Recent activities from across the fellowship cohorts in Uganda, Zambia, Malawi and Kenya. New phase launches to tackle drug resistance crisis A group of professionals from Uganda, Malawi, Zambia and Kenya are joining the fight against drug resistance in low- and middle-income countries. Building capacity to tackle antimicrobial resistance in Africa Reflections on the work of the Fleming Fund Fellowship schemes in Uganda, Malawi and Kenya, that are building expertise in AMR surveillance. Silent Pandemic documentary receives Regional AMR Champion Media House Award November 2023: The documentary, the brainchild of Kenyan Fleming Fund Policy fellows at the University of Edinburgh, was made in collaboration with Distory Communications to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Kenyan Policy Fellows shine light on Silent Pandemic through powerful documentary November 2023: Kenyan Policy fellows, Evelyn Wesangula and Romona Ndanyi, collaborated on a documentary that explores the complexities of AMR in Kenya, aiming to captivate the attention of both policymakers and the general public. Alumni meeting and Digital One Health workshop in Uganda September 2023: Alumni Legacy Review meeting and Digital One Health workshop organised by the University of Edinburgh in Uganda. Alumni Fellows' contribution to tackling Antimicrobial Resistance September 2023: Alumni Fleming Fund Fellows From Uganda, Malawi and Kenya remain engaged as advocates against drug resistance, contributing to a healthier world. Malawi's Alumni Fellows visit Edinburgh June 2023: University of Edinburgh hosts Alumni Fleming Fund Fellows from Malawi, accompanied by Dr. Collins Mitambo, Head of Research at the Ministry of Health. Malawi Fleming Fund fellows make further progress on AMR surveillance in poultry farms May 2023: Researchers and Fleming Fund mentors from the University of Edinburgh visited Malawi in March and April to support the fellows in their work. Visit to the National Fisheries Resource Research Institute (NaFIRRI) in Uganda January 2023: Dr. Israel Mugezi, Fleming Fund Fellow, visited the NaFIRRI's headquarters in Jinja District and the Aquaculture Research and Development Centre at Kajjansi in Wakiso District, Uganda Fellowship partners: Kenya policy fellows and Professor Liz Grant November 2022: Kenyan policy fellows Evelyn Wesangula and Romona Ndanyi, and their mentor at the University of Edinburgh, Prof Liz Grant, talk about the importance of collaboration during their fellowship. Fellowship partners: Malawi Animal Health fellow and Dr. Stella Mazeri October 2022: Catherine Kamwana, fellow from Malawi, and Dr. Stella Mazeri, mentor from the University of Edinburgh, talk about the importance of having an appropriate mentoring programme during their fellowship. Fellowship Partners: Uganda Animal Health fellow and Dr. Bryan Wee October 2022: Uganda animal health fellow Franklin Mayanja, and his mentor from the University of Edinburgh Dr. Bryan Wee, talk about the knowledge exchange during the fellowship. SEQAFRICA capacity building workshop in whole genome sequencing October 2022: Williams Mwantoma, Fleming Fund Fellow from Malawi, participated in a SEQAFRICA workshop in Ghana to build capacity in bioinformatics. Malawi fellows have successfully completed specimen collection September 2022: Fleming Fund fellows from Malawi have successfully completed data collection from poultry, humans, and the environment as part of the One Health approach. Uganda fellows attended international AMR conference in Portugal September 2022: Musa Sekamette, Michael Kimaanga, and Christopher Amandu travelled to Portugal in September for the International Congress on Antimicrobial Resistance. Fellows participated in the Fleming Fund Antibiotic Consumption and Use workshop in Kampala September 2022: Several Fleming Fund fellows from Malawi, Kenya, and Uganda participated in a workshop on AMU policy and practice organised by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Infectious Disease Institute in Kampala, Uganda. Kick-off of project to assess AMR in poultry farms in central Malawi July 2022: Fleming Fund Fellows from Malawi successfully trained research assistants who will help collect poultry, human and environmental samples for the collaborative project. Fleming Fund fellowships are increasing capacity for bioinformatics in Uganda June 2022: Fleming Fund fellowship mentor Dr. Bryan Wee spent a week at Makerere University providing technical guidance to aid analysis of genome data. Visit to aquaculture farms in Uganda May 2022: Dr. Israel Mugezi, Fleming Fund fellow, visited 10 aquaculture farms to understand antibiotic use in aquaculture, and help policymakers set future guidelines for antimicrobial use in aquaculture. Urbanisation and the challenges for antimicrobial resistance in Uganda April 2022: Fleming Fund fellow, Dr Joel Bazira discusses the impacts of rapid growth of cities on control of AMR. Fleming Fund AMR fellows visit Edinburgh The Fleming Fund supports training and capacity building for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in low and middle income countries. Edinburgh work with Fleming Fund fellowships highlighted by ICARS The University of Edinburgh's work with the Fleming Fund fellowship Scheme has been highlighted by the conference organised by the International Centre for AMR Solutions (ICARS). Molecular Biology Laboratory Training in Kampala, Uganda December 2021: Applying whole-genome sequencing approaches to understand AMR. AMR teaching programme 2021 – 2022 December 2021: The University of Edinburgh has put together a 5-month teaching programme for Fleming Fund fellows, covering various aspects of antibiotic resistance. AMR awareness training at Arua Institute of Health Sciences, Uganda November 2021: During WAAW, Christopher Harold Amandu spread awareness of AMR to staff and students at the Arua Institute of Health Sciences, in NW Uganda. World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021 in Kenya November 2021: Fleming Fund policy fellows played a very active role in planning and organising activities for World Antibiotic Awareness Week in Kenya. Project planning workshop in Lilongwe, Malawi November 2021: Co-director of the University of Edinburgh Fleming Fund fellowship schemes, attended a workshop with the Fleming Fund fellows in Malawi to discuss fellowship activities. Capacity building for developing and implementing a one-health AMR surveillance plan November 2021: Co-director of the University of Edinburgh Fleming Fund fellowship schemes, spoke about fellowship work in Uganda, Malawi and Kenya to the Wellcome Trust Third Call to Action on AMR conference. International One Health Day celebration in Uganda November 2021: Uganda Fleming Fund Policy Fellows Musa Sekamatte and Michael Kimaanga participated in the 6th International One Health Day celebration held in Uganda on 2-3 November. Project planning workshops in Blantyre and Lilongwe February 2021: The project is investigating the links between antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use on poultry farms in Malawi. University of Edinburgh to host Fleming Fund fellows from Uganda June 2019: University of Edinburgh is hosting six fellows from Uganda to study AMR surveillance in human and animals. This article was published on 2024-09-13
