Updates from the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions

The PMAC 2025 Side-Meeting, "Bridging Policy and Action – A Post-UNGA One Health Agenda for AMR," co-organized by ICARS, the AMR Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform, and the IHPP foundation, was held in Bangkok, Thailand. It convened experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss AMR in the Asia-Pacific, focusing on translating UNGA 2024 commitments into actionable solutions.

On February 9, 2025, ICARS co-hosted a pre-conference meeting at the ECSA-HC 74th Health Ministers Conference in Lilongwe, Malawi. Titled “Transforming Political Commitments on AMR Into Action” and funded by Wellcome, it convened 60 participants, including representatives from nine ECSA-HC member countries, WHO, FAO, ECHO, and ReAct Africa.

In January 2024, with support from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, ICARS began working with local partners to develop the TANDEM-ABX framework to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship for reserve antibiotics in LMICs. India and Kenya were selected as representative settings due to their active AMR National Action Plans. In February, to refine the framework, a Global Stakeholder Consultation brought together AMR experts and key stakeholders from both countries, fostering collaboration and dialogue on access, stewardship, and framework development.

In March, ICARS’ Executive Director, Dr Sujith J Chandy, and Director of Science, Dr. Kristina Osbjer, attended the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF) Summit in Malaysia. The event gathered over 130 participants from diverse GAMRIF-funded projects worldwide and other stakeholders. The summit featured panel discussions and breakout groups, providing a platform for in-depth exchanges on addressing critical AMR challenges through an innovation lens.

ICARS is pleased to announce the launch of two new projects aimed at addressing the environmental dimensions of AMR. These projects, selected through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process, focus on implementing innovative, evidence-based interventions in Tunisia and Cameroon to reduce AMR risks in natural and built environments.

ICARS has selected the One Health and Development Initiative (OHDI) to lead a Wellcome-funded project aimed at ensuring the sustainable impact of AMR solutions in LMICs. In collaboration with the Ducit Blue Foundation, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana, and Bayero University in Nigeria, the project will develop a resource guide with strategies and best practices for AMR interventions across human health, animal health, and the environment.

This summary brief highlights key discussions on One Health implementation, multi-stakeholder engagement, financing, capacity strengthening, regional collaboration, and equity in AMR mitigation. Insights emphasize integrated, locally driven approaches, offering a roadmap for turning policy into tangible actions.

This document compiles all ICARS-supported projects in Africa as of March 2025 across the One Health spectrum, including projects in Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe.

This study looked at how a programme to improve antibiotic use in hospitals affected the way antibiotics were prescribed at three hospitals in Zambia. The researchers collected data from patient records in 2022 and 2023 to see how antibiotic use and prescribing habits changed after the programme was introduced.