AMR Parliamentary Forum visit to Mbale Uganda

May 2025, Uganda: Uganda’s AMR response advanced with a key visit by the AMR Parliamentary Forum to the Mbale Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

The national response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) reached a pivotal milestone with the visit of the AMR Parliamentary Forum to the Mbale Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory on the 26th of March 2025. This significant event not only highlighted the progress made under the UK aid Fleming Fund Country Grant but also provided a unique opportunity for Parliament to directly engage with ongoing efforts to combat AMR across the animal and human health sectors.

The visit by the AMR Parliamentary Forum to the Mbale Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory was a great privilege in that it provided a platform for presenting the work which has been done with support from the Fleming Fund Country Grant to combat AMR in the animal health sector and the challenges faced. 

Adong Laura Lydia Fleming Fund Fellow, Laboratory Animal Health

Showcasing capacity-building through the Fleming Fund Fellowship

The Parliamentary Forum’s visit coincided with a broader capacity-building agenda being implemented through phase 2 of the Fleming Fund Fellowship Scheme. The Mbale District Veterinary Office has become a hub for AMR surveillance training, stakeholder collaboration and applied fieldwork.

Fleming Fellows like Adong Laura Lydia have undergone advanced training, including virtual and in-person sessions such as the One Health Workforce Academies’ Gender and One Health course and the AMR Masterclass in September 2024. These trainings have equipped participants with vital interdisciplinary knowledge and practical lab skills.

Workshops and local stakeholder meetings have helped align district efforts with national AMR strategies. The parliamentarian visit validated these initiatives, helping to elevate the work done to a national platform and fostering broader support.

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The visit provided a unique opportunity for Parliament to directly engage with ongoing efforts to combat AMR across the animal and human health sectors.

Promoting One Health through parliamentary engagement

A cornerstone of the AMR response showcased during the visit was the One Health approach; an integrated effort that connects human, animal and environmental health. The forum’s engagement offered firsthand insights into how this strategy is being implemented in the field.

Visiting and interaction between the AMR Parliamentary Forum with the Mbale Regional Referral Hospital and Mbale Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory provided One Health approach/platform of sharing the work which has been done in combating AMR, challenges faced and possible solutions as well as areas of support by the parliament in addressing AMR in human and animal health sectors in the region.

Adong Laura Lydia

The fellow’s contributions to national platforms, such as the ‘AMR II National Action Plan’ review and WHO-led costing exercises, were  in the spotlight. These fellows have helped shape Uganda’s strategic AMR direction for 2024–2029 and added weight to the discussions during the parliamentary visit.

Demonstrating impact through surveillance and diagnostics

The Forum’s visit also provided an opportunity to demonstrate practical fieldwork conducted under the Fleming Fellowship. Surveillance activities carried out in August 2024 involved AMU/AMR data collection among livestock farmers, including blood sampling of goats and cattle work that directly feeds into national AMR data systems.

The MPs were also briefed on the recent launch of microbiology testing services at the Mbale Laboratory. With support from Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation Uganda, this development has significantly advanced local AMR diagnostic capacity.

Structured mentorship and applied learning in action

Parliamentarians were shown how mentorship and reflective learning have been integral to the program. Regular reporting and planning mechanisms have ensured fellows stay aligned with objectives, while strategic adjustments have helped balance fieldwork and regular job duties.

I was pleased that the visit by the AMR Parliamentary forum to the Mbale Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory was not a fault-finding mission as stated by the team lead but rather to witness and appreciate the work which has been done to address AMR in animal health sector and identify areas of support in reference challenges identified during the visit.

Adong Laura Lydia

Sustaining progress through political and financial support

The presence of the AMR Parliamentary Forum underscored the essential role political commitment plays in sustaining efforts to combat AMR. Their engagement with fellows, laboratory staff and regional stakeholders sends a powerful message about the value of continued investment in health systems strengthening.

As the programme moves forward, the partnerships fostered through the Fleming Fund and the visibility brought by the AMR Parliamentary Forum visit are expected to catalyse even greater impact supporting resilient health infrastructure and preserving the effectiveness of life-saving treatments.

About the Fleming Fund

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)'s Fleming Fund is a UK aid programme supporting up to 25 countries across Africa and Asia to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a leading contributor to deaths from infectious diseases worldwide.

The Fleming Fund invests in strengthening AMR surveillance systems through a portfolio of country grants, regional grants, and fellowships managed by Mott MacDonald and global projects managed by the DHSC.

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