ROTA-biotic: measuring the impact of rotavirus vaccines on pediatric antibiotic usage
Wellcome Trust
Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) disproportionately impacts low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and overcoming AMR requires public understanding and engagement (1,2). The ROTA-biotic project evaluates the impact of vaccines on antibiotic usage in Zambia and Ghana. Caregivers in Zambia and other LMICs are often insufficiently informed about the hazards of inappropriate antibiotic use and AMR (2). This public engagement proposal aims to increase knowledge and awareness of AMR among caregivers of children under-5 using school-going children. To achieve this goal, we propose a youth-led intervention in Zambia where high-school children educate primary caregivers of under-5 children about AMR using narratives and performing arts. Our work will demonstrate implementation and outcomes of a process by which children will: 1. Be engaged in the co-creation of a knowledge-based intervention with social scientists, local actors and artists, teachers of basic science, and community-based safe motherhood action groups (SMAGs) 2. Be included in a research process, specifically recruitment, data collection and interpretation of findings, and 3. Lead the implementation of intervention activities created by them and informed by caregivers and other stakeholders This will result in the production of visual materials and performing arts set/s aimed at educating caregivers on the concept of AMR and their role in controlling resistance in their children. Our work will facilitate broader dissemination of impactful AMR storylines within ROTA-biotic sites, schools, and ministries of health and education in both Zambia and Ghana.
3.1 Primary prevention interventions to modify behaviours or promote well-being