Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2024-01-24 (Subject to Confirmation at the next Meeting)

Obtaining the support of the Fleming Fund of the United Kingdom to implement the National Strategic Plan on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance for Sri Lanka (2023-2028)

- Antimicrobial Resistance has been identified as one of the top 10 public health threats faced by humans. In 2019, the World Health Organization has estimated that annually 1.27 million deaths are directly caused by drug-resistant bacteria due to the effect of antimicrobial resistance and 4.95 million deaths are associated with drug-resistant bacteria. In addition, the World Health Organization has recognized that antimicrobial resistance causes significant economic costs to the countries. Under this backdrop, the Fleming Fund aid programme managed by the Department of Health and Social Care of the United Kingdom supports about 25 countries in Africa and Asia to deal with antimicrobial resistance. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Health to take necessary action to implement the National Strategic Plan on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance 2023-2028 with the support of the Fleming Fund under that grant programme, was approved by the Cabinet.