Two expert panels were convened to develop treatment recommendations for adult and pediatricpatient populations. The first panel, comprising nine clinicians, met in August 2019 at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to establish treatment guidelines for adult patients. A second panel of 19 experts convened virtually in October 2020 to develop recommendations tailored to pediatric populations.
The guidelines were developed based on a review of 28 STGs from 17 AU member states. They provide recommendations on antimicrobial therapy, including drug selection, dosage, and treatment duration for common infectious diseases, excluding HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and other conditions covered by national or or vertical disease control programs. Access the STG library here.
To assess drug availability across Africa, panelists reviewed antimicrobial selections from the World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines (21st edition, 2019) and the Model List for Children (7th edition, 2019). They also analyzed available antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data from ResistanceMap. However, the limited availability of AMR data constrained its role in shaping treatment recommendations. Strengthening the evidence base will be critical for integrating resistance prevalence and trends at facility, regional, and national levels into the development of treatment guidelines.
The guidelines were reviewed by clinicians, pharmacists, and other stakeholders across Africa. Experts who were not involved in the guidelines development were invited to assess the treatment recommendations and provide feedback.
Find our expert panelists and external reviewers here.
To ensure that the African Antimicrobial Treatment Guidelines continue to reflect AU member states’ priority health areas, One Health Trust and Africa CDC will convene a multi-disciplinary expert panel every five years to review newly available national AMR data and antibiotic treatment recommendations and to update our guidelines as needed.