India joins global antimicrobial resistance research hub

India has joined the Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research and Development (R & D) hub as a new member.

Making the announcement, Department of Biotechnology said here on Thursday that this would expand the global partnership working to address challenges and improve coordination and collaboration in global AMR research and development to 16 countries, the European Commission, two philanthropic foundations and four international organisations as observers.

AMR is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication that once could successfully treat the microbe.

"Today emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance continue unabated around the world. Given the important and interdependent human, animal, and environmental dimensions of antimicrobial resistance, India considers it reasonable to explore these issues through the lens of 'One Health' approach, which should be supported by long-term commitments from all stakeholders," a Science and Technology Ministry release said.

 

India will be a member of the board of members of the hub from this year. By partnering with the hub, India looks forward to working with all partners to leverage their existing capabilities, resources and collectively focus on new research to address drug-resistant infections.

The release said that global AMR research and development hub was launched in May 2018 on the margins of the 71st session of the World Health Assembly, following a call from G20 leaders in 2017.

The hub supports global priority setting and evidence-based decision-making on the allocation of resources for AMR research and development through identification of gaps, overlaps and potential for cross-sectoral collaboration and leveraging.

The operation of the global hub is supported through a secretariat, established in Berlin and currently financed through grants from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).

Bersabel Ephrem, Acting Chair of the hub's Board of Members and Director General of Centre for Communicable Diseases and Infection Control at the Public Health Agency of Canada, congratulated India on its induction as a new member.

"I am very pleased to welcome India as an important addition to our global partnership. Addressing AMR requires global action with active participation from all world regions and one health sectors. Expanding the membership of the hub works towards ensuring that different countries needs are incorporated when considering AMR R & D activities and action," she said.