‘Spreading Hygiene through Flying Kites’

Indian Initiative for Management of Antibiotic Resistance (IIMAR) is a participant in the Indo-Swedish project ‘APRIAM’ being implemented at the R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India. The full title of the APRIAM project is “Antibiotic stewardship program including infection prevention and control and waste water treatment: Implementation research in hospital and community in India.” 

 

Hygiene team of Project APRIAM is working with a slogan- “Swachch Bharat - Swasth Bharat” (Clean India- Healthy India). The Campaign is being run since 2010 at R. D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India in collaboration with Karolinska Insitutet, Stockholm, Sweden.  The aim is to achieve the goal of Healthy India by keeping India clean. The team is led by Dr. Megha Sharma, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, R. D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain.  It has been organizing activities both at hospitals and at community level in the Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh. The long term aim is to conduct similar activities within various Indian states.

For advancing the message of “Swachch Bharat - Swasth Bharat” further, the team came up with an idea to spread awareness of the message to maintain hygiene through flying Kites. On the auspicious

occasion of Makar Sankrati (14 January 2015); the District collector, Ujjain organized a Kite festival at Dashehara maidan in Ujjain. The APRIAM team planned to take advantage of the opportunity to spread the message of "Be safe- Stay clean" with-in the campaign “Swachch Bharat - Swasth Bharat” among the visitors to the function. The APRIAM Hygiene team set-up 5 information desks at the function place, where over 1500 residents between ages 3 to 83 years visited. The team took advantage of these visits to educate and remind them to maintain self hygiene and general cleanliness and encouraged them to fill in a "Cross word puzzle" and participate in "Check your knowledge on hygeine" contest. Posters with messages of 'How and When to wash hands?',

were displayed at the site. Kites printed with message

 “Swachch Bharat - Swasth Bharat” in Hindi were distributed to 540 participants. Over 1000 residents participated in the other activities.

All entries were checked for their correctness level and all correctly filled entries were sorted out. The prize winners were selected through lottery system two times for each activity and prizes were distributed during the function. The team members Mr. Amit Pawar, Mr. Jeetendra Jat, Dr. Pintoo Marmat, Dr. Kamal Kishore Parmar, Ms. Sunita Parmar, Mr. Abdul Shadab, Ms. Pooja Bhati, Ms. Deepmala Lalavat and Mr. Lakhan Elunia contributed towards  the success of the event.

Contributed by: Dr. Megha Sharma & Dr. A.J. Tamhankar
 

"Hand Hygiene week- 2013"

(Contributed by Dr. Megha Sharma, R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, M.P. India)

WHO has recommended '5^th May' as 'Hand hygiene day' which is celebrated in many countries. The week before or after the Hand hygiene day is celebrated as 'Hand hygiene week'. The purpose is to remind the health care workers (HCWs) about the importance of possessing clean hands during patient care. This directly relates to the decrease in the health care associated infections (HAIs). HAIs are the infections that result in long term disability and longer duration of hospitalization and treatment with antibiotics. The hands of the HCWs are the major cause of spread of HAIs in any medical facility.

Acknowledging the importance of hand hygiene- "Hand Hygiene week- 2013" was celebrated in a tertiary care hospital in Central India from 29^th April 2013 to 05^th May 2013 under the collaborative research project (APRIAM). The institute, R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain is hosting the research project (APRIAM) in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, since 2007. Dr. Cecilia Stalsby Lundborg (Prof, Global Health-IHCAR, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden), Dr. A.J. Tamhankar (National Coordinator, IIMAR, Prof, RD Gardi Medical College), Dr. Ragini Macaden (Prof, St. John's Research Institute, Bangalore) and Dr. V.K. Mahadik (Medical Director, RD Gardi Medical College) are the esteemed pioneers and mentors of the project APRIAM.

The project aims at improving antibiotic prescribing and maintaining hygiene in the study settings. The project coordinator and team leader (Hygiene team) Dr. Megha Sharma along with her team associates; Dr. Vishal Diwan, Dr. Anshu Jain, Amit Pawar, Dr. Love mehra, Dr. Devendra Parmar, Himanshu, Jeetendra Jat and Jaipal, developed and conducted the  "Hand Hygiene week- 2013" activities in the facility.

The objectives to conduct the activity were to sensitize the HCWs regarding importance of maintaining hand hygiene and to encourage the HCWs to maintain hand hygiene during patient care. All the activities were designed locally and were conducted in a joyful and interesting yet informative and purposeful manner.  

The celebration was inaugurated on 29^th April 2013 by Honorable Medical Director, Dr. V. K. Mahadik in presence of Dean Dr. J.K. Sharma, Medical Superintendent Dr. S. Sharma and other staff members.

For the active participation of the HCWs; competitions such as Poster competition: with theme "Use of alcohol based hand rub in prevention of healthcare associated infections", Slogan writing: with topic “Use of gloves in patient care” were planned. Crossword puzzles related to hand hygiene, use of antibiotics and importance of alcohol based hand rub were provided to assess the knowledge of the HCWs. Answers to the puzzle were displayed on the following day.

One of the most popular activities was- “Add colours to life: Keep your hands clean”. Colour full hand prints of all HCWs were printed on the white sheet. Soap and water was provided to wash hands. Single use paper napkins was provided to dry hands thus to convey the message of “Use single use napkin/ towel to dry up your hands”.

Live videos and slideshows were displayed, both in Hindi and English, on computer screen at the site. This activity was mainly to target the persons accompanying the patients and visitors. The videos mainly demonstrated “How to wash hands?” and the importance of hand washing and maintaining hygiene.

Demonstration and training sessions for the community- This activity was conducted for the persons accompanying the patients such as attainders and visitors present in the hospital. The team demonstrated the 6 steps of hand washing and the participants followed it. Soap, water and single use paper napkins were provided to the participants.

During the week, the team also visited district government hospital to conduct the activities. This was in relation to make the HCWs of the hospital, a part of the hand hygiene activities.

Feedback for the concept of the hand hygiene week was taken from the HCWs with the help of a locally developed feedback form.

Prize distribution-Prizes were distributed for various competitions. The WHO Surveillance officer, Indore region, Dr. Sudhir Soni was invited as chief guest for the occasion. Dean, Dr. J.K. Sharma and many respected senior staff of the institute were present for the occasion.

Overall more than 500 HCWs participated in various activities during the "Hand Hygiene Week 2013". The whole event was appreciated by the HCWs and the print media as well.

Activities of `IIMAR` Members on `World Health Day on Antimicrobial Resistance`

KTHM science college, Nashik, Maharashtra

Mr. Sandip Nerkar, a Ph.D. scholar, along with Dr. Pethkar, Professor of Microbiology, arranged an awareness programme regarding `antimicrobial resistance` in KTHM science college, Nashik for students. In this programme along with explaining the problem of antimicrobial Resistance to the students, they were also motivated for a campaign to visit hospitals/clinics in the city and explain and handover the IIMAR brochures/leaflets on awareness about Antimicrobial resistance to physicians. The students visited at least 100 clinics/hospitals in the Nashik city in Maharashtra and the physicians were motivated to make rational use of antibiotics.

Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences,Loni, Maharashtra

The Centre for Social Medicine in collaboration with Departments of Community Medicine, Pharmacology and Microbiology of  the Rural Medical College, celebrated the World Health Day 2011 from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm on 7th April by organizing a Seminar on the Main theme: Combat Drug Resistance. Dr. Ashok Patil, Chief Executive Officer of PMT-PIMS inaugurated the Seminar and addressed the participants.
Dr. Deepak Phalke & Dr. (Mrs) S.S Avachat from Community Medicine, Ms. Namrata Tendulkar, an MBBS student, Dr. Sunil Devrukar from Microbiology and Dr. (Ms)Geeta Patil from Pharmacology Departments delivered lectures on the `WHO Theme of Antimicrobial Resistance` at the Seminar. Concluding remarks were delivered by Dr. Ravindra Kute of Indian Medical Association. The Seminar was attended by Female Health Workers, Women SHG members, General Practitioners, Pharmacists, general public and staff members.

`Centre for Public Health (CPH)` and SOCHARA, Bangalore, Karnataka

Dr. Ravi Narayan, `Community Health Advisor` to `Centre for Public Health (CPH)` and also `Equity  Society for Community Health, Awareness, Research and Action (SOCHARA)` informs that as  contribution to the World health day theme this year on Drug resistance, CPH and SOCHARA have released a document that arose as part of the  proceedings of a National seminar entitled 'Role of Public Health professionals and the Community in the Control of Antibiotic Resistance'- Report of a panel discussion.`

 KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Orissa

An orientation programme on the ‘Rational Use of Antibiotics’ was held at School of Biotechnology, KIIT University on 7th April 2011 on the occasion of World Health Day. Mr Krushna Chandra Sahoo, a Ph.D. scholar, Dr Priyadarshi Soumyaranjan Sahu, School of Biotechnology, KIIT University and Dr Soumyakanta Sahoo, Super Religare Laboratories Limited, Kalinga hospital, Bhubaneswar, organized the programme. Dr. Mrutyunjay Suar, Director, School of Biotechnology, KIIT University presided over the programme. Prof B. C Das, Dean cum Principal, KIIMS was the chief guest of the programme. A rally was conducted involving the students of school of Biotechnology who visited different campuses under KIIT University.

R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh 

On the Occasion of World Health Day - R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain organized Education cum Awareness programmes on rational use of antibiotics for general public and community members. The programmes were held in the Social Centres at Shajapur and at Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh. Dr. Sherly T.D. and Dr. Mercy of R.D. Gardi Medical College Ujjain discussed and presented the importance of antibiotics for mankind and emphasized the rational use of antibiotic. The presentations were followed by question and answer sessions in which community members asked queries related to the use of antibiotics. Specially designed Pamphlets on Rational use of antibiotics in local language were also distributed to the participants. (Report by Dr. Vishal Diwan)

Sample of the Antimicrobial Resistance campaign brochure prepared by IIMAR. (cliking on the photograph enlarges the image, you can download and print it then. Some more brochures are also available and they can be supplied by us. Brochures in Tamil, Hindi, Marathi are also available.)