Building sustainable operational research capacity to tackle antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health challenge with the potential to kill as many as 10

million people per year by 2050 and cost the world economy as much as $100 trillion. AMR makes standard

treatments ineffective and allows infections to persist and spread to others.

The Structured Operational Research and Training IniTiative (SORT IT) seeks to make countries “data rich,

information rich and action rich”. SORT IT is a global partnership-based initiative coordinated by TDR, the

Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, and implemented with partners. We will

use SORT IT to build operational research (OR) capacity that will generate and promote use of evidence on

the emergence, spread and health impact of AMR for tackling this global problem.

SORT IT has been successfully scaled up to 90 countries over 8 years (with approximately 800 participants) and

addressed topics such as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and outbreaks

and emergencies. The approach has proven to be adaptable to various geographic contexts, thematic areas

and research methodologies. About 85% of participants publish in peer-reviewed journals and 69% of studies

report an impact on policy and practice. This model is now being adapted to tackle AMR.