Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness: Strengthening Knowledge and Practices for Effective Stewardship

CUE conducted a workshop entitled “Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness: Strengthening Knowledge and Practices for Effective Stewardship” by Hataw Fryad Saber on November 24^th, 2025.

The AMR workshop was engaging and straightforward, structured in two clear parts that resonated well with attendees. It began with a foundational presentation on how microbes develop resistance to antibiotics, the serious global implications, and practical prevention strategies. This was followed by Mr. Halo Sirajadin, Head of Microbiology at Balsam Hospital, who delivered the second segment, highlighting the vital role of antimicrobial susceptibility testing in selecting effective treatments and presenting key data on highly resistant pathogens—such as E. coli, Klebsiella, and Acinetobacter bacteria, along with Candida auris fungus—showing which antibiotics face the greatest resistance, drawn from local Kurdistan hospital records and WHO global reports. The format encouraged lively discussion and motivated participants to take action.

This workshop seeks to enhance understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a global crisis where microbes resist treatments, leading to harder-to-treat infections and higher death risks. Primary aims include optimizing antimicrobial use to minimize resistance emergence and healthcare costs.

This workshop raises awareness of antimicrobial resistances and its impact on health  for CUE staff and students; increases knowledge of AMR mechanisms and factors promoting antimicrobial resistances; promotes antimicrobial stewardship practices, like rational prescribing and infection control via hand hygiene and WASH, to reduce overuse; fosters One Health collaboration between microbiologists, healthcare workers, pharmacists, and policymakers for surveillance and innovation;​ and emphasizes the importance and procedure of antimicrobial susceptibility test for prescribing medications.

 Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) workshops matter right now for public health, as tough infections keep rising worldwide—killing over a million people each year—and hit hard in places like Iraq and Kurdistan. With the WHO pushing a fresh global plan and targets to cut deaths by 2030, these workshops give hands-on help to staff and students at CUE to lead smart antibiotic use, team up across health fields, and teach communities, even as new drugs lag behind. They bring simple tools to stop resistance early, avoid bigger problems later, and fit right into the ongoing work on diagnostics and awareness seminars.

CUE finds that raising awareness in educational institutions about health topics plays a pivotal role in shaping the well-being of students and staff. This proactive approach not only addresses immediate health concerns but also fosters long-term healthy habits.