HPRU researchers showcase On call:antibiotics at WISH Qatar

Anuj Sood, Drs Raheelah Ahmad and Enrique Castro-Sanchez

Researchers were invited as Innovation Showcase winners to demonstrate the game-based antimicrobial prescribing behaviour change platform

A good number of researchers and faculty from Imperial College attended the recent World Innovation Summit for Health in Qatar. From the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in HCAI and AMR, Dr Enrique Castro-Sanchez (Lead Research Nurse), Anuj Sood (Research Facilitator) and Dr Raheelah Ahmad (Healthcare Management Lead) were invited as Innovation Showcase winners to demonstrate the game-based antimicrobial prescribing behaviour change platform 'On call: antibiotics' 

The Summit attracted more than 2000 participants from 100 countries that over 2 days debated crucial topics for global health including antimicrobial resistance, human resources for universal health coverage, and palliative care from a variety of ethical standpoints. During the Summit several reports were launched focused on antimicrobial stewardship (which included input from researchers at HPRU and reflected much of their work) and nursing and midwifery.

The visitors to the Innovation Showcase section were able to interact with novel devices and technologies ranging from app-based behavioural counselling and telemedicine platforms to mobile phone-based urine analysis and surgical training suites adapted to low- and middle-income countries. Researchers, clinicians and decision-makers from Qatar, China, India, Pakistan, Singapore, and Afghanistan among many other countries, discussed with the Imperial team opportunities for implementation and evaluation of 'On call: antibiotics' in their settings, and particularly the potential to develop context-specific versions of the game that would facilitate or support antimicrobial stewardship practice locally. As a result of these contacts, several research initiatives have emerged already.

The HPRU team had already taken part in WISH-related activities, delivering several webinars at the Leading Health System Network on key elements of an antimicrobial stewardship programme , led by Dr Esmita Charani Academic research pharmacist) and Dr Raheelah Ahmad and the participation of nurses in antimicrobial stewardship activities worldwide , led by Enrique.