By Kuda Pembere
Zimbabwe is one of three countries in the World Health Organization Africa Region (WHO Afro) eligible to apply for the second phase of the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), following the successful completion of phase one. The fund aims to catalyze and accelerate One Health approaches to AMR in low- and middle-income countries, with a key focus on supporting the implementation of National Action Plans (NAPs).
During the official close-out of phase one, Dr. Lawrance Dinginya, Director of Veterinary Technical Services, speaking on behalf of the Chief Director for Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr. Pious Makaya, praised Zimbabwe’s progress.
I’m also humbled that Zimbabwe has been considered for them to submit a project proposal for the phase two of the MPTF project. And I can tell you that yes, we have been considered but we still have a lot of work to do,” he said.
He emphasized that addressing AMR requires coordinated, cross-sectoral action.
“Let’s continue with that vein of coordination and let’s continue with that culture that we have showed as a country committed in curbing the antimicrobial resistance,” he added.
Dr. Makaya underscored the complexity of AMR.
“I am humbled that we know and we should remember that antimicrobial resistance is a wicked problem. Or I would say an ill-structured problem. We cannot have one single solution. It is not a linear problem where we can sit down and get a mathematical solution to it. Therefore, the multi-sectoral approach that the MPTF project has initiated is quite critical in enhancing or in trying to solve the antimicrobial resistance problem,” he said.
He added, “The problem of AMR is actually a moving target. We can’t have a single solution which works again tomorrow. So strategies have to be reviewed, revisited every day. We need to be looking forward to each other and working together in a collaborative manner to reduce the impact of antimicrobial resistance.”
Dr. Walter Fuller from the AMR MPTF Secretariat commended Zimbabwe’s leadership and efforts.
“Your presence reflects a shared commitment to tackling one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. Your collective expertise from various ministries, the public and private sectors, the community, the Quadripartite and other bilateral and multilateral agencies underscores the strength of our unified approach,” he said.
He acknowledged Zimbabwe’s progress in surveillance, infection control, sanitation, antimicrobial stewardship, research, policy, and community engagement.
“Zimbabwe, their respective line ministries and the AMR Secretariat have shown that the trust placed on them by the MPTF Committee was justified through the ground-breaking successes registered to date. It is therefore not a surprise that Zimbabwe is one of the three countries selected in the WHO African Region to submit a proposal for Phase 2,” Dr. Fuller said.
WHO Zimbabwe Representative Dr. Desta Tiruneh highlighted the urgency of sustained action.
“Antimicrobial resistance is rapidly becoming one of the most urgent health threats in the whole world, surpassing even diseases like HIV and AIDS and malaria in its potential impact, particularly in Africa,” he said.
He noted uneven progress in implementing action plans across the region, with many countries lacking adequate laboratory capacity.
“Today, we reflect on the progress we have made under Zimbabwe’s AMR National Action Plan implementation, made possible through the catalytic fund received, which is a $1 million grant from the Multi-Partner Trust Fund,” he added.
Berhanu Bedane, Livestock Development Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa, shared FAO’s role in promoting practical interventions through Farmers’ Field Schools.
“This initiative has demonstrated the value and impact of the One Health approach where sectors across human, animal and environmental health work together to address the shared threat of antimicrobial resistance,” he said.
FAO also supported local livestock vaccine production.
“This contributed to the reduction in antimicrobial use by enhancing biosecurity and disease prevention at community level,” Bedane explained.
Dr. Dechassa Tegegne, AMR Programme Officer at the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) in Southern Africa, emphasized that AMR demands a multi-stakeholder approach.
“AMR is a very complex problem. This complex problem should not be addressed by single institutions. It needs multi-stakeholder engagement,” he said.
