The Fleming Fund is a UK aid programme to help low and middle income countries to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The Fleming Fund is named after Alexander Fleming who discovered the world's first antibiotic. Fleming's work paved the way for the use of antibiotics in modern healthcare.

When receiving the Nobel Prize in 1945 he warned of a time when antibiotics would become less useful due to frequent or improper use. Fleming, at this time, had predicted AMR.

AMR occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that make treatments ineffective. AMR causes drug resistant infections that can kill, spread to others and increase healthcare costs across the world.

The aims of the Fleming Fund

The aim of the Fleming Fund is to get data relevant to AMR in the hands of decision makers.

They want to support countries generating the data they need to inform policies and practices which will optimise the use of antimicrobial medicines.

The Fleming Fund will fund a range of initiatives in low and middle income countries with the aim of increasing the quantity and quality of data available so they can better understand the scale and scope of AMR.

How the Fleming Fund Works

The Fleming Fund represents a large scale investment from UK aid in supporting low and middle income countries to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a One Health approach.

The Fleming Fund is led by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in partnership with a wide range of delivery partners and an independent technical advisory group.

What can be funded?

The Fleming Fund will focus on these five areas:

• - awareness, advocacy and governance
• - the development and roll out of AMR National Action Plans, surveillance protocols and global guidance
• - updates for laboratory infrastructure and improvements to data and surveillance for AMR
• - technical assistance, partnerships and fellowships
• - evaluation and adaptive management

What grants are available?

There are four types of grant available:

Country Grants

Can be applied for by individual projects in specific countries

Regional Grants

Bids are sought only when an AMR project crossing borders is identified by the Fleming Fund and partners

Global Grants

Sums allocated by the Fleming Fund to specific projects and organisations

Fellowships

Funding for organisations to provide customised professional development services, such as training, mentorship and secondment