Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Agri-Food Systems Webinar Series: Human and Policy Dimensions of Antimicrobial Resistance
Date and Time
Location
This webinar will be hosted on Zoom. Please register to receive event link. A zoom link will be sent only to those who register. The link will be sent 48 hours before the event.
Details
Human and Policy Dimensions of Antimicrobial Resistance
This webinar will present a program-level talk on the growing concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from a human health and policy perspective. It will focus on how national strategies and governance frameworks shape AMR outcomes across interconnected "One Health" systems. The event is for 60 minutes on Monday 09 March 2026, 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET (8:00 PM - 9:00 PM IST). This event is the third in a series of events organized by the UofG-MSSRF working group and hosted by CIRCLE.
Speaker
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan
Chair of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in India, and former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Swaminathan is a global leader in public health, science, and sustainable development. As WHO’s first Chief Scientist, she led the creation of its Science Division and played a pivotal role in launching Covax, ensuring equitable vaccine access during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a leading advocate for combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a "One Health" approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental surveillance.
In her talk, she will describe the evolving AMR policy landscape in India from a human health systems perspective, with a focus on the strategic direction of India’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR 2.0). Her talk will highlight recent national priorities, including strengthening surveillance through integrated laboratory networks, improving antimicrobial stewardship in public and private healthcare settings, and addressing inappropriate antibiotic use at the community and primary care level. She will also reflect on India’s growing emphasis on evidence-based policy, intersectoral coordination, and alignment with global AMR frameworks, while critically discussing persistent implementation gaps, such as uneven stewardship capacity, limited data integration across programmes, and challenges in translating policy commitments into routine clinical practice. This perspective would provide an important linkage between national policy intent, health system realities, and future research priorities in AMR.
Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with one of the world’s foremost voices in global health and sustainable development.
Moderator
Assistant Professor of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Guelph
Director, CIRCLE, University of Guelph
Organized by
UofG-MSSRF Working Group
Hosted by
Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)