AMRLEP course has been an intensive course about the threat of antimicrobial resistance on the global health system. We were introduced to how the resistance to antibiotics arises, how this affects the health system and how the increase in resistance can be slowed down to preserve the integrity of antimicrobial drugs.                                                                                    Experts in antimicrobial resistance described the antimicrobial threat as a silent tsunami due to a threat it poses to global health.  Action needs to be taken by all stakeholders today to stop this growing threat. Antimicrobial resistance causes bot economic and health burden to the world and it is no longer a future threat because it is already here. We were also given personal experiences about AMR in the field and the importance of surveillance.

In addition to antibiotic use in animals, we were introduced to the one-health approach whereby all the things in the environment affect each other. Therefore there is need for optimal and careful use in animals to control the growing threat of resistance.                                                We also learnt about the gap in innovation of antibiotics and the dilemma of access and excess which is a common scene in low and middle income countries. With the gap in innovation, there is need for new business models addressing antibiotic resistance and need for securing access while reducing excess.

We talked about challenges and opportunities for the future and the global initiatives to fight antibiotic resistance and what can be done.                                                                                           The course generally involved a lot of discussions and student led sessions whereby we were distributed into groups randomly and given cases and topics to discuss and each group had to present to the whole class. These interactive discussions enable each one of us to be involved in the course and learning at a personal and individual level.

This course has opened my eyes to a role I can play as a young pharmacy student in tackling the threat of AMR. As a young person, I can spread awareness about AMR in the community to inform the people about the growing threat of AMR. I can also apply my pharmaceutical knowledge into advising patients and other people about optimal and careful use of antibiotics.