Working together
to do more
Fantastic work is being done around the world to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR), but there are still gaps and there is scope to do more. This is a deeply complex crisis that must be tackled from all angles to find solutions, but this cannot happen if work on AMR is siloed by sector, research field, or border.
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The Fleming Initiative is convening global stakeholder groups across five priority areas to build connections, share knowledge, and generate outputs, analyses, strategic plans and recommendations for new models of working, responding to global need that will help catalyse solutions to address AMR.
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By bringing together expert voices and societal involvement under each of the following themes – Diagnostics, Education, Global Fellowships, Surveillance, and National Action Plans and Policy – we will facilitate and drive the emergence of powerful new ideas.
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In doing so, the Fleming Initiative is delivering on its aim to bring diverse expertise and public involvement together to provide the networks, expertise, and skills that will produce equitable solutions to AMR at a global scale.
Diagnostics
The Fleming Initiative is leading in convening key stakeholders to establish a global consortium focused on accelerating progress in AMR diagnostics, in collaboration with the WHO.
Our objective ultimately, is to foster a coordinated global response to the urgent challenge of AMR through improved diagnostic capabilities.
Effective diagnostics are fundamental to optimising how antimicrobials are used and in combating AMR.
Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for guiding appropriate antimicrobial treatment, improving care and preventing unnecessary use, minimising the development and spread of resistant pathogens.
Without rapid and reliable diagnostic tools, clinicians risk prescribing
broad-spectrum antibiotics, contributing to the selection and amplification
of resistant strains.
Robust diagnostic capabilities are also essential for effective surveillance,
tracking the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria, and informing
public health interventions.
Investment in and global access to high-quality diagnostics are
therefore critical to improving clinical care and infection prevention,
slowing the rise of AMR and preserving the effectiveness of existing
and future antimicrobials.
Our convening work builds upon the UNGA High-Level Declaration
on AMR, addressing critical gaps in diagnostics access, affordability,
and innovation, making the economic case to policy makers and ultimately
aiming to foster a coordinated global response to the urgent challenge of
AMR through improved diagnostic capabilities.
The inaugural diagnostic convening meeting was held 16-17 June 2025
in Accra, Ghana. More information on this and current diagnostic convening
activity can be found here.
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Education
Creating the antimicrobial stewards of the future through
AMR focused educational initiatives.
The Fleming Initiative is convening global experts and key stakeholders across a series of meetings, aiming to:
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• gain global consensus on what children and adolescents should be empowered to know about antimicrobial resistance
• provide a set of principles for which AMR educational initiatives should aspire to incorporate and adhere to
• be inspired and learn from other AMR educational initiatives and experts in education
• create a long-lasting global community of practice for those working in AMR education
• support the production of a living systematic review of global AMR educational initiatives
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We hope that this work, supported and endorsed by the WHO, will achieve global consensus on best practices and approaches for integrating learning about antimicrobial resistance into education; will provide a pathway to scale for educational initiatives worldwide; and will lead to the creation of an AMR Education community of practice, where educational resources can be shared & co-developed in the future.
This addresses the commitment from the UNGA High-Level Declaration on AMR, to “enhance and sustain targeted efforts… to promote awareness of antimicrobial resistance and the appropriate use and disposal of antimicrobials, through education and training… by integrating antimicrobial resistance modules in primary, secondary and tertiary education and training curricula.”
Global Fellowships
The Fleming Initiative recognises the value of global fellowships in improving the capabilities of organisations and nations in addressing AMR, and that there are several impactful global fellowships driving this capacity strengthening already.
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However, we also recognise that there are inequities in access to these fellowships, particularly in the global south, where AMR is set to have a disproportionate impact.
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In addition to driving the creation of new AMR-focused fellowships that aim to strengthen capacity around the globe and catalyse bold new thinking, the Fleming Initiative will convene stakeholders to drive the most effective deployment of existing fellowship programmes.
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By working together to improve models of AMR global fellowships and sustain their impact, reduce brain-drain, and keep knowledge and expertise in the countries which need it most. We will help even the playing field and set each region up for success in the fight against AMR.
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This addresses the commitment in the UNGA High-Level Declaration on AMR to “strengthen national capacities by investing in the training, development, recruitment and retention of a competent and skilled workforce… [and] Undertake measures to address the growing shortage of researchers and medical specialists and restore, build, and invest in the scientific talent that can spearhead an effective response to antimicrobial resistance.”
Surveillance
Amongst the challenges faced with AMR is the difficulty in preparing for what we face next. Resistant bacteria and fungi not only spread in humans, but animals and the environment, often being seen in the air and water before we are infected.
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By convening global expertise and partnering with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Genomic Surveillance of AMR and the NIHR Global Health Research Unit for Genomic Surveillance of AMR, the Fleming Initiative will drive work that allows for better prediction of potential AMR outbreaks, earlier informing of public health responses, and clearer focusing of treatments.
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It is clear that a structured approach to global genomic surveillance of AMR can provide significant benefit to countries. By supporting the development of capacity-building roadmaps, such an approach can help establish the infrastructure and data systems needed to generate value at local, national and international levels. It also contributes to a genomics-informed framework for early warning systems, diagnostic development, and monitoring of interventions such as vaccines. In addition, the systematic generation of structured data can inform strategic decision-making and enhance countries’ engagement with AI, data science, and the practical application of novel methodologies to support global action on genomic surveillance of AMR.
This work addresses the commitment in the UNGA High-Level Declaration on AMR to “strengthen national capacities for sustainable, sector-specific, integrated and interoperable surveillance systems for antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use, standards of diagnostics, laboratory information systems and networks, and other infrastructure”
National Action Plans and Policy
The Fleming Initiative recognises that in today’s highly interconnected world, nations cannot effectively combat antimicrobial resistance in isolation, and the deployment of real-world AMR solutions at scale requires the efforts of policymakers.
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National Action Plans (NAPs) are vital for driving the sustainable development and deployment of AMR solutions through regulatory and financial incentives and ultimately protecting global health security.
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We will convene global policymakers and other stakeholders to share and exchange the learnings and best practices of NAP leaders across the world. Our activities will support dialogue across all income-level countries ensuring mutual learning including lessons from those with fewer policy-making resources.
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This work addresses the UNGA High-Level Declaration on AMR which recognised the need ”to support implementation of national action plans on antimicrobial resistance, as well as their monitoring and surveillance, in accordance with national contexts.”
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Intersections between this convening work and the programmatic work that the Fleming Initiative is delivering with commercial partners, such as GSK, will ensure a breadth of global expertise is heard, from industry to government.