Hospital adoption of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in Gulf cooperation council countries: A review of existing evidence

Antimicrobial resistance is increasing at an alarming rate in The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) due to the over and misuse of antimicrobials. The novel and rare multi-drug resistant strains can spread globally since the region is a host to the largest expat population in the world and a pilgrimage destination to more than 4 million people annually. The adoption of antimicrobial stewardship programmes could improve the use of antimicrobials and reduce antimicrobial resistance in the region. However, despite the established benefits of these interventions, little is known about the level of their adoption in the region, and the impact of these programmes on antimicrobials use and resistance. This study aims to review the existing evidence on the level of adoption of antimicrobial stewardship programmes, the facilitators/barriers to their adoption and the outcomes of their adoption in GCC hospitals.