UK to invest APS2.7m for disease surveillance in Pakistan.

Byline: SHAFQAT ALI

ISLAMABAD -- The United Kingdom on Thursday announced to invest more than APS2.7 million in Pakistan to strengthen disease surveillance systems.

The UK has expanded its partnership with Pakistan to tackle the growing threat of antibiotic resistance in the country. The investment is aimed at strengthening the disease surveillance systems, improve laboratory infrastructure and offer six professional fellowships to senior scientists to build expertise. The programme is led by the UK's Department of Health and Social Care, with Mott MacDonald contracted as the Management Agent of the fund, and Development Alternatives Inc appointed as the lead project partner to deliver most of the investment in Pakistan.

Antimicrobial resistance happens when microbes including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to the drugs we use to treat them, including antibiotics.

This sometimes leaves us powerless to treat what we often consider to be routine infections. This poses a great threat to both human and animal health. Drug resistant...