Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – 24–26 November 2025 – The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan (MoHMIT) conducted a three-day intensive training course on laboratory surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Held at the Center for Public Health and Nutrition in Ashgabat, the training aimed to enhance national capacity to detect and monitor AMR, a growing global health threat that undermines the effectiveness of essential medicines.
The course was designed to strengthen technical skills among laboratory specialists from Ashgabat and Arkadag cities, as well as 5 provinces Akhal, Balkan, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary. Sessions were led by two national trainers, Dr. B. Kakabaeva, Head of the Microbiology Laboratory at the Center for Public Health and Nutrition, and Dr. B. Orazova, Head of the Bacteriology Department at the Central Laboratory, ensuring the transfer of advanced skills and best practices.
The training program offered a comprehensive mix of theory and practice to strengthen laboratory capacity for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance. Participants learned about AMR monitoring methods, proper sample collection and handling, and interpretation of antimicrobial susceptibility testing results based on EUCAST standards. Practical sessions focused on disk diffusion and serial dilution techniques, quality control using ATCC reference strains, and external quality assessment under the CAESAR program. The training also covered national guidelines, regulatory documentation, reporting procedures, and strategies for selecting appropriate antimicrobials for gram-negative and gram-positive organisms. The course concluded with discussions on laboratory performance, recommendations for improvement, a post-training assessment.
This initiative is part of a two-year cooperation agreement between the WHO/Europe and the MoHMIT, supported by WHO CO in Turkmenistan, and aligns with global efforts under the CAESAR (Central Asian and Eastern European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance) network. By strengthening laboratory capacity, Turkmenistan aims to improve the detection and monitoring of AMR at the national level, support evidence-based decision-making for antimicrobial use, and contribute to global surveillance efforts to reduce the risk of drug-resistant infections.
«THE ASHGABAT TIMES».
