My AMR Alert App

The MyAMR Alert App is a groundbreaking digital tool designed to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) by enhancing public awareness and education through personalized tips, an AMR Risk Calculator, and multilingual support, aiming to transform behaviors and practices for improved global health security.

Derrick Zziwa is the team lead of the solution. He is a Computer scientist with extensive knowledge in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. 

We're tackling the escalating crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), a phenomenon where microorganisms no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death. This global threat, accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics across humans, animals, and agriculture, as well as inadequate infection prevention and control, led to 1.27 million deaths in 2019 alone, surpassing fatalities from HIV/AIDS and malaria. 

The challenge is compounded by a widespread lack of public awareness and understanding of AMR, which contributes to its spread and complicates efforts to mitigate its impact. Our solution, the MyAMR Alert App, specifically addresses the urgent need for increased public education and awareness. By empowering individuals with knowledge and tools to assess and reduce their risk of AMR, we aim to curb the misuse of antibiotics and foster responsible health behaviors. Our focus is not only on the communities we directly serve but also on contributing to a global reduction in AMR's spread and impact, aligning with the One Health approach to health threats.

Our solution serves a diverse audience, primarily targeting individuals and communities in Uganda at risk of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). This includes the general public, with a focus on households, healthcare consumers, and particularly those in regions with limited access to healthcare information and services. We aim to support them by providing critical knowledge about AMR, personalized health recommendations, and tools to make informed decisions regarding antibiotic use and hygiene practices.

To understand their needs, we conduct ongoing community engagement sessions, surveys, and user feedback initiatives to gather insights into their awareness levels, information gaps, and usability preferences. This feedback is integral to our iterative development process, ensuring the app remains user-friendly, culturally relevant, and linguistically accessible.

We are also collaborating with local healthcare providers, educators, and community leaders to disseminate information about the app and encourage its adoption. Their insights help tailor the app's content and features to address the specific challenges and needs of their communities, fostering a user-centered approach that empowers individuals to take proactive steps in preventing and mitigating the risks associated with AMR.

Our solution, the MyAMR Alert App, provides a significant public good by enhancing the general public's understanding and awareness of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), a pressing global health challenge. By offering free access to personalized health recommendations, the AMR Risk Calculator, and educational content in multiple local languages, the app directly contributes to the well-being of the public by empowering individuals with knowledge and tools to make informed health decisions.

Moreover, the app's data on user engagement and effectiveness in changing health behaviors will be anonymized and made available to researchers and policymakers, contributing valuable insights into public health strategies for combating AMR. This open-access data can inform future interventions, policies, and educational campaigns, making it a public good that extends beyond the app's immediate user base.

In essence, the MyAMR Alert App serves as both a direct educational tool for individuals and a data source for broader public health initiatives, embodying our commitment to providing a public good by advancing the global fight against AMR under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms.

Our solution, the MyAMR Alert App, is designed to create tangible impact by directly addressing the urgent need for increased AMR awareness and education among the general population, with a particular focus on underserved communities in Uganda. By providing users with personalized health recommendations, an interactive AMR Risk Calculator, and educational content in local languages, the app empowers individuals with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed decisions regarding antibiotic usage and hygiene practices.

The logical link between our activities and the expected outcomes is clear: Enhanced awareness and understanding of AMR lead to better-informed health behaviors, which in turn contribute to reducing the spread and impact of antimicrobial resistance. This sequence is supported by existing research indicating that educational interventions can significantly improve antibiotic use practices and awareness of AMR among the public (source: World Health Organization).

For underserved and vulnerable populations, who often lack access to reliable health information and services, the app provides a critical resource for learning about and protecting themselves against AMR. This is particularly important in regions where healthcare systems are overwhelmed or inaccessible, making self-education and preventive measures key to public health.

Over the next year, we plan to scale the impact of the MyAMR Alert App by expanding its user base within Uganda, leveraging partnerships with local healthcare providers, NGOs, and educational institutions to promote the app and integrate it into existing public health campaigns. We'll also enhance the app's features based on user feedback and the latest AMR research to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness.

In the next three years, we aim to extend the app's reach beyond Uganda to other regions affected by AMR, adapting the content to suit local languages, cultures, and AMR challenges. This will involve collaboration with international health organizations and leveraging global health networks to disseminate the app widely.

Simultaneously, we'll explore additional functionalities, such as integrating telehealth services or connecting users with local healthcare resources, to increase the app's utility and impact. By continuously improving the app and expanding its user base, we aim to contribute significantly to the global fight against AMR, transforming public health behaviors and practices on a wide scale.

To measure success against our impact goals for the MyAMR Alert App, we're implementing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework that includes specific, measurable indicators:

User Engagement Metrics: We track daily and monthly active users, session lengths, and interaction rates with key features like the AMR Risk Calculator and personalized health tips. These metrics indicate the app's usability and relevance to users.

Knowledge Improvement: Through pre- and post-use surveys, we assess changes in users' understanding of AMR, antibiotic usage, and preventive practices. Improvement in scores demonstrates the app's educational impact.

Behavior Change: We measure changes in self-reported behaviors related to antibiotic use and hygiene practices, aiming for a reduction in unnecessary antibiotic usage and increased adherence to recommended hygiene practices.

Feedback and Satisfaction: User feedback and satisfaction ratings provide qualitative insights into the app's effectiveness and areas for improvement.

These indicators are vital for iterative development and scaling, ensuring the app remains user-centric and impactful. While we are still in the early stages and compiling data from our pilot, initial user engagement and feedback have been promising, underscoring the app's potential to make a meaningful contribution to AMR awareness and behavior change.

Barriers to achieving our goals with the MyAMR Alert App include:

Financial Constraints: Scaling and enhancing the app requires significant funding. We plan to overcome this by seeking grants, partnerships with health organizations, and potential revenue models that don't compromise user accessibility.

Technical Challenges: Keeping the app updated with the latest AI and mobile technologies can be demanding. We'll mitigate this by fostering a strong development team and maintaining agile development practices to adapt quickly to technological advancements.

Cultural and Language Diversity: Tailoring the app to various cultures and languages is crucial for broader adoption. We intend to collaborate with local experts and communities to ensure the app is culturally sensitive and available in multiple languages.

Regulatory and Policy Hurdles: Navigating data protection laws and health regulations can be complex. Our approach includes engaging legal experts to ensure compliance and working closely with healthcare authorities to align with national health strategies.

Market Penetration: Reaching a wider audience, especially in rural areas, can be challenging due to limited internet access. We plan to address this by developing a USSD version of the app for basic phones and conducting community outreach programs.

We are applying to The Trinity Challenge because it aligns perfectly with our mission to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) through innovative digital solutions. The Trinity Challenge offers a unique platform to gain visibility, access expert mentorship, and secure critical funding, which are essential to overcoming our key barriers:

Financial Constraints: As a self-funded initiative, securing additional financial support is crucial for further development and scaling of the MyAMR Alert App. The funding associated with The Trinity Challenge would enable us to enhance app features, expand our user base, and implement sustainability measures.

Technical and Operational Expertise: Access to The Trinity Challenge's network of experts and mentors can provide us with invaluable insights and guidance on refining our app, ensuring it's built on robust, scalable technology, and effectively addresses user needs.

Market Penetration and Stakeholder Engagement: The visibility and credibility gained through participating in The Trinity Challenge can facilitate partnerships with global health organizations, local governments, and NGOs, helping us to reach a wider audience and integrate our solution into existing health systems.

By addressing these barriers, The Trinity Challenge can significantly accelerate our progress towards creating a tangible impact in the fight against AMR.

To initiate, accelerate, and scale our solution, we are interested in collaborating with organizations specializing in public health, digital health innovation, and AMR research. Specifically, partnerships with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would provide invaluable expertise in AMR and public health strategies, enhancing the app's content and reach. Collaboration with tech-focused entities like Google Health or digital health startups could offer technical mentorship and support in AI, app development, and user experience design, ensuring our app utilizes cutting-edge technology effectively.

Additionally, alliances with local health departments and NGOs in Uganda and other target regions would facilitate community engagement, user feedback, and integration into local health ecosystems. These collaborations would also support our goal of making the MyAMR Alert App accessible and relevant across diverse cultural contexts.

Engaging with these organizations can provide us with the expertise, resources, and credibility needed to refine our solution, extend our impact, and contribute more effectively to the global fight against AMR.