Guest blog by Zelia Maria Marques Freitas, Research Nurse – CAMO-Net Timor Lesté
I am thrilled to share my experience attending the International AMR Nextt 2025 Conference held from November 29–30, 2025, followed by Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network (CAMO-Net) meeting at Amrita Hospital in Faridabad India, from December 1–5, 2025. This journey was made possible through the incredible support of the CAMO-Net Travel Grant, a truly transformative opportunity for my professional career as a Research Nurse specializing in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Receiving this Travel Grant was a profound Honor. Beyond easing the logistical and accommodation challenges of international travel, it served as a powerful validation of the research our team is conducting on Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) at Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares (HNGV), and our efforts to optimize antibiotic use from primary to tertiary healthcare levels. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the CAMO-Net team for their unwavering commitment to capacity building and fostering global collaboration.
As a first-time attendee, I was immediately thrust into a world of brilliant minds dedicated to solving the global crisis of AMR. It was inspiring to see how they strategize to optimize Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) implementation and develop National Action Plans for healthcare professionals worldwide. The meeting was intensive and highly productive, allowing us to witness project advancements from various global hubs, with particularly impressive highlights from Malawi, Pakistan, Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, UK, and India.
At the AMR Conference, our team presented a poster and an oral presentation titled: “The Patterns of Utilization of Glycopeptide and Aminoglycoside in Clinical Settings from Six Timor-Leste Hospitals, 2025: Findings from a Prospective Descriptive Study.” We received invaluable feedback from leading experts. I am incredibly proud to share that our abstract was ranked in the Top 3 of the conference!
Additionally, our team member, Agata, received the Outstanding Oral Presentation award, a moment that deeply motivated me to keep growing in my research career, and I feel more motivated than ever to advance my academic career. I am currently seeking opportunities to pursue a master’s and eventually a PhD to deepen my impact on AMR research. We engaged in thematic sessions covering critical topics such as the sustained availability of affordable, quality antibiotics, healthcare improvement tools, supply chain challenges, and ensuring effective Point of Care Testing (POCT) in low-resource settings. These practical sessions equipped me with new skills that I am eager to apply in my daily work.
The most priceless part of the trip was interacting directly with fellow researchers from 13 CAMO-Net hubs across 11 countries. Sharing challenges and successes face-to-face and even engaging in informal discussions often sparks the most innovative collaborative ideas. I had the Honor of meeting giants in the field, including Prof. Alison (a leading AMR expert in the Fleming Initiative), Dr. Candace, Prof. Silvia, and Dr. Andrew, all of whom are truly inspiring. And I hope in the future our team can have more collaborative projects opportunities with the experts
This meeting reinforced my belief that fighting AMR is a global struggle that requires synergy across borders. I return to the Menzies School of Health Research Timor-Leste with a renewed spirit and several key goals:
- Implementing New Insights: Integrating the methods and strategies learned during the workshops into our ongoing projects.
- Strengthening Partnerships: Organizing knowledge-sharing sessions and Point of Care training for my fellow nurses at HNGV to broaden the horizons of my team and colleagues.
The support from the CAMO-Net Travel Grant has transformed a professional trip into a major milestone in my career. I highly recommend that my fellow CAMO-Net colleagues take advantage of the grant opportunities available. It is a vital investment in the future of research and global capacity building for antimicrobial
optimization.
Thank you, CAMO-Net. I eagerly look forward to our next meeting and our continued collaboration!
