Kick Against AMR

Kick Against AMR is a digital health platform designed to:

1. Monitor behaviours pertaining to antimicrobial misuse

2. Assess the level of knowledge of the threat of AMR

3. Create content to educate  on AMR and the role they have to play.

5. Influence behavior change of misuse of antibiotics

Adedotun Ayodele is a medical doctor and the founder of Med with Cred. He has a master's degree in public health and is currently training in data science.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to global health. It was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths according to the World Health Organization. Overuse of antimicrobials is a risk factor for AMR.

In countries like Nigeria antimicrobial drugs can be purchased without the need of prescriptions and as a result, the population can self-medicate. Zeb et al (2022)noted Self-Medication as an Important Risk Factor for Antibiotic Resistance.

People tend to self medicate in Nigeria to cut cost of medical expenditure. Nigeria's health system is majorly funded out of pocket so people avoid hospitals as much as possible and would rather get medications from the pharmacies without the need of prescription and then self medicate.

The health risk behaviour of self medicating is the key problem our solution will tackle.

In Nigeria, healthcare predominantly relies on out-of-pocket expenses, placing strain on an already fragile health system. Compounded by the significant brain drain of healthcare professionals, the nation faces a critical challenge in ensuring access to quality care and reducing preventable deaths. Improved health literacy among the population is essential to address this issue effectively.

Self-medication poses a significant threat in Nigeria, exacerbated by the ease of purchasing medications such as antibiotics and anti-malarials without prescriptions. This practice not only undermines the healthcare system but also heightens the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)-related conditions, including drug-resistant tuberculosis and multi-drug resistant malaria.

To tackle this pressing issue, we propose a comprehensive approach that integrates social media data analysis with targeted surveys and questions. By leveraging insights from social media interactions and surveys, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the extent of self-medication practices across different demographics and regions. This data-driven approach will enable us to pinpoint areas of high risk and effectively tailor our health promotion efforts to address specific needs and behaviors within the population.

This intervention will birth a series of publication and will help to fill the knowledge gap. This intervention is reproducible and can be applied to other global health issues.

This intervention will also demonstrate how Data Science can be applied in global health to improve health outcomes.

The proposed solution of leveraging social media data analysis and targeted surveys aims to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Nigeria by understanding and mitigating self-medication practices. This approach will have tangible impacts across multiple fronts. It empowers healthcare authorities and policymakers to develop evidence-based interventions, potentially reducing AMR-related conditions and healthcare costs. 

Healthcare providers can better educate patients and improve prescribing practices, leading to better outcomes and antibiotic stewardship. Pharmaceutical companies can use insights to inform product strategies and support global health efforts. For the general population, targeted health promotion messages can increase awareness and encourage informed decision-making, ultimately reducing preventable deaths and fostering a healthier society. 

By aligning stakeholders and focusing on evidence-driven interventions, this solution has the potential to make significant strides in combatting AMR in Nigeria.

Next Year:

1. Expansion of Outreach: Increase the reach of our health promotion efforts by diversifying content formats, leveraging new social media platforms, and collaborating with influencers and community leaders to amplify our messaging.

2. Community Partnerships: Forge partnerships with local healthcare facilities, community organizations, and educational institutions to conduct targeted awareness campaigns, workshops, and training sessions on responsible antimicrobial use.

3. Data-driven Optimization: Continuously analyze social media data and survey responses to refine our understanding of self-medication behaviors and tailor interventions accordingly. Utilize insights to optimize content strategies and outreach efforts.

Next Three Years:

1. National Campaigns: Scale up our initiatives to a national level by collaborating with government agencies, healthcare providers, and non-profit organizations to launch large-scale awareness campaigns, leveraging traditional media channels in addition to social media.

2. Capacity Building: Invest in building local capacity by training healthcare professionals, community health workers, and educators on antimicrobial resistance awareness and stewardship principles. Establish regional hubs for ongoing education and support.

3. Policy Advocacy:Advocate for policy changes and regulatory measures to curb self-medication practices and promote antimicrobial stewardship at the national level. Collaborate with policymakers to implement evidence-based interventions and enforce regulations.

Here are some Key performance indicators (KPIs) 

1. Awareness and Engagement Metrics: Track metrics such as reach, impressions, and engagement (likes, comments, shares) on social media platforms to assess the effectiveness of our health promotion campaigns. Increase in followers and subscribers across channels will also indicate growing awareness and interest.

2. Survey Results: Analyze survey responses to measure changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to antimicrobial use and resistance over time. Compare baseline and post-intervention survey data to evaluate the impact of our educational efforts.

3. Behavioral Outcomes: Monitor changes in self-medication practices, antibiotic consumption rates, and healthcare-seeking behaviors through longitudinal studies and healthcare data analysis. Reductions in inappropriate antimicrobial use and antimicrobial-resistant infections will be indicative of successful interventions.

4. Healthcare Indicators: Assess healthcare utilization patterns, antibiotic prescription rates, and trends in AMR-related conditions within healthcare facilities to gauge the impact of our interventions on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

5. Policy Impact: Measure progress in advocating for policy changes and regulatory measures to address antimicrobial resistance at the national level. Success in influencing policy decisions and implementing evidence-based interventions will be a key indicator of impact.

The financial barrier is a the major barrier. With the grant we will be able to overcome the barrier.

We are apply for this challenge because we genuine lacked opportunities to join the fight to tackle the threats to global health. The risk of antimicrobial resistance is mostly ignored in our community and so we need to find a solution to the problem.

One of the barriers we face is obtaining a Twitter Developer Account to enable us mine data from Twitter/X. Once we obtain this we can be able to extract the necessary data.

Another barrier will be a workstation. We will need to have a workstation centred in lagos state, Nigeria for day to day operations.

Also we will need guidance on all the ethical considerations to abide.

We will need mentors in financing and operations.