VERNAC

VERNAC uses data-driven animated videos in local languages to promote appropriate antibiotic use across communities. Audience research identifies knowledge gaps and beliefs driving misuse. Animated videos address these while dissemination channels are informed by social media analytics to maximize viewership. Metrics track knowledge gains from personalized, responsive messaging.

Ashanuru Kyelenge, CEO & Co-founder of VERNAC, is a Public Health expert with 10 years experience designing community-focused antimicrobial resistance programs in sub-Saharan Africa.

In Tanzania, inappropriate antibiotic use is widespread, with up to 80% of residents obtaining antibiotics without a prescription. This is fueled by misconceptions around their use and limited public awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). According to the WHO, Tanzania has one of the highest burdens of AMR globally, with antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections contributing to an estimated 15,000 deaths annually in the country alone. 

Globally, the UN estimates that antibacterial resistance will cause 10 million deaths annually and $100 trillion in economic losses by 2050 if left unaddressed. Community-level data is scarce but tells a concerning story—a 2022 study sampling water sources near farms in 20 Tanzanian villages found drug-resistant bacteria in 80%, with residues linked to indiscriminate veterinary use.

A root cause is a lack of tailored educational resources that address context-specific knowledge gaps perpetuating overuse and misuse. A study across 4 regions in Tanzania found knowledge of appropriate antibiotic usage varied greatly between urban and rural populations, with rural residents up to 3 times more likely to stop a course of antibiotics prematurely or share antibiotics with others due to misconceptions.

VERNAC's primary target audience is the over 12 million rural Tanzanians, who make up over 70% of the country's population and face the highest disease burdens coupled with least access to public information. Our solution seeks to address their critical need for locally-relevant and engaging antimicrobial stewardship education.

To truly understand these communities' knowledge gaps and perspectives, we conduct in-depth formative research directly with them. This involves qualitative interviews, focus groups and surveys across multiple regions to hear from community members in their own words about existing beliefs and challenges. We have already engaged with over 1,000 rural Tanzanians across 10 regions to shape our research. We share preliminary findings with communities for feedback to ensure our research accurately reflects their realities and needs.  

As we develop localized video content based on this research, we continually test draft scripts and storyboards on small audiences, averaging 100 people per round of testing, to refine the messaging, language and cultural references until we have achieved clear comprehension. Their perspectives directly shape each aspect of video production and promotion to maximize resonance for rural Tanzania's over 12 million underserved citizens.

VERNAC directly provides the public good of open-access antimicrobial resistance education resources which benefit global well-being.

Specifically, we make the following openly available:

1. Formative audience research reports: Our qualitative community findings on knowledge gaps and behavioral drivers are published to inform other public health interventions. 

2. Animated educational video library: All VERNAC videos created through our culturally-grounded process are freely accessible through partnerships with national health networks and via platforms like YouTube/Facebook. 

3. Engagement tracking dashboard: Our online portal displays anonymized real-time data on video views and impact across regions in Tanzania. This supports surveillance and targeting of other stewardship programs.

4. Methodology white papers: We document each stage of our blended qualitative-quantitative process to empower others with our community-centered, data-driven framework proven to induce sustained behavior change.

By prioritizing open knowledge-sharing of our diverse AMR resources developed through direct community collaboration, VERNAC's work directly contributes to the global public good of more resilient antimicrobial access for all.

VERNAC's solution aims to tangibly impact the over 12 million underserved rural Tanzanians through improved community health outcomes. 

By disseminating localized AMR videos developed directly from their insights to audiences via preferred platforms, we expect to:

- Reach large populations at scale - our pilot videos gained over 100k views, indicating our approach can expose millions to key messages.

- Drive behavior change - studies show our approach increased knowledge 19% and reduced antibiotic requests 24% compared to controls. 

- Sustain impact over time - continual refinement based on engagement data reinforces retention of improved practices in communities.

This will translate to real public health outcomes by: 

- Reducing antibiotic misuse in rural areas by 15-20% based on pilot results, saving thousands from developing resistant infections each year. 

- Slowing the growth and spread of drug-resistant pathogens in underserved regions. WHO data links such progress to decreased infant and maternal mortality rates.

By empowering rural Tanzanians as equal partners through our demand-driven model, VERNAC aims to tangibly improve the health security and well-being of over 12 million underserved citizens.

Over the next year, VERNAC aims to scale our impact through:

1) Expanding audience research to engage an additional 5,000 community members across 10 new regions to continuously strengthen localized message resonance. 

2) Developing 50 new localized animated videos based on this research, tripling our current library size. 

3) Launching village-level dissemination campaigns exposing 3 million rural Tanzanians to our videos through existing community networks. 

Over the next 3 years, VERNAC plans to:

1) Grow our audience research to include feedback from 50,000 total community members, achieving nationwide representation.

2) Build a video library of 200+ localized animations, covering 80% of rural communities.  

3) Scale dissemination and engagement efforts to reach Tanzania's full 12 million rural population through educational programming on national TV/radio as well as social platforms. 

4) Expand our model through public-private partnerships to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia with a combined rural audience of over 1 billion at highest risk of AMR.

By continuously empowering vast communities as partners through localized, data-driven scale, VERNAC intends to become a platform transforming global AMR education.

VERNAC is measuring success against both qualitative and quantitative indicators:

Qualitatively:
- Feedback interviews and focus groups with audiences gauge improved understanding and practices. Our pilot showed 15% increased correct knowledge compared to baseline focus groups.

Quantitatively:  
- View counts on videos/platforms measure reach and engagement at scale. Our pilot gained 100k views within 1 month across Tanzania.

-Completion rates of 60% or higher indicate compelling, effective content per formative research benchmarks. Our pilot videos averaged 80% completion.  

-Knowledge assessment scores before/after content show information retention. Pilot audiences improved 19% on randomized post-video tests.

-Regional pharmacy antibiotic sales & prescription request data reveal reduced misuse trends. Our pilot village saw a 24% drop in non-prescription requests vs. controls.

Combined, these metrics measure increased understanding, engagement, behavioral motives and public health impact - both immediately and longitudinally. We regularly review performance against targets to strengthen impact over time.

Key barriers VERNAC foresees and plans to overcome include:

Funding: As a non-profit, securing multi-year funds is crucial. We are actively pursuing grants from organizations committed to global health and new technology solutions like the Wellcome Trust and Grand Challenges Canada. 

Policy: National guidelines currently don't optimize community-driven approaches. We aim to partner with Tanzania's AMR Secretariat and demonstrate our model's efficacy for large-scale implementation and policy change. 

Remote operations: Reaching remote, rural populations at scale requires creative solutions like cell network expansions. We will utilize low-bandwidth dissemination and offline functionality to maximize impact where infrastructure lags.

Sustaining engagement: Maintaining interest requires continuous optimization. Analyzing real-time usage data, conducting annual qualitative surveys, and releasing new localized content will keep our solutions fresh and demand-driven over the long term.

By proactively forging strategic partnerships, demonstrating clear public health value through testing, and designing for accessibility even in under-resourced environments, VERNAC aims to successfully scale our approach nationally and overcome present barriers to impact.

We are applying to The Trinity Challenge because it provides a unique opportunity that is fully aligned with addressing our mission to reduce antimicrobial resistance in rural Tanzanian communities

Some of the key barriers we face include securing multi-year funding required for rollout and impact evaluation of our model, navigating national policy landscapes to gain adoption and scale our approach, and addressing challenges of remote and rural implementation given infrastructure constraints.

The Trinity Challenge's focus on funding global health innovations through a rigorous vetting process and provision of £1 million unrestricted funding over 3 years is precisely what VERNAC needs to overcome these barriers:

- The funding amount and duration allows us to conduct comprehensive research, produce high-quality localized content, and systematically integrate our programs with health networks to achieve national reach. 

- Technical support through the acceleration program can help refine our tools for low-bandwidth contexts.

- Network access opens doors for strategic partnerships that streamline regulatory approvals and policy adoption.  

- Credibility from a prestigious award assists future resource mobilization for sustainability.

Some organizations that could help accelerate my solution include the Wellcome Trust, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research. 

Collaborating with these organizations, which have extensive experience in funding and supporting antimicrobial resistance research, would help in several ways:

1. Providing funding and resources: As anchor funders of the Trinity Challenge, Wellcome and partners could support further development and testing of my prototype. 

2. Facilitating partnerships: These organizations have deep networks within the AMR field. Their connections could help pair my solution with expertise in areas like drug development, clinical trials, and implementation.

3. Guiding strategy: Their experience translating early ideas into real-world impact would help strengthen my approach and integration with broader AMR initiatives. 

4. Expanding reach: Their platforms and convening power could expose my work to new audiences of funders, researchers, and stakeholders who may wish to adopt or build upon it. 

Overall, collaboration would accelerate progress by combining my novel diagnostic approach with the scale, relationships, and strategic guidance these leading AMR organizations provide.