By Guilherme Ximenes Soares, CAMO-Net Timor-Leste
Strengthening Global AMS: Insights from South Africa with CAMO-Net Support
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to pose an urgent global health challenge, making cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange more important than ever. With support from CAMO-Net and the Wellcome Trust, I had the opportunity to attend both the CAMO-Net cross-site meeting and the International Conference on Infectious Diseases (ICID2024) in South Africa, an experience made possible through the CAMO-Net travel grant. These gatherings brought together professionals from around the world who are committed to strengthening antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) through culturally informed, evidence-based strategies.
One of the most impactful sessions at the ICID2024 was The Pharmacists’ Role in the Infectious Disease Team. As an AMS pharmacist in Timor-Leste, I found this discussion particularly relevant as it highlighted the importance of evaluating antibiotic medication errors such as missed doses, incorrect dosing, inappropriate intervals, and failure to adjust for renal impairment or microbiology results. These insights will directly inform my work with the AMS committee at the National Hospital in Timor-Leste.
Our Timor-Leste and Brazil (TIL-BRA) team shared experiences about our respective health systems, discovering many structural and operational similarities. We also had engaging sessions on culture and communication, highlighting the importance of language and context in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These discussions reinforced the need for AMS programs to be culturally sensitive and linguistically inclusive.
The conference featured workshops that explored themes such as intersectionality, AMR communication strategies, data-driven decision-making, community engagement, and the ethical considerations of public health research. These interactive sessions fostered cross-hub collaborations and generated actionable insights.
A major highlight from the CAMO-Net meeting was engaging with CAMO-Net colleagues from India on Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) for aminoglycosides and glycopeptides. As Timor-Leste prepares to implement TDM testing for the first time, their practical advice and willingness to offer ongoing support including potential observational visits, was incredibly encouraging. I also had a productive discussion with a researcher from Mahidol University in Thailand about his pharmacokinetic study on Colistin. His openness to collaboration further strengthens the foundation for implementing TDM in our healthcare system.
These interactions reaffirmed the power of collaboration in tackling AMR. In-person interactions allowed for deeper connections and more meaningful exchanges than virtual meetings often permit. The collective energy and shared commitment to culturally relevant, context-specific solutions left me inspired and motivated to continue contributing to AMS efforts in Timor-Leste and beyond. This travel grant opportunity served as a catalyst for future collaborations and strengthened resolve in the fight against AMR.
