News and updates from the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions.

The GRAM study results, published in The Lancet at the start of the year provided the most comprehensive estimates of the burden of AMR to date. The results confirm what many of us have known for a long time - that AMR is a major health threat affecting low- and middle-income countries the most. But how can we take this evidence and translate it into action?

Dr Renu Swarup, Former Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, has joined the ICARS Board of Directors as Vice-Chair. Renu brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to support us in our mission of tackling AMR in low- and middle-income countries. In addition, Tripartite+ were invited to appoint an observer to the Board. To fulfil this role, the Tripartite+ Secretariat have nominated Haileyesus Getahun, Director of AMR Global Coordination at WHO.

The launch event, held on 29th March 2022 in Lusaka, attended by representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), national research institutions and ICARS, marked the beginning of several collaborative activities to tackle specific AMR challenges in the Zambian context. In addition, the government of Zambia have committed to become an ICARS Mission Partner, demonstrating both an expression of support to ICARS’ mission and vision, as well as a commitment to actively working to promote the AMR agenda in their national context.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and ICARS, signed on 22 February 2022, demonstrates a commitment to mitigating antimicrobial resistance in the veterinary sector in Colombia. The new project will build on existing projects ICARS are already implementing in the region.

This year’s International Women's Day campaign was centred around the theme ‘Break The Bias’ to draw attention to the ways that deliberate and unconscious bias continue to limit, block, and restrict women in their day-to-day lives. To reflect on this year’s theme, we asked individuals engaged in ICARS' activities around the world, how they have experienced bias, discrimination, and stereotyping in their professional and personal lives, and what they do to overcome it.

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Deadline: 22 April 2022

The successful candidate will provide dynamic leadership, act as an ambassador for AMR globally, and share in ICARS vision, mission, and values. In particular we are looking for an individual with a proven track record of securing funding and developing partnerships. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the challenge of AMR and One Health, with the credibility and experience to engage with ICARS stakeholders to raise our global profile.

Deadline: 8 April 2022
JPIAMR has facilitated research collaborations and funding worth more than $140 million and been instrumental in advancing our understanding on AMR transmission & containment. Now they are revising their Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) and need your input. The SRIA is divided into five thematic groups and ICARS is coordinating the group looking at 'Prevention & Interventions'. We kindly ask you to contribute to the survey, particularly by giving your feedback on how to revise and recalibrate the text within that section.