Browsing by Author "Manilgama, S."

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    Development of a complex intervention package for dengue prevention
    (Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 2022) Rajapaksha, R.M.N.U.; Abeysena, C.; Balasuriya, A.; PannilaHetti, N.; Alagiyawanna, A.; Manilgama, S.
    INTRODUCTION: Complex interventions are widely used in public health practices with noteworthy health impacts. Communication for Behavioural Impact (COMBI) plan is an effective method directed at enacting behaviour change to benefit health and social development which encourage precise behavioural outcomes and is effective in planning a behavioural change for dengue control. The aim of this study was to develop an intervention package to change the behaviour to prevent dengue in one of the highest dengue-endemic areas of Sri Lanka. METHODS: The development of the intervention package was formulated according to the two phases, the ‘Theoretical phase’ and ‘Modelling phase’ of the framework for ‘Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions’. World Health Organization’s 10 key steps in planning COMBI strategies were followed in order to develop the present intervention package. A situational market analysis was conducted in the highest dengue-endemic area in Kurunegala district to identify the Specific Behavioural Objectives (SBOO) for the COMBI plan. The development of the COMBI plan was conducted using the mixed methodological approach including quantitative and qualitative designs. RESULTS: The overall goal of the COMBI plan was to decrease the morbidity and mortality due to dengue illness by improving the dengue prevention behaviours among householders. The SBOO for the plan were to improve the proper waste management practices according to the ‘3R concept’ (Reduce, Reuse and Re-cycling) and to improve the dengue prevention practices by 30 minutes of weekly cleaning. The strategies of intervention package were to conduct a community empowerment program to improve household waste management and weekly practices on dengue prevention by conducting administrative mobilization and public relationship, public advocacy, community mobilization, personal selling, advertising, and point of service promotion during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Developing a COMBI plan for an area after the identification of SBOO would be feasible to implement in order to empower the community to prevent dengue and improve community health services.
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    Incidence management system of the healthcare institutions for disaster management in Sri Lanka
    (BioMed Central, 2023) Rajapaksha, N.U.; Abeysena, C.; Balasuriya, A.; Wijesinghe, M.S.D.; Manilgama, S.; Alemu, Y.A.
    BACKGROUND: Incident management systems and disaster planning processes facilitate maximal use of available resources. Evaluation of the Incident Command System (ICS) is one of the top five key areas of research priority in the field of surge. The study was aimed at assessing the disaster preparedness and ICS of the public healthcare institutions for the disaster management in a disaster-prone district of Sri Lanka. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among all public sector healthcare institutions (n = 74), including curative-healthcare institutions (n = 46) which have inward-care facilities for patient care and preventive healthcare institutions (n = 28) in Kurunegala district, Sri Lanka from May-September 2019 using a validated interviewer administered questionnaire which was based on 'CO-S-TR Model' for ICS assessment including 'Clear need for increased capacity (≤25%), Basic level (26 - 50%), Moderate level (51 - 75%) and High level (>75%)'.RESULTS: Focal points for disaster management were nominated by the majority of the curative sector (n = 33; 76.7%) and preventive sector (n = 19; 73.1%) healthcare institutions. A written disaster preparedness and response plans were available in 72% (n= 31) curative sector and 76% (n= 19) preventive sector institutions. The higher proportion of the curative sector institutions had moderate level capacity in the area of providing treatment, and basic level capacities were in the areas of 'staff mobilization, coordination of activities, supplying of special needs, triage of cases and transportation'. There is a clear need for improvement in the areas of communication commanding, management of controlling the incidence and tracking of the cases in the curative sector. The majority of the preventive sector institutions had moderate level capacity in commanding, control, coordination and tracking of cases. The basic level capacity in the areas of staff mobilization, stuff management and triage of cases. There is a clear need for improvement in the areas of communication in preventive sector. Of the public sector healthcare institutions, the higher proportion of the preventive sector (n = 20; 76.9%) and curative sector (n = 29; 67.4%) had basic level overall surge capacity of ICS for disaster management. CONCLUSION: Coordination, communication, commanding, management of controlling the incidence and tracking of cases following outbreaks need to be improved and capacity development programmes could implement to develop the preparedness for future disasters.