Nelesh Govender was a member of the steering committee which supported developed of the Blueprint document.

The Blueprint for strengthening responses to fungal disease and antifungal resistance Implementation guidance, provides a structured, operational framework to support countries and partners in strengthening coordinated responses to fungal disease and antifungal resistance (AFR).

Fungal diseases and AFR are associated with significant morbidity and mortality globally, yet remain under-recognized, underdiagnosed and under-resourced in many national and global health settings. Building on the WHO Fungal Priority Pathogens List and aligned with the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and other relevant WHO strategies and health system frameworks, the Blueprint responds to requests from Member States, regional bodies and global partners for practical guidance to operationalize global priorities and strengthen national and regional responses.

The guidance identifies critical gaps across awareness, workforce capacity, diagnostics, access to treatment, surveillance, stewardship and research — particularly in low- and middle-income countries — and presents integrated, equity-oriented and One Health approaches to help address them.

Organized around four interconnected domains — public health and health system interventions; therapies, technologies and innovation systems; laboratory systems, surveillance and outbreak preparedness; and social, environmental and One Health drivers — the Blueprint sets out prioritized, feasible and context-adaptable actions to support countries and partners in translating global priorities into coordinated implementation, with measurable outputs and outcomes.

Check out the newly launched Centre for Medical Mycology (CMM) in AFRICA website!

The CMM in AFRICA is a research and training unit focused on advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human fungal infections affecting people living in Africa.

Visit the website to learn more about their research, training opportunities, collaborations, and latest updates: https://health.uct.ac.za/cmm-africa

In a recent episode of When Science Finds a Way, a podcast by the Wellcome Trust, leading researchers come together to unpack one of the world’s most deadly fungal infections. Rachael Dangarembizi from the AFRICA unit of the Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology and the UCT Neuroscience Institute and Kyla Murphy from Wits Mycology will join Rebecca Drummond in conversation with host Alisha Wainwright.

Together, they explore Cryptococcal meningitis, the leading cause of death from fungal disease globally and discuss how innovation in diagnostics and treatment is evolving. The episode highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary and international collaboration in addressing this complex disease.

‘What happens when fungi find their way into our brains?’.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Hello and welcome to the ninth edition of the IMPRINT newsletter, in which we will keep you updated on the latest developments and achievements of our Global Health Research Group on HIV-associated Fungal Infections. IMPRINT is a collaborative project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) that aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of five major fungal infections that affect people living with HIV: cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), talaromycosis and emergomycosis.

Our group brings together leading academic researchers, clinical and public health leaders, non-governmental organisations including Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) and community and patient representatives from Africa, Southeast Asia and Europe. We are committed to conducting high-quality research that will benefit the health and well-being of people living with advanced HIV disease in low-and middle-income countries.

In this edition, we are thrilled to highlight the in-person training and strategic event of our Community Advisory Board and expert patient groups held in Johannesburg and the Mycology Course held in Cape Town.

Meanwhile, the IMPRINT and SHARE-CM teams have been busy sharing their research, presenting results at the International Meningitis Research Foundation Conference in London and at the ICASA 2025 in Accra. These presentations showcase the impact of our work across Africa and beyond, driving discussions that shape the future of HIV and opportunistic infection care.