Chat on X.com: Can People become Community Leaders in tackling the global challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance?

Can People become Community Leaders in tackling the global challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance?

Joining Details

Moderator: ReAct and The AMR Narrative
Date: 10 September 2024
Where: X.com (Previously Twitter)
Time: 4pm CEST (2pm GMT, 4pm CAT, 3pm BST, 10am EDT)
Hashtag: #theAMRnarrative

Registration: The session is open to everyone. Registration is not necessary. However if you complete our form here, we will send you a calendar reminder.

Overview
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a pressing global health concern that demands a comprehensive, patient, public and community-driven approach. This phenomenon where microbes evolve to resist the effects of antimicrobial medications designed to treat them, poses a significant threat to public health.

Crucially, the fight against AMR cannot be waged by healthcare professionals alone. It requires active involvement from every sector of society – patients, carers, the public, and wider community. Not only in human health, but also in animal health, the environment, food production and agriculture. 

Educating everyone about the importance of using antimicrobial medicines responsibly is essential. Now, here’s where you come in. Ever taken antibiotics for a cold or flu? Well, that’s a no-no! Antibiotics are meant for bacterial infections, they do not treat colds or flu which are usually caused by viruses. Using antibiotics when they are not needed contribute to the development and spread of resistant microbes. We need to spread the word about using these medicines responsibly and when they are really needed. Next time you’re at the doctor’s, don’t be shy – ask questions, voice your concerns. It’s all about open communication.

The wider community, including schools, workplaces, religious leaders, and local organisations, plays an essential role in addressing AMR. We need to get creative about raising awareness. How about community workshops or fun social media campaigns? Imagine TikTok challenges about hand hygiene! And let’s not forget about schools, workplaces, and local organisations. They can all play a part in teaching people about preventing infections and using medicines wisely.

Here’s a cool idea: why not get your local pharmacy or community group involved? They could team up with healthcare providers to share info and resources about AMR. The more voices we have in this conversation, the better!

By educating patients, the public, communities and policymakers about the dangers of AMR, advocacy campaigns can ensure that the issue remains a high priority on national and international agendas. This is particularly important in securing funding for research and the development of new antimicrobials and alternative treatments.

So, what are you waiting for? Just go ahead and sign the “From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW!” campaign’s  petition, launched by ReAct and PAHO, which calls for greater patient and community involvement in the global response to AMR.  The petition will be handed over to world leaders at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR at the UN General Assembly in New York on 26 September.

And before that important meeting make sure you join us on 10 September at 4pm CEST for a community dialogue on the growing challenge of AMR. The dialogue will be hosted on X.com by The AMR Narrative, in partnership with ReAct. 

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Questions: 
– Introductions first (5-10 mins, then questions asked every 10 mins thereafter)
T1: How can healthcare providers and policy makers work more closely with patients and community organizations to combat AMR?
T2: What specific actions would you like to see world leaders commit to in order to address AMR, when they meet at the UN General Assembly in September this year.
T3: How could we simplify AMR messaging to reach a wider community?
T4: How can patients or carers with lived experience of AMR impact the public, communities, policymakers, and others?
CT: Any closing thoughts about how people can become leaders to tackle AMR?

How to participate:

Download the guidance document here.

Join us for a 60-minute community dialogue on X with our panel experts. Both panel experts and the public are encouraged to answer. Use the #theAMRnarrative hashtag in all your posts so that you are visible to others in the chat and captured on the transcript.

1. The session will be in a text format.
2. To join, login to X.com (Previously Twitter) and search for the hashtag #theAMRnarrative making sure to select “latest” in the menu bar. Alternatively, if you’re unable to see the feed, follow @theAMRnarrative to see the questions posted live.
3. We start with introductions for the first few minutes. Tell us who you are and what you do.
4. Questions will be prompted every 10-minutes thereafter. Start your answers with the relevant T and number and always end with the hashtag #theAMRnarrative.
5. The session can move quickly, therefore we advise our guests to prepare answers in advance. The questions can be viewed above.
6. Registration isn’t necessary and the chat is open to everyone.
7. The dialogue will be moderated in English, but feel free to answer in your local language.

First and foremost, it’s the use of the hashtag that makes a dialogue like this work. Watch out for spelling mistakes and remember “the” – (i.e., #theAMRnarrative not #AMRnarrative)

Special Guest Experts:

1. Dr. David Owoeye – Sickle Cell Warrior, Advocate and Author. AMR Survivor, Saudi Arabia / Nigeria
2. J. Randolph K. Keah – Head of Programs, Consummate Health and Sanitation, Liberia
3. Mary Lynne Van Poelgeest – President of the World Federation of Incontinence and Pelvic Problems and AMR (from the patient perspective), Netherlands
4. Flavia Kyomukama – Ugandan female patients’ and community systems strengthening financing advocate. She has lived with HIV since 1994 and is a cancer survivor since 2021. Flavia represents African patients and has worked with the International Alliance of Patients organisations (IAPO), represents NNGOs in terms of GFATM Uganda CCM, is the current Executive Director of Action Group for Health Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA), Uganda
5. Dr Ghada Zoubiane – Head of Partnerships at ICARS
6. Ibrahima Kouma – Blogger and Working Group Leaders at One Health in Action Initiative, Ivory Coast, Africa
7. Daniel Waruingi – Capacity Development and Youth Engagement Manager (ReAct) and Students Against Superbugs, Africa
8. Mbali Jiyane – Content Assistance and Programme Officer for Eh!woza, South Africa
9. Claudia Louati – Head of Policy, European Patients’ Forum (EPF), Europe
10. Nour Shamas – Antimicrobial Stewardship Clinical Pharmacist and Policy Advisor, Member: WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors, Lebanon
11. Rob Purdie – Founding Member of MyCare (Mycology Advocacy, Research and Education), Member: WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors, USA
12. Ivy Dimarucut – Member of the Board, Alliance of Patients’ Organisations Singapore (APOS)
13. Ngoni Veddie Muzondo – Head of Programs, Generational Stewards for Antimicrobials, Zimbabwe
14. Tafara Dandadzi – Deputy Director, Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA)
15. Regis Irankunda – Co-Founder Executive Director, AMR Alliance Rwanda
16. Brandon Jaka – Pharmacist and HIV drug-resistance survivor, Member: WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors, Zimbabwe
17. Dr Mayowa Sodiq Akinpelu – Chairperson, African Youth AMR Alliance Task Force
18. Phumeza Tisile – XDR-TB and AMR Survivor, Research Assistant and Advocacy Officer at TB Proof, South Africa
19. Candy Jacobs – Project Manager at TB Proof, South Africa
20. Dr Francesca Chiara – Chair of the Board of Trustees, The AMR Narrative, UK
21. Marina Ungurenci – Quadripartite Working Group of Youth Engagement for AMR
22. Karina Khatic – Quadripartite Working Group of Youth Engagement for AMR
23. Vida Parady – External Relations, ReAct, Indonesia