MAKERERE UNIVERSITY AMR CLUB

MAKERERE UNIVERSITY AMR CLUB. Role of University Students in Fight Against AMR.

Students Against Superbugs Africa. About us and Our Work We are oriented towards building a movement of empowered students & young people who can advocate and engage actively in the fight against Antimicrobial Resistance in their respective niches. Primary setting in Kenya but our team is multidisciplinary, & hails from different countries in Africa. Our programs target different countries within the African continent. Our work is anchored on a One Health Approach.

Approach in creating Change. Empowering young people especially students and recent graduates by designing relevant programs that can trigger their interest, equip them with appropriate skills, and encourage them to pursue further studies or advocate for AMR in their respective careers, niches & interests. We build on young people’s strength areas, and encourage transdisciplinary engagement All this is aimed at building a movement of young people within the African continent keen on advocating for AMR..

Our Journey. Started 4 years ago by a group of students in Kenya when a university lecturer told a story of a child who had died when an antibiotic-resistant infection spread through the hospital ward. Included only medical students initially. Later became multidisciplinary and trans-sectoral. The organization has now grown to include early career professionals and a cross-section of students from various faculties in colleges and universities in Kenya and several other African countries..

WHAT ARE MICROBES. Microbes are tiny living things that are found all around us and most are too small to be seen by the naked eye. They are found in animals, plants water, soil, and in the air. The human body is home to millions of these microbes too, also called microorganisms. Some microbes make us sick, while others are important for our health. Microbes include bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites..

WHAT ARE ANTIMICROBIALS?. Antimicrobials are medicines used to prevent and treat infections. They include: Antibiotics used against Bacteria Antivirals used against Viruses Antifungals used against fungi Antiparasitics used against parasites.

WHAT IS ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE?. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines they were previously responding to, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death..

Unfortunately, AMR doesn't have a face of itself like COVID-19, Cancers, HIV and other pandemics affecting us. Due to this, it is not easily noticed making it the “silent pandemic”.

WHAT CAUSES ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE?. Not finishing the prescribed dose. Taking antimicrobials for the wrong microbe Using antimicrobials for growth promotion and prevention of infection for animals..

Poor access to quality, affordable medicines, vaccines and diagnostics Lack of awareness and knowledge; and lack of enforcement of legislation Improper disposal of antimicrobials.

HOW DO MICROBES BECOME RESISTANT?. Resistance happens when microbes come in contact with antimicrobials (or sub-optimal amounts) and survive. Mutations in genes allow some microbes to survive these antimicrobials. They pass these genes along to their other microbes. This is how antimicrobial-resistant strains of microbes are formed.

MECHANISM OF RESISTANCE. Changes in membrane permeability to antibiotics Getting rid of drugs through efflux pumps Enzymatic degradation of antibacterial drugs Alteration of bacterial proteins that are antimicrobial targets.

SPREAD OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE. AMR can spread between people, animals, and the environment. A resistant microbe are spread from one person to another through contaminated surfaces, contaminated foods and animals. Such microbes are able to share the resistant gene with other microbes creating “an army”.

IMPACT OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE. Antimicrobial failure leads to additional side effects; longer hospital stays; psychological disorders due to reduced quality of life; burden on families; and a greater likelihood of death as a result of inadequate or delayed treatment. Without effective antimicrobials, the success of modern medicine in treating infections, including during major surgery and cancer chemotherapy, would be at increased risk. The World bank estimated that AMR could cause 10 million deaths a year, with a global increases in healthcare costs ranging from $300 billion to more than $1 trillion per year by 2050..

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE. Earlier in 2022, a study conducted by Lancet revealed that in 2019, estimated 4·95 million (3·62M – 6·57M) deaths associated with bacterial AMR, out of which 1.27 million deaths were attributed to AMR. This is higher than the deaths attributed to malaria and HIV/AIDS combined in the same year. AMR is a global concern affecting everyone irrespective of race, gender, nationality or level of education. A lot of antibiotics have are no longer working and there are very few antibiotics being discovered..

WAAW2023: Preventing AMR Together. What University students can do 1. Advocacy: Promote Optimal Use of Antimicrobial Agents. Advocate for responsible antibiotic use to prevent misuse and overuse. This includes educating peers and the community on completing prescribed courses and not self-medicating..

WAAW2023: Preventing AMR Together. What University students can do 2. Infection prevention and control. Implement and promote hygiene practices to minimize the chances of getting infected and spreading infections. This involves raising awareness about hand hygiene, vaccination, and other preventive measures..

WAAW2023: Preventing AMR Together. What University students can do 3. Antimicrobial Stewardship. Take a leadership role in promoting antimicrobial stewardship within healthcare institutions and communities. This includes collaborating with healthcare and veterinary professionals to ensure optimal use of antimicrobial agents..

WAAW2023: Preventing AMR Together. What University students can do 4. Research novel antimicrobial molecules and alternatives to antibiotics. Actively participate in research projects to discover and develop new antimicrobial solutions. This could involve exploring alternative treatment methods(such as Phage therapy and probiotics) and promoting sustainable practices..

Multidisciplinary Action. The efforts to tackle AMR require a global One Health approach, using multidisciplinary approaches and a thorough understanding of the topic both by the general public and the experts. One Health approach is the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally, to attain optimal health for people, animals and our environment..

Multidisciplinary Action. Diverse Causes and Factors Interconnectedness of Sectors One Health Perspective Innovation and Research Behavioral and Societal Factors Policy and Regulation Global Collaboration Economic Consideration Education and Public Engagement.

CURRENT EFFORTS IN ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE MITIGATION.

THANK YOU!. https://www.studentsagainstsuperbugs.org/.