£2.8 million research project to combat one of the world’s most urgent health threats
An ambitious new £2.8 million international programme will aim to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across East Africa – one of the most urgent threats to global public health.
AMR occurs when infections become resistant to medicines, making them harder or impossible to treat.
It is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide each year and disproportionately affects low and middle‑income countries where limited wastewater treatment, environmental contamination and inconsistent antimicrobial regulation enable drug‑resistant pathogens to spread fast.
The new initiative, led by Manchester Metropolitan University, will unite researchers, clinicians, community experts and policy specialists from the UK, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa.
The programme is valued at £3.3 million, with £2.8 million funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and will examine how environmental, social and economic factors influence the spread of drug-resistant infections in East African communities.
The project lead, Dr Jian Zhou, Reader in Environmental AMR Modelling and Mathematical Analysis at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “Antimicrobial resistance is a global challenge, clinical in nature and shaped by environmental, social and infrastructural factors.”
Dr Zhou added: “This programme drives cross-border collaboration with East African partners to deliver innovative and transformative interventions that protect public health and strengthen long-term regional research capacity.”
The consortium brings together leading experts across microbiology, ecology, epidemiology, engineering, sociology, computer science, mathematics and health economics from the four participating countries, working in partnership with regional health authorities, public‑health agencies and community‑based organisations.
The key innovative component of the project is to develop nature-based wetland systems designed to remove antibiotics and resistant organisms from wastewater, offering a scalable and sustainable solution for developing countries.
In parallel, the programme will identify links between environmental AMR pathogens and human and animal health and will develop surveillance and monitoring systems.
An online digital hub will be established to support AMR training, management and regulation across East Africa.
Economic analysis will assess the financial burden of AMR on communities and healthcare systems, helping to inform future policy, while extensive community engagement activity will support the development of long‑term, responsible antimicrobial‑use practices.
The investment marks a significant commitment from the NIHR to strengthen scientific capability in East Africa and accelerate global One Health research – an approach that recognises the interdependence of human, environmental and animal health.
The findings are expected to inform global health policy, shape future AMR mitigation strategies and provide a model for international collaboration on one of the defining health challenges of the century.
