In December 2024, another grant from the European Union was awarded for the Antimicrobial Stewardship, Prevention of Infection and Resistance in Africa (ASPIRE) project, which will begin in March 2026. Within this framework, the project will evaluate the impact of enhancing hospital hygiene interventions on the incidence of hospital-acquired infections in subsahran Africa (SSA).

As part of the preparatory phase, from August 3–6, 2025, a delegation from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich and Jimma Hospital visited Asella Teaching and Referral Hospital to coordinate planning with Arsi University and University Hospital Düsseldorf. The visit included productive meetings, in-depth discussions, and site inspections, which proved highly constructive.

The delegation and local teams agreed on concrete implementation steps for key project components, with a particular focus on therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) testing and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data reporting. This visit not only defined the operational roadmap for the ASPIRE project but also reinforced institutional partnerships, ensuring a strong foundation for the upcoming phases of work.