The Innovate4AMR invites teams to tackle social design challenges within the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) space, with the goal of implementing innovative projects in various countries around the world. With the support of Strategic Policy Program of ReAct – Action on Antibiotic Resistance and the IDEA (Innovation+Design Enabling Access) Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the concept was piloted at the IFMSA General Assembly on February 26 – 28, 2018 in Egypt, where teams tackled some key AMR challenges in a hackathon format over the course of three days. Building on the momentum gathered at this event, Innovate4AMR will continue to engage students from around the world to create meaningful and feasible solutions. The majority of the Innovate4AMR competition will take place online, during which teams will develop their project proposals. Innovate4AMR is an opportunity for the next generation of leaders to come together to learn about the issues of AMR through a hands-on approach, share expertise, and collaborate to generate solutions for a pressing issue that can have measurable impact in countries around the world.

Mission Statement

Innovate4AMR aims to inspire innovators for the future to tackle one of the most urgent challenges of modern medicine: Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

Innovate4AMR is a concept that focuses on empowering current and future health professionals to take initiative in solving the problems they face in their respective health care settings. What makes Innovate4AMR different from traditional competitions is our focus on implementation rather than just rewarding good ideas. We are not searching for a “silver bullet” to solve AMR. Instead we want to identify real-life local projects that have the potential to make a positive and scalable impact on communities. We want to be the bridge connecting these projects to the global AMR community.

ReAct

Created in 2005 ReAct is one of the first international, independent networks to articulate the complex nature of antibiotic resistance and its drivers. ReAct was initiated with the goal to be a global catalyst, advocating for and stimulating global engagement on antibiotic resistance by collaborating with a broad range of organisations, individuals and stakeholders.

For more information, please visit: https://www.reactgroup.org/

IFMSA

The International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), founded in 1951, is one of the world’s oldest and largest student-run organisation. It represents, connects and engages every day with a inspiring and engaging network of 1.3 million medical students from 136 national members organisations in 127 countries around the globe.

IFMSA brings people together to exchange, discuss and initiate projects to create a healthier world. It gives its members the skills and resources to be health leaders. It advocates for pressing issues that matter to shape the world we want. And it does deliver: our projects, our campaigns and our activities positively impact the physicians-to be and the communities they serve.

For more information, please visit: https://ifmsa.org/

IDEA Initiative

The IDEA (Innovation + Design Enabling Access) Initiative was launched in 2016 by Anthony D. So, MD, MPA at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The IDEA Initiative fosters innovation and the design of new technologies for greater health access and impact through a combination of research, policy work and training. It also collaborates with a variety of initiatives across the University and beyond. These include the Johns Hopkins Alliance for a Healthier World and ReAct – Action on Antibiotic Resistance.

South Centre

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly poverty eradication, requires national policies and an international regime that supports and does not undermine development efforts. The South Centre is an intergovernmental policy research think-tank composed of and accountable to developing country Member States. It conducts policy-oriented research on key policy development issues, and supports developing countries to effectively participate in international negotiating processes that are relevant to the achievement of SDGs. The Centre promotes the unity of the South in such processes while recognizing the diversity of national interests and priorities.

For more information, please visit: https://www.southcentre.int/