October 2024: A group of professionals from Uganda, Malawi, Zambia and Kenya are joining the fight against drug resistance in low- and middle-income countries. This new phase began with a series of orientation workshops in Uganda, Zambia, Kenya and Malawi. With long-term support from University of Edinburgh, these new fellows aim to address this growing global threat.As part of the Fleming Fund — a UK Government aid programme dedicated to combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) — the University launched Phase Two of the fellowship scheme in the spring of 2024. This new phase began with a series of orientation workshops in Uganda, Zambia, Kenya and Malawi, where the forty new fellows met with their mentors. Leading experts The mentors are leading experts from human health, animal health and environmental sectors and are drawn from across the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University, Royal Holloway University of London and NHS Lothian. Over the next 15 months, fellows will collaborate with mentors for bespoke training, focusing on quality data collection, management and leveraging surveillance results to drive interventions and policies that reduce AMR.The fellowship scheme in Edinburgh is co-directed by Professor Till Bachmann from the Institute of Regeneration and Repair and Dr Adrian Muwonge from the Roslin Institute, and crucially the schemes take a One Health approach to addressing AMR. It’s been incredibly valuable to connect with the new fellows and their mentors at the start of their fellowship journey. This early collaboration builds networks and fosters essential partnerships to tackle this global crisis.Since becoming a host institution with the Fleming Fund in 2019, we've seen the significant impact fellows can have on combating AMR. With the strong collaborations we've established, we’re hopeful that Phase Two will bring even greater advancements in our fight against drug resistance. Dr Adrian Muwonge Co-Director of the Fleming Fund Scheme, University of Edinburgh The Antimicrobial Resistance Fellowship supported by the Fleming Fund through the University of Edinburgh is more than just training; it's a crucial step toward empowering medical professionals in Malawi to combat one of the greatest global health threats of our time. By fostering expertise and collaboration, this fellowship transforms knowledge into action, enabling sustainable solutions that protect future generations from the devastating impact of resistant infections. Collins Mitambo Head of Research at the Ministry of Health in Malawi, a Fleming Fund Host Institution What have our fellows achieved so far? Telling the real stories of the silent pandemic Kenya’s policy fellows have taken a stand against AMR with their impactful documentary The Silent Pandemic. Alumni fellows Evelyn Wesangula and Romona Ndanyi collaborated with Professor Liz Grant on a documentary that explores the complexities of AMR in Kenya.This powerful film, which won the Regional AMR Champion Media House Award, highlights the often-overlooked crisis of antimicrobial resistance, particularly among children.Evelyn, one of the talented fellows who created the documentary, has since become a regional senior player in AMR and attended the recent UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance with Dame Sally Davies. Silent Pandemic: The Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance Assessing AMR risks in chickens During Phase One, fellows in Malawi led a groundbreaking project – the first to evaluate antibiotic resistance in E. coli on poultry farms in central Malawi. Their study set a new standard for assessing AMR in livestock and has been instrumental in guiding policymakers in the AMR National Coordinating Committee. Advocating for change in Uganda In Uganda, policy fellows have been instrumental in driving AMR advocacy through the national One Health Platform.Their work brought policymakers and stakeholders together to critically assess the implementation of the AMR National Action Plan and shape future strategic actions. Publication date 28 Oct, 2024
