Antimicrobial resistance communication activities in South East Asia

• While the Global Action Plan to combat AMR (2015) clearly put forth public awareness as a strategic priority, South East Asian countries showed limited evidence of strategic thinking regarding awareness campaigns • Communication interventions have been limited to stand alone, sporadic events restricted in terms of their audience, messaging, and intervention design • Strategic, well defined communication campaigns need to be designed and implemented by governments and incorporate essential elements of effective communication campaigns P ublic health communication is the scientific development, strategic dissemination, and critical evaluation of relevant, accurate, accessible, and understandable health information, communicated to and from intended audiences to advance the health of the public. In the field of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), evidence from developed countriesshows that effective communication campaigns contribute towards raising the discourse around AMR and in promoting the rational use of antibiotics by prescribers and patients, as well as within the agriculture and food industries. Our research shows, however, that there is a limited volume of information available on AMR related communication campaigns in the World Health Organization South East Asia Region (SEAR). All countries in the region need to adopt comprehensive, strategic communication campaigns to transform behaviours that lead to antimicrobial resistance. This article describes the landscape of government led public awareness interventions on AMR in South East Asia, and suggests recommendations to help national level authorities in the development of future campaigns.