Drug resistance: How we keep track if antibiotics are being used properly

While we know increasing numbers of bacteria all over the world are becoming more resistant to existing antibiotics, we need to learn more about how antibiotics are being used in healthcare settings.

We know overuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics contribute to resistance, so it’s important we monitor antimicrobial use and develop strategies to improve practice. Australia now has a national strategy to do so.

Importantly, a national surveillance report provides an overview of annually-updated data and analyses from relevant programs. This covers drug consumption in participating hospitals,