Search

Introduction: The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a major challenge for countries, regardless of their level of development. Social branding is an emerging approach to health promotion for NCD prevention. In this paper, the process of social branding is documented as a case study to help researchers develop similar kinds of interventions in the settings in which they work. Methods: The process of developing a social brand is documented through conversations with the project team, observations in the field, interaction with community local members, and information gathered through photographs, videos and newspaper clippings. Results: The social brand focused upon in this study was named the Aarogyachi Vaari (Health Pilgrimage) inspired by the Pandrapur Wari, a religious pilgrimage undertaken in the state of Maharashtra, India. Various stakeholders from self-help groups, panchayat raj institutions and schools from the local village collaborated successfully to implement the health event in a manner similar to the way in which diverse religious groups come together for the Pandrapur Wari religious pilgrimage. The Aarogyachi Vaari took the form of a strategically planned health event consisting of various health promotion stalls, many developed by local villagers themselves. The organisation of the event was aided by resource mobilisation within the local community. Discussion: Social branding can be an effective tool for health promotion in community settings. Studying people's cultural preferences and what makes them feel connected and excited can lay the foundations for the creation of a social brand that reflects their choices and helps them take up healthy behaviours on their own. It is possible to mobilise a community for health through social branding that is culturally relevant and connected to the interests and priorities of local people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There are multiple ongoing outbreaks of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAb) infection in Fiji's hospitals. CRAb is able to colonize and persist on various hospital surfaces for extended periods. We conducted a study to understand the extent of hospital environmental contamination and phylogenetic links with clinical isolates. Methods: Swabs were collected from high-touch surfaces at Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) September 2021 and December 2022; Lautoka Hospital (LTKH) August 2022; and Labasa Hospital (LBSH) November 2022. All bacterial isolates were identified, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) performed; isolates resistant to carbapenems and producing a carbapenemase underwent whole genome sequencing. Comparison was made to clinical isolates obtained from CWMH in 2016-2017 and 2019-2021 and from LTKH and LBSH from 2020-2021. Results: From the 180 environmental samples collected, ten (5.6%) CRAb were isolated; no other carbapenem-resistant gram-negative organisms were isolated. Seven (70%) of the CRAb were isolated from CWMH and three (30%) from LTKH; no CRAb were isolated from LBSH. Of the seven CWMH CRAb, two were sequence type 2 (ST2), three ST25, and two ST499. All LTKH isolates were ST499. The two environmental CRAb ST2 isolates were closely genetically linked to isolates obtained from patients in CWMH, LTKH, and LBSH 2020-2021. Similarly, the three environmental CRAb ST25 isolates were closely genetically linked to isolates obtained from patients admitted to CWMH in 2019-2021 and LBSH in 2020. The environmental CRAb ST499 isolates represented two distinct clones, with clone 1 comprising two genetically identical isolates from CWMH and clone 2 the three isolates from LTKH. Although no genetic linkages were observed when comparing environmental ST499 isolates to those from CWMH patients in 2020-2021, both clone 1 isolates were genetically identical to an isolate obtained from a patient admitted during the sampling period. Conclusion: Our study highlights the contamination of high-touch surfaces within Fiji hospitals with CRAb, suggesting that these may serve as important sources for CRAb. Phylogenetic linkages to CRAb isolated from patients since 2019 underscores the persistence of this resistant pathogen in hospital settings and the ongoing risk for hospital-acquired infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]