Bacteriology testing and antimicrobial resistance detection capacity of national tiered laboratory networks in sub-Saharan Africa: an analysis from 14 countries

The study analyzed the weaknesses in antimicrobial resistance detection in 14 sub-Saharan African countries, focusing on the capacity of bacteriology laboratories. The research found that 78% of facilities had antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) capacity, providing geographical access to less than 50% of the general population. The study also found that reference laboratories had higher AMR detection readiness scores than district laboratories, private, not-for-profit laboratories had higher scores than government-affiliated facilities, and designated national AMR sentinel sites had higher scores. Strengthening bacterial testing and capacity for AMR detection represented less than 20% of the proposed interventions in 12 of the 14 national AMR action plans. The study suggests that prioritizing the scale-up of bacterial testing services is crucial for improving access to care and promoting quality AMR surveillance.