• Faiza Zeeshan, Rabia Munawwar, Binish Arif Sultan, and Zareen Irshad.
• Department of Pathology, Sindh Medical College, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan.
• J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2024 Aug 1; 34 (8): 897903897-903.

ObjectiveTo determine the consonance between medical practitioners and clinical pharmacists about antimicrobial resistance and stewardship in their practices.Study DesignDescriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Pathology and Department of Pharmacology, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan, from September 2023 to January 2024.MethodologyMedicinal and Clinical Pharmacy professionals were included in the study through purposive sampling technique. The study employed a methodological approach using a predesigned questionnaire administered through Google Forms, based on a 4-step scale strategy. Through an extensive literature review, item development, expert validation, and pilot testing, the questionnaire aimed to assess medical practitioners' and pharmacists' knowledge and perceptions regarding antibiotic practices and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). Following a pilot test involving 30 participants and a Cronbach's alpha analysis yielding a value of 0.7 for internal consistency, minor modifications were implemented before dissemination to the participants. The responses were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and Kappa index.ResultsOut of the total 200 participants, 130 responded within the stipulated timeframe, resulting in an overall response rate of 65%. Among the respondents, medical practitioners constituted 60% (n = 78), while clinical pharmacists comprised 42% (n = 52) of the total. The general agreement level between medical practitioners and clinical pharmacists was determined to be 0.39, indicating a fair level of concordance between the two cohorts.ConclusionThe present investigation emphasised the agreement level between medical practitioners and pharmacists, the two key components of the AMS programme. Nevertheless, a consistent deficiency in knowledge was observed across both cohorts, underscoring the necessity for a heightened level of consensus among the study participants.Key WordsAntimicrobial stewardship, Antimicrobial resistance, Anti-bacterial agents, Pharmacists.

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