Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment: Imperatives for ICT4D Research

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment is an emerging problem, particularly impacting low and middle income countries. The One Health (OH) approach currently being promoted by global and national agencies, while highlighting importance of studying the interconnections between humans, animals and environment, tend to downplay the environment. Further, this paper argues that the concrete methods and data required to design and develop digital environmental AMR monitoring systems within the context of governmental systems in LMICs are significantly under studied. This paper makes a small effort towards highlighting the problem of environmental AMR in LMIC contexts, and more particularly related to the design and development of a digital monitoring system. The paper argues IS and ICT4D research has an important role to play in this effort, particularly in bringing in principles of systems thinking to the design and development processes.