TheCable

The United Kingdom says it will support Africa and Asia with up to £210 million of funding in order to tackle anti-microbial resistance (AMR).

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when germs like bacteria and fungi develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them.

In a statement on Wednesday, the UK government said the funding is from the aid budget and will support the Fleming Fund’s activities to tackle anti-microbial resistance over the next three years.

The statement added that the fund will bolster the surveillance capacity in up to 25 countries where the threat and burden of AMR is highest, with more than 250 laboratories set to be upgraded.

“This investment includes new genome sequencing technology which will help track bacterial transmission between humans, animals and the environment,” the statement reads.

“The investment will also strengthen the international health workforce by supporting 20,000 training sessions for laboratory staff, pharmacists and hospital staff, and over 200 Fleming Fund scholarships to boost expertise in microbiology, AMR policy and One Health.

“Around 1.27 million people around the world die each year due to AMR — where bacteria have evolved so much that antibiotics and other current treatments are no longer effective against infections — with 1 in 5 of those deaths in children under 5.

“In 2019, AMR was found to have caused between 7,000 and 35,000 deaths in the UK alone.”

Steve Barclay, UK secretary of state for health and social care, said it is vital that antimicrobial resistance is stopped in its tracks.

“Antimicrobial resistance is a silent killer which poses a significant threat to people’s health around the world and in the UK, and will be an important topic here at the G20 in India,” he said.

“It also builds on work the government is doing to incentivise drug companies to develop new antibiotics — a model which some G20 countries are looking to implement.”

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the UK high commission in Nigeria said Nigeria would benefit from the fund.

“Great to have Nigeria benefit from £210 million of UKaid through Fleming Fund to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR),” the post reads.

“AMR poses one of the greatest threats to human health and this vital fund will support to realise its ambition around addressing this threat.”