Monitoring of the Village Malaria Workers to conduct activities of Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

Background The capacity of the field staff to conduct activities related to disease surveillance, case management, and vector control has been one of the key components for successfully achieving malaria elimination. India has committed to eliminate malaria by 2030, and it has placed significance on monitoring and evaluation at the district level as one of the key strategies in its national framework. To support and guide the country’s malaria elimination objectives, the Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project was conducted in the tribal district of Mandla, Madhya Pradesh. Robust monitoring of human resources received special attention to help the national programme formulate a strategy to plug the gaps in its supply chain and monitoring and evaluation systems. Methods A monitoring tool was developed to test the capabilities of field workers to conduct activities related to malaria elimination work. Between November 2018 to February 2021, twenty-five Malaria Field Coordinators (MFCs) of the project utilized this tool everyday during the supervisory visits for their respective Village Malaria Workers (VMWs). The data was analysed and the scores were tested for variations against different blocks, educational status, duration of monitoring, and post-training scores. Results During the study period, the VMWs were monitored a total of 8974 times using the monitoring tool. Each VMW was supervised an average of 1.8 times each month. The critical monitoring indicators scored well in all seven quarters of the study as monitored by the MFCs. Monitoring by MFCs remained stable at 97.3% in all quarters. Contrary to expectations, the study observed longer diagnosis to treatment initiation time in urban areas of the district. Conclusion This study demonstrated the significance of a robust monitoring tool as an instrument to determine the capacity of the field workers in conducting surveillance, case management, and vector control related work for the malaria elimination programme. Similar tools can be replicated not only for malaria elimination, but other public health interventions as well.

Prediction of critical liquid loading time for water-producing gas wells: Effect of liquid drop rotation

After more than 20 years of continuous development, part of the wells in the Moxilei-1 gas reservoir located at the Sichuan Basin have entered the middle–later production stage. With the continuous decline in formation pressure and production rates, some of the gas wells have entered the potential period of liquid loading, while some have already suffered water plugging. Currently, the field engineers usually carry out some corresponding drainage measures after the occurrence of liquid loading in the gas well, which will first affect the production progress of the gas field, then increase the difficulty in drainage and reduce the drainage effect afterward. On the basis of Pan’s model for evaluating critical liquid-carrying flow rate, the influence of liquid drop rotation was considered in the new model. Further, combined with the Arps production decline equation, a prediction model of liquid loading timing was deduced. Taking a typical well in the Moxilei-1 gas reservoir as an example, based on the early-stage production data of the gas well, the model was used to predict the liquid loading timing accurately. The model can predict the possibility and timing of liquid loading in gas wells at different production stages. It can check the gas wells with potential liquid loading, so as to reduce the workload for field workers. Furthermore, it can predict the potential liquid accumulation and its timing in advance, so as to guide the field workers to prepare for drainage in advance.

Variation in Skin Cancer Pattern in the Southwestern Region of Pakistan

Background: Skin cancer is a broad term that refers to a variety of different types of cancer. It is usually recognized as non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancer. In many parts of the world, the prevalence is high, with significant ecological and ethical variation. Objectives: Objective was to determine demographic and histological features of skin cancer in Southwest region of Pakistan. Methodology: This retrospective study was carried out on skin cancer 1169 cases of Centre for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR) in Quetta. The data from January 2000 to December 2009 (10Years) was retrieved from record. The aim was to determine the importance of skin cancer in this area, its gender wise distribution and its pathological types. Results: Record of total 9308 cancer patients was retrieved from patients presenting to CENAR Quetta. From 9308 case, 1169(12.5%) patients were of skin cancer which was second most prevalent category of cancer in this area. Prevalence was higher in males with 713(61%) cases as compared to females. Pathologically with 634(54%) cases, the most prevalent category was Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Conclusion: Skin cancer is wide-spread type of cancer in patients of south-west region of Pakistan. The findings of this study are not aligned with published data. The difference is because of high altitude of the study area, dry climate and long skin exposure particularly in low socio-economic field workers. Keywords: Skin cancer, gender, Melanoma skin cancer (MSC), Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), Basal cell carcinoma (BCC),

Establishment of Virtual-Reality-Based Safety Education and Training System for Safety Engagement

The current safety education and training system has a number of problems, namely that the actual risks in the field are not reflected and that workers cannot be engaged in safety education. Therefore, we conducted a study to build a VR-based safety education system that reflects the problems actually occurring in the field. The risk points of the electrical construction sites were derived through in-depth interviews with various stakeholders such as field workers, safety managers, and management. A risk scenario was also constructed by analyzing the causes and effects of existing accident cases. A safety education system was constructed to which the established risk scenario was applied. In the virtual construction site, the site’s own model, safety equipment, and members were implemented in a 3D model to form a virtual reality environment. This environment is intended to provide an educational environment wherein workers can immerse themselves in safety, specifically because this VR-based environment can induce active participation by providing safety information through various experiences. In addition, in this study, a VR-based safety education system that reflects the field conditions was designed to prepare basic data for the modernization and activation of safety education.

Maximizing community participation and engagement: lessons learned over 2 decades of field trials in rural Ghana

Background Successful implementation of community-based research is dominantly influenced by participation and engagement from the local community without which community members will not want to participate in research and important knowledge and potential health benefits will be missed. Therefore, maximising community participation and engagement is key for the effective conduct of community-based research. In this paper, we present lessons learnt over two decades of conducting research in 7 rural districts in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana with an estimated population of around 600,000. The trials which were mainly in the area of Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health were conducted by the Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Methods The four core strategies which were used were formative research methods, the formation of the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) team to serve as the main link between the research team and the community, recruitment of field workers from the communities within which they lived, and close collaboration with national and regional stakeholders. Results These measures allowed trust to be built between the community members and the research team and ensured that potential misconceptions which came up in the communities were promptly dealt with through the IEC team. The decision to place field workers in the communities from which they came and their knowledge of the local language created trust between the research team and the community. The close working relationship between the District health authorities and the Kintampo Health Research Centre supported the acceptance of the research in the communities as the District Health Authorities were respected and trusted. Conclusion The successes achieved during the past 2 decades of collaboration between LSHTM and KHRC in conducting community-based field trials were based on involving the community in research projects. Community participation and engagement helped not only to identify the pertinent issues, but also enabled the communities and research team to contribute towards efforts to address challenges.

Work safety applied in the rural environment: a review

This paper aims to present the difficulties encountered in complying with Regulatory Standard No 31 - Occupational Health and Safety in Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Forestry and Aquaculture, in rural areas. The research was carried out through consultations in several scientific articles and was justified by the need to make field workers aware of the risks to which they are exposed, in the exercise of their activity. Through several studies that supported this work, it was possible to verify that the use of NR 31 is flawed, even with the scope and detail provided in its text. In the study it was found that, the rural work environment is worrying, due to the numerous risks that are present in the exercise of their activities and the disregard for non-compliance with NR-31. It is essential that government authorities, in addition to inspecting the faithful compliance with the standard, must carry out a work of awareness of workers and employers, aiming to provide an improvement in working conditions in the rural environment. The prioritization that should be given to awareness, education, training, and adequacy of working conditions becomes relevant, as a measure to prevent accidents and diseases in the agricultural sector.

Digitalizing and Geo-Enabling Observation Cards to Improve Hazard Mitigation and Better Risk Assessment

Health, safety, and environment (HSE) play a vital role and sits at the highest pedestal in the oil and gas industry. It should therefore be the top priority in the oil and gas industry as this function enables a reduction in potential hazards, including injuries, fatalities, damage to facilities, and occupational safety. Field workers typically use observation cards to report the potential hazards or discrepancies discovered in the field. However, in some companies, reporting is still done manually by filling out the observation cards in handwritten paper form and then manually submitted to the HSE supervisor. The supervisor will receive all the forms, input the data into spreadsheets, analyze the data, then make decisions to mitigate the hazard(s). These workflows are certainly time-consuming and prone to errors. Therefore, this paper aims to simplify these workflows by enabling digital system of records and geospatial information on HSE observation. Geographic Information System (GIS) form-based mobile application that integrates object location, mobile phone camera, and textual information was developed. In this paper, a GIS digital-based form that connects spatial data with attribute data is presented. Field workers can use this form to report any potential hazards and acquired pictures of evidence using mobile devices. The report will be transmitted to the server database through a web service, being visualized and analyzed to alert the potential hazards for pro-active action. In addition, this GIS form-based mobile application can also be used in a web-based application for office workers. This application will reduce errors while filling the observation cards or adding the data to sheets manually. It also time-efficient since the submitted reports can be monitored in real-time, and the follow-up action can be executed sooner. This will provide easier accessibility and better experience of hazard reporting anytime and anywhere, improve hazard mitigation, and better risk assessment.

Perlindungan Konsumen terhadap Tindakan Pemadaman Listrik yang Dilakukan Secara Sepihak oleh PT. PLN (Persero) UP3 Bali Selatan

Circumstances that make people complain about the services provided by PLN are power outages without prior notification. The number of public complaints related to power outages has forced PLN to be confused in fixing the organizational structure, especially in the coordination sector between workers. The purpose of this research is to reveal the legal protection arrangements for consumers of electricity users at PT. PLN (Persero) UP3 as well as legal remedies that can be taken by consumers using electricity in the event of a power outage unilaterally by PT. PLN Persero UP3 South Bali. This research method uses an empirical method with a statutory approach and a case approach. Data collection techniques were carried out by means of field research by applying the interview method. Sources of data used in the form of primary and secondary data sources. The data analysis technique was carried out systematically. The results of the research reveal that the government in terms of providing protection to the public to obtain electricity supply is sufficient to make consumer protection regulations in which there are consumer rights and obligations to obtain justice and are obliged to make appeals from the government in an effort to prevent criminal acts in accordance with positive law in force in Indonesia. The government is dealing with field workers from PLN who intentionally or unintentionally do not notify the public of this rotating power outage and PLN should give a warning to its workers who do not carry out orders according to the SOPs applicable in the company.

Seroepidemiologic survey of emerging vector-borne infections in South Korean forest/field workers

With global warming and lush forest change, vector-borne infections are expected to increase in the number and diversity of agents. Since the first report of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in 2013, the number of reported cases has increased annually in South Korea. However, although tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was detected from ticks and wild rodents, there is no human TBE case report in South Korea. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of TBEV and SFTS virus (SFTSV) among forest and field workers in South Korea. From January 2017 to August 2018, a total 583 sera were obtained from the forest and field workers in South Korea. IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and neutralization assay were conducted for TBEV, and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and neutralization assay were performed for SFTSV. Seroprevalence of TBEV was 0.9% (5/583) by IgG ELISA, and 0.3% (2/583) by neutralization assay. Neutralizing antibody against TBEV was detected in a forest worker in Jeju (1:113) and Hongcheon (1:10). Only 1 (0.2%) forest worker in Yeongju was seropositive for SFTSV by IFA (1:2,048) and neutralizing antibody was detected also. In conclusion, this study shows that it is necessary to raise the awareness of physicians about TBEV infection and to make efforts to survey and diagnose vector-borne diseases in South Korea.