Co-creating interventions to prevent mosquito-borne disease transmission in hospitals

In regions where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic, like Zanzibar, hospitals may act as transmission hotspots. Preventative interventions designed and co-created with stakeholders in hospital settings may help reduce disease risks and address related user needs. A structured co-creation process, guided by the PRODUCES+ framework and adopting a situated living labs approach, was used to design and implement interventions in four district hospitals from December 2024 to September 2025. Stakeholders and needs were identified through stakeholder mapping and a mixed-methods needs assessment. Participatory workshops using co-creation methods were used to develop the interventions, evaluations conducted, and outcomes reported to participants. Interventions targeting larval source reduction, building and landscape modifications were developed and implemented. Seventy-five participants were engaged, including staff, patients and specialists. Initial evaluation indicated high satisfaction among participants, and capacity-building and preventative behaviours were observed after the process. Co-creation and situating the process within a living labs framework enabled context-specific mosquito control interventions. The approach required adaptability owing to resource and time intensity and ongoing staff or clinical demands. Findings will inform subsequent intervention rounds planned in 2026 and could support the adoption of co-created vector control in similar health care environments.