Four years after the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship program in Jordan: evaluation of program's core...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Management
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) to combat antimicrobial resistance.
• Jordan implemented a national action plan and AMS programs in healthcare facilities in 2017.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the compliance of public hospitals in Jordan with WHO's core elements of effective AMS programs.
• To identify challenges in implementing sustainable AMS programs in an LMIC context.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted in 27 public hospitals in Jordan.
• A 30-question survey based on the WHO's six core AMS elements and a five-point Likert scale was used.

Main Results:

• Hospital adherence to AMS core elements ranged from 53% (leadership commitment) to 72% (AMS actions).
• Key areas needing improvement included financial support, collaboration, access, monitoring, and evaluation.
• No significant differences in adherence were found based on hospital location, size, or specialty.

Conclusions:

• Despite policy support and four years of implementation, significant shortcomings exist in Jordan's public hospital AMS programs.
• Enhanced hospital leadership commitment and collaborative actions are crucial for improving AMS program effectiveness.