LifeArc and ReAct Africa Advance the ASPIRE Project in Zambia

From 20th-23rd October, the LifeArc team undertook a successful site visit to Lusaka, Zambia, as part of the ongoing Antibiotic Stewardship through Innovation, Research, and Education (ASPIRE) Project, a 3 year project funded by LifeArc. The four-day visit marked a key milestone in strengthening collaboration between LifeArc and ReAct Africa, and in advancing digital innovation for Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) across the region.

The visit aimed to:

1. Gain first-hand insight into Zambia and Kenya’s clinical implementation of ASPIRE digital tools.
2. Engage key stakeholders — including policymakers, clinicians, and pharmacists to capture evidence of progress and inform scale-up plans.
3. Co-deliver a Target Product Profile (TPP) Workshop to define ideal features for digital AMS tools in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).
   Key Highlights

The LifeArc delegation held high-level meetings with the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) to explore opportunities for national integration and alignment with Zambia’s National Action Plan on AMR.

Site visits to Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital (LMUTH) and the University Teaching Children’s Hospital (UTH–CH) provided valuable insights into how the ASPIRE digital tools are being applied in real-world clinical settings. The visits also facilitated feedback from healthcare workers on implementation challenges, data use, and system improvement opportunities.

A regional exchange session featured presentations from the four ASPIRE pilot facilities — AAR Hospital and Nakuru County Referral & Teaching Hospital in Kenya, and LMUTH and UTH–CH in Zambia. The session encouraged cross-country learning and highlighted the project’s progress, challenges, and innovations in optimizing antibiotic use.

TPP Workshop: Defining the Future of Digital AMS Tools

The visit culminated in a Target Product Profile (TPP) workshop, which convened a multidisciplinary group of experts — including clinicians, policymakers, digital health specialists, and patient advocates from Kenya and Zambia. Participants collaboratively outlined user needs, technical requirements, and a strategic roadmap for a scalable digital AMS solution tailored to LMIC contexts.

A strong consensus emerged from the discussions: digital innovation is essential for the future of antimicrobial stewardship. Participants underscored the transformative potential of digital tools in promoting rational antibiotic use, improving data-driven decision-making, and strengthening national AMS systems.