CAPTURA, a Fleming Fund, UK Aid initiative, led by the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) to increase the volume of quality data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), consumption (AMC), and use (AMU) in South and South East Asia, has released a final report on the engagements and activities conducted in Bangladesh as the first country to publish CAPTURA data on a government website.

The report recommends a heightened focus on quality AMR data generation at the country level as well as the inclusion of the private sector in national surveillance systems.

The report goes on to present a summary of findings from the scoping and analytical work, noting an additional need for standardized data collection and improved record-keeping practices across pharmacies. This will help provide information on AMU at the patient level.

The project successfully collected and analysed retrospective AMR data between 2016 and 2020, identified and assessed laboratories’ existing microbiology capacity, and provided database software (WHONET) trainings to technical laboratory staff, building capacity in data management and analysis for future surveillance efforts. 

The CAPTURA surveillance report is essential for identifying data sources and establishing a preliminary baseline for targeted investment in combatting AMR in Bangladesh, where high levels of resistance to commonly used antimicrobials in the broader Asia region have been observed.

In partnership with the Directorate General of Health Services, Directorate General of Drug Administration, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh, the data in this report was analysed and collated by the CAPTURA in-country team and AMR stakeholders from the Government of Bangladesh during the National Dissemination Workshop held in May 2022 in Dhaka.