Actimicrobial Week Lectures – AMSA Kyrgyzstan

Name of the activity: Antimicrobial Week Lectures

Country/NMO: AMSA-Kyrgyzstan

Program: Communicable Diseases

Contact information: contact [email protected] to get in touch with the Activity Coordinator

Type of the activity: First-time Activity

Category: Education

Focus area: Prevention of Communicable Diseases | Tuberculosis, Prevention of Communicable Diseases | Malaria, Prevention of Communicable Diseases | Hepatitis, Prevention of Communicable Diseases | Neglected Tropical Diseases (focus on Rabies, Dengue and Echinococcosis), Preventable Diseases, Reduce incidence of Antimicrobial Resistance, Early childhood diseases, Early childhood vaccines and preventable diseases

Sustainable Development Goals addressed: SDG 4 (Quality Education)

Enrollment valid until: September 30, 2023 (enroll again next term if the Activity is continued) – in Database until 2026

General description:

In the Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022 there was a lecture series on antimicrobials which included the integration of Pharmacology and Microbiology subjects. In Microbiology all the organisms were included i.e Bacteria, Fungi, Viruses and Helminths and in Pharmacology all the drugs were included which is used in treating the infections/diseases about the above antimicrobials. It was more clinically oriented with a discussion of clinical scenarios.

Problem statement:

AMR is a serious problem in the Kyrgyz Republic, which has one of the highest rates of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in the world (25% among new cases of TB; 56% among previously treated cases). With respect to this the medical students of kyrgyzstan from 3rd to 8th semesters were given knowledge about the antimicrobials so they take precautionary measures in preventing the diseases. 

Target groups:

• Medical students

Beneficiaries:

• Medical students

Objectives:

1. To inform 50% of medical students of Kyrgyzstan about antimicrobials and its information and management .
2. To introduce 70% participants to the causative agents of malaria, hepatitis, tuberculosis and the other communicable diseases in addition with the early childhood diseases and the vaccinations available in childhood as well as adulthood.
3. To make sure at least 75% of participants gain knowledge about the clinical aspects of microbiology and pharmacology. 

Indicators of Success:

All the objectives were covered and after every session there was an oral questioning about the topics taught to the students and mostly everyone were able to answer it correctly. Also as the new sessions were starting there was a small duration of time given to revise the previous session so that students remember it in long run. Around 100-120 students participated in the sessions and out of that 75% of the participated students were able to know all the organisms in each classifications of bacteria, viruses, fungus and helminths in correlation with the drugs used in each classifications like anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-helminths.

Methodology:

Registrations were opened 1 week prior the Antimicrobial Awareness week. 123 students registered for these sessions. 

As planned the event consists of lectures of pharmacology and microbiology on the topic antimicrobials. The session began with a lecture on microbiology by the Microbiology faculty, which was followed by a talk on pharmacology by the Pharmacology faculty.

Each subject session was about 1 hour.

Microbiology Included Classifications of micro-organisms, early childhood diseases and vaccines for the diseases. Pharmacology included the drugs for the antimicrobials i.e anti fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-helminths, anti-viral with the discussion of clinical scenarios  

The session continued for 5 days in the lecture hall no 2 of International Higher School of Medicine, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from 16:00 PM to 18:00 PM KGT on the different topics as planned by the faculties.

There were few technical issues during the sessions but it was sorted out as soon as possible. 

Plans for evaluation:

• Before the sessions students were not much clear about the information regarding the antimicrobials as due to pandemic few semesters were having their pharmacology and microbiology classes online due to which the practical aspects of microbiology were missed for example slides of micro-organisms, the staining process and the distinguishing features between the different cultures.
• After the session students were clear about the practical aspects of microbiology and applied aspect of pharmacology in integration. Also the students were satisfied with the offline lecture series conducted.

External collaborations:

None