Amman, June 23 (Petra) - Jordan's Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) launched a World Health Organization (WHO) backed training program on Tuesday to strengthen pharmacists’ role in fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
JFDA Director General Rana Obeidat and WHO Representative in Jordan Iman Shanqiti inaugurated the program.
Obeidat said JFDA is working within a comprehensive national framework to address AMR by enforcing a national action plan and pharmaceutical regulations, as well as adopting internationally recognized scientific guidelines, including the WHO’s AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) classification tool for antibiotics.
She said the JFDA is committed to improving prescribing and dispensing practices, raising public awareness, and encouraging evidence-based antibiotic use among healthcare providers and patients.
The training program includes a series of specialized sessions covering the global and national impact of antimicrobial resistance, action plans, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, regulatory responses, and strategies for empowering pharmacists as agents of change.
Targeting pharmacists working in community pharmacies, the program will be delivered to four groups over three weeks, aiming to deepen participants' understanding of antimicrobial resistance and equipping them with practical tools to implement antibiotic stewardship principles, while ensuring consistent public awareness messaging across the sector.
Preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics requires strict adherence to regulations and sustained efforts to promote their rational use, Obeidat said, noting that the JFDA continues to strengthen inspection and oversight measures to curb misuse and safeguard antibiotic effectiveness for future generations.
Community pharmacists hold a pivotal role in the fight against AMR through patient counseling, she continued, ensuring antibiotics are used only when medically necessary through adherence to prescribed doses and treatment durations, as well as discouraging self-medication and the sharing or stockpiling of antibiotics.
Shanqiti, in turn, said that antimicrobial resistance extends far beyond hospitals, beginning with every decision to prescribe, dispense, or use an antibiotic.
Pharmacists are the first line of defense when ensuring antibiotics remain effective for future generations, she said, adding that responsible practices are essential to strengthening national health security and public health.
//Petra// HA
