Tackling drug-resistant infections with ReACT Africa
In partnership with ReAct (Action on Antibiotic Resistance) Africa, we’re testing whether simple digital tools, including a WhatsApp-based chatbot and prescribing app, can help healthcare workers make better antibiotic decisions and protect current medicines.
Overview
“ASPIRE” (the Antibiotic Stewardship Programme through Innovation, Research and Education) is a US$1.5 million, three-year programme that is implementing digital clinical decision-support tools to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship in hospitals across Zambia and Kenya.
The programme will provide clinicians with rapid access to prescribing guidance, treatment recommendations and antimicrobial stewardship support at the point of care. It combines innovative digital solutions with targeted interventions to drive lasting improvements in clinical practice and inform future policy.
By strengthening responsible antibiotic use, ASPIRE aims to establish sustainable approaches to antimicrobial stewardship that could be adopted more widely across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
AMR is an urgent global health threat
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 4.95 million deaths worldwide each year due to AMR. Without intervention, the United Nations has warned that this could increase to 10 million by 2050.
There is a strong association between drug-resistant infections and the overuse or overprescribing of antibiotics.
The WHO has placed hospital-based antibiotic stewardship programs at the core of its Global Action Plan to combat resistant infections. Despite a high incidence of infectious diseases, the sustainability of these programs in LMICs has been challenging due to insufficient infrastructure, guidelines and training. To truly tackle resistant infections, we need a global approach – resistant infections arising in any area of the world can spread.
How will ASPIRE help?
The ASPIRE initiative is aimed at empowering healthcare professionals in 4 hospitals across Zambia and Kenya, to make informed decisions regarding antibiotic prescriptions, focusing on their use only when there is a clear benefit. This strategy seeks to enhance patient care and reduce antimicrobial resistance.
The innovative approach of ASPIRE includes research on current prescribing practices and outcomes, the use of advanced digital tools, extensive education for clinicians and patients, collaborative engagement, and strategic partnerships. The goal is to create a replicable and sustainable model of antibiotic stewardship across LMICs, marking a significant step in the global mission against antimicrobial resistance.
Digital tools to help decision-making
The ASPIRE project has created two digital tools designed to support healthcare workers and facilitate better-informed decisions around antibiotic prescribing: a digital clinical decision support app and a WhatsApp-based AMR chatbot. The tools are now being used across participating hospitals in Zambia and Kenya.
The app helps clinicians document antibiotic prescribing decisions, access treatment guidance and support stewardship reviews. The WhatsApp chatbot provides healthcare workers with rapid access to evidence-based information, education resources and treatment recommendations, helping them make informed prescribing decisions as part of their day-to-day clinical practice.
Early feedback from programme implementers suggests that both tools are helping embed antimicrobial stewardship into routine clinical workflows. Clinicians are engaging more consistently with recommendations, while the tools support documentation, monitoring and feedback on prescribing practices.
