On the 29th of November, ReAct Europe together with Uppsala Antibiotic Center and Antibiotic Smart Sweden organized the workshop “An exchange on effective strategies for impactful community engagement in the global response to antibiotic resistance”.
The workshop was held at Uppsala University and online, and included 31 participants from 18 countries all around the world. The participants came from various fields and backgrounds, and included community representatives, students, people who work in academia, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations and public agencies.
The on-site workshop participants in Uppsala University’s main building.
The workshop was the concluding part of a three part series on community engagement. The series kicked off in September with a first webinar, “A conversation about approaches to community engagement on antibiotic resistance across the globe”. This was followed by another webinar in October: “A conversation on evaluation and impact of community engagement on antibiotic resistance”.
The workshop – communities crucial in addressing antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance is an issue that is complex and requires engagement on all levels. Communities are a crucial part, yet are often overlooked in current approaches. The aim of this workshop was to raise awareness and discuss ways forward when it comes to community engagement on antibiotic resistance. It was a chance for people with different perspectives and experiences to connect and reflect on why community engagement is crucial for a sustainable approach to antibiotic resistance, and how it can be made more integrated into current approaches.
Andrea Caputo from ReAct Europe, explaining the burden of antibiotic resistance.
The workshop was divided into three sessions. The first focused on brainstorming gaps and limitations that exist today when it comes to community engagement on antibiotic resistance. The next session focused on possible solutions and strategies to overcome these barriers.
The workshop concluded with a discussion on the upcoming 2024 UNGA High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance. The focus here was on how communities can be involved leading up to this important event, and what the the declaration should reflect when it comes to community engagement.
Rhea Lobo giving her perspective on community engagement.
Insights from inspirational speakers
In addition, two inspirational speakers joined as key notes. Rhea Lobo, an award winning filmmaker, told her story as a tuberculosis survivor and gave her perspective on the importance of community engagement. Dr. Tiina Likki from the WHO Regional Office for Europe behavioral insights unit shared examples and tools for integrating behavioral and cultural insights in efforts to tackle antibiotic resistance.
You can find Rhea Lobo and Dr. Tiina Likki’s recorded presentations down in this article under Learn more.
Maria Pränting, Scientific Officer, ReAct Europe. Photo: Thomas Goecke
Maria Pränting, scientific coordinator at ReAct Europe says:
“It was truly inspiring to learn from the participants and explore ways forward for how communities can be better acknowledged and have a more prominent role in the response to antibiotic resistance. I am looking forward to seeing how we can move the suggestions from the meeting forward together, not the least in light of the upcoming HLM on AMR next September!”
A key purpose of this initiative has also been educational – both to engage and involve students and youth perspectives in the discussions, and to produce knowledge materials. Key materials produced this far can be found below.
Report released beginning next year!
A more detailed report on the discussions and take-away messages from the workshop and webinars will also be published shortly.
Podcast episode about community engagement – listen to 8 voices
Uppsala Antibiotic Center Podcast episode on community engagement in AMR. Hear eight guests bringing their perspectives on what communities and community engagement are, how community engagement can be essential on the road to mitigate the effects of resistance globally, and what they hope happens in this area in the near future.
Learn more about the co-organizers of the initiative:
