Characteristics of a Nationwide Voluntary Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Campaign in India; Future Paths and Pointers for Resource Limited Settings/Low and Middle Income Countries.

Antibiotic resistance has reached alarming proportions globally, prompting the World Health Organization to advise nations to take up antibiotic awareness campaigns. Several campaigns have been taken up worldwide, mostly by governments. The government of India asked manufacturers to append a 'redline' to packages of antibiotics as identification marks and conducted a campaign to inform the general public about it and appropriate antibiotic use. We investigated whether an antibiotic resistance awareness campaign could be organized voluntarily in India and determined the characteristics of the voluntarily organized campaign by administering a questionnaire to the coordinators, who participated in organizing the voluntary campaign India. The campaign characteristics were: multiple electro-physical pedagogical and participatory techniques were used, 49 physical events were organized in various parts of India that included lectures, posters, booklet/pamphlet distribution, audio and video messages, competitions, and mass contact rallies along with broadcast of messages in 11 local languages using community radio stations (CRS) spread all over India. The median values for campaign events were: expenditure-3000 Indian Rupees/day (US$~47), time for planning-1 day, program spread-4 days, program time-4 h, direct and indirect reach of the message-respectively 250 and 500 persons/event. A 2 min play entitled 'Take antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor' was broadcast 10 times/day for 5 days on CRS with listener reach of ~5 million persons. More than 85%ofcoordinators thought that the campaign created adequate awareness about appropriate antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. The voluntary campaign has implications for resource limited settings/low and middle income countries.

Uma experiência em comunicação e saúde / Una experiencia en comunicación y salud / An experience in communication and health

Este trabalho refere-se à experiência desenvolvida no município de Guarulhos, sob o patrocínio do Ministério da Saúde, com o objetivo de envolver radiocomunicadores no processo educativo em saúde. Organizaram-se oficinas de trabalho com a participação de funcionários dos serviços municipais de saúde e de radialistas das rádios comunitárias das mesmas áreas de abrangência, para reflexão, discussão e elaboração de ações conjuntas sobre temas de saúde. Desenvolveu-se metodologia que articulou, além de textos acadêmicos, outros tipos de linguagem como pintura, música, radionovela, poesia etc., na abordagem dos assuntos. A avaliação final constou de um questionário preenchido pelos participantes e a análise das respostas indicou tratar-se de uma metodologia compatível com os objetivos de alcançar envolvimento e desenvolver parcerias entre comunicadores, serviços de saúde e comunidade.

This paper reports on an experience developed in the municipality of Guarulhos, under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Health, in which the aim was to involve radio broadcasters in the health education process. Workshops on health subjects were organized with the participation of municipal healthcare service employees and community radio broadcasters with the same area of coverage, for reflection, discussion and elaboration of joint actions. The methodology developed brought together not only academic texts but also other types of language such as painting, music, radio serials, poetry, etc, to deal with these subjects. The final evaluation consisted of a questionnaire filled out by the participants. Analysis on the responses indicated that this methodology was compatible with the aims of achieving involvement and developing partnerships between communicators, healthcare services and the community.

Este trabajo se refiere a la experiencia desarrollada en el municipio de Guarulhos, estado de Sao Paulo, Brasil, bajo el patrocinio del Ministerio de la Salud, con objeto de involucrar a radiocomunicadores en el proceso educativo en salud. Se organizaron oficinas de trabajo con la participación de funcionarios de los servicios municipales de salud y de profesionales de las radios comunitarias de las mismas áreas que comprenden reflexión, discusión y elaboración de acciones conjuntas sobre temas de salud. Se ha desarrollado una metodología que articula, además de textos aoadémicos, otros tipos de lenguaje como pintura, música, radionovela, poesía etc en el planteamiento de los asuntos. La evaluación final consistió en un cuestionario respondido por los participantes; y el análisis de las respuestas indicó que se trata de una metologia compatible con los objetivos de obtener adhesión y desarrollar asociación entre comunicadores, servicios de salud y comunidad.