The Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA), in partnership with the Tropical Health Education Trust (THET) and funded by the Fleming Fund, developed the Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS) programme. The CPA also has a longstanding history of running campaigns on World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), which takes place annually between the 18th and 24th of November. WAAW aims to improve the understanding of what antimicrobial medicines are and how their misuse and overuse in humans, animals and the environment are accelerating the speed at which microbes are adapting to resist their effect.
Act Now: 'Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future' – WAAW 2025
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2025
To mark this year’s World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) theme, we ask some of our partners what the Fleming Fund has meant to them.
2025 also marks almost ten years since the Fleming Fund's inception. In the coming months, we will be celebrating and reflecting on the impact the programme has had globally, and the considerable achievements made in tackling the spread of AMR.
By ensuring the commitment to sustainability remains a central focus, the Fleming Fund’s achievements will continue to have a positive impact on national and global AMR progress. Such significant progress has only been possible thanks to the collective dedication, hard work and support of all those involved. We are extremely grateful to all our partners, in-country and internationally, for their invaluable efforts.
The Fleming Fund has supported national antimicrobial (AMR) surveillance across more than 30 low-middle-income countries with a One Health, multi-sector approach in human, animal and environmental health. The fund has highlighted the problem of AMR in LMICs, which have higher risks and lower means of mitigating them.
Firstly, the work of the Fleming Fund has shown that the problem is not an emerging issue, but one that is upon us. AMR affects us all, regardless of our age or location. If you are unlucky enough to develop a severe bacterial infection, it is more likely than not that it will be resistant to at least one of the antibiotics that are used to treat it.
Protect present and secure future
To protect our present, we must act now. Based on generating quality AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) surveillance data, we can support the use of a range of well-tested and cost-effective interventions. Infection prevention and control, antibiotic stewardship, and improved practice in animal health and agriculture all play a key role. The Fleming Fund has supported the laboratory and research capacity needed to underpin evidence-based improvements in AMR treatment and efficient AMU control.
For a secure future, funding and political momentum must be sustained and health systems strengthened with better access to diagnostic services, clean and safe practices, and effective and affordable drugs. By sharing AMR data AMR data collected with Fleming Fund support, we can help inform responsive healthcare practice. Policymakers need to be alerted to the long-term risk, so they can see that an investment now is a critical part of preserving the value of antibiotics into the future.
What does the Fleming Fund mean to you?
Watch video testimonials from some Fleming Fund partners (click on names):
Dr Tapfumanei Mashe, WHO, Zimbabwe, AMR Project Coordinator (Fleming Fund Country Grant) ▾
[The Fleming Fund] symbolises an opportunity to transform data into actionable insights that protect public health and save lives.
Dr Tapfumanei Mashe
The Fleming Fund is a catalyst for strengthening surveillance systems and fostering collaboration among stakeholders in the fight against AMR. It symbolises an opportunity to transform data into actionable insights that protect public health and save lives.
The Fleming Fund has enabled us to build robust laboratory and surveillance capacity, which has significantly improved the quality of AMR data in Zimbabwe. Through its support, we have enhanced stakeholder engagement and developed sustainable frameworks for AMR governance ─ such as, a One Health AMR Secretariat. It has provided critical resources and technical expertise that have accelerated progress in implementing the Zimbabwe National Action Plan on AMR.
Our focus will be on institutionalising AMR activities within national health systems to ensure sustainability beyond donor support. Capacity built through the Fleming Fund will serve as a foundation for continued research, policy development, and advocacy on AMR.
Usha Tandukar, Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal (Fleming Fellow, human health) ▾
[...] the Fleming Fund has been a beacon of hope in Nepal’s fight against AMR. It has played a pivotal role in establishing AMR surveillance systems in the food production and environment sectors.
Usha Tandukar (left)
I am deeply grateful to the Fleming Fund Fellowship Scheme and the Government of Nepal for my nomination. The Fleming Fund has given me a lifelong purpose in continuing to contribute to tackling AMR in my future roles and responsibilities. A cornerstone in fostering coordination and collaboration across sectors, the programme has served as a facilitator, motivator, and adviser, providing both technical and financial support to Nepal’s AMR containment.
Nationally, the Fleming Fund has been a beacon of hope in Nepal’s fight against AMR. It has played a pivotal role in establishing AMR surveillance systems in the food and environment sectors, making a significant impact by strengthening surveillance systems and capacity building. The programme has generated evidence and improved data quality, advocating for data-driven decision-making, and developed protocols and guidelines across One Health sectors.
The Fleming Fund Fellowship Scheme has been a guiding force in my professional journey, providing valuable platforms for capacity building, learning, and knowledge sharing. Giving me international recognition and opportunities to engage diverse stakeholders through workshops and networking events, it has greatly enhancing my AMR-related work by providing critical support and encouragement.
I continue to serve as the Member Secretary of the National Technical Working Committee on AMR, ensuring sustainability through national capacity. My focus is generating innovative ideas, maximising impact with limited resources, and fostering ripple effects - coordinating and advocating Nepal’s AMR National Action Plan and enabling the necessary platforms to support its execution.
Plabon Sarker, Fish Inspection and Quality Control, Bangladesh (Fleming Fellow, aquaculture) ▾
[On AMR surveillance fellowship] Each activity, discussion and learning session added something new to my understanding of our work and the impact it can have on the fisheries sector.
Fleming Fellow Plabon Sarker (third to right), and Mentor Dr Chendi Zhu’s (second to right) visit to the Fish Inspection and Quality Control, Department of Fisheries, Dhaka.
Being a Fleming fellow at the Beneficiary Institute, Fish Inspection and Quality Control at the Department of Fisheries (DoF) in Dhaka, has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my professional life. When the fellowship programme began, I was concerned how I would balance my fellowship assignments with my daily office responsibilities, but always knew it would provide an excellent platform for my career growth.
Over time, the fellowship became more than just a programme - it transformed into a journey of continuous learning and understanding of AMR. Each activity, discussion and learning session added something new to my understanding of our work and the impact it can have on the fisheries sector. There were challenges and moments of uncertainty about maintaining timelines while managing regular tasks, however, every step taught me something valuable that has undoubtedly enriched my professional and personal experiences.
One of the most memorable moments of this journey was when my mentor, Dr Chendi Zhu from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), visited my institute and we shared our progress and learning from the fellowship and discussed our challenges together. We exchanged views and insights on how far we’ve come in terms of AMR globally.
During this fellowship, I’ve learned how to view problems from new perspectives, to value teamwork with my fellow colleagues, especially Md Shahi Emran, and to take pride in the small milestones that lead to significant changes. The mentor’s visit served as a reminder that AMR is a global issue requiring a One Health collaboration both within our country and across nations. I would like to express my gratitude to the Fleming Fund Fellowship Programme, CUHK and the DoF, for providing the opportunity.
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A plaque on the side of the Saint Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, UK, commemorates the discovery of penicillin, the first antibiotic, in 1928. Fungal spores, blown by the wind, landed on Sir Alexander Fleming's Petri dishes killing the bacteria he was growing leading to a revolution in medicine.