Major UK project to tackle AMR closed by aid cuts

The Fleming Fund, a £265 million British programme aimed at combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in developing countries, has been forced to close due to government aid cuts. The £265 million programme, named after Alexander Fleming, was established in 2015 to address a UK study that predicted resistant infections would kill 10 million people globally by 2050. AMR is responsible for 1.27 million deaths annually and is a major concern in the UK, with an estimated 30,000 deaths annually. The UK’s Minister of International Development, Baroness Chapman, has announced a 40% cut in real terms of the UK’s contribution to Gavi, the vaccine alliance. The Fleming Fund’s funding has ceased, but the government will continue with its “partnerships” under the programme.