Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a silent pandemic, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A recent study at the Infectious Diseases Institute clinic, led by Dr Barbara Castelnuovo and Dr Noela C. Owarwo, and coordinated by Dr Brian Otaalo, revealed staggering findings: 88% of prescriptions made were deemed inappropriate. In response to the urgent threat of antimicrobial resistance and the troubling rates of inappropriate antibiotic use, a behavioural intervention is being implemented at the Infectious Diseases Institute, Prevention, Care, and Treatment Clinic.

From 27th to 31st October 2025, we, CAMO-Net fellows from across nine countries, had the privilege of participating in a five-day antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) workshop held in Cape Town, South Africa. Sponsored by CAMO-Net Capacity Strengthening arm, the workshop brought together a diverse group of CAMO-Net associated from across 11 countries, committed to strengthening AMS practices within our health systems. Fellows in attendance included Fiona Mutesi Magololo and Oliver Angom from Uganda, Esha Sheth from the UK, Sagar M.

On 4th December 2025, at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, CAMO-Net fellows participated in a dissemination meeting that marked a major milestone in the CAMO-Net Training and Capacity Strengthening Programme. The meeting brought together fellows, mentors, investigators, representatives from Wellcome Trust and from all sites and hubs, to reflect on progress made over the course of the fellowship and to share emerging results from projects addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) across diverse global settings.

The Antimicrobial Guide for Primary Health Care in Ceará has been officially launched, marking an important step in scaling up evidence-informed antimicrobial stewardship approaches in Brazil. The adoption builds on the successful implementation of a CAMO-Net-developed antimicrobial guide in São Caetano do Sul, where it formed a core part of a wider intervention to optimise antibiotic use in primary care.

CAMO-Net’s fifth in-person gathering took place in December in India, bringing colleagues together from around the world to build on existing collaborations and to learn more about the breadth of antimicrobial optimisation work taking place across the country. Hosted across sites in Kochi and Chandigarh, the meetings created space for shared reflection, deeper connection and collective thinking around antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

A new study from CAMO-Net UK, published in The Lancet Digital Health, provides rare, real-world insight into how clinicians interact with artificial intelligence (AI) when making complex antimicrobial prescribing decisions - particularly under conditions of uncertainty. The research evaluates an AI-driven clinical decision support system (CDSS) designed to assist clinicians in deciding when patients receiving intravenous antibiotics could safely switch to oral treatment.

Guest blog by Babirye Zubaina,Research Nurse, CAMO-Net Travel Grant Awardee, Infectious diseases InstituteUganda Hub From the 13th to 17th July 2025, I had the privilege of attending the 13thInternational AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science held in Kigali,Rwanda, with support from the CAMO-Net Travel Grant. The conferencebrought together several thousand participants from across the globe,

CAMO-Net Uganda has published the country’s first national cost-of-illness study to estimate the societal economic burden of antibiotic resistance (ABR), revealing a substantial toll on patients, families, and the wider economy. Published in Springer Nature, the study also highlights the disproportionate impact ABR has on women. Drawing on detailed costing and clinical outcomes data from nine regional referral hospitals, the study estimates that ABR cost Uganda US$1.43 million in 2024, equivalent to 0.003% of the country’s GDP.

This week, The Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) CAMO-Net-Ugandaproject was recognised by the Ugandan Ministry of Health, and won anaccolade for their unwavering support and contribution towards the NationalOne Health Platform. The award came as part of the 9th UgandanAntimicrobial Resistance Conference. The function was attended delegates from across the country includingclinicians, policy makers, youth and adolescent AMR champion forum groups…

The CAMO-Net Fellowship Programme will soon be launched, offering 11fellowship positions across our 13 sites. This nine-month fellowship aims todevelop the next generation of researchers with the knowledge and skillsneeded to optimise antimicrobial use in humans, contributing to theobjectives of CAMO-Net and supporting the sustainability of antimicrobialoptimisation solutions. The fellowship programme is designed to promote scientific leadership in…

October 2024 CAMO‑Net is launching a Fellowship Programme to strengthen capacity in antimicrobial optimisation for human use. The programme will be open to applicants from diverse health disciplines and will focus on core CAMO‑Net themes: technology and innovation, medicines management, and the influence of context, culture, and behaviours. In preparation for the Fellowship rollout, the CAMO‑Net Uganda Hub convened a planning workshop to develop the course curriculum.

By Letícia Britto Costa, CAMO-Net Brazil In December 2024, I had the privilege of receiving a travel grant from the CAMO-Net project to participate in two major events in Cape Town, South Africa: the 20th International Congress of Infectious Diseases (ICID) and the CAMO-Net meeting. These ten days were an incredible journey of learning, collaboration, and cultural exchange. Here are some of the highlights.

By Agata do Espirito Santo Soares, CAMO-Net Timor-Leste In December 2024, infectious disease experts from around the world gathered in South Africa for the International Congress on Infectious Diseases (ISID) and the CAMO-Net Meeting. These events brought together over 2,500 participants to address one of the most pressing global health challenges: antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Why These Meetings MatterAMR is a growing threat, fueled by factors such as climate change, poverty, and limited access to medicines.

By Elizabeth Nakazibwe, CAMO-Net Uganda Earlier this year, I had the privilege of participating in a month-long offsite placement through CAMO-Net, a key capacity-building initiative. Hosted by the University of Liverpool and Imperial College London, this opportunity was nothing short of incredible! My placement focused on enhancing my skills in project management, and I was fortunate to learn from the best.

By Esha Sheth, CAMO-Net UK As a research assistant at the University of Liverpool, my role primarily involves assisting with protocol development, obtaining ethics approvals for non-CTIMP (Clinical Trial of Investigational Medicinal Product) research studies and public engagement. With a Master’s in Medical Microbiology under my belt and plans to pursue a PhD, attending the International Congress on Infectious Diseases (ICID) in Cape Town was an invaluable experience.

Guest article by Professor Nusrat Shafiq, CAMO-Net India Co-Lead As we mark World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) 2025 - guided by the global theme “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future” - we reflect on the growing momentum behind efforts to address antimicrobial resistance across national, regional, and local levels in India. Since India’s National Action Plan on AMR (

This World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), we’re celebrating the CAMO-Net Fellows - a talented group of early-career researchers funded by CAMO-Net to complete a fellowship and contribute towards the global efforts to make antimicrobial use smarter, safer and more effective. The Fellows are contributing to an extraordinary range of projects, including rapid diagnostics, genomics, pharmacokinetics, behaviour change, stewardship systems and laboratory capacity strengthening.

As part of our WAAW 2025 events, CAMO-Net brought together participants from across its global network – along with members of the public – for a community dialogue event. The session was designed to create space for open discussion on antimicrobial use and resistance, and to highlight the shared responsibility involved in addressing these issues. With colleagues joining from South Africa, Brazil, Uganda, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the UK, the event reflected the network’s focus on collaboration across different contexts and health systems.

Guest article by Dr Andrew Kambugu, CAMO-Net Uganda Lead Over the past five years, Uganda has made significant progress in responding to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The country’s first National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR I, 2018-2023) provided a solid foundation for coordination across human, animal, and environmental sectors. It marked Uganda’s formal commitment to the One Health approach, recognising that resistant pathogens move freely between people, animals, and the environment.

CAMO-Net Pakistan recently hosted a symposium to highlight their work in addressing antimicrobial resistance AMR ahead of this year’s World AMR Awareness Week at Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. The symposium brought together healthcare practitioners, microbiologists, and infectious disease experts to share experiences and explore strategies to address the growing global threat of AMR. Titled “Preserving Antimicrobials: Educate, Advocate, Act Against AMR”, the event gave particular attention to the challenges faced in low-resource settings.

A new Nature Communications paper from the Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network (CAMO-Net) calls for global collaboration to connect fragmented antimicrobial data and accelerate progress against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The publication, titled “There is urgent need for a Global Data Resource for Antimicrobial PK/PD: CAMO-Net GDR Initiative”, sets out an ambitious plan to create a Global Data Resource (GDR) - a secure, standardised platform for antimicrobial pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) data.

On 17 October 2025, the CAMO-Net Uganda Hub participated in the 6th Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Science Fair, held at the School of Public Health, Mulago National Referral Hospital. Organised by IDI in partnership with Makerere University’s School of Public Health, the event brought together researchers, students, and policymakers to share insights and strengthen collaboration in public health and infectious disease research.

By Sandra Naluyima, CAMO-Net Uganda As part of my offsite CAMONET placement, I had the incredible opportunity to train at two prestigious UK institutions Imperial College London and the University of Liverpool. This placement not only strengthened my technical expertise but also gave me a memorable and transformative personal and professional experience abroad. Training at Imperial College London: LC-MS Method Development…

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.