Mexico Hub Community Event Educates on Wound Care

In a bid to empower patients, the GSU Mexico Hub held a community engagement event at the DIF Ruiz Cortines Community Centre, Veracruz on wound care and infection prevention on 22nd February. Dr. Carolina, a dedicated research physician, spearheaded the informative session aimed primarily at the elderly demographic within the community.

The event, attended by 70 people, commenced with an insightful inquiry into the common remedies employed by attendees for wound healing at home. Many disclosed the use of potentially harmful substances like laundry detergent, eggs, and even urine. Such practices, though prevalent, were underscored as detrimental to skin health.

Dr Carolina delved into essential aspects of wound management, highlighting crucial warning signs indicative of infection. Through a meticulous step-by-step demonstration, attendees were equipped with practical skills for effective wound care.

As part of the interactive segment, eight wound care kits were raffled off to attendees. The session culminated in a vibrant Q&A segment, fostering an open dialogue on wound management strategies. Participants also expressed a desire for future sessions covering topics such as diabetes management and pressure ulcer care. Such feedback underscores the pressing need to further educate this demographic on preventive healthcare measures.


GSU awarded additional funding for Community Engagement activities

The Global Surgery Unit was recently awarded additional Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding from the University of Birmingham and UK Research and Innovation to increase already existing community engagement activities across its Indian and Rwandan research Hubs.

The funding for the India Hub will be used to expand training for local ASHA community health workers (CHWs) on surgical wound management, stoma care and early cancer detection. According to the World Health Organisation, CHWs are healthcare providers who live in the community they serve and receive lower levels of formal education and training than professional healthcare workers such as nurses and doctors. They are key players in addressing the health needs of remote and marginalised low-to-middle-income (LMIC) country settings but traditionally have yet to have a role in post-surgical care. The funding will also be used to disseminate the recently co-developed patient education toolkit co-developed. Since last year, the India Hub has been engaging with ASHA workers and registered medical practitioners in different cities such as Ludhiana, Kolkata and Vellore which garnered the attention of the Punjab Civil Surgeon who tasked the Hub to train an additional 2,000 ASHAs.

On the other hand, the Rwanda Hub will be using its additional funding to expand on PIGEON (ImProving surgIcal care outcomes throuGh the active involvEment of cOmmunity in RwaNda)- a mixed method study that will initially scope CHW’s knowledge of surgical care and co-develop with them an intervention focused on improving surgical care outcomes through the active involvement of CHWs in both rural and urban regions of the country.

ODA is UK government aid that promotes and specifically targets the economic development and welfare of LMICs. Funding is provided through the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) Institutional Support Grant (ODA), funded by Research England, Grant Reference: RE-CL-2023-09.


Launching the GSU Education Centre

Visit the new GSU Education Centre today!

 

 

Exciting news! The GSU Education Centre, funded by the NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery, is now live, offering over 20 free learning resources for new surgical researchers.

 

 

Explore topics like Health Economics, Community Engagement & Involvement, and Data Management. Research Management, Statistics, Qualitative Research

Our resources include mobile learning objects, recorded lectures, webinars and short courses.

 

 

 🌐 Freely Available: Access our online resources for free.

🔍 Grounded in Surgical Research: Developed within the context of surgery.

🔄 Reusable Resources: Versatile for independent learning and reuse by trainers.

📱 Accessible Anywhere, Anytime: Explore on a mobile phone, tablet, or computer globally.

Visit the GSU Education Centre today!

The GSU Education & Training Faculty

NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery


Community Talks Address SSIs and Smoking Cessation in Kolkata and Vellore

In a bid to promote healthcare awareness and foster essential knowledge among healthcare professionals, a community engagement talk organised by the GSU India Hub, attended by 40 paramedic trainees was held at the School for Skills in Allied Health Sciences, Sonarpur, Kolkata, India on October 31, 2023. 

The talk encompassed an array of crucial topics, including the awareness of surgical site infections (SSIs), wound care at home, recognizing the signs and symptoms of SSI, and the proper management of wound care in a home setting. Furthermore, it highlighted the significance of hand hygiene and the timely change of gloves during wound care procedures.

The interactive session provided a platform for the paramedic trainees to raise queries and concerns regarding the correct use of gloves while handling patients in both hospital and community settings. Questions such as the duration for which gloves can be worn and when to change gloves were addressed, ensuring that these future healthcare professionals are well-prepared to maintain rigorous hygiene standards.

Another event was previously held at the Christian Medical College & Hospital in Vellore on October 27, 2023, catering to 35 patients and their caregivers. The event aimed to create awareness about carcinogens in tobacco products and the importance of smoking cessation.

The talk, delivered in English, Tamil and Hindi, covered various aspects of smoking, including its effects, withdrawals, triggers, risk factors, addictive nature, and the toxic components ingested while smoking. Furthermore, it delved into methods to quit smoking and discussed challenges encountered during cessation, such as withdrawals and triggers.

The outcomes of the session were highly positive, with attendees gaining a deeper understanding of the adverse effects of smoking and the significance of quitting the habit. Many patients were previously unaware of carcinogenic smoking and cessation, highlighting the importance of such community engagement talks.


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).

Dr. Rohin Mittal and team discuss wound detection with patients at the Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore

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.

Mexico CEI Manager, Nallely Ortiz discusses wound infection management with attendees during workshop

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.