With USAID support, RPM Plus and other collaborating agencies (Change/AED, APUA, ARCH) have developed a country-level AMR implementation strategy for developing countries. The partnership has prepared a draft "workbook for building local support for containing drug resistance" to help local stakeholders initiate and move the national AMR process forward. The primary thrust of this activity is to catalyze an initial response by local stakeholders, scale-up local coalition building, and develop a unified strategy for advocacy.

The approach is currently being implemented in Zambia and Ethiopia. In Zambia, a rapid appraisal survey to understand AMR impact issues and an assessment of media presence/communication channels were completed. A Zambia AMR Advocacy Working Group (AWG) was established, and through its leadership, a successful AMR stakeholders meeting was held and a "call to action" was developed.

The AWG has since worked to have the infectious disease components of the national Standard Treatment Guidelines reviewed through a workshop for physicians and subsequent review meeting. It is currently assisting the Zambian National Formulary Committee to finalize the review process. The AWG has also advocated incorporating more AMR coverage in the undergraduate medical training courses at the University of Zambia School of Medicine. The AWG continues to meet periodically to review progress and plan future actions.

Based on the experience in Zambia, the approach has been initiated in Ethiopia. The key stakeholders held a meeting in 2006 which lead to the formation of the AMR Advocacy Coalition and the development of its terms of reference.  The Coalition then advanced the advocacy process further by convening an AMR call to action workshop in November 2006. The Coalition continues to meet and move forward with the action plan the Coalition developed by consensus during the call to action meeting.