Table 1 Community engagement
| The Gambia | Mozambique | Kenya | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stakeholders to be engaged | Faith leaders Non-religious community leaders Women attending antenatal clinic (ANC) | Community leaders Pregnant women Women of reproductive age Mothers and mothers-in-law Partners Stakeholders (Ethical committees, investigators, policy makers) Nurses | Health care workers Community leaders Community health volunteers (CHV) Community-wide meetings Pregnant women, partners, family members |
| Methods of engagement | Go out into the community to engage with community leaders Open days at health facilities to explain to the women attending ANC | Health talks in the health facility Community meetings Informal conversations Discussion boards | Health talks (baraza) or videos on loop at ANC Community meetings (this will tag on to existing community-based meetings) Additional community meetings may be convened for target audiences (pregnant women, mothers, other in-laws, partners) |
| Key messages | Introduction to research Introduction to informed consent When/how/why storing biological samples | Assess the acceptability of the biorepository Promote early disclose of pregnancy and early attendance to the ANC visits. Promote birth preparedness and hospital delivery Identification of a health unit to give birth in Identification of skilled birth attendants | Introduction to research Introduction to informed consent When/how/why storing biological samples |
| Frequency of engagement | Sensitisation activities will occur before recruitment starts and continue during the recruitment period At the end of the study, we will communicate the results to the community following the same procedures | Health talks will be conducted twice a week during the morning with pregnant women in the health facility In the community meetings with specific groups will be conducted One meeting per month with the stakeholders | Initiate activities 2 months before data collection. Activities will be heightened in communities closest to the health facilities as they will have the largest number of women from these areas Activities will occur throughout the study. Each community will be approached roughly once per month |