WHO and MoHP launch provincial trainings to institutionalize Antimicrobial Stewardship across Nepal’s hospitals

Sudurpashchim and Karnali provinces - The Curative Service Division, Department of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), with WHO support, has initiated provincial workshops on the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) programme to promote appropriate use of antimicrobials and combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These sessions, part of the implementation of the National Action Plan on AMR, were held in Dhangadhi, Sudurpashchim Province (28-30 May) and in Surkhet, Karnali Province (2-4 June). The programme trained over 50 health-care professionals – including medical superintendents, medical officers, nursing officers, laboratory and pharmacy personnel, as well as representatives from the Provincial Public Health Laboratory and Health Service Directorate. Participants were introduced to AMS fundamentals and core hospital programme components, aligning with the WHO AMS toolkit tailored for health-care facilities in low- and middle-income countries. As part of the orientation, each hospital team developed AMS plans using a structured approach that balances best practices with context-specific considerations and existing hospital frameworks. WHO will continue to support AMS promotion nationwide, conduct additional workshops in other provinces and build capacity for sustainable AMS implementation. This initiative is supported by the Fleming Fund.