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Antimicrobial Resistance Coordinating Committee

The Antimicrobial Resistance Coordinating Committee (AMRCC) is Zambia’s national multi-sectoral body mandated to coordinate and oversee all efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through the One Health approach. Operating under the stewardship of the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), the Committee is co-chaired by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MFL).

The AMRCC serves as the central platform for collaboration across human health, animal health, agriculture, plant health, environment, academia, civil society, and development partners, ensuring a harmonized, evidence-based, and sustainable national response to AMR.

Mandate and Core Functions

  • Policy and Governance Oversight

    guiding the development, adoption, and enforcement of national AMR policies, regulations, and strategies.

  • Surveillance and Data Integration

    strengthening and integrating One Health surveillance platforms to monitor antimicrobial use (AMU) and resistance trends across sectors, aligned with global systems such as GLASS.

  • Capacity Building and Awareness

    supporting training for healthcare professionals, veterinarians, farmers, and communities while fostering public awareness campaigns and education curricula on AMR.

  • Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)

    coordinating cross-sectoral IPC, WASH, vaccination, biosecurity, and phytosanitary interventions to reduce infection burden and prevent the spread of resistant pathogens.

  • Stewardship and Research

    promoting the prudent use of antimicrobials across human, animal, and plant health, while advancing operational research, innovation, and adoption of new tools to address emerging threats.

Through these functions, the AMRCC acts as Zambia’s national coordination hub, ensuring alignment with the National Action Plan on AMR (NAP 2024–2028), the WHO Global Action Plan, and other international obligations.

Thematic Areas of Focus

  • Awareness and Education

    The AMRCC designs and implements evidence-based communication strategies targeting professionals, communities, and the general public. It conducts behavioral studies to assess knowledge and practices, and uses the findings to tailor interventions. AMRCC also fosters the mainstreaming of AMR into education curricula at all levels, while continuing professional development (CPD) and in-service training programmes are developed, accredited, and delivered through both conventional and alternative learning platforms.

  • Surveillance and Research

    The Committee oversees the establishment of a national AMR surveillance system that integrates sector-specific systems into a unified One Health framework. This includes:

  • Creating an AMR laboratory network linked to GLASS for standardized data sharing.
  • Building laboratory infrastructure and human capacity for reliable drug susceptibility testing.
  • Coordinating food safety and traceability systems to detect resistant pathogens entering the food chain.
  • Developing and implementing a national AMR research agenda, mobilizing resources, and engaging research institutions to generate evidence for policy and practice.

  • Infection Prevention, Sanitation, and Hygiene

    The AMRCC strengthens national coordination on IPC, sanitation, hygiene, vaccination, biosecurity, and phytosanitary measures. Activities include:

  • Conducting situation analyses to identify gaps.
  • Developing or revising national IPC and hygiene guidelines.
  • Supporting the surveillance of Healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) surveillance
  • Advocating for implementation at all levels of care and production systems. These interventions reduce infection risks, limiting antimicrobial use and consequently mitigating the emergence of resistance.

  • Optimal Use of Antimicrobials (Stewardship)

    The Committee promotes antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) across human, animal, and plant health by:

  • Establishing AMS committees in health facilities and veterinary practices.
  • Strengthening pharmaceutical manufacturing, distribution, and regulatory systems through ZAMRA and professional councils.
  • Introducing quality management systems across the supply chain (manufacturing, storage, distribution, and use).
  • Developing guidelines for the safe disposal of antimicrobials, agricultural waste, and plant protection products.

  • Investment in Research and Development (R&D)

    The AMRCC advocates for sustainable financing of AMR interventions and R&D by:

  • Mobilizing resources for NAP implementation and monitoring the economic burden of AMR (e.g., DALYs, QALYs, mortality, treatment costs).
  • Promoting incentives for industry investment in the development of new antimicrobials, vaccines, diagnostics, and alternatives.
  • Strengthening collaborations between government, academia, and industry to accelerate innovation.
  • Ensuring timely dissemination of surveillance and research data for rapid policy and programmatic action.
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