scholarly journals Poor availability of essential medicines for women and children threatens progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 3 in Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (Suppl 9) ◽  
pp. e001306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benson Droti ◽  
Kathryn Patricia O’Neill ◽  
Matthews Mathai ◽  
Delanyo Yao Tsidi Dovlo ◽  
Jane Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Essential Medicines ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Children’S Medicines

BackgroundMost maternal and child deaths are preventable or treatable with proven, cost-effective interventions for infectious diseases and maternal and neonatal complications. In 2015 sub-Saharan Africa accounted for up to 66% of global maternal deaths and half of the under-five deaths. Access to essential medicines and commodities and trained healthcare workers to provide life-saving maternal, newborn and post-natal care are central to further reductions in maternal and child mortality.MethodsAvailable data for 24 priority medicines for women and children were extracted from WHO service availability and readiness assessments conducted between 2012 and 2015 for eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The mean availability of medicines in facilities stating they provide services for women or children and differences by facility type, ownership and location are reported.ResultsThe mean availability of 12 priority essential medicines for women ranged from 22% to 40% (median 33%; IQR 12%) and 12 priority medicines for children ranged from 28% to 57% (median 50%; IQR 14%). Few facilities (<1%) had all nominated medicines available. There was higher availability of priority medicines for women in hospitals than in primary care facilities: range 32%–80% (median 61%) versus 20%–39% (median 23%) and for children’s medicines 31%–71% (median 58%) versus 27%–57% (median 48%). Availability was higher in public than private facilities: for women’s medicines, range 21%–41% (median 34%) versus 4%–36% (median 27%) and for children’s medicines 28%–58% (median 51%) versus 5%–58% (median 46%). Patterns were mixed for rural and urban location for the priority medicines for women, but similar for children’s medicines.ConclusionsThe survey results show unacceptably low availability of priority medicines for women and children in the eight countries. Governments should ensure the availability of medicines for mothers and children if they are to achieve the health sustainable development goals.

scholarly journals VACCINATION STATUS OF CHILDREN IN UMUEBLE COMMUNITY IN RIVERS STATE, SOUTHERN NIGERIA AND FACTORS INFLUENCING IT

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (01) ◽  
pp. 789-799
Author(s):  
Yaguo Ide, L.E, Gabriel-Job N*
Keyword(s):  
Formal Education ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Vaccination Status ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
June July ◽  
Rivers State

Background; Vaccination is one of the most important cost effective interventions of ourtime, it has saved millions of lives of under-five children globally and brought about areduction in the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases all over the world butespecially in sub-Saharan Africa and also in Nigeria. Despite all of these, vaccination ofchildren has remained low especially amongst the children that need it most. Aim; Theaim of this study was to determine the vaccination status of children at Umuebelecommunity and factors influencing it. Methods; This was a descriptive community-based study carried out over a period of two months June-July 2019. Data was collectedusing a structured interviewer administered questionnaire which was designed byresearchers, consisting of three sections. Information obtained included socio-demographic characteristics, vaccination status and characteristics, reasons for notcompleting immunisation, place of immunisation Results; There were 438 respondents,mean age 31.96 ±5.626, most were aged 26-30years 150(34.2%), 437(99.8%) of therespondents were married, only 1(.2%) had no formal education, while 340(77.6%) werefarmers. 270(61.6%) of the children were fully vaccinated. Twenty (4.6%) of the childrenwere not vaccinated at all. 391 (89.3%) of the children received their vaccination at thehealth center. 8(1.8%) of the respondents did not own a vaccination card while BCG scarcould not be sighted in 73(16.7%) of the children. Twenty (11.9%) of the respondents didnot vaccinate their wards because they forbid vaccination, with PCV3 being the leastreceived vaccine 66.9% and BCG was the most received 93.8%. There was a statisticallysignificant relationship between vaccination status and respondents age, education andplace of vaccination P=.000,.001 and .000 respectively while sex of the children andmarital status did not significantly affect vaccination status P=.447 and P= .375respectively In conclusions, vaccination status of children at umuebele community is stilllow, improving universal primary education, and support routine vaccination at theprimary health care centers would impact positively on vaccination status and reducemortality and morbidity from vaccine preventable diseases.Keywords: Vaccination status, children, community, immunisation

scholarly journals Decomposing the rural–urban gap in factors associated with childhood immunisation in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from surveys in 23 countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e003773
Author(s):  
Edward Kwabena Ameyaw ◽  
Yusuf Olushola Kareem ◽  
Bright Opoku Ahinkorah ◽  
Abdul-Aziz Seidu ◽  
Sanni Yaya
Keyword(s):  
Decomposition Analysis ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Childhood Immunisation ◽  
Urban Settings ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Full Immunisation ◽  
Sub Saharan

BackgroundAbout 31 million children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) suffer from immunisation preventable diseases yearly and more than half a million children die because of lack of access to immunisation. Immunisation coverage has stagnated at 72% in SSA over the past 6 years. Due to evidence that full immunisation of children may be determined by place of residence, this study aimed at investigating the rural–urban differential in full childhood immunisation in SSA.MethodsThe data used for this study consisted of 26 241 children pooled from 23 Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 2010 and 2018 in SSA. We performed a Poisson regression analysis with robust Standard Errors (SEs) to determine the factors associated with full immunisation status for rural and urban children. Likewise, a multivariate decomposition analysis for non-linear response model was used to examine the contribution of the covariates to the observed rural and urban differential in full childhood immunisation. All analyses were performed using Stata software V.15.0 and associations with a p<0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsMore than half of children in urban settings were fully immunised (52.8%) while 59.3% of rural residents were not fully immunised. In all, 76.5% of rural–urban variation in full immunisation was attributable to differences in child and maternal characteristics. Household wealth was an important component contributing to the rural–urban gap. Specifically, richest wealth status substantially accounted for immunisation disparity (35.7%). First and sixth birth orders contributed 7.3% and 14.9%, respectively, towards the disparity while 7.9% of the disparity was attributable to distance to health facility.ConclusionThis study has emphasised the rural–urban disparity in childhood immunisation, with children in the urban settings more likely to complete immunisation. Subregional, national and community-level interventions to obviate this disparity should target children in rural settings, those from poor households and women who have difficulties in accessing healthcare facilities due to distance.

scholarly journals Community-driven citizen science approach to explore cardiovascular disease risk perception, and develop prevention advocacy strategies in sub-Saharan Africa: a programme protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kufre Joseph Okop ◽  
Kathy Murphy ◽  
Estelle Victoria Lambert ◽  
Kiya Kedir ◽  
Hailemichael Getachew ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease Risk ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which experiences a disproportionately high cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden, population-based screening and prevention measures are hampered by low levels of knowledge about CVD and associated risk factors, and inaccurate perceptions of severity of risk. Methods This protocol describes the planned processes for implementing community-driven participatory research, using a citizen science method to explore CVD risk perceptions and to develop community-specific advocacy and prevention strategies in the rural and urban SSA settings. Multi-disciplinary research teams in four selected African countries will engage with and train community members living in rural and urban communities as citizen scientists to facilitate conceptualization, co-designing of research, data gathering, and co-creation of knowledge that can lead to a shared agenda to support collaborative participation in community-engaged science. The emphasis is on robust community engagement, using mobile technology to support data gathering, participatory learning, and co-creation of knowledge and disease prevention advocacy. Discussion Contextual processes applied and lessons learned in specific settings will support redefining or disassembling boundaries in participatory science to foster effective implementation of sustainable prevention intervention programmes in Low- and Middle-income countries.

scholarly journals Potential of Spirulina Platensis as a Nutritional Supplement in Malnourished HIV-Infected Adults in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Randomised, Single-Blind Study

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. NMI.S5862 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Azabji-Kenfack ◽  
S. Edie Dikosso ◽  
E.G. Loni ◽  
E.A. Onana ◽  
E. Sobngwi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Viral Load ◽  
Serum Albumin ◽  
Spirulina Platensis ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Nutritional Rehabilitation ◽  
Group A ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Group B

Background Malnutrition is a major global public health issue and its impact on communities and individuals is more dramatic in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is compounded by widespread poverty and generalized high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Therefore, malnutrition should be addressed through a multisectorial approach, and malnourished individuals should have access to nutritional rehabilitation molecules that are affordable, accessible, rich in nutrient and efficient. We thus assessed the efficacy of two affordable and accessible nutritional supplements, spirulina platensis versus soya beans among malnourished HIV-infected adults. Methods Undernourished patients, naïve of, but eligible to antiretroviral treatment (ART), aged 18 to 35 years were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups. The first group received spirulina (Group A) as food supplement and the second received soya beans (Group B). Patients were initiated ART simultaneously with supplements. Food supplements were auto-administered daily, the quantity being calculated according to weight to provide 1.5 g/kg body weight of proteins with 25% from supplements (spirulina and soya beans). Patients were monitored at baseline and followed-up during twelve weeks for anthropometric parameters, body composition, haemoglobin and serum albumin, CD4 count and viral load. Results Fifty-two patients were enrolled (Group A: 26 and Group B: 26). The mean age was 26.4 ± 4.9 years (Group A) and 28.7 ± 4.8 (Group B) with no significant difference between groups ( P = 0.10). After 12 weeks, weight and BMI significantly improved in both groups ( P < 0.001 within each group). The mean gain in weight and BMI in Group A and B were 4.8 vs. 6.5 kg, ( P = 0.68) and 1.3 vs. 1.90 Kg/m2, ( P = 0.82) respectively. In terms of body composition, fat free mass (FFM) did not significantly increase within each group (40.5 vs. 42.2 Kg, P = 0.56 for Group A; 39.2 vs. 39.0 Kg, P = 0.22 for Group B). But when compared between the two groups at the end of the trial, FFM was significantly higher in the spirulina group (42.2 vs. 39.0 Kg, P = 0.01). The haemoglobin level rose significantly within groups ( P < 0.001 for each group) with no difference between groups ( P = 0.77). Serum albumin level did not increase significantly within groups ( P < 0.90 vs. P < 0.82) with no difference between groups ( P = 0.39). The increase in CD4 cell count within groups was significant ( P < 0.01 in both groups), with a significantly higher CD4 count in the spirulina group compared to subjects on soya beans at the end of the study ( P = 0.02). Within each group, HIV viral load significantly reduced at the end of the study ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.04 for spirulina and soya beans groups respectively). Between the groups, the viral load was similar at baseline but significantly reduced in the spirulina group at the end of the study ( P = 0.02). Conclusion We therefore conclude in this preliminary study, firstly, that both spirulina and soja improve on nutritional status of malnourished HIV-infected patients but in terms of quality of nutritional improvement, subjects on spirulina were better off than subjects on soya beans. Secondly, nutritional rehabilitation improves on immune status with a consequent drop in viral load but further investigations on the antiviral effects of this alga and its clinical implications are strongly needed.

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