RITM, through its Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Reference Laboratory (ARSRL), hosted the 31st Annual Meeting of the Department of Health (DOH) Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program (ARSP)  on May 21-22, 2019 at the RITM Auditorium.

Laboratory Research Division Chief Dr. Amado Tandoc III welcomed all the participants, and Head of the RITM-ARSRL Dr. Sonia B. Sia followed with a presentation of a summary of the 2018 Philippine AMR Data. 

DOH Pharmaceutical Division AMR Program Manager Ms. Nina Isabelle Tolentino presented the Philippine National Action Plan to Combat AMR 2019-2023. After which, RITM Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Committee Chair Dr. Jemelyn Garcia provided an overview of the National Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Standards and Monitoring Division officer-in-charge Dr. Ronald Paguirigan also discussed their policy on restricted antimicrobials as well as the Philippine National Formulary’s (PNF) guidelines on the use of restricted antibiotics. Included in the meeting’s agenda are the evaluation of DOH-ARSP’s performance in 2018, updates from the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), and updates on the management of AMR-related data.

Representatives of 26 ARSP sentinel sites from all over the country gave updates on the accomplishments of their respective hospitals. Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center was recognized as the hospital with the best report. It was also awarded as the Outstanding Sentinel Site for 2018.

While the committee meeting was officially adjourned by noon of the second day, the event proceeded to a training on laboratory procedures: Modified Carbapenem Inactivation Method (mCIM), EDTA-Modified Carbapenem Inactivation Method (eCIM), and broth dilution method for colistin testing.