Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - A Nigerian PhD student at the University of St Andrews, United Kingdom, Winifred Maduko, has won the Achieved Impact Award at the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science Impact Competition for a grassroots public health project implemented in Nigeria, Arewa PUNCH reports.
The award was presented at the SGSSS Collaboration and
Impact Showcase held at the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a flagship annual event
that celebrates doctoral research with measurable social and economic impact.
Maduko’s project, titled: “Grassroots Interventions for
Antibiotic Stewardship and Antimicrobial Resistance in Nigeria,” was recognised
for effectively translating social science research into practical public
health action.
The project focuses on addressing antimicrobial resistance,
a growing public health threat in Nigeria largely driven by the misuse and
overuse of antibiotics.
By engaging communities directly, the initiative sought to
correct misconceptions about antibiotic use and promote responsible health
behaviours at the grassroots level.
Speaking with Arewa Punch via telephone, Maduko described
the award as a significant milestone in her academic and professional journey.
She said, “It was an absolute pleasure and an exciting
experience to be part of the SGSSS Impact Competition 2025, and I am truly
honoured to have won the Achieved Impact Award.”
As part of the project, Maduko facilitated participatory
workshops that brought together 30 community members, enabling them to
co-create culturally relevant public health messages.
The participants produced posters, radio jingles, and a
short film designed to address common myths surrounding antibiotics and
self-medication.
These materials were later showcased at a public engagement
exhibition attended by members of the wider community, creating further
dialogue around antibiotic stewardship.
Beyond community engagement, the project gained wider public
visibility through television, radio, and online media platforms, expanding its
reach beyond the immediate project sites.
A documentary film was also produced to sustain public
awareness and ensure that the project’s messages remain accessible to a broader
audience.
In addition, the initiative partnered with local
organisations in Nigeria, strengthening collaboration between researchers and
community-based actors in tackling public health challenges.
According to the SGSSS Year in Review report, members of the
public who voted in the competition praised Maduko’s work for its relevance and
scale.
The report quoted voters as describing the project as having
an “incredible wide-ranging impact on a worldwide problem” and for “bringing
social science into global health conversations.”
The SGSSS Impact Competition attracted about 40 doctoral
researchers from universities across Scotland in 2025, with eight finalists
shortlisted across the Planned Impact and Achieved Impact categories.
While Maduko won the Achieved Impact Award, the Planned
Impact Award was won by Jenna Gilmartin of the University of Strathclyde.
As part of her growing impact portfolio, Maduko has also
published findings from her research in the BMJ Global Health journal.
She is currently developing a non-academic book aimed at
supporting researchers, practitioners, and community organizations interested
in running similar grassroots public health communication interventions.
Maduko said the prize that accompanies the award would be
used to expand the dissemination of the project’s materials and deepen
stakeholder engagement in Nigeria.
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