Promoting health and safety in traditional food markets to fight COVID-19 in Peru and Bolivia
Lead Research Organisation:
Royal Veterinary College
Department Name: Pathobiology and Population Sciences
Abstract
Traditional food markets are important for the welfare and livelihoods of thousands of families in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). During the current COVID-19 pandemic, these markets have been identified as important locations for the spread of COVID-19. The establishment of control measures to reduce risk of infection in traditional food markets is an urgent need. However, it is also important that these measures are developed collaboratively with those that may be affected, taking into account the adverse effects that strict controls may have on thousands of families whose lives depend on the markets. In this proposal we build on ongoing projects in two localities of Bolivia and Peru and on requests to members of the research team to support COVID-19 response in these localities, particularly in relation to controls in markets. Our strategy to tackle this complex issue uses research methods from different disciplines such as epidemiology, microbiology and the social sciences. We will provide a program to reduce COVID-19 transmission in food markets applicable to different countries, a computer tool to simulate, in a virtual market, how changing the way the market operates can reduce risk of infection and data on the presence of antibodies and of the virus itself in people at high risk, which could help answer important pending questions about COVID-19 infection. We will also build local capacity of market sellers, regulators and university students, which will be important not only in the current COVID-19 pandemic but to face future public health emergencies.
Technical Summary
In this project we address COVID-19 control in traditional food markets, which are important hubs of community spread of COVID-19 in Peru and Bolivia and likely to play a similar role in other LMICs. Our overall aim is to prevent COVID-19 transmission in traditional food markets and we do this building on ongoing projects working with food markets of Peru and Bolivia and on recent engagements of the research team in support of COVID-19 response in these countries that have strengthened links with stakeholders. Traditional food markets are central to livelihoods in LMICs, where they play important economic and socio-cultural roles. Therefore, there is a need for risk mitigation strategies that are not only technically sound but also equitable, culturally sensitive and sustainable. We aim to design and implement such strategies through transdisciplinary collaboration that integrates local knowledge and technical expertise. Our approach includes the development and use of a risk assessment framework to identify market-specific risk mitigation strategies, the incorporation of an early detection and follow-up system to existing health services and the implementation of the risk mitigation strategies identified
in parallel to a health promotion program for sellers and their families. The program will be implemented in four markets and will include periodic clinical, serological and virological follow-up. We will also develop a probabilistic model to simulate impact of changes of market operation on risk of COVID-19 infection for buyers and sellers. Central to our work are extensive interactions with all actors transversally supported by social sciences during all stages of the project. This will allow us to agree upon the activities, develop a shared vision and a participative diagnosis and ensure effective follow up and monitoring of the integrated mitigation program.We will make extensive use of visual communication and education to display the project in mass media.
in parallel to a health promotion program for sellers and their families. The program will be implemented in four markets and will include periodic clinical, serological and virological follow-up. We will also develop a probabilistic model to simulate impact of changes of market operation on risk of COVID-19 infection for buyers and sellers. Central to our work are extensive interactions with all actors transversally supported by social sciences during all stages of the project. This will allow us to agree upon the activities, develop a shared vision and a participative diagnosis and ensure effective follow up and monitoring of the integrated mitigation program.We will make extensive use of visual communication and education to display the project in mass media.
Organisations
- Royal Veterinary College (Lead Research Organisation)
- National Institute for Health Research (Co-funder)
- University of Ghent (Collaboration)
- Universidad Católica Bolivia San Pablo (Collaboration)
- University of San Simón (Collaboration)
- Free University of Brussels (Collaboration)
- Aix-Marseille University (Collaboration)
- Government of Colombia (Collaboration)
- Simón I. Patiño Foundation (Collaboration)
Publications
| Description | ? The project confirmed that, during the first wave of the pandemic, the majority of market sellers became infected and the vast majority of them did not access any health service. At later stages, the project confirmed how the virus circulated intensively among market sellers and provided some evidence that infection risk was reduced by the use of vaccines. ? Analysis of data from hospitalized patients provided some evidence of a very strong association between mortality and age, that may start at younger ages than those seen in other countries as well as an association between blood group and mortality, which may suggest a protective effect for the indigenous Aymara highland population (results presented in a manuscript currently under review). ? The establishment of consultation rooms in the markets had a dramatic effect in improving access of market sellers and their families to health services and engaging them in active prevention of infection within the market environment. ? An integrated approach to COVID-19 response generated positive outcomes beyond COVID-19 prevention. Such an approached dramatically raised awareness of non-communicable diseases in the community and promoted close collaboration between market sellers, a very vulnerable group in the context of the pandemic, and the local health services. ? The project raised awareness of a number of health conditions that pose an important burden and had until now being largely neglected, some of them are known comorbidities that increase the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. As a result, market sellers, local health services and researchers are now working together on a new initiative aimed at tacking these conditions, building on the successful model of collaboration established by the project and funded by other donors. The project has therefore managed to create opportunities from a serious health emergency, supporting one of the most vulnerable groups (market sellers) and fostering collaboration and trust between them and the local public health services. ? The project build local capacity in diagnostics as well as data analytics, which can be deployed in the future in relation to issues other than COVID-19. |
| Exploitation Route | Local health services and researchers in particular, with some findings of relevance for research community more broadly (being presented in research papers). |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | The project has been very successful in terms of non-academic impacts. The following non-academic impacts can be highlighted: ? Support to the local public health authorities in the target localities during the course of the pandemic, including active collaboration in serological surveillance activities in Bolivia. The project facilitated the establishment of health committees in the markets and members of the project team became members of local committees aiming at informing the management of the pandemic in the municipality of Sacaba in Bolivia. ? Support to market sellers, their families and the broader community in the target localities through consultation rooms established in the markets and teleconsultations. This proved crucial at critical times during the pandemic when the public health system nearly collapsed. The project is credited by local stakeholders with having made a huge contribution to the mitigation of the impact of the pandemic. ? The health promotion program promoted by the project generated a wealth of information regarding the health status of market sellers including the frequency of important comorbidities such as obesity, type II diabetes and hypertension. Some market sellers were unaware that they had these conditions. There has been extensive exchange of information between the project team, the local health services and the association of market sellers, which is leading to some local initiatives by the sellers themselves e.g. there are currently discussions about promoting healthy eating within the markets themselves. ? Across the duration of the epidemic, the project team has been very active at disseminating health messages through different media such as radio and local TV. The project became a trusted source of information on the issues that were more concerning for the local population during the pandemic such as the use of different proven and unproven therapies, the use of vaccines, strategies to prevent transmission and impact of comorbidities. Importantly, the project generated data from local studies in the markets at a time when groups were spreading messages that were eroding trust on the vaccines. The research team was very agile at summarizing the results and disseminating them widely through TV interviews and local press. ? The project has successfully built local capacity to implement indirect and direct diagnosis at international standards in the two locations, the capabilities that have been built can now be deployed to address issues other than COVID-19. ? The project has contributed to increase awareness of the importance of statistics and data analytics skills in the contest of public health research and other research areas. As a result, the project team was asked to deliver a training course in data analysis and statistics to local researchers in Bolivia. This was the result of awareness being developed regarding an important local need - it was felt that local researchers often face difficulties when trying to analyse their data. The training was delivered at the Social Sciences Research Institute (INCISO) of Universidad de San Simon in Bolivia by the project PI (J Guitian) and one of the project team members (C Leyns). Fifteen researchers from several disciplines attending the 3 week (25-hour) training program. J Guitian and C Leyns have been appointed honorary researchers of INCISO. ? The project is seen as a successful model of integrated action research co-developed by beneficiaries (market sellers), local policy makers and researchers. As a result, the project team has secured financial support to continue working using a similar approach to tackle other health issues (non-communicable diseases). The new project is funded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council VLIR-UOS. The proposal, builds on the knowledge and partnerships generated in the project and aims at building a transdisciplinary people centred plan to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic diseases in local food chain actors in Sacaba, Bolivia. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | Collaboration with local health services of Sacaba. |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Impact | Improved management of COVID-19 in a setting of high incidence of infection and limited resources. |
| Description | Establishment of consultation rooms in markets of Huancayo, Peru. |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or Improved professional practice |
| Impact | The committees and consultation rooms have contributed to risk management in the markets during the pandemic, making an important contribution in terms of infection prevention by promoting adoption of risk reduction strategies and infection management by supporting the efforts of the health system in the locality. |
| Description | Establishment of consultation rooms in markets of Sacaba, Bolivia. |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or Improved professional practice |
| Impact | The committees and consultation rooms became keystone of COVID-19 risk management during the pandemic, making an important contribution in terms of i) infection prevention by promoting adoption of risk reduction strategies including vaccination and ii) infection management by supporting the efforts of the health system during the consecutive waves of infection that have affected the locality. This has included the delivery of tele-consultations, use of oximeters in markets to support triage and management of cases and preventing drug misuse. |
| Description | Participation in the development of the municipal health plan of Sacaba |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | The impact of this output is through an improved and more inclusive health plan, that is likely to result in health benefits for the more vulnerable groups of the community. |
| Description | Project researcher acts as member of the advisory group to the Comite de Operaciones de Emergencia Municipal de Sacaba, Bolivia |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Dr Christine Leyns, a member of the research team, is a member of the advisory group to the committee dealing with health emergencies in the municipality of Sacaba, Bolivia. In that capacity she has provided advice regarding emergency response in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic in Bolivia including healthcare provision and prevention of disease transmission in a context of limited resources. |
| Description | Strategies for mitigation of COVID-19 infection risk in food markets in Huancayo, Peru. |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Improved strategy for COVID-19 risk mitigation in a major food market in Huancayo, Peru, in a context in which it was essential to maintain as much as reasonably possible the activity of market sellers while mitigating transmission risk. |
| Description | Development of a transdisciplinary people centred intervention plan to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic diseases in local food chain actors in Sacaba, Bolivia |
| Amount | € 69,900 (EUR) |
| Organisation | VLIR-UOS |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 10/2022 |
| End | 09/2024 |
| Title | Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for SARS-CoV-2 |
| Description | Diagnostic assay set up and piloted in Cochabamba, Bolivia. This is now available to be used as part of this project and potentially by other local stakeholders. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The method had previously been described, but our project has facilitated its establishment in Cochabamba, Bolivia. |
| Title | Data set on serological status against SARS-CoV2 of 271 healthcare workers in Sacaba, Bolivia. |
| Description | Dataset containing serological status of SARS-CoV2 of 327 market sellers in Sacaba, Bolivia and associated demographic, health and risk mitigation data. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The dataset is being currently analyzed, it will provide insights into the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia. |
| Title | Dataset of SARS-CoV2 status of market sellers in Sacaba, Bolivia. |
| Description | Dataset including results from SARS-CoV2 testing of 212 market sellers in Sacaba, Bolivia, linked to demographic and health data including SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Results from the initial analysis of this dataset provided early evidence in support of an effect of the vaccine at reducing the risk of infection (and of transmission to others) among market sellers in Bolivia. These results are particularly important as they provide insights into the effect of the program as implemented in real conditions in markets in Bolivia. The results capture the effect of the program implemented under a number of logistical constrains regarding distribution and administration of vaccines and on a particularly critical population (market sellers). Furthermore, the results were obtained at a time when groups were spreading messages that were eroding trust on the vaccines. The research team was very agile at summarizing the results and disseminating them widely through TV interviews and local press: https://www.lostiempos.com/actualidad/cochabamba/20210818/comerciantes-vacunados-casi-no-enferman-diseminan-menos-covid-19 https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=560750488381938&ref=watch_permalink |
| Title | Dataset on serological status against SARS-CoV2 of market sellers of Sacaba, Bolivia |
| Description | Dataset containing serological status of SARS-CoV2 of 327 market sellers in Sacaba, Bolivia and associated demographic, health and risk mitigation data. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Dataset currently being fully analyzed, it will provide insights into the first waves of the pandemic in Bolivia. |
| Title | Serological status against SARS-CoV-2 of market sellers and potential risk factors |
| Description | This is a small dataset including data from 327 market sellers in Sacaba, Bolivia (287 women and 40 men). The data includes serological status against SARS-CoV-2 and data on potential risk factors for exposure and disease. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The data has yet to be formally analyzed. |
| Description | Antibody profiling against SARS-CoV2 |
| Organisation | Aix-Marseille University |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We are providing the biological samples and part of the costs of testing them. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Aix-Marseille University are conducting the testing of samples collected in Bolivia, which will provide a detailed antibody profiling, by means of laboratory methods not available in Bolivia. |
| Impact | Detailed antibody profiling of study subjects, which represents an assessment of the immunological response of our study population that is more detailed than what was planned in the original proposal. The collaboration is allowing us to deploy state of the art technologies which are unavailable in Bolivia. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaboration with Comite de Operaciones de Emergencia Municipal, Sacaba, Bolivia |
| Organisation | Government of Colombia |
| Department | Municipal Emergency Operating Committee of Sacaba (COEM) |
| Country | Colombia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Through this collaboration our research team facilitated a baseline serological survey of market sellers in the municipality of Sacaba, Bolivia. The team assisted with data gathering and carried out the diagnostic tests. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners facilitated the logistics of the serological study and authorized us to make us of the survey data for purpose of our research. |
| Impact | Baseline serological data from 327 market sellers from Sacaba (287 women and 40 men) and data on hypothetical risk factors for exposure and disease from each of them. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Collaboration with Fundacion Simon I Patino, Cochabamba, Bolivia. |
| Organisation | Simón I. Patiño Foundation |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Project researchers will set up and implement serological and molecular diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2 in the laboratories of the Foundation in Cochabamba, Bolivia. By doing so, our team will enhance local capacity in diagnostics in general and more specifically for SARS-CoV-2. This includes setting up loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for SARS-CoV-2. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Foundation has made available to our team their laboratory facilities, which include well equipped laboratories for serological and molecular diagnostics. |
| Impact | - Local capacity for loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis established. - Baseline serological results for market sellers in Sacaba obtained. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Partnership for transdisciplinary study of health and food systems in Sacaba, Bolivia |
| Organisation | Bolivian Catholic University |
| Country | Bolivia, Plurinational State of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Our research team in Bolivia has established a collaboration with University of Ghent, Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, Universidad Mayor de San Simon and non-governmental organizations active in Bolivia. The collaboration builds on our work on COVID-19 in local markets and aims to promote transdisciplinary understanding of local health and food systems and their relationships. The collaboration has resulted in a proposal entitled "Design of a transdisciplinary people centred intervention plan to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic diseases in local food chain actors in Sacaba, Bolivia" for submission to VLIR-UOS, a funding initiative in Belgium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partners provide different expertise in health systems and food systems. We have worked collaboratively in the development of the above proposal. |
| Impact | The collaboration has resulted in a proposal entitled "Design of a transdisciplinary people centred intervention plan to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic diseases in local food chain actors in Sacaba, Bolivia" for submission to VLIR-UOS, a funding initiative in Belgium. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Partnership for transdisciplinary study of health and food systems in Sacaba, Bolivia |
| Organisation | University of Ghent |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Our research team in Bolivia has established a collaboration with University of Ghent, Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, Universidad Mayor de San Simon and non-governmental organizations active in Bolivia. The collaboration builds on our work on COVID-19 in local markets and aims to promote transdisciplinary understanding of local health and food systems and their relationships. The collaboration has resulted in a proposal entitled "Design of a transdisciplinary people centred intervention plan to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic diseases in local food chain actors in Sacaba, Bolivia" for submission to VLIR-UOS, a funding initiative in Belgium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partners provide different expertise in health systems and food systems. We have worked collaboratively in the development of the above proposal. |
| Impact | The collaboration has resulted in a proposal entitled "Design of a transdisciplinary people centred intervention plan to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic diseases in local food chain actors in Sacaba, Bolivia" for submission to VLIR-UOS, a funding initiative in Belgium. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Partnership for transdisciplinary study of health and food systems in Sacaba, Bolivia |
| Organisation | University of San Simón |
| Country | Bolivia, Plurinational State of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Our research team in Bolivia has established a collaboration with University of Ghent, Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, Universidad Mayor de San Simon and non-governmental organizations active in Bolivia. The collaboration builds on our work on COVID-19 in local markets and aims to promote transdisciplinary understanding of local health and food systems and their relationships. The collaboration has resulted in a proposal entitled "Design of a transdisciplinary people centred intervention plan to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic diseases in local food chain actors in Sacaba, Bolivia" for submission to VLIR-UOS, a funding initiative in Belgium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partners provide different expertise in health systems and food systems. We have worked collaboratively in the development of the above proposal. |
| Impact | The collaboration has resulted in a proposal entitled "Design of a transdisciplinary people centred intervention plan to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic diseases in local food chain actors in Sacaba, Bolivia" for submission to VLIR-UOS, a funding initiative in Belgium. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Provision of diagnostic devices for SARS-CoV-2 |
| Organisation | Free University of Brussels |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Researchers from Free University of Brussels provided free of charge diagnostic kits to carry out around 500 tests for presence of SARS-CoV-2 in markets in Bolivia. This was at zero cost for the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partnership allowed us to extend the coverage of some of our activities in two markets in Sacaba, Bolivia. |
| Impact | We were able to carry out widespread testing of market sellers and other members of the community making use of tests donated by the Free University of Brussels. This was done at a time when the local community was experiencing a new wave of the pandemic. The additional testing, not planned as part of our original project, made an important contribution to the management of the pandemic locally. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Discussion and revision of the COVID-19 management plan with managers of primary health care centers of Sacaba, Bolivia. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | During this event the COVID-19 management plan in the municipality of Sacaba was discussed in detail with managers of the local primary health care centers. Future plans were discussed and outlined and included the continuation of some of the activities and strategies developed by our project and which have proved to be very successful and have great acceptance. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Event with Pan American Health Organization in Sacaba |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | Officials from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) visited our project site in Sacaba, to learn about the work we are doing and see in detail how we operate. The project's PI was in Bolivia at that time and it was possible to discuss extensively project activities with the team from PAHO. Although this is pending confirmation, it is likely that PAHO selects the municipality where we are working (Sacaba) as a model or pilot location for the implementation of a project focusing on prevention of non-communicable diseases. The selection of Sacaba as a model municipality is largely as a result of our GECO project as it is seen as very effective model of people-centred health system. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Initial workshop with market sellers - Mercado Abasto |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Workshop with 40 market sellers in Mercado de Abasto, Sacaba, Bolivia. The objective was to discuss objectives of the project, participants needs and expectations and how project activities can be aligned with them. Sellers in traditional markets are key potential beneficiaries and users of the outcomes of our project. Maximization of benefits to the society as a whole depends on their uptake of research findings and this workshop was essential to facilitate engagement along the project and future uptake of findings and recommendations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Initial workshop with market sellers - Mercado Central |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Workshop with 50 market sellers in Mercado Central, Sacaba, Bolivia. The objective was to discuss objectives of the project, participants needs and expectations and how project activities can be aligned with them. Sellers in traditional markets are key potential beneficiaries and users of the outcomes of our project. Maximization of benefits to the society as a whole depends on their uptake of research findings and this workshop was essential to facilitate engagement along the project and future uptake of findings and recommendations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Media presentations on the problems of self-medication during COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The project team in Bolivia prepared educational materials and gave presentations in different media including TV to address important issues such as self-medication and misuse of medicines which are believed to contribute to morbidity and mortality in the country. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/gob.municipal.sacaba/videos/243232377290163/?t=446 |
| Description | Participation as speaker in event :Learning lessons from Covid-19: Hearing voices from multi-lingual cultural and vulnerable communities. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation: Working with market sellers to mitigate impact of SARS-CoV2 in traditional food markets in Peru and Bolivia as part of the event "Learning lessons from Covid-19: Hearing voices from multi-lingual cultural and vulnerable communities" organized by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/event/covid-19-conference-learning-lessons-covid-19-hearing-voices-mult... |
| Description | Presentation "SARS-CoV-2 and traditional food markets in Bolivia: towards collective, non-stigmatizing, science-based risk mitigation" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation at International Conference: "One Health: new insights and challenges of zoonotic diseases", SECTION III - Impact of epidemic/pandemic zoonotic diseases: Keys issues and Lessons to learn. Title: "SARS-CoV-2 and traditional food markets in Bolivia: towards collective, non-stigmatizing, science-based risk mitigation". It provided the opportunity to share the challenges faced in Bolivia during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they affected a vulnerable population, the challenges for control and innovative local solutions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Press release on findings regarding the relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and infection among market sellers in Sacaba, Bolivia. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A press release was produced summarizing our initial findings on the association between COVID-19 vaccination and infection among 212 market sellers in Sacaba, Bolivia. Despite the small numbers, the difference observed between vaccinated and non-vaccinated was large enough to be considered as evidence in support of an effect of the vaccine at reducing the risk of infection (and of transmission to others). These early results were particularly important as they provided insights into the effect of the vaccination program as implemented in real conditions in markets in Bolivia. The results capture the effect of the program implemented under a number of logistical constrains regarding distribution and administration of vaccines and on a particularly critical population (market sellers). Furthermore, the results were obtained at a time when groups were spreading messages that were eroding trust on the vaccines. The research team was very agile at summarizing the results and disseminating them widely as a press release. The contents of the release with minor modifications were published by two of the main newspapers in the Department of Cochabamba. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.lostiempos.com/actualidad/cochabamba/20210818/comerciantes-vacunados-casi-no-enferman-di... |
| Description | Preventing COVID-19 and promoting health in food markets of Sacaba, Bolivia. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Oral presentation at conference: Health Systems Global Latin America and Caribbean (pre conference, Andean region). The approach taking by our project to mitigate COVID-19 impact in a particularly challenging setting was shared widely among professionals and policy makers of the Andean region. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Safe markets during the pandemic |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Discussion of project activities during local TV program, which allowed to present activities taken by our stakeholders and facilitated by the project in relation to COVID-19 prevention. This is critical in a context in which local food markets and market sellers had been stigmatized. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjytRXIby2I |
| Description | TV interview about project activities in Sacaba, Bolivia. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 8 minute interview in local TV channel about project activities. It allowed team member to outline project activities and explain how a vulnerable population until recently stigmatized are tackling COVID-19 transmission while continuing with activities which are central to their livelihoods. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/page/104681048156165/search/?q=Eid |
| Description | Training and access to fingertip pulse oximeters in the markets. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our team provided training and access to fingertip pulse oximeters in the markets in which we work in Sacaba, to enable early identification of patients that may need additional support. This made an important contribution to the management of cases during successive waves of the epidemic in Bolivia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Workshop with healthcare coordinators in the municipality of Sacaba, Bolivia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Workshop attended by project team and coordinators of municipal health services in Sacaba, Bolivia. Project objectives and planned activities were discussed and aligned with priorities and needs of the local health care system. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Workshop with local healthcare workers in Sacaba, Bolivia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Workshop with medics and nurses working for the municipal health services to discuss project objectives and planned activities and to best align them with the priorities and needs of the local health services. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |