In 2018, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) introduced a strategy to improve surveillance, delay emergence, limit transmission, and mitigate the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa. During a workshop in April 2018, African Union (AU) Member States and key stakeholders identified priority actions for implementing Africa CDC’s Framework for AMR Control.
Participants from the workshop highlighted a critical gap in many African countries—the absence of clear, locally developed guidelines on when to initiate treatment and which antimicrobials to use. While diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB), and malaria have established protocols, healthcare providers often rely on individual judgment or treatment guidelines developed outside of Africa for other infections.
To address this gap and promote the responsible use of antimicrobials in human health, Africa CDC and the One Health Trust collaborated to develop the African Antibiotic Treatment Guidelines for Common Bacterial Infections and Syndromes, First Edition.
These guidelines aim to provide healthcare workers in Africa with expert recommendations on antimicrobial selection, dosage, and treatment duration for common bacterial infections in both pediatric and adult patients and curb the emergence and spread of AMR.
Developed through a systematic review of national treatment protocols, available AMR data, and clinical expertise from an international group of physicians, pharmacists, and other infectious disease specialists, they are designed to complement existing national and global clinical guidelines where available and serve as a framework for local adaptation when needed.
These guidelines are designed for clinicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals involved in managing infectious diseases and prescribing antimicrobials. They provide evidence-based recommendations to support informed decision-making and improve patient outcomes across Africa.
The first edition of these guidelines focuses on common bacterial infections and clinical syndromes identified as priority health concerns by AU member states. While some countries, regions, or healthcare facilities may already have or develop antimicrobial treatment guidelines tailored to local epidemiology and clinical expertise, Africa CDC expects healthcare providers to use the most locally relevant standards alongside their clinical judgment when selecting antimicrobial agents and determining treatment dosage and duration.
Africa CDC also envisions these guidelines serving as a standardized model for other jurisdictions and healthcare facilities across Africa looking to develop their own protocols. This document outlines the methodologies used to develop the first edition and provides a framework for ongoing updates.
Read about our methodologies here.