In Tanzania, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is underdiagnosed, and uptake of evidence-based care is suboptimal. Using an implementation science approach, an intervention was developed to address local barriers to care: the Multicomponent Intervention for Improving Myocardial Infarction Care in Tanzania (MIMIC).

This sequential cohort design trial was conducted in a single northern Tanzanian emergency department (ED). During the preintervention phase (February–August 2023) and the postintervention phase (September 2023–August 2024), adults presenting with chest pain and/or dyspnoea were prospectively enrolled and their ED care was observed. AMI was defined by the Fourth Universal Definition criteria. Telephone follow-ups were conducted to ascertain 30-day mortality. Pearson’s ² was used to compare care before and after MIMIC implementation.

A total of 275 participants were enrolled in the preintervention phase and 577 were enrolled in the postintervention phase. Following MIMIC implementation, significant increases were observed in ECG testing (89.4% of postintervention participants vs 55.3% preintervention, OR 6.82, 95% CI 4.79 to 9.79, p

The MIMIC intervention was associated with large increases in uptake of AMI testing, case identification and evidence-based treatment in a single Tanzanian ED. Multisite studies are needed to evaluate the effect of MIMIC on AMI care in diverse settings across Tanzania.

NCT04563546.

To assess the preliminary effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a culturally tailored, music-based broadcast intervention delivered through schools and community radio to improve referral adherence among schoolchildren to inform the need for a definitive trial.

Pilot randomised interventional study.

18 schools across Unguja and Pemba islands, Zanzibar.

Schoolchildren (6–18 years old) who failed vision screening and were referred for care recruited from January to February 2024. The registered sample size reflects the full cohort, including children and adults. This manuscript reports on the child cohort only, as per the predefined analysis plan.

Group 1 received 3 months of school-based broadcasts of culturally tailored 3–6 min songs (played three times daily on 2 days per week), followed by 3 months of community radio broadcasts of additional songs (3–6 min, aired three times daily); Group 2 received the community broadcasts during the same period as Group 1.

The primary outcome was change in referral adherence assessed at two time points: 3 months after school broadcast and 3 months after community broadcast, expressed in difference-in-difference estimates and effect sizes. Secondary outcomes included reporting of adverse events and contamination, and cost-effectiveness calculated as cost per child reached and cost per referred child accessed care in study groups and combined intervention.

374 children were referred to eye care services, including 246 in Group 1 and 128 in Group 2. Referral adherence was 69.8% in Group 1 and 42.9% in Group 2 (p=0.0006). The school broadcast phase yielded an effect size of 0.26 and a cost of US$4.65 per referred child accessing services. The community broadcast produced an effect size of 0.21, with a cost of US$0.29 per person reached. The combined intervention reached individuals at a cost of US$0.37 per person. No adverse event and contamination was reported.

A combined school and community broadcast intervention improved referral adherence in this pilot trial, with evidence of cost-effectiveness. These findings support the conduct of a fully powered definitive trial.

NCT06469697.