The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Egypt and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, in collaboration with Ain-Shams University, have initiated a behavioural change study for tailoring antimicrobial resistance programmes. The study began with a five-day workshop in Cairo from 3 to 7 December 2017, and was inaugurated by Dr Abdel Wahab Ezzat, president of Ain-Shams University. Approximtely 25 participants, including physicians, pharmacists, laboratory professionals, infectious disease prevention and control specialists and sociologists, attended the workshop.

The main objective of the study is to identify and validate culturally accepted, innovative and context-specific behaviour change interventions among health care providers regarding antibiotics prescription and dispensing practices, in order to combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance.  

The study consists of three phases which are to be implemented over the next 6 months, and will include a variety of assessment methods that will focus on understanding behaviour related to prescriptions and antibiotics dispensing. Strategic interventions will be developed as part of the first phase of the study, which will then lead to the implementation and evaluation phases.