Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is exacerbated by inappropriate prescribing and use of antimicrobials. RPM Plus has been working worldwide to introduce Drug and Therapeutics Committees (DTCs) as a method of improving selection, availability, prescribing, and use of antimicrobials. DTCs are considered a key intervention in the WHO Global Strategy to contain antimicrobial resistance in hospitals. The International Conference on Improving the Use of Medicines (ICIUM) in 2004 recommended that DTCs be established at all levels in institutional settings to assist efforts to improve use of medicines and contain costs.

RPM Plus has collaborated with in-country partners and the World Health Organization in staging a number of international, regional, and national DTC training courses. Courses have been held in the following countries:

To date, 613 health professionals from 67 different countries have participated in DTC training courses. An urgent need still exists, however, to establish more DTCs that reach a critical mass of qualified health care staff as well as to improve the effectiveness of existing committees.

RPM Plus recently developed a Training of Trainers (TOT) course to complement the existing DTC course. The purpose of this initiative is to build in-country and regional capacities to carry out local DTC training programs and provide follow-up technical assistance. The TOT course component [PDF - 1.2 MB] was successfully implemented as part of the regional DTC course in Uganda in 2004 and the international DTC course in Malaysia in 2005. Both the DTC and TOT components of the course are supported by well-developed visual aids, participant's guides, and trainer's guides.

Recently RPM Plus has added an important follow-up component to the DTC-TOT course which is vital to the success of the trainees.

• Read about special achievements by past DTC course participants
  
• Learn more about DTC training courses
  
• Learn more about RPM Plus training initiatives