CALLS FOR BASELINE SURVEY PROPOSAL (CFBSP)

AREAS OF SURVEY:

TRACK 1

Strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship in Uganda: Baseline Survey of Knowledge, Awareness, Attitudes, and Practices (KAAP) Among Pre‑Service and In-Service One Health Practitioners.

TRACK 2

Assessment of the Psychosocial and Economic Burden of AMR on Families in Uganda

NUMBER OF CALLS: TWO

Funding Amount Each Call: $4,000

1. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and healthcare-associated infections present severe challenges to healthcare delivery systems globally, with magnified vulnerabilities in resource-constrained environments. Mitigating these threats requires optimal clinical stewardship and rigorous compliance with Infection prevention and Control (IPC) protocols. Future and current frontline ONE-health workforce, students (nurses, doctors, scientists, pharmacists, IPC trainees, agriculture and veterinary trainees) and professional practitioners, all play a pivotal role in changing these dynamics. The assessment of the Knowledge, Awareness, Attitudes, and Practices (KAAP) baseline among ONE health workforce in training and one health practitioners will be covered in track 1.

AMR is a critical global health threat that extends far beyond clinical complications. When first-line antibiotics fail, patients face prolonged hospitalizations, recurrent infections, and the need for expensive, toxic, or experimental last-resort therapies. While clinical data on AMR is extensive, the human experience—specifically the compounding psychological distress and economic hardship placed on families—remains understudied. Prolonged illness creates severe anxiety and depression, while escalating medical bills and lost productivity push vulnerable households into catastrophic health expenditure. Biocity aims to understand these dimensions to aid in the design of a holistic patient support systems, and to evaluate the true societal cost of AMR.

Biocity Global Institute is therefore launching a comprehensive baseline research to:

Track 1: Strengthen Antimicrobial Stewardship in Uganda: Baseline Survey of Knowledge, Awareness, Attitudes, and Practices (KAAP) Among Pre‑Service and in‑Service One Health Practitioners

Track 2: Assess the Psychosocial and Economic Burden of AMR on Families in Uganda

This collaborative research will be situated within selected university faculties and its affiliated teaching hospitals in Northern Uganda and its surrounding community. The goal of the call is to invite Universities in Northern Uganda to apply to co-implement an institutional baseline research to inform evidence-based behavior change interventions and a bigger study.

2 THE TWO TRACKS

TRACK 1

Strengthen Antimicrobial Stewardship in Uganda: Baseline Survey of Knowledge, Awareness, Attitudes, and Practices (KAAP) Among Pre‑Service and in‑Service One Health Practitioners

Objectives of Track 1

The objectives of this Track include:

• Evaluate the baseline knowledge, cognitive biases, and clinical awareness of medical students regarding antimicrobial prescription, resistance risks, and standard IPC protocols.
• Assess the practical dispensing habits, prescription patterns, and day-to-day IPC compliance among medical practitioners at the partner teaching hospital.
• Identify operational gaps, behavioral barriers, and training needs within the hospital environment and university curriculum.
• Develop localized antimicrobial stewardship toolkits for targeted continuous behavior change education intervention.

Expected Outputs of Track 1:

• Regulatory Compliance: Secure approvals from local Institutional Review Boards (IRB) of the university and the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST).
• Fieldwork & Data Collection: Deploy, manage, and supervise quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments among targeted students and hospital practitioners.
• Institutional Coordination: Secure operational clearance and access to the university’s designated teaching hospital.
• Reporting & Dissemination: Write a comprehensive report of the study and present findings at conferences and co-author the comprehensive final assessment report including contribute to peer-reviewed academic publications and policy briefs.

TRACK 2:

Assess the Psychosocial and Economic Burden of AMR on Families in Uganda

Objectives of Track 2:

The objectives of this Track include:

• Measure the total direct medical costs, non-medical expenses (such as travel and caregiving), and indirect financial losses (lost wages/employment) incurred by families managing antibiotic-resistant infections.
• Assess the prevalence and severity of anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress among patients and primary caregivers navigating prolonged treatment failures.
• Explore the systemic barriers families face in accessing emotional counseling and financial safety nets during long-term AMR care.

Expected Outputs of Track 2

The selected university partner, in collaboration with the Biocity Global Institute research team, is expected to deliver the following outcomes under Track 2:

• A detailed breakdown of the true financial burden of AMR at the household level, providing data that policy makers can use to advocate for targeted financial protection and insurance coverage.
• Empirical evidence documenting the psychological trauma of treatment failure, serving as a clinical justification for integrating mandatory mental health screenings and counseling into infectious disease care protocols.
• Actionable insights to help healthcare institutions and patient advocacy groups build tailored financial assistance and peer-support programs for families affected by AMR.
• Reporting & Dissemination: Write a comprehensive report of the study and present findings at conferences and co-author the comprehensive final assessment report including contribute to peer-reviewed academic publications and policy briefs.
• Baseline dataset linking economic and psychosocial dimensions of DRIs.
• Evidence for government and policy engagement on integrated AMR and mental health programming. Identification of vulnerable groups requiring targeted support.

3. WHO SHOULD APPLY?

Applications are invited from universities in Northern Uganda that meet the following selection criteria:

• Applicant should be from a public university located in Northern Uganda.
• Applicant should be a full-time staff with PhD in related field, and an active member of the designated faculty education, Psychology or College of Health Sciences/Medicine.
• Applicant should have a direct, formalized relationship with a functional Teaching Hospital in the region.
• The applicant should demonstrate capacity to mobilize research teams and manage educational and health-related field data collection efficiently.

4. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Interested institutions must submit a concise proposal package (maximum 5 pages) detailing:

• Institutional Profile: Documentation of medical training facilities, student enrollment statistics, and teaching hospital capacity.
• Technical Approach: A brief methodology narrative outlining how the team will ensure high response rates among students, clinical staff and community members.
• Personnel Profiles: Short bios or CVs of the proposed Principal Investigator (PI) and core research team members.
• Implementation Framework: A high-level budget breakdown and a chronological work plan (Gantt chart).

5. HOW TO APPLY

Applications must be compiled into a single PDF document and sent to loice.epetiru@biocityglobal.com and copied to info@biocityglobal.com by 28^th October 2026.

For any inquiries, contact loice.epetiru@biocityglobal.com