At a Crossroads: Sustaining UK Leadership on Antimicrobial Resistance

Almost a year on from the High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, Dr Beccy Cooper MP chaired a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Antimicrobial Resistance yesterday titled “At a Crossroads: Sustaining UK Leadership on Antimicrobial Resistance.”

We were honoured to be joined by:

• Hon. Dr Chris Kalila MP, Chair of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Associations, a distinguished Zambian medical doctor and long-serving MP in Zambia, who brings his deep expertise in frontline healthcare to his political leadership. His medical background has shaped his commitment to strengthening health systems and tackling infectious diseases.
•  Hon. Ummy Mwalimu MP, Member of the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance and two-time Minister of Health of the United Republic of Tanzania, who developed Tanzania’s first national AMR action plan and pioneered AMR public awareness campaigns in Tanzania.
• Dr. Lindsay Olima, Deputy County Pharmacist for Kakamega County, Kenya, and Lead Pharmacist in the Kakamega–Cambridge NHS Trust Partnership, who spearheaded key initiatives including the county’s Drug Formulary, Antimicrobial Stewardship Guidelines, and Empiric Antibiotic Use Guidelines.

The meeting builds on the AMR APPG’s ongoing efforts to ensure AMR remains a visible and well-supported priority for the UK Government. It was a timely discussion, taking place as the UK Government considers how to responsibly exit the Fleming Fund and transition supported capacities to country ownership – an approach which, as acknowledged by the UK Government, must be tailored to each national context. Hon. Ummy Mwalimu MP warned that the closure of the Fleming Fund risks undermining hard-won progress in AMR surveillance, professional capacity, and health security. Yet she also outlined how Tanzania is stepping up domestic investment, with ministries beginning to prioritise AMR in national budgets. Hon. Dr Chris Kalila highlighted the urgency in Zambia, highlighting that some pathogens are showing over 80% resistance to common antibiotics, particularly in tertiary hospitals—underscoring the critical need for sustained support and strategic collaboration to protect national and global health security.

The meeting also reflected a growing movement of parliamentarians from across the world—such as those from Tanzania, Zambia, and the United Kingdom—coming together to champion evidence-informed advocacy on AMR. By sharing experiences and strategies, these MPs are helping to shape more accountable and responsive government action, grounded in the realities of their national contexts. Their collaboration during this meeting underscored the importance of cross-country parliamentary leadership in driving progress on AMR.

We are grateful to Dr Danny Chambers MP, Lord Mackinlay, Lord Oates, and Baroness Bennett for their contributions to a rich and urgent discussion, and hope that fostering collaboration will help sustain the UK’s leadership in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance.