Kenya national antimicrobial stewardship guidelines for healthcare settings

The purpose of this guideline is to give direction to health care workers on how to establish and run Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) programmes in health care settings and the community at large. It describes the framework, approach, and available resources that support successful development and implementation of AMS in Kenya. These guidelines address the full spectrum of AMS, including development and implementation of systems, infrastructure, and interventions. Target audiences, the scope for implementation, and roles and responsibilities at various stakeholder levels are specified. Additionally, checklists and available resources that could be leveraged to facilitate progression through the spectrum of AMS are included.

In this guidance document, stakeholders are defined in the context of national and county leadership, including the private sector, health care institutions (public and faith based), and community leadership levels. The target groups differ across levels, each with defined sets of actions. The scope of this AMS guidance document accommodates application at multiple health service centres that serve as health care points of entry, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, health centres, dispensaries, and community pharmacies. It also includes defined roles for the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB). The focus of this guidance document is on human health, with linkages to the veterinary and agricultural sectors mentioned briefly.