Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) develops when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve over time and stop responding to medications, making illnesses harder to cure and raising the risk of disease spread, serious illness, and death. AMR is a public health challenge and recent data shows that it disproportionately affects people in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), with limited access to quality healthcare and diagnostic services. This is exhibited by the 2022 Lancet publication that shows a high burden of AMR in western sub-Saharan Africa, with more than 27.3 deaths per 100,000 people compared to the lowest burden in Australasia of 6.5 deaths per 100,000 ¹. This study shows that bacterial AMR was associated with an estimated 4.95 million deaths, including 1.27 million deaths attributed to it globally in 2019¹. Compared to other regions, sub-Saharan Africa bears the highest burden of AMR-associated death rate, at 99 deaths per 100,000, far exceeding the global projections of 700,000 deaths caused by AMR annually2. Africa is the youngest continent, with UN data showing approximately 60% of the population is under 253. This remarkable demographic reality presents a unique and promising opportunity to usher in transformative societal changes by harnessing the potential of Africa’s youthful populace.
At Ducit Blue Foundation, we strive to unlock their untapped potential, empowering them to lead their communities, nations, and ultimately, the entire continent towards a brighter and healthier future through comprehensive training and capacity empowerment programmes,.
The Youth Against Antimicrobial Misuse (YAAM) project is part of our youth productivity and inclusiveness strategy. This project aims to empower secondary school children, undergraduates, and young professionals by providing them with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively address antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The objectives are centred around Know, Stop and Save the Future; improving knowledge, behavioural change and preservation of these lifesaving drugs. As part of our initiatives, we established a pioneer Pan African One Health Internship and Mentorship Program specifically designed for undergraduates and recently qualified One Health professionals. The primary objective is to cultivate a new generation of African youth leaders and solution providers who can effectively tackle the distinctive challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the region. This internship/ mentorship journey started in 2020, with the first cohort involving 10 Pan-African Undergraduate Pharmacy students in partnership with the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF-AFRO). A video capturing what the internship means to the mentees can be accessed here. The second cohort coined “Involving Youth in the Mitigation of Antimicrobial Misuse & Antimicrobial Resistance” supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization, 5 regional student associations, and South Centre (for the world antimicrobial awareness week activities), involved 25 beneficiaries spread across 12 African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Benin, Senegal, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Senegal, and Cote d’ Ivoire. There were 33 facilitators of which 18 were also mentors, representing diverse One Health sectors and organisations. The 3-month program involved weekly lectures from experts in the field of AMR in covering six core modules including Building the Foundation of AMR Awareness and One Health Strategies; Policy framework development; Leading with your value: Building leadership qualities; Fundamentals of Research and Publications; Capstone project; and changing the narrative, accountability and development.
We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to all our partners, mentors, and facilitators. Their unwavering support, guidance, and expertise have been instrumental in our journey. We are truly grateful for their dedication and commitment to our cause. Thank you for being an essential part of our team and contributing to our initiative’s success.
As part of our annual World Antimicrobial Awareness Week activities, our interns are tasked with an innovative social media campaign to raise awareness and encourage behavioural change. The 2021 project supported by The South Centre, led to the multidisciplinary intern groups conducting AMR awareness campaigns using a wide range of social media platforms and strategies, as well as physical engagement in their local communities, such as local primary and secondary schools, with wide public engagement and receiving multiple accolades. 30,890 unique engagements were measured across various social media platforms, including Anglophone and Francophone countries.
Figure 2: Ducit Blue Foundation WAAW 2021 Intern Activities.
The Antibiotic Guardian Shared Learning Event and Awards celebrate One health professionals across the UK and globally, striving to tackle the global health security threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These awards form part of the ongoing Antibiotic Guardian campaign, led by the UK Health Security Agency.
In the 2022/2023 series, we participated in the public engagement category by showcasing our efforts through our Pan-African interns. Our entry highlighted various activities conducted during the WAAW week. These activities included video submissions, online webinars, masterclasses conducted in both English and French and our significant work in localizing AMR messaging, among other notable contributions.
Some excerpts:
- Participated in AMR outreach awareness activities as part of a student One Health innovation club, and was involved in student research into perceptions towards antimicrobial usage.
- Worked as a research assistant, supporting the National Action Plan AMR Project, a collaboration between the University of Glasgow, Kilimanjaro Christian Research Institute, and Bugando Medical Center advocating for correct use.
- Influenced a local committee to investigate the effluent discharge of a community hospital.
- Organised a 4-module course for 1000+ medical and paramedical students on AMR, with positive post-assessment outcomes.
- Head of the delegation for the IPSF on a fight against fakes focus session at the 74th World Health Assembly in Switzerland.
We were thrilled to be shortlisted in the public engagement category for our exceptional endeavours in promoting AMR education. This recognition placed us among esteemed institutions and organizations such as the University of Liverpool, Roll Back Antimicrobial Resistance Initiative (RBA INITIATIVE), County Durham MO team (NENC ICB), and NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB. Being included in this list was a significant achievement that we will always cherish
Figure 5: Public Engagement Shortlist
Ducit Blue Foundation is thrilled to announce our second participation in the prestigious Antibiotic Guardian Awards. We previously achieved success in 2020, where we were also recognized for our innovative approach to raising awareness about AMR. In the children and family category, we received Highly Commended recognition for our implementation of a sensitization quiz and debate program targeted at secondary schools in Abuja. This initiative acted as a catalyst for knowledge dissemination and fostered critical thinking among the youth, nurturing future advocates for the responsible use of antimicrobials. The competition in this category was fierce, with esteemed participants such as Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh (DRASA) Health Trust, Pfizer LTD, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, and the University of Manchester. We are proud to be among such remarkable organizations and individuals. Click here to read more about this award.
Fig 7: Our 2020 Entry Post
Figure 8: Ducit Blue Foundation 2020 “Highly Commended” Award
Ducit Blue Foundation partnered with Alliance Against Antimicrobial Resistance (a promising organisation founded by two Ducit Blue Foundation former AMR Pan African interns – cohort 1 and cohort 2) to translate and localize AMR into more than 50 different African Languages during the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, 2022 using a crowdsourcing open call, youth engagement and community sensitization approach. The output infographics were disseminated to various schools, marketplaces, farms and public gatherings across numerous African countries. The infographic had reviewers including Prof Iruka Okeke, a Professor of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at the University of Ibadan, to ensure accuracy. A web portal was created and the translated content was uploaded for easy access. This portal is live and the infographics in various languages can be downloaded here
The open call received 193 submissions of translation interests from 21 African languages, resulting in 120 youths selected, including a quality control mechanism.
Thirty young people from Nigeria participated in a number of sessions aimed at improving their capacity, including training on AMR and community participation led by professionals in the field to prepare them for the onsite community awareness campaigns carried out in Oyo, Kwara, and Borno States in Nigeria respectively.
Figure 10: Ducit Blue Foundation Infographics in Swahili
The project went beyond its primary goals by actively engaging with communities to raise awareness about AMR and educate the public on preventive measures to combat its spread. Onsite campaigns were conducted across three geo-political zones, namely North-Central (Kwara State), South-West (Oyo State), and North East (Borno State), targeting communities often overlooked in AMR awareness and campaigns. Flyers containing AMR messages in local languages were printed and distributed within these communities, garnering appreciation and understanding. Additionally, the collaboration between Ducit Blue Foundation and Triple-A extended support to other youth-led AMR sensitization programs in Kenya, Senegal, Malawi, and Uganda. Notably, this project also received assistance from The South Centre, further enhancing its impact and reach. Read the South Centre report here
Figure 11: Ducit Blue Foundation former interns leading awareness campaigns in the market during WAAW, 2022
Figure 12: Aggregation of social media performance for the online campaign
Figure 13: Aggregation of engagement for the onsite campaign
Furthermore,
according to web portal analytics, the translated infographics have been viewed
by over 1200 individuals across 38 countries. Remarkably, 438 people have taken
the initiative to download these infographics for their own individual
campaigns in their respective countries. This overwhelming response is a
testament to the significant impact our campaign has had, reaching a wide
audience and effectively raising awareness about the importance of combating
antimicrobial resistance resulting in over 74,000 social media engagements.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the South Centre team
for their unwavering support. Their ongoing assistance has been invaluable in
our endeavours, and we deeply appreciate their dedication to our cause. Thank
you for being a crucial partner in our mission to combat antimicrobial
resistance (AMR) and make a positive impact in communities worldwide.
In conclusion, our initiatives have made significant strides in addressing
antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through various capacity empowerment programs
and public engagement efforts. We have successfully empowered secondary school
children, undergraduates, and young professionals with the knowledge and tools
to tackle AMR. The Pan African One Health Internship and Mentorship Program
have produced youth leaders and solution providers who are actively working to
address Africa’s unique AMR challenges. Our collaborations, community
engagements, and translations of AMR messaging into local languages have
expanded the reach of our campaigns. The recognition and support we have
received, including being shortlisted for prestigious awards, highly commended
acknowledgements, and the continuous backing of our partners, mentors, and
facilitators, have been pivotal in our progress. With the positive impact we
have achieved so far, we remain committed to our mission of promoting
responsible antibiotic use and fighting against AMR, ultimately safeguarding
the future of global health.
Ducit Blue Foundation remains steadfast in our dedication to crafting creative, innovative
and impactful solutions that drive AMR awareness, in line with our unwavering
commitment to educate and empower the youth and the public in the battle
against antimicrobial resistance. We are moving forward with purpose, with more
data-driven exciting initiatives in the pipeline.
We express our gratitude to all our supporters, partners, and participants
who have contributed to our successful programmes and initiatives. Together we
will continue to make a difference in the fight against AMR. Stay tuned for
more updates and upcoming projects and initiatives as we strive to pave the way
for future solutions providers and public health foot soldiers to ensure
effective antibiotics remain a cornerstone for global health.
