New, Delhi, India, 12.09.2019
Today the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of
India is pleased to announce that India through Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of
Science & Technology has joined the Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research and
Development (R&D) Hub as a new Member. This expands the global partnership working to
address challenges and improve coordination and collaboration in global AMR R&D to 16
countries, the European Commission, two philanthropic foundations and four international
organisations (as observers).
The Global AMR R&D Hub was launched in May 2018 in the margins of the 71st session of
the World Health Assembly, following a call from G20 Leaders in 2017. The Global AMR
R&D Hub supports global priority setting and evidence-based decision-making on the
allocation of resources for AMR R&D through the identification of gaps, overlaps and
potential for cross-sectoral collaboration and leveraging in AMR R&D. The operation of the
Global AMR R&D 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).
From this year onward India will be the member of Board of members of Global AMR R&D
Hub. By partnering with the Global AMR R&D Hub, India looks forward to working with all
partners to leverage their existing capabilities, resources and collectively focus on new R&D
intervention to address drug resistant infections. The emergence and spread of antimicrobial
resistance continues unabated around the world. Given the important and interdependent
human, animal, and environmental dimensions of antimicrobial resistance, it is reasonable to
explore issues of antimicrobial resistance through the lens of One Health approach and should
be supported by long-term commitments from all stakeholders.
Through this, all participating countries, organizations and philanthropic foundations will
have a role to play to protect the efficacy of antimicrobial agents and to support the efforts of
the different sectors at national, regional and global levels. Working together, AMR
challenges can be well addressed and further inevitable changes can be delineated in the
trajectory of health for humanity.”
The acting Chair of the Global AMR R&D Hub Board of Members, Bersabel Ephrem,
Director General of the Centre for Communicable Diseases and Infection Control at the
Public Health Agency of Canada said:
“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
actions.”
In a major boost to combat one of the gravest risks to global health a dedicated special vehicle
in terms of Global AMR R&D Hub may allow partners to devote expertise in order to
accelerate global action against antimicrobial resistance.
For further information, please contact: Dr. Sundeep Sarin, Adviser, Department of
Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India
(sundeep[at]dbt[dot]nic[dot]in )
