ECDC supports Africa CDC’s efforts to strengthen national antimicrobial utilisation surveillance capacity in Cameroon
From 15 to 19 September 2025, Africa CDC, the Cameroonian Ministry of Health and ECDC co-organised a national training event on the surveillance of antimicrobial consumption (AMC) and use (AMU) through a One Health approach .
The event was held in Douala, Cameroon, under the Africa CDC–ECDC Partnership Project, which aims to harmonise surveillance systems and strengthen public health capacities across Africa. More than 40 professionals from the human health, animal health, agriculture and environmental sectors participated, including representatives from ministries, national institutes and healthcare facilities.
The training was preceded by a two-day pre-training workshop, during which local facilitators, representatives from Africa CDC, ECDC, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Africa Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) jointly developed, reviewed and validated the training materials.
Participants engaged in presentations, group work, and interactive discussions to explore AMC/AMU surveillance methods, map data sources, practice data analysis, and share cross-country and cross-sectoral experiences. The workshop also included contributions from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Diamantis Plachouras, Head of Section for Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-associated Infections delivered the opening remarks were ECDC, while ECDC colleagues Anne Ingenbleek and Aya Nakitanda provided an overview of ECDC’s work in antimicrobial utilisation surveillance and supported the training as on-site facilitators.
This engagement was part of the broader Work Package 2 of the Africa CDC – ECDC Partnership Project, highlighting the value of mutual learning and partnership, with ECDC leveraging its longstanding experience in surveillance to support Africa CDC’s efforts to build national surveillance capacities.
