Zimbabwe Adds Antimicrobial Resistance Module To Nursing Curriculum
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, with support from the World Health Organisation, its partners and the UK’s Fleming Fund, has introduced an antimicrobial resistance (AMR) module in the nursing school curriculum for registered general nurses, primary care nurses, and midwifery, beginning in 2024, reported The Herald.
As of November 2023, seven experts had trained a total of 106 registered nurses, primary care nurses, and midwifery educators from the country’s northern and southern regions on topics such as AMR in HIV, AMR in malaria, AMR in fungal, AMR in bacteria, sample collection, the role of nurses in the fight against AMR, the structure of bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and antimicrobial stewardship.
The acting WHO representative in Zimbabwe, Professor Jean-Marie Dangou, said WHO supported the training of 106 nursing educators on effectively delivering the new AMR module. He said:
Recognising the crucial role of nurses in the fight against AMR, WHO actively supported this integration by training 106 nursing educators on effectively delivering the new AMR module. This proactive approach equips educators with the necessary skills and knowledge to confidently guide students through the intricacies of AMR prevention and control…
The WHO also helped to mobilise resources for Zimbabwe’s AMR program. The UK government provided financial assistance to the Republic of Zimbabwe through the Fleming Fund and the AMR Multi Partners Trust Fund.
According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, antimicrobial resistance happens when germs like bacteria and fungi develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. Resistant infections can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat.
Antimicrobial resistance is a naturally occurring process, but AMR increases in antimicrobial resistance are driven by a combination of germs exposed to antibiotics and antifungals, and the spread of those germs and their resistance mechanisms.
AMR does not mean that the body is resistant to antibiotics or antifungals. It means the bacteria or fungi causing the infection are resistant to the antibiotic or antifungal treatment.
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