By ABUJAH RACHEAL

Nigeria has unveiled the SAYAMR Hackathon, an initiative that empowers young people to develop indigenous language terms for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as part of efforts to strengthen public understanding and response to growing health threat.

Ms Oluwatoni Akinola, AMR and IPC Programme Officer at Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh Health Trust (DRASA) disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at the SayAMR Language Hackathon launch.

Akinola described the Hackathon as “an innovative means of solving the AMR problem by engaging young people nationwide and putting their creativity to effective use.”

According to her, the Hackathon aims to develop standardised AMR terminology in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, and Pidgin English, making the concept relatable to communities across Nigeria.

“In 2024, while conducting AMR awareness activities in markets and universities, we realised that many people found the term foreign and abstract.

“If we could say AMR in Yoruba, for instance, communication would have been easier and more meaningful,” she explained.

Highlighting Nigeria’s rich linguistic diversity, with over 500 languages nationwide, she said the initiative would enhance inclusion and create a model for naming public health concepts in local contexts.

She outlined that the Hackathon will run through several stages, beginning with an eight-week call for applications, followed by eligibility screening, advisory reviews, community pilots, and a national debate where shortlisted teams would present and defend their proposed terminologies.

“The process will culminate in a national unveiling ceremony to celebrate the winning teams from each language category.

“Eligibility criteria requires participants to be students aged 18 to 35, working in multidisciplinary teams of 4–8 members, with at least, 25 per cent drawn from linguistics departments.

“Each team must be endorsed by their Vice-Chancellor or faculty advisor and submit translations in at least, one of the approved languages,” she explained.

She said that submissions must demonstrate rigorous research, consultation, and community testing, including evidence of engagements with public health and linguistic experts, as well as feedback from market and community sensitisation sessions.

She explained that entries would be judged on cultural relevance, linguistic accuracy, memorability, simplicity, and public acceptance.

“The initiative is set to run from October 2025 to April 2026, with community pilots and debates scheduled for early 2026.

“The SAYAMR Hackathon is more than a competition, it’s a movement to ensure Nigerians can talk about AMR in languages they understand.

“By empowering youth to co-create these terms, we are localising science, strengthening communication, and building community-driven solutions to one of the biggest health threats of our time,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) unveiled the initiative to translate antimicrobial resistance messaging into indigenous languages, to strengthen public understanding across Nigeria.

The NCDC, In collaboration with DRASA, Health Trust, Centre for Infection Control and Patient Safety (CICaPS), University of Lagos, and the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), organised the event.

The Hackathon is a creative initiative aimed at developing nationally accepted AMR terminologies in four major Nigerian languages, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, and Pidgin English, to improve public understanding and grassroots communication on antimicrobial resistance. (NAN)