Tackling antimicrobial resistance through partnership, collaboration and learning

A new World Health Organization (WHO) report has issued a stark warning – one in six bacterial infections worldwide in 2023 were resistant to antibiotic treatment.  

Between 2018 and 2023, resistance rose in over 40% of the pathogen–antibiotic combinations monitored. 

Against this backdrop, pharmacists, clinicians, laboratory scientists, policymakers and programme partners from across Africa and the UK gathered in Nairobi last week, for the Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS) Regional Sharing and Leaning event, to share lessons around how they are tackling AMR every day in their own institutions and communities.  

CwPAMS: partnership in action 

Since its inception, CwPAMS – funded by the UK Department for Health and Social Care’s Fleming Fund – has built lasting Health Partnerships between UK and African healthcare institutions, equipping frontline teams to use antibiotics responsibly and strengthen infection prevention and control. 

In a keynote speech in Nairobi, Dr. Nicholas Kamara, MP for Kabale Municipality, Uganda highlighted the role of partnerships in tackling AMR: 

“Every single day there are costs associated with AMR – it affects our communities and our hospitals, and it is a job for all of us to tackle it. Collaboration is vital to ensure that solutions are contextually driven and sustainable.” 

The CwPAMS programme has trained thousands of healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, clinicians, and lab specialists, in antimicrobial stewardship.  

This effort is complemented by improving data collection and audit systems to facilitate evidence-based prescribing. Furthermore, CwPAMS has successfully influenced both hospital and national policies, effectively embedding antimicrobial stewardship principles within national health systems. 

The results speak for themselves: 

• 9 Countries reached 
• 26,700+Healthcare workers trained (and counting)
• 78 Fully functioning AMS Committees 
• 31 Health Partnerships 
• 34 Peer-reviewed publications 
• 215+ Organisations involved 
• 170+ Point Prevalence Surveys completed 
• 112 Fellows (49 UK, 63 Africa) supported by over 67 mentors 

Lessons and leadership from Nairobi 

The event in Nairobi celebrated the power of partnership, showcasing how shared learning can drive sustainable impact.  

Delegates explored ways to sustain CwPAMS successes, with a focus on gender equality, social inclusion and future action planning.  

Engaging discussions built national momentum for AMR advocacy, highlighting alumni leadership, microbiology achievements and strategic collaboration between funders and national stakeholders.  

Hands-on simulation sessions brought learning to life, tackling real-world AMR challenges and strengthening skills across community pharmacy and healthcare systems.  

The energy, expertise and commitment on display throughout the event underscored the collective determination to tackle AMR and create a healthier, more resilient future. 

Next steps: keeping up the momentum 

Sustaining progress on AMR requires long-term commitment and investment from both the UK government and globally.  

In a keynote speech at the event, Dr Beccy Cooper MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health and Security in the UK, emphasised the urgency of this challenge: 

“The World Health Organization lists AMR as second only to pandemics in terms of global health threats, and yet AMR is not widely understood amongst the UK public. It is incumbent on all of us to ensure that the issues raised here are translated for our communities and to make sure that it doesn’t disappear from the agenda.” 

Following the discussions in Nairobi, three clear priorities emerged: 

1. Maintain and expand funding for AMR programmes like CwPAMS to scale their proven impact. 
2. Integrate AMR into national and global health-security frameworks, recognising stewardship as a critical defence. 
3. Invest in innovation – from next-generation antibiotics to rapid diagnostics and community engagement. 

The Nairobi event was a powerful reminder that Health Partnerships work. CwPAMS continues to demonstrate how collaboration across borders drives sustainable progress and shared learning in tackling shared, global health threats. 

But the clock is ticking. If resistance to antibiotics continues to outpace innovation, the consequences for health systems worldwide will be profound. Global action – backed by investment, leadership and accountability – is essential to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics and protect the health of future generations.