Training & Sensitization Sessions

Training and Sensitization Events

Training of Sales Officers, SMC

Ahead of launching a large marketing campaign, ICDDR,B in collaboration with SMC  conducted a market survey to determine the acceptability of zinc tablets in children and its compliance. A training session was arranged for the sales officers of SMC and drug sellers selected by SMC from the respective areas. The drug sellers were provided with blister packs of zinc dispersible tablets along with necessary information to be given to the parents of the young children with diarrhoea.  

Training of Operation Researchers & Field Research Assistants, ICDDRB:

Training sessions were conducted for the Operation Researchers on 29February and for the Field Research Assistants (FRAs) from 07 March 2004 to 09 March 2004 for conducting the market survey to determine ‘Acceptability and adherence to dispersible zinc tablets in the treatment of acute childhood diarrhoea’. The FRAs were provided with extensive training with practical field exercise, and an information sheet written in Bengali. The interactions between trainers and trainee were lively and had sufficient time to get comprehensive understanding on topic.

Before the training of FRAs, an orientation occurred with the Operation Researchers on 29 February 2004. On that occasion, information sheets and research papers on zinc treatment in diarrhoea were distributed among them.

Training of ICDDR,B Dhaka hospital staff and PSKP staff:

Training of the health workers of ICDDR,B Dhaka hospital

Training sessions were conducted for the study “Introduction of routine zinc therapy for children with diarrhea: safety, compliance and acceptability” on 23 and 24 February 2004. Two days of training consisted of 6 sessions each of two hours: 3 sessions for nurses and 2 sessions for health workers of Dhaka hospital of ICDDR,B and one session for doctors, nurses and counselors of PSKP.

The training materials included a power point presentation, discussion on the information sheet and to do list.  A lively open discussion took place and at the end the participants did the role-play. PowerPoint presentation was in English. However, the delivery was given in Bengali to facilitate the understanding of the participants. The information sheet and to do list were written in Bengali. The participants were enthusiastic and truly interactive. Most of the role players acted well from their practical experience with the parents (e.g. asking questions like real parents) on turn, which really made the role-play animated. Some of them suggested a media publicity of zinc and also a presentation, which should be shown in the television of the hospital.

Training of Research Assistants, ICDDR,B, Dhaka Hospital:

Another training session was arranged on 14 March 2003 for the Research Assistants of the study “Introduction of routine zinc therapy for children with diarrhea: safety, compliance and acceptability”. Ten Research Assistants who would conduct the interview with the mothers of the children with diarrhea at Dhaka ICDDR, B hospital and PSKP clinic within ICDDR, B premises.

Presentations from the PI Dr. Ali Miraj Khan and training team were given. The copies of the presentations were distributed among the Research Assistants along with information sheet and to do list for the job to be done at the hospital level. The session concluded with an interactive discussion. 

Training of the Research Assistants,ACNielson:

ACNielson Bangladesh Ltd. has conducted a study to select a brand name for dispersible zinc tablets. A Training session was arranged for the Research Assistants. The copy of the presentation and the information sheet were distributed among the participants.

NSDP (NGO Service Delivery Program) training:

Key message review by the depot holders (Swanirvar, Porshuram Upazilla)

NGO Service Delivery Program (NSDP) is the organization to implement Essential Service Package (ESP) of Bangladesh Government to the community through its’ 8 partner organizations. Swanirvar is one of the partners NGO of NSDP, working in the rural areas of Bangladesh. The training team conducted training sessions on 05 and 06 October 2004 for the staffs of the static clinic and the depot holders of Swanirvar of Porshuram Upazilla. The aim of the training session was to provide information on zinc to the care providers in order to effectively practice the use of zinc tablets in treating diarrhoea in under five year children. There were total 43 participants in three training sessions; ten from the static clinic (three paramedics, three service promoters, three clinic aid and one office assistant) and 33 depot holders.

The static clinic participants were provided with guidebooks containing general information on diarrhea, stages of dehydration, WHO and UNICEF recommended treatment of diarrhea, referral criteria of a patient with diarrhoea, general information on zinc, dissolving technique of zinc tablets, different aspects of the treatment of diarrhea with zinc and frequently asked question.

The depot holders were provided with flip chart containing precise information on diarrhea, dehydration, treatment of diarrhea, referral criteria at their level, treatment of diarrhea with zinc tablet and dissolving technique of zinc tablets.

Entire training session was conducted in Bengali. Easy and understandable terms were used for better understanding of the participants. There was a session on role-play, where the participants played role of caretakers and caregivers and showed how they are going to deliver messages about zinc. Then some of the participants showed the technique of dissolving zinc tablets. The following part of the session was open discussion. The participants of all the training sessions were very enthusiastic and interactive. All the sessions were participatory. They took part in the sessions eagerly, which made the sessions enjoyable. The role-play sessions were very effective to understand their mode of message delivery and interaction with the caretakers in real situation.

Community sensitization:

A sensitization session was conducted as well for the members of the village development committee (VDC) and the support group members. Twenty-three participants were present in this session. The VDC and support group members were given information sheet of two pages containing basic information on zinc, how zinc helps in diarrhea and dissolving technique of zinc.

The sensitization session with the VDC members and support group members was very effective. The participants shared their ideas and opinion about zinc treatment.

Paediatricians’ workshop:

An interactive session during workshop with the paediatricians

Paediatricians in Bangladesh are the top line of care providers for children.The licensed general private health care providers usually follow the practices and guidance of paediatricians. They in turn influence other providers. The Bangladesh Pediatric Association (BPA) provides expert recommendation on child health care to the Government of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) on a number of issues.  Given their importance, the SUZY project organized a series of workshops with the pediatricians from the 6^th to 9^th December 2004 to sort out the appropriate plan to involve the pediatricians in the project. The participants of all the sessions were interactive and enthusiastic. Majority of the Pediatricians including National professor MR Khan, Director of Dhaka Shishu Hospital Professor Salim Shakur appreciated that appropriate steps for scaling up zinc treatment in under five years old children with diarrhea are being initiated in Bangladesh. Dr. Chowdhury Md. Haider Ali, Secretary General of BPA proposed to organize seminars with pediatricians through the BPA to ensure the participation of all the pediatricians of Bangladesh through a single forum. 

BPA seminar:

Prof MA Mannan, Pro VC and President of BPA at the seminar

Bangladesh Pediatric Association (BPA) is the leading platform of the pediatrics practitioners across the country. All most all the leading pediatricians were present at the seminar. The upcoming issue of introducing zinc in acute diarrhea treatment and scaling up zinc in Bangladesh, as a timely and attractive issue, pulled almost all the leading pediatricians in the seminar.

A scientific seminar was organized by the BPA in association with the SUZY Project, on ‘The Role of Zinc in Young Children with Acute Diarrhea’ in BPA’s regular scientific forum on 13^th April 2005.  As the organizing secretary of BPA, Dr. Hassan Abullah moderated the session, Professor MA Mannan, BSMMU & President BPA, Chaired the seminar and national professor Dr. MR Khan was decorated the seminar as the chief guest.

Keynote speakers were: - Professor Dr. Selim Shakur, Director, Bangladesh Shishu Hospital, Prof. Dr. CP Larson, Director HSID and PI, SUZY project

Discussants were: - Professor Dr. Chowdhury Md. Haider Ali, BICH & Secretary General BPA, Professor Dr. Md. Sirajul Islam, BICH, Professor Dr. Nazmun Nahar (ex. Departmental head of Pediatric department, DMCH) Professor Dr. Abid Hossain Molllah (Head, Pediatric Department, DMCH), Dr. PK Bardhan, Scientist, ICDDR, B, Dr, SK Roy, Scientist, ICDDR,B, and at the end of the seminar Professor Mannan Professor MA Mannan gave the speech of the Chair, in the midst of the speech Professor Abdul Hannan, Executive Director of IMCH (Institute of Child and Mother Health, Matuail) added a few words regarding the effectiveness and efficacy of zinc treatment in diarrhea. At the last but not the least the National Professor MR Khan as the Chief Guest delivered his speech.

The seminar concluded with a special crest of BPA and certificate giving ceremony to the keynote speakers and discussants by the Chair & President of BPA, the National Professor and Secretary General of BPA. 

BICH seminar:

Chairperson and Chief guest at the seminar with BICH 

Dhaka Shishu Hoapital & the Bangladesh Institute of Child Health (BICH) is the only public specialized children hospital and postgraduate institute for the pediatricians in Bangladesh. In collaboration with BICH, a seminar was held on 13 June, 2005 on ‘Pediatric Use of Zinc’ at the BICH auditorium. ORION laboratories Limited, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies of Bangladesh, sponsored the seminar.

Prof. Dr. Syed Khairul Amin, Academic Director, BICH chaired the session, Prof. Md. Salim Shakur, Director, Dhaka Shishu Hospital decorated the space of the chief guest.

Prof. Dr. Charles P Larson, PI-SUZY project & Director HSID, ICDDR,B delivered the speech of the keynote speaker.

The discussants were: - Prof. Dr. Md. Sirajul Islam, BICH, Prof. Dr. M.A. Kashem Sarkar, BICH, and Dr. S. K. Roy, Scientist, ICDDR, B.

There was a question and answer session and open discussion after the presentation of the discussants mediated by Prof. Syed Khairul Amin. Though the pediatricians are familiar with the use of zinc, nonetheless, the participation from both participants and discussants were very lively.  Almost all the doctors, except a few working at the emergency and outdoor were present at the seminar.

Click here to view or download   guide_for_paramedics_unlicensed_providers.pdf   Size: 348.8 KB