(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
DOHA: The Bio-medical Research Center (BRC) at Qatar University (QU) held four days workshop on 'Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and surveillance which started yesterday
This workshop aimed to build national capacity in the field of testing antimicrobial susceptibility. The workshop aligns with the National Action Plan for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2022 approved by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).
The event drew the participation of over 150 human and animal health clinicians, researchers, pharmacists and laboratory technologists from institutions in Qatar.
It was organised in collaboration with MoPH Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Department, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (DLMP), and Bristol Antimicrobial Reference Unit, UK.
The opening session was attended by QU College of Health Sciences (CHS) Dean and BRC Director Prof Asma Al-Thani and BRC faculty, researchers, and staff.
In her presentation, MoPH Medical Microbiologist and Infection Control Specialist, Dr Nahla Sharaf discussed the National Action Plan for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2022 and the National One Health Surveillance System.
University of Bristol Professor of Antimicrobial Therapeutics Dr Alasdair MacGowen and Senior Clinical Scientist at the Antimicrobial Reference Laboratory-Bristol Dr Karen Bowker discussed the role of antibiotics testing in clinical care and phenotypic approaches of susceptibility testing.
Senior Consultant of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Al Wakra Hospital Dr Nasser Al Ansari introduced the audience to the national and international surveillance and control programmes.
Head of HMC Microbiology and Virology Division, Dr Emad Ibrahim, highlighted the recent technologies used in the clinical and research settings to run susceptibility testing. The workshop was moderated by BRC Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases, Dr Hadi Yassine.
Following the theoretical session, the participants attended the practical hands-on session provided by Dr Karen Bowker and Dr Allen Noel, clinical scientists at Antimicrobial Reference Unit, North Bristol NHS Trust.
They highlighted the international basic techniques used to measure microbes susceptibility to antibiotics with the aim to standardise the methodology of susceptibility testing in Qatar.
In her remarks, Prof Asma Al Thani, said: 'This workshop will ensure the standardisation and reliability of antimicrobial data as antimicrobial resistance and surveillance is a keystone to the national antimicrobial stewardship program.
'We are delighted to accommodate practical training for more than 30 individuals representing 19 institutions around Qatar. I trust this will be a successful workshop and I hope that everyone would take the outcomes and the experience gained from this program to participate in developing our regulatory system to reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance in our community.
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