Abstract:

Introduction: At the onset of a new decade, the global landscape was disrupted by the emergence of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), causing significant repercussions on international health security and cross-border mobility. This upheaval resulted in the imposition of constraints on business operations and a substantial upsurge in the healthcare burden, notably burdening healthcare providers in regions like Sub Saharan Africa, where pre-existing economic challenges persist. Throughout the trajectory of the pandemic, there was a perceptible shift in the focal concerns of healthcare systems, inadvertently diverting attention from the ongoing, yet largely unaddressed, predicament of antimicrobial resistance—a phenomenon that critically undermines sustained efforts aimed at mitigating the prevalence of infectious diseases. This investigation is driven by the objective to comprehensively grasp the prevalent employment patterns of antimicrobial agents, both in the pre-pandemic and pandemic phases. Furthermore, this study aspires to establish a cogent and plausible correlation between the global SIRS-COVID-19 pandemic and the multifaceted realm of antimicrobial stewardship practices.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of patient’s medical records by using WHO/INDRUD data collection toolkit will be employed.

Ethical Consideration: Ethical clearance for this study will be sought from the CUHAS/BMC Research and Ethical Committee and permission to conduct research will be obtained from the Director General of BMC.