries to combat this silent threat and secure their agricultural futures.
The study underscores the need for sustained efforts to ensure the production of reliable AMR data. It also highlights the importance of international cooperation and capacity-building initiatives in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance. As Ouoba puts it, “Sustained efforts are necessary to ensure the production of reliable data in the majority of countries and to inform evidence-based interventions against AMR.”
With the FAO-ATLASS tool and the collective efforts of international partners, the tide may finally be turning in the battle against AMR in Sub-Saharan Africa. The journey is far from over, but the progress made thus far offers a beacon of hope for the future of agriculture and food security in the region.