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GCRF Challenge Cluster funding

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Members of the CE4AMR network have been successful in securing GCRF challenge cluster funding (part of the UKRI collective programme) to develop a knowledge-exchange cluster. CE4AMR: The One Health Approach brings together the expertise of six existing projects who use community engagement methods to tackle the issue of AMR in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of the cluster is to synthesis learning across these projects and develop innovative research proposals which place community engagement methods at the forefront of AMR research across human, animal and environmental contexts (a One Health approach).

The Cluster is based at the University of Leeds and includes co-investigators in the UK, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Ghana, New Zealand, and Vietnam. In addition to academic institutions, Cluster partners are based within NGOs and charitable groups. The diversity of the cluster is key to addressing the challenge of AMR in LMICs and provides a broad range of community engagement experience and knowledge.  Find out more about our partners here.

Our inaugural CE4AMR meeting in June 2019  catalysed the collaboration on which this cluster grant is based which really shows the benefit of face-to-face meetings.  Unfortunately, 2020 has not allowed us to meet in person but the team have been working remotely since June, making brilliant progress toward our shared objectives.

CE4AMR: The One Health Approach seeks to understand where and how Community Engagement methods can be most appropriately utilised to tackle the global challenge of AMR. Although health system changes, drug development and National Action plan enforcement are important steps, we believe that the engagement of local communities can support and speed up these efforts.  We are keen to share learnings from projects based in various global-south contexts to better appreciate how Community Engagement is already being applied to AMR. We will also engage with wider stakeholders in each setting to understand where opportunities lie to expand the reach of CE methods to tackle specific National AMR challenges.

The Cluster first sought to identify the critical questions around community-based engagement with AMR and then answer these in each project team.  These answers will now be synthesised into an open-access handbook discussing the ways community engagement methods can approach AMR, troubleshooting, key challenges and best practice in this area, plus case studies of projects in action. Each cluster project is now planning and delivering in-country workshops designed to better understand the national and disciplinary perspectives on AMR in each setting.

You can keep track of our progress through our webpages, and by following the twitter hashtag #CE4AMROneHealth.

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