Ethics and ethical approvals
SSI
This study within a trial (SWAT) was first approved within the pragmatic multicentre factorial RCT testing measures to reduce SSI in LMICs (FALCON trial) protocol by a University of Birmingham Research Ethics Committee (v1_0_substudies_v1_0. Reference: ERN_18-0230A). Additional approvals were then obtained from national, regional, and/or hospital-level ethics committees for selected centres in all participating countries, in accordance with local protocols. Written (or fingerprint) informed consent to participate was obtained from all participants. In the qualitative phase, an information sheet for was provided to all participants. Verbal consent was taken and recorded. Participant data were pseudonymized for storage securely within a password-protected NVivo® V12 data management system. In the quantitative phase, written (or fingerprint) informed consent to participate was obtained from all participants. Quantitative data were stored in a secure REDCap server