The college of Nursing at the University of Basra held its fourth international conference on nursing and medical sciences from December 22 to 23, 2025, with the participation of a group of academics and researchers from inside and outside Iraq. Professor Dr. Houra Hussein Ghaffal made a distinguished appearance as a keynote speaker by presenting a specialized scientific lecture entitled “The Global Strategy for Controlling Infection and Preventing its Spread,” in which she highlighted the applications of this strategy from the perspective of maternal and newborn health, focusing on the pivotal role of nursing in reducing infections acquired within health institutions, especially in maternity and neonatal wards.
This scientific participation aimed to clarify the modern concepts of the global strategy for infection control and activate the role of nursing staff in its implementation, in addition to raising awareness of the importance of prevention in maternal and child care to improve health safety indicators and support evidence-based practices to reduce the spread of epidemics and infections within hospitals. This contribution is part of the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Baghdad’s keenness to support scientific research, enhance international academic cooperation, and exchange experiences in the health fields, thereby directly contributing to the achievement of the third Sustainable Development Goal, which is good health and well-being, by enhancing the quality of preventive services for the most vulnerable groups, such as mothers and newborns.
Dr. Al-Shammari concluded her participation with a series of scientific recommendations that emphasized the need to integrate infection control strategies into training programs for nursing students and health personnel and to activate standard protocols in maternity and childhood departments, She also stressed the importance of encouraging ongoing scientific research in the field of infection control as a fundamental means of improving the quality of comprehensive healthcare in the country.
