Ashgabat, 3 September 2026 – A working group meeting to develop a draft Guideline on epidemiological surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Turkmenistan took place at the Centre of Public Health and Nutrition of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan (MoHMIT).
The meeting brought together representatives of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and its institutions to review and further develop the draft Guideline on epidemiological surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Turkmenistan. The discussions focused on strengthening national approaches to AMR surveillance.
Participants included representatives from the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service (SSES), the International Scientific and Training Centre, the Centre of Public Health and Nutrition, the Centre for Prevention of Particularly Dangerous Infections, Infectious Diseases Centres, the Scientific and Clinical Centre of Physiology, and the Centre for Maternal and Child Health. Participants reviewed the draft document, provided technical comments and recommendations, and worked collectively on its further refinement.
The programme included a presentation of the draft Guideline, technical discussions and an exchange of comments, group work on the document, and a review of the revised provisions. This collaborative process provided an opportunity to consider the roles and responsibilities of relevant institutions and to ensure that the proposed approaches are aligned with national priorities and existing public health systems.
The meeting was held within the framework of the One Health approach, recognizing that antimicrobial resistance is a complex public health challenge that requires coordinated action and collaboration across relevant sectors. Strengthening surveillance is an important part of this approach, enabling countries to better understand patterns and trends in antimicrobial resistance and to use available evidence to guide prevention and response measures.
The development of a national Guideline on epidemiological surveillance of AMR represents an important step towards establishing more coordinated, systematic and standardized approaches to AMR surveillance in Turkmenistan. The Guideline is intended to support relevant institutions in strengthening surveillance practices and improving the availability and use of information on antimicrobial resistance.
The meeting concluded with the presentation of the final draft of the Guideline and closing remarks, marking a further step in national efforts to strengthen antimicrobial resistance surveillance and advance coordinated action under the One Health approach. ///nCa, 10 September 2026 (in cooperation with WHO Turkmenistan)