The 36th Congress of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID Global 2026), held on April 17–21, 2026 in Munich (Germany), was attended by leading world experts in infectious diseases and clinical microbiology, who exchanged ideas and learned about the latest innovations in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases in the dynamic setting of the Messe Munich exhibition congress center. From RCMC, the Deputy Chief Physician for Medical Affairs Svetlana Sergeevna Galitskaya took an active part in ESCMID Global 2026, also representing the Belarusian Association of Physicians at the event.

Within the framework of the Congress, invited speakers, keynote lecturers and ESCMID award winners shared their experience with participants in these classic sessions, which lay the foundation for new scientific discoveries and the development of treatment and diagnostic approaches. The ESCMID Global program was organized around five main tracks: three academic and two industrial. The academic tracks – Education, Science and Research – formed the core of the program and were aimed at developing knowledge, innovation and expertise in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases. The "Capacity Development" and "Industry" tracks, in contrast, focused on the application of the latest scientific developments by enterprises in the field of infectious diseases.

Although European in name, the Congress has long become the world's main arena for discussing issues of infection control, transplantation, and all areas of diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of infectious diseases.

For the first time within the Congress, an "Educational Friday" was held, featuring special sessions – interactive small-group workshops with clearly defined learning objectives, where participants closely interacted with ESCMID experts, gaining hands-on knowledge firsthand. All days of the Congress were filled with keynote lectures, oral presentations, masterclasses, symposia, meetings with experts, and poster presentations, making this event the most prestigious in the world in the field of infectious diseases.

Within the framework of the practical workshop "ESCMID Mobile Laboratory," Congress participants underwent practical training in various methods of microscopy and molecular biology under the guidance of experts in this field – Claire Rogers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK); 4 new sessions were organized in collaboration with the ESCMID Fungal Infection Study Group (EFISG), dedicated to fungal diseases. During digital PCR (dPCR) trainings conducted by Denise O'Sullivan and Alexandra Whale from the LGC group, participants learned about this advanced technique.

The results and achievements presented at ESCMID Global 2026 will find application in the work of our Center, facilitating the implementation of the latest methods of diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases.