Gandhinagar, Aug 19 (IANS) More than 950 delegates from India and abroad will gather in Gandhinagar from August 20 to 23 for the 16th annual conference of the Clinical Infectious Diseases Society (CIDSCON 2026), with antimicrobial resistance, infection control and the use of artificial intelligence in clinical practice among the key areas of discussion.

The four-day conference will be held at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre and will bring together infectious disease specialists, clinicians, researchers, microbiologists and other healthcare professionals.

The programme is aimed at sharing advances in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, while examining challenges specific to India.

The official CIDS programme confirms the August 20-23 dates and venue.

Health Minister Praful Pansheriya will inaugurate the conference and unveil a book on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) written by an eminent infectious diseases specialist.

The conference will open on August 20 with specialised workshops covering different aspects of infectious disease practice.

These will include "ID 360: Mastering the Basics", "Microbiology 360: Diagnostics, Stewardship and Infection Control", "The Zero Defence Challenge: Mastering ID in the Immunocompromised", "AI and Technology in ID Practice" and "ID Issues in Surgical Practice".

The workshops will include expert sessions, case-based discussions and hands-on learning.

Artificial intelligence will be a particular focus, with a dedicated workshop examining the current AI landscape and applications beyond large language models.

Participants will explore how AI could be used in infectious disease practice and how its role compares with human clinical decision-making.

The workshop will also include practical projects and problem-solving exercises.

The main scientific programme will cover antimicrobial resistance, tropical infections, tuberculosis, HIV, fungal infections, virology, infection control, antimicrobial stewardship and infections in immunocompromised patients.

Sessions will also examine emerging technologies including next-generation sequencing, phage therapy and AI-enabled clinical practice.

A special session on August 22 will focus on efforts to strengthen antimicrobial resistance containment in Gujarat.

It will examine state initiatives, the Gujarat State AMR Surveillance Network (GUJSAR-N), monitoring of antimicrobial stewardship programmes and laboratory-data-based disease surveillance through an AMR dashboard.

The programme will also include challenging case discussions, interactions with experts, award presentations and poster rounds, along with dedicated sessions for postgraduate students and fellows.

The conference will feature national experts as well as international faculty from countries including the United States and Singapore.

CIDS President Subramanian Swaminathan, Secretary Neha Gupta, Treasurer Kavitha Saravu, Organising Chairman Atul Patel, Organising Co-Chairman Harsh Toshniwal and Organising Secretary Surbhi Madan will be among those associated with the event.

Co-Organising Secretaries Vipul Shah, Manoj Sevakani and Swati Gohel will also be present.

The conference will conclude on August 23 with a valedictory session.

--IANS

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