About Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA)

As of 19th February 2024, GAMA has over 150 members from 30 countries worldwide.

Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA) is a network of journalists, other media actors, and media associations and organisations from across sectors which have come together to raise media awareness on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and its visibility in the context of global health security and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

GAMA’s Vision

Vision of GAMA is to increase awareness and visibility of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in and through media, for responsible and appropriate use of antimicrobials to protect human health.

GAMA’s Mission

GAMA’s mission is to demand stronger and urgent actions for ensuring responsible and appropriate use of antimicrobials by:

  • Raising media awareness on AMR
  • Increasing visibility of AMR in media
  • Updating media fraternity on AMR science
  • Simplifying AMR science in local contexts, as well as in relation to health security and SDGs,
  • Sharing opportunities with members for media coverage, capacity building/ training, learning events, etc. These may also include AMR related media scholarships or fellowships, upcoming AMR events, etc.
Why GAMA?

Media and communications have played a defining role in helping promote public health, sustainable development and helping build opinion for stronger political and social commitments towards the same.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which is among the top-10 global health threats, warrants stronger media attention. We need sustained and growing media and communication initiatives to help shape public opinions, narratives, and discourses. As AMR related science, evidence-based information, political commitments to address AMR, and action on the ground are advancing, it is important to increase media engagement on an ongoing basis, keep media fully informed, and leverage media optimally to advance progress towards AMR-related commitments.

Our story of coming together as GAMA

With this intent, since 2005 onwards, CNS has been engaging a diverse range of journalists and other media actors (and media associations or organisations) around drug resistance against anti-TB medicines and HIV medicines used in the lifesaving antiretroviral therapy. Since 2021 onwards, we at CNS along with several journalists, other media actors and media associations or organisations came together around World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) every year, hosting the annual Global Media Forums on AMR, conducting online and in-person media trainings on AMR (such as in Indonesia), and highlighting AMR at several important global health and development meetings (such as International Conference of Family Planning, Asia Pacific Summit of Mayors, International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa, World Social Forum 2024, International AIDS Conferences, World Conferences on Lung Health, among others).

Over the years, the engagement of CNS with media professionals, media organisations, and associations of journalists has deepened around AMR and related issues. For example, 2nd edition of the Annual Global Media Forum in lead up to WAAW 2022 was jointly hosted by 17 media organisations from Asia Pacific and African region.

Launch of GAMA

Taking this media engagement forward, the Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA) was launched at the 3rd edition of the Annual Global Media Forum in lead up to World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW 2023) on 13 November 2023. As of 19th February 2024, GAMA has over 150 members from 30 countries worldwide. CNS is the permanent secretariat of GAMA.