Pr Mamy JDD. Randria, President of the SPIM
An essential update to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
This revised edition pursues the same goal as the “Guide to Common Infections in Madagascar”, published in 2019 by the Mérieux Foundation with the Madagascar Infectious Pathology Society (SPIM), the Madagascar Pediatrics Society (SOMAPED) and the Madagascar Biology Society (SOMABIO), to offer a clear, precise tool that can be used by doctors and healthcare professionals to help combat AMR through better care for patients, wherever they may be.
The Representatives holding the Guide
The new edition again received financial and technical support from the Mérieux Foundation, together with backing from the French embassy and the WHO. The updated guide now includes chapters on antibiotics, common infections in adults and in pediatrics, and recommendations for biological diagnosis. In particular, it now covers the AWaRe classification published in 2023 by the WHO.
It will provide healthcare professionals with a clear reference system tailored to their practices.
Multidisciplinary collaboration
As SPIM President Professor Mamy J.D.D. Randria pointed out, the fight against AMR is a collective effort.
He stressed the importance of involving all healthcare professionals, and especially pharmacists, who must ensure that antibiotics are not sold without a doctor’s prescription. He declared: “This guide to prescribing anti-infective drugs is the culmination of a long process, which would not have been possible without the commitment of the seventeen learned societies involved. It must be applied strictly to ensure treatments remain effective and to guarantee quality care.”
Several Madagascan learned societies contributed to the drafting of the guide, including the Madagascar Neurology Society (SMNE) and the Madagascar College of Urology and Nephrology (CMUN), the Madagascar Cardiology Society (SOMACAR), the Madagascar College of Obstetric Gynecology (COMAGO), the Madagascar Anesthesia and Reanimation Society (SARM), the Madagascar Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology Society (SOMCOT), the Madagascar Otorhinolaryngology Society (SMORL-Ophtalmologie), the Madagascar Radiotherapy and Oncology Support Association (AROM), the Madagascar Dermatology Society (SOMADER), the Association of Rheumatology Practitioners (APR), and the Madagascar Pneumology Society (SPMAD); as well as other players such as the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, the Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease, the LA2M (Madagascar Medical Analysis Laboratory), the National Order of Doctors, and the National Order of Pharmacists. Their expertise ensured a comprehensive and rigorous approach for better prescription of anti-infective medication.
A strong commitment from health authorities
The Director General of Healthcare Provision, Andriatiaray Rija Niaina Ramarolahy, reaffirmed Madagascar’s commitment to the fight against AMR. This guide is an essential tool for harmonizing practices and improving the quality of care. It is part of the national action plan to combat AMR, which is based on a strategy that combines communication and education, surveillance, optimum use of antimicrobials, and drug and patient safety.