GSU Patient and Community Education Toolkit Launched
The NIHR Global Surgery Unit launched its patient and community education toolkit during its annual meeting in Lagos, Nigeria on the 12th of September 2023. The toolkit is a library of bespoke, localised resources aimed at addressing patient and carer surgical concerns following community consultations across our Hubs in Benin, Ghana, India, Mexico, Nigeria and Rwanda.
From these consultations the most pressing priority identified was caring for surgical wounds at home. To address this, a concise animated video that teaches patients about the signs, symptoms, and self-management of surgical site infections (SSIs) was co-developed with input from stakeholders. The video has been translated into French, Spanish, Twi, Yoruba, Kinyarwanda and Hindi and can be viewed below:
Resources on additional topics identified by the community were also developed. These include early cancer detection, care after laparoscopic surgery, stoma care and what to expect before, during and after surgery. These materials make up the initial version of the dynamic, “living” toolkit which will be continuously refined and expanded as more studies and trials get underway in the unit.
These developed materials will be utilised in community outreach events and post-discharge briefings for our trial participants, and eventually in patient care. They will also be integrated into upcoming trials to evaluate their impact on patients.
India Hub Reaches Milestone of Training 500+ Practitioners in Wound Management
India reaches key milestone in the Unit’s vision to influence the healthcare landscape using results generated in GSU trials, across the Punjab region.
As shown in previous news articles highlighting the India Hub’s Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) initiative – a key workstream of each of the hubs across the Unit globally, the team have reported the milestone being reached that will increase awareness on how to reduce wound infection incidence and management amongst local community across India, including the Punjab region, Kolkata and Vellore. Dr Rohin Mittal has been leading the engagements at Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, Dr Sonia Mathai at Tata Medical Centre (TMC) Kolkata and Dr Deepak Singh at Chinchpadha Christan Hospital (CCH).
India Hub Manager, Atul Suroy reported that the team have so far managed to travel over 1000km by road where workshops have been co-ordinated in both urban and rural areas, including Doraha, Khanna, Sirhind, Walipur, Hambran, Ayali Kalan, Dakha, Philaur, Raikot, Talwandi Sabo, Barnala and Bathinda. Further to this, Mr. Suroy stated that impact has not only been limited to the community health workers but also local populations, with sessions for local village populations educating them on wound management at home, ointment applications and personal hygiene.
Referral pathways have been created as a result of the various workshops that have taken place, in addition to new channels of communication setup with resident medical practitioners (RMPs’), benefiting the overall footfall of patients accessing the facilities of Christian Medical College in Ludhiana. Recognising the impact of the CEI work undertaken by the hub, the district authority of Punjab has collaborated with GSU CMC to train 2000 accredited Accredited Social Health Ac3vist (ASHAs) of Ludhiana and adjoining 16 districts on Cancer Care, as part of the National Health Mission under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) Government of India.
Further information on the evidence generated for the workshops orchestrated across India can be accessed on our FALCON and CHEETAH pages.
For more information on the India team, click here.
Mexico Hub Travels to Mata Cocuite for Wound Infection Prevention Talks
GSU team continue their rollout of community engagement and involvement (CEI) activities in the Veracruz region, during State Department health bridge for local residents.
Research Doctors Melissa Fragoso and Irani Durán were joined by Diana González (Hub Data Manager) and Adda Guzmán (Hub Finance Officer) to continue with their CEI workstream when the team travelled to Mata Cocuite, a small town consisting of approximately 220 inhabitants just outside of Veracruz. The purpose of the visit was to provide information on evidence-based information on recurring issues in daily life relating to the prevention and detection of wound infections and how to safely manage them.
Approximately 30 individuals attended the drop-in to undergo vision exams, vital sign measurements, haircuts, dental check-ups, and medical consultations that took place on the 16th August. As people arrived, the NIHR team gathered them in groups of 10 for a brief talk on wound care and wound infection prevention, delivered by research physicians Dr. Iraní and Dr. Melissa. Additionally, a demonstration was held on how to properly dress minor wounds at home.
Due to their remote location, these communities face challenges in accessing healthcare centres or primary care physicians. Mexico Hub Manager, Dr. Laura Martinez Pérez Maldonado stated that due to the reason it is crucial to educate theses communities on prevention and basic care, reducing the likelehood of such citizens requiring admission to healthcare facilities that may be problematic to access in the first place.
For more information on the evidence used during these talks, you can visit the CHEETAH and FALCON pages on this website.
For more information on the Mexico team, click here.
Mexico Hub Visits Sempra for Workshop on Wound Infection
GSU Hub discuss the prevention and detection of wound infection during community engagement and involvement (CEI) meeting at Sempra energy company in Veracruz.
CEI Manager Nalleley Ortiz and team from the GSU’s Mexico division were given the opportunity on August 17th to speak to collaborators based at Sempra, an energy infrastructure company based in Veracruz that is committed to fostering secure, ecologically responsible, and dependable access to cleaner forms of energy, globally. The workshop that took place enabled the Mexico team to use results obtained from the CHEETAH and FALCON trials co-ordinated across the GSU network.
During the workshop, Nalleley was able to discuss the various work conducted across the hub’s extensive research portfolio and what the team are looking to accomplish with their national CEI workstream. Following on from Nalleley’s discussion, a presentation was given on the prevention and detection of wound infections and surgical site infections (SSI’s). Attendees were afforded the opportunity to pose inquiries, which ultimately led to a wound cleaning simulation orchestrated by a Research Doctor based in the Mexico team.
Hub Manager, Dr. Laura Martinez Pérez Maldonado reported that given the prevalence of industries in Veracruz prone to occupational hazards, training in wound infection management could be really beneficial to such organisations. Dr. Pérez Maldonado added that given the geographic separation of these industries from medical facilities and health centres, a deep understanding of these subjects could substantially lower the risk of more severe infections.
More information on the Mexico team can be found by clicking here.
India Hub Continues Rollout of Wound Management Training in the Punjab Region
GSU India Hub Team travel to Doraha to train a congregation of Community Health Workers for latest Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) initiative.
The latest CEI event had members of the India Hub train 35 Community Health Workers on the identification of infected wounds, related treatment and referral pathways for local patients in and around the village of Doraha, located to the south east of Ludhiana where the India hub is based. The session was led by Dr. Deepak Jain (Surgical Oncologist – Christian Medical College Ludhiana) and Atul Suroy (Hub Manager – GSU India Hub).
The workshop was an interactive one with various discussions taking place between all attendees, with the overall response from those in attendance being very positive when feedback was analysed by the team. The Community Health Workers taking part were very keen to learn the new methods of wound management and requested a similar session to take place on a future date with co-workers based in adjoining areas.
The team orchestrating the event placed much emphasis on hand hygiene and how adopting such practices can reduce wound infections, as evidenced by research undertaken across the Unit, including various hospitals from across India’s spoke network. Research discussed included results generated from the completed CHEETAH and COVIDSurg projects, and the impact the evidence has had on millions of people living in the Global South and associated government policies in these regions of the world.
You can find out more information on the India Hub by clicking here.
For more information on CEI across the Unit, click here.
Ghana Hub Orchestrates CPD Accredited Workshop on Surgical Site Infections (SSI's)
Ghana Hub collaborates with the Ghana Surgical Research Society, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Ghana Chapter of West Africa to deliver workshop on SSI’s.
The workshop that took place on the 19th August in Kumasi brought together various health workers that included surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and perioperative nurses from across Ghana who took part in the event that utilised results from the completed CHEETAH trial. Also in attendance was the President of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Prof. Samuel Debrah who delivered a keynote speech during the event, in addition to a presentation from Dr. Napoleon Sam of the NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery Ghana Hub, on the CHEETAH trial results.
Other presentations that took place during the event included a discussion on the cost of SSI’s in Ghana and a talk on Community Engagement and Involvement activities in the Hub and the role it has in the research cycle. The keynote speech delivered by Prof. Debrah focused on the global burden of surgical diseases and the novel ways of addressing such burdens that could help prevent SSI’s from taking place following surgery, a leading cause of hospital re-admission for patients undergoing surgical treatment worldwide.
Further information on the event can be obtained via the official University for Development Studies press release.
For more information on the Ghana Hub, click here.
Benin Hub Holds CEI Event During National Surgical Society Conference
Benin Hub Director joins Benin CEI Lead to discuss patient and community involvement in research during research congress event in Cotonou
The GSU Benin Hub and the Beninese Surgical Society held a joint research congress in Cotonou from the 2nd – 4th August 2023. As part of this, the Benin Hub led by Prof Ismail Lawani and Ms Josette Gnele held a workshop on the basic principles of Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI). The interactive session was attended by surgeons, community health workers and patients from districts where GSU trials are held.
Topics discussed during the workshop touched on the importance of CEI and how it can be integrated into research projects and the practicalities of communicating research findings in lay language to communities. Following the workshop, Prof Lawani outlined the Hub’s plans of establishing a national CEI steering committee composed of patients, community health workers and surgeons.
CEI as defined by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR) is the collaborative way of working with communities who are most likely to be affected by the research outcomes. CEI activities can range from consulting with patients about the acceptability of a clinical trial to training community members to perform aspects of a project normally delegated to researchers such as data collection.
You can find out more information on the Benin Hub by clicking here.
For more information on CEI activites across the GSU, click here.
India Hub Orchestrate Latest Workshop on Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Wound Care
Nursing and OT trainees take part in dissemination workshop looking into SSI reduction using results from the CHEETAH Trial
The Tata Medical Centre in Kolkata provided the bakdrop for the latest workshop, orchestrated by the India Hub with 48 medical healthcare professionals in attendance, consisting mainly of Nursing and OT Technicians. The meeting provided valuable insight into the concept of SSI for the attendees who were yet to start in their practical training and had little knowledge of the subject. SSI is a leading cause of hospital re-admission for patients post surgery, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and the main focus of the CHEETAH Trial that took place across 7 countries.
A number of the attendees will be working in the community setup such as in community healthcare centres where post-surgical care wound management is often a primary driver for patients seeking medical care in such areas of India. The session enabled attendees to take part in an interactive Q&A session where meeting orchestrators posed various questions to be answered by the attendees. In addition, a visual presntation was also provided to help engage attendees with the topic.
You can find out more on Community Engagement and Involvement activites by clicking here.
Further information on the India Hub can be found by clicking here.
Ghana Hub Meet Stakeholders to Develop National Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Prevention Toolkit
Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) event enables local community to work with the Ghana Hub to create a plan for the dissemination of SSI prevention
The meeting, orchestrated by the Ghana Hub took place at Holy Family Hospital in Techiman with the participants in attendance consisting of allied healthcare professionals from the Holy Family Hospital, alongside a well represented group of patients and accompanying members of the public – including patients undergoing treatment for a stoma and laparotomy.
The main objectives of the meeting were to:
- Engage patients and community members on what information would be most beneficial to include in the modules being developed
- Discuss the output (presentations, visuals) options that would be appropriate in community education
- Design a strategy to implement the modules
Discussions proved to be highly conducive for meeting the objectives identified, with various ideas and topics discussed in detail and subsequently taken on board by the Hub to help with the design and delivery of the toolkit. Some of the outcomes from the meeting included:
- Participants preference was for education on SSI prevention to start while they are at the admission stage, rather than on the day of discharge
- A phone number of a contactable designated doctor in the surgical team was identified as key for patients being referred from distant communities, to discuss any queries relating to treatment
- Relevant dates should be added to the modules due to sutures often being removed prematurely or later than expected, due to follow-up dressing not being done by the original surgical team
- Information on whether antibiotics and other medications would be given to the patients, in addition to information provided on benefits of the drug given and associated side-effects
- Recommended that facility managers address perceptions of patients regarding the rumoured attitude of staff towards patients that led to some delaying in seeking care
- General information should be included on how to prevent complications, other than SSIs
During the meeting, patients suggested that educational content could be delivered in the form of visual leaflets, handed over to patients at the point of discharge. Other resources that were decided on were educational videos made for the hospitals delivering care and a picture catalogue on SSI prevention that could be used by healthcare workers to educate patients on the subject during their stay in hospital.
You can find out more information on SSIs by visiting the FALCON and CHEETAH trial pages.
Patients and Carers in Benin Discuss Surgical Site Infection Prevention
Benin Hub team meets with various patients and carers to discuss surgical site infection (SSI) during community engagement and involvement (CEI) consultation in Ouidah
The team, led by CEI Lead Josette Bonita had the opportunity to travel to Ouidah where the team were able to speak to a multitude of stakeholders, including allied health workers, patients and nurses. The meeting, held at Ouidah District Hospital, enabled attendees to discuss the French translation of the script of a video designed for the purpose of reducing SSIs in the community, as part of a global toolkit currently being developed as a cross-network collaboration.
Benin Hub Communications Lead Vivien Tenonto reported that the event went well, with a high level of active participation from patients and their carers, who are all looking forward to reviewing the final version of the video once it’s released in the coming weeks.
Surgical site infections are one of the leading causes of mortality and hospital re-admission for patients following surgical procedures globally. The CHEETAH trial, conducted across the GSU network, focused on the use of of separate sterile gloves and instruments for wound closure to help reduce such infections following surgery. Following on from completion of the trial, the dissemination of the trial’s findings have become a key priority for the majority of the GSU’s hubs, Benin inclusive.
You can find out more on the Benin team by clicking here.