Fleming Fund - Contribution to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) UK Reference Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance

Description

This is an Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded UKaid project from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)’s Fleming Fund which helps to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the burden of drug-resistant infection is greater. This is a contribution to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) UK Reference Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) which is run by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), all agencies of the UK Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The centre offers LMICs access to draw-down services for technical assistance, training and quality assurance to support AMR surveillance system building across all One Health* sectors. The objectives of the reference centre are to: (1) Develop LMIC capacity for surveillance of AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) through residential AMR training workshops, country visits to partners to offer training, and provision of proficiency testing schemes; (2) Strengthen governance related to AMU and AMR by providing expert advice on new or emerging resistances that present a threat to animal or public health, providing expert advice on how to bench-mark capability and the authorisation of antibiotics and providing verification testing at our UK laboratories; (3) Promote good agricultural practices and prudent use of antimicrobials by providing advice and support for the adaptation and implementation of alternatives to antibiotics; and (4) Raise awareness of AMR by publishing and contributing to expert reports and peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts. (*One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems. It recognises that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent.) This project was not put out to an open, competitive tender process because the implementing partners, formed of Defra executive agencies which use a peer-to-peer approach to build workforce capacity and raise awareness of AMR in the animal health, agricultural and environmental sectors, are the only ones in the UK to have secured FAO Reference Centre status. FAO’s Reference Centre designation is given to organisations that demonstrate key AMR capacities and show a track record of active engagement in specific fields of expertise. This arrangement also enables DHSC and Defra to coordinate UK aid investment.

Location