MaKSPH students having a Skype interaction with their Nottingham Trent University Counterparts led by Grace Biyinzika Lubega and Jody Winter from NTU
By Grace Biyinzika Lubega and Filimin Niyongabo
With the rising global burden in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that is undermining the success of modern medicine, there is need for increased awareness among all populations to fight AMR. This burden has further called for the World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW) that is held annually in the month of November. During this week, the world comes together to raise their voices on causes, risks and global burden of AMR, further creating more awareness on immediate actions needed through antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices. Over the last 10 years the partnership between Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) and Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has grown tremendously.
In 2019, WAAW activities of the partnership were held to commemorate joint efforts by students and lecturers from the two universities which involved combined lectures and a competition on AMR/AMS among the undergraduate MakSPH Environmental Health Science (BEHS) and NTU Microbiology students.
On 20th November 2019, the competition was crowned with a skype call between NTU and MakSPH to announce the winners of the Students’ Antimicrobial Awareness Competition. A total of 8 submissions had been submitted in form of skits, songs and comic strips all creating awareness on AMR within our communities. The skype call, which was organised by Grace Biyinzika Lubega, Filimin Niyongabo and Dr. David Musoke from MakSPH, and Dr. Jody Winter from NTU involved interactions between the undergraduate students of the two universities as they shared experiences in AMR.
Winners of the competition were the “live action drama” starring Nankya Jackline, Nambajjwe Molly, Nabukalu Jalidah, Nabisubi Fatumah, Jemba Pius and Nanyonjo Genevieve Gloria for the Best Video; and “Xavier’s farm” by Makwasi Phillip Israel and Nanyonjo Genevieve Gloria for the best comic strip. The first runners up were: a song “Let’s stop AMR” by Nakalawa Suzan and “Antibiotic stewardship” comic strip by Amber Thacker
Juma Amdani, one of the NTU MA Public Health students on the Erasmus+ exchange programme commended the students for their commitment to participate in co-curricular activities. He was impressed with the different students’ powerful messages, and encouraged that more of such competitions were vital in creating awareness among students as well as spreading the right messages in communities.
The Guest of Honour, Mr Rawlance Ndejjo from MakSPH emphasised that each of us has a role to play in creating AMR awareness in our communities whether students, lecturers or medical practitioners. He was also impressed by the different talents that were showcased during the competition by the MakSPH and NTU students.
This partnership between MakSPH and NTU is supported through a project on Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) funded by the Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship Scheme (CwPAMS), an initiative of Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) and Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) under the Fleming Fund of the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
