The United Kingdom Government has announced that Nigeria will benefit from its £210 million funding to tackle deadly antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
A statement by the UK government on Thursday stated that this is the largest-ever investment in global AMR surveillance by any country.
According to the statement, the announcement comes as the Secretary of State travels to India for his first G20 Health Ministers’ meeting.
It states that the funding from the UK government’s aid budget will support the Fleming Fund’s activities to tackle AMR in countries across Asia and Africa over the next three years, helping to reduce the threat it poses to the UK and globally.
“It will bolster the surveillance capacity in up to 25 countries where the threat and burden of AMR is highest including Nigeria, Indonesia, Ghana, Kenya, and Papua New Guinea – with more than 250 laboratories set to be upgraded and provided with state-of-the-art equipment. This investment includes new genome sequencing technology which will help track bacterial transmission between humans, animals, and the environment.”
The statement adds that 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 which recognizes the connection between humans, animals, and the environment.
“AMR poses one of the greatest threats to human health and this vital fund will support Nigeria to realize its ambition around addressing it.”
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