In Vietnam, widespread misuse of antibiotics—including overprescription and over-the-counter sales—has led to a rapid increase in rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in recent years. To protect against this threat to public health, ASM is collaborating with the Vietnam Ministry of Health to establish AMR surveillance mechanisms for eight WHO-designated priority pathogens.

Laboratory leaders have identified the need quality standard operating procedures for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). They have also noted that many laboratory technicians need to gain a better understanding of susceptibility testing and quality control practices. ASM is working directly with laboratory teams from 16 designated sentinel surveillance laboratories in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to implement these new practices.

ASM is working with these sentinel laboratories to implement quality AST and other AMR surveillance and recording techniques, in line with goals laid out in Vietnam’s AMR National Action Plan. Since mid-2017, ASM has trained 16 laboratorians, from senior scientists to technicians, on foundational microbiology techniques to provide accurate diagnoses of various priority pathogens that are prevalent across Vietnam. This core team of Vietnamese microbiologists is now capable of serving as subject matter experts, trainers, and educators around AST and data management.

Within the next few years, ASM plans to expand AST trainings to sites across Vietnam, including many in remote areas. Many of these workshops will be led by this first cadre of ASM-trained microbiologists, who will now be able to spread their knowledge and serve as mentors to staff in other laboratories.