Fleming Fund to tackle growing threat of drug resistance in Malawi and Zimbabwe

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In partnership with the governments of Zimbabwe and Malawi the Fleming Fund has awarded two new Country Grants to support public health surveillance systems, improve laboratory infrastructure and train technicians and scientists within these countries. Country Grants are allocated in up to 24 countries as part of the Fleming Fund’s mission to bring people and evidence together to tackle drug resistance.

In February, £3.4 million was awarded to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and partners to strengthen AMR governance and human and animal health surveillance systems in Malawi. Patrick Mubangizi, East & Southern Africa Regional Lead for the Fleming Fund Management Agent, Mott MacDonald said the Malawi government was looking forward to the impact the investment can have on its national laboratories.

“Malawi’s Chief of Health Services, Dr. Charles Mwansambo greatly appreciates the Fleming Fund support which will go a long way in strengthening laboratories to collect, analyse and inform policies on the use of antibiotic medicines. Most importantly the government appreciates the core Fleming Fund principles which emphasise country ownership, sustainability, alignment with other programmes and value for money. We look forward to working with the Government of Malawi and the lead grantee University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.”

In March, over £4 million was awarded to the Food and Agriculture Organization and partners to improve data management, AMR governance structures and human and animal health AMR surveillance in Zimbabwe. Dr Portia Manangazira, Director of Epidemiology & Disease Control at the Ministry of Health and Child Care in Zimbabwe said:

“We welcome the award of the Fleming Fund Country Grant to Zimbabwe. In particular, I look forward to meeting and working with the FAO consortium and the One Health arrangement. The Country Grant will revitalise our diagnostic capacity to provide crucial evidence for combating AMR in Zimbabwe.”

Funding in both countries will aim to improve the quality and quantity of AMR data collected, used and shared across the human and animal sectors. More data is needed to understand how resistance develops and how drugs are used around the world. Fundamental changes in the way antibiotics are consumed and manufactured are also needed to avert this growing threat.