scholarly journals PO 8720 IMPACT OF EXPANDED USE OF AN ONLINE ETHICS REVIEW SYSTEM IN AFRICA: A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN IAVI, COHRED, AND EDCTP WITH NATIONAL REGULATORY AGENCIES

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A63.2-A63
Author(s):  
Francis Kombe ◽  
Marzelle Haskins ◽  
Amina Mkonje Salim ◽  
Flavia Ayebazibwe ◽  
Carel IJsselmuiden
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Review System ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Online System ◽  
Regulatory Authorities ◽  
Ethics Review

BackgroundRHInnO Ethics is a cloud-based online ethics review system that enables Reseach Ethics Committees (RECs) to receive, review and approve applications online. Over the last five years, RHInnO Ethics has been installed in 40 RECs that operate in 12 African countries.MethodsPharma Ethics (South Africa), Strathmore University (Kenya) and Uganda Virus Research Institute-UVRI (Uganda) started using RHInnO Ethics in 2014, 2015 and 2017 respectively. Although the platform is currently installed in 40 RECs in Africa, only 1 systematic evaluation has been done to objectively assess its impact on the quality and efficiency of ethics review. Here, we present the experiences of using RHInnO Ethics from three RECs situated in East Africa (2 RECs) and South Africa (1 REC).ResultsStrathmore University started using the online ethics review system since the beginning of its operation, while Pharma Ethics and UVRI transitioned from a manual to an electronic system. Benefits associated with the use of the platform include improved efficiency in communication among key players of the ethics review processes, improved quality of review through standardisation and harmonisation of ethics review procedures, easy management of information, increased submissions and improved turnaround time. The progress of review can also be tracked any time by all users. Challenges include change management from the manual to the online system, difficulties in learning new versions of the system and training new reviewers not conversant with the system, interruption of internet access and limited ability to personalise the platform.ConclusionThere is a need to get buy-in from regulatory authorities to enforce the adaption of the system to all RECs in order to make research coordination in Africa easier. RHInnO Ethics has been shown to improve efficiency and quality of reviews. However, the transition to and full adoption of the online system continues to be slow. To accelerate and scale up the adoption of RHInnO Ethics, there is a need for developers, RECs and sponsors of RECs to engage with REC regulatory authorities, and identify responsive models of financing and funding RECs in order to increase efficiency and quality of ethics review in sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Climate Change and Health Preparedness in Africa: Analysing Trends in Six African Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4672
Author(s):  
Samuel Kwasi Opoku ◽  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
Fudjumdjum Hubert ◽  
Oluwabunmi Adejumo
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
African Countries

Climate change is a global problem, which affects the various geographical regions at different levels. It is also associated with a wide range of human health problems, which pose a burden to health systems, especially in regions such as Africa. Indeed, across the African continent public health systems are under severe pressure, partly due to their fragile socioeconomic conditions. This paper reports on a cross-sectional study in six African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, and Kenya) aimed at assessing their vulnerabilities to climate change, focusing on its impacts on human health. The study evaluated the levels of information, knowledge, and perceptions of public health professionals. It also examined the health systems’ preparedness to cope with these health hazards, the available resources, and those needed to build resilience to the country’s vulnerable population, as perceived by health professionals. The results revealed that 63.1% of the total respondents reported that climate change had been extensively experienced in the past years, while 32% claimed that the sampled countries had experienced them to some extent. Nigerian respondents recorded the highest levels (67.7%), followed by Kenya with 66.6%. South Africa had the lowest level of impact as perceived by the respondents (50.0%) when compared with the other sampled countries. All respondents from Ghana and Namibia reported that health problems caused by climate change are common in the two countries. As perceived by the health professionals, the inadequate resources reiterate the need for infrastructural resources, medical equipment, emergency response resources, and technical support. The study’s recommendations include the need to improve current policies at all levels (i.e., national, regional, and local) on climate change and public health and to strengthen health professionals’ skills. Improving the basic knowledge of health institutions to better respond to a changing climate is also recommended. The study provides valuable insights which may be helpful to other nations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates from High-Risk Men in Johannesburg, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liteboho D. Maduna ◽  
Marleen M. Kock ◽  
Brian M. J. W. van der Veer ◽  
Oscar Radebe ◽  
James McIntyre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Genetic Relatedness ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Molecular Testing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urethral Discharge

ABSTRACT Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial drug resistance has emerged worldwide; however, the situation in sub-Saharan Africa is not well documented. We investigated the molecular epidemiology and occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in two core transmission groups of men in Johannesburg, South Africa. We recruited men who have sex with men (MSM) presenting with urethral discharge and men with recurrent episodes of urethral discharge. Molecular testing and culture for N. gonorrhoeae were performed, followed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to identify resistance-conferring mutations and to determine the genetic relatedness of the isolates. In all, 51 men were recruited; 42 (82%) had N. gonorrhoeae infections. Most gonococcal isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin (78%) and tetracycline (74%); 33% were penicillin resistant. All gonococcal isolates were susceptible to cephalosporins and spectinomycin. Azithromycin resistance was observed in 4 (15%) isolates (epidemiological cutoff), all with mutations in the mtrR promoter region. Most of the isolates (19/27) harbored the gonococcal genetic island, which is associated with antimicrobial resistance. WGS revealed a diverse epidemic with mostly novel NG-STAR (70%) and NG-MAST (70%) sequence types. Thus, we demonstrate a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains obtained from high-risk men in South Africa. The introduction of diagnostics and scale-up of surveillance are warranted to prevent the emergence of multidrug-resistant infections.

scholarly journals South-South migration and elections: evidence from post-apartheid South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Biniam E. Bedasso ◽  
Pascal Jaupart
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Single Issue ◽  
Local Public Services ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Election Results

AbstractLittle is known about the political consequences of immigration in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we estimate the effect of exposure to immigration on election outcomes in South Africa. Our analysis is based on municipality panel data and an instrumental variable (IV) strategy exploiting historical migrant settlement patterns. We find that local immigration concentration has a negative impact on the performance of the incumbent African National Congress, whereas support for the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, is found to increase in municipalities with a larger immigrant presence. These effects hold regardless of the skill levels of immigrants in a municipality. In terms of mechanisms, competition over jobs and local public services as well as ethnic diversity and cultural factors influence how immigration affects election outcomes. These findings are robust to a broad range of sensitivity checks. They provide evidence that immigration can be a politically salient issue in migrant-destination Sub-Saharan African countries. They also show that immigration can affect election results even in contexts where there is no single issue anti-migrant party.

scholarly journals Are African primary physicians suspicious enough? Challenges of multiple myeloma diagnosis in Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erick Thokerunga ◽  
Christopher Ntege ◽  
Abdullahi Omar Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Myeloma ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Plasma Cells ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Bone Lesions ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Multiple myeloma is a hematological malignancy of plasma cells belonging to a spectrum of monoclonal protein-secreting disorders known as paraproteinemias. It is classically characterized by accumulated plasma cells in the bone marrow, renal insufficiency, hypercalcemia, and bone lesions (CRAB). Despite studies in the USA indicating that the incidence of multiple myeloma is twice as much in Americans of African descent compared to white Americans and those of Asian descent, African countries have some of the lowest incidence rates and prevalence of the cancer. It is generally thought that this is not entirely factual given the paucity of research into the cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, coupled with other diagnostic challenges such as economic hardships, and poor health-seeking behaviors. In this mini review, we explored the state of multiple myeloma diagnosis across sub-Saharan Africa, outlining the challenges to diagnosis and proposing possible solutions. Main body Due to the lack of routine checkups in people > 40 years across sub-Saharan Africa, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) are often accidentally diagnosed. This is due to a very low awareness of multiple myeloma among primary care clinicians and the general population. Other major challenges to multiple myeloma diagnosis across Africa include a chronic shortage of human resource (pathologists, cytotechnologists, and histotechnologists), and a prohibitive cost of diagnostic services that discourages early diagnosis. Conclusion To improve multiple myeloma diagnosis in Africa, a systems approach to thinking among policy makers, philanthropic organizations, and oncologists must be adopted. Governments must invest in health insurance coverage for cancer patients concurrently with heavy investments in human resource training and diagnostic infrastructure scale up. Creative approaches such as digital pathology, online training of clinicians, research and capacity building collaborations among African institutions, European and American institutions, and pharmaceutical companies as seen with other cancers should be explored for multiple myeloma too.

scholarly journals The prevalence of scabies in Monrovia, Liberia: A population-based survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. e0008943
Author(s):  
Shelui Collinson ◽  
Joseph Timothy ◽  
Samuel K. Zayzay ◽  
Karsor K. Kollie ◽  
Eglantine Lebas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Local Health ◽  
The Impact

Scabies is known to be a public health problem in many settings but the majority of recent data is from rural settings in the Pacific. There is a need for high quality data from sub-Saharan Africa and peri-urban settings to inform scale up of scabies control efforts. There have been anecdotal reports of scabies being a public health problem in Liberia but robust data are lacking. We conducted a cross-sectional cluster-randomised prevalence survey for scabies in a peri-urban community in Monrovia, Liberia in February-March 2020. Participants underwent a standardised examination conducted by trained local health care workers. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using age-appropriate versions of the dermatology life quality index (DLQI). Prevalence estimates were calculated accounting for clustering at community and household levels and associations with key demographic variables assessed through multivariable random-effects logistic regression. 1,318 participants from 477 households were surveyed. The prevalence of scabies was 9.3% (95% CI: 6.5–13.2%), across 75 (19.7%) households; impetigo or infected scabies prevalence was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.4–1.9%). The majority (52%) of scabies cases were classified as severe. Scabies prevalence was lower in females and higher in the youngest age group; no associations were found with other collected demographic or socio-economic variables. DLQI scores indicated a very or extremely large effect on HRQoL in 29% of adults and 18% of children diagnosed with scabies. Our study indicates a substantial burden of scabies in this peri-urban population in Liberia. This was associated with significant impact on quality of life, highlighting the need for action to control scabies in this population. Further work is needed to assess the impact of interventions in this context on both the prevalence of scabies and quality of life.

scholarly journals Angola - an Oil Dependant Country in Sub-Saharan Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (35) ◽  
pp. 233-242
Author(s):  
Boris Baumgartner
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
World Economy ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The Third ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The One ◽  
Rich Countries ◽  
Essential Problem

Abstract The Sub-Saharan Africa belongs to the most underdeveloped regions in the world economy. This region consists of forty nine countries but it’s world GDP share is only a small percentage. There are some very resource rich countries in this region. One of them is Angola. This former Portuguese colony has one of the largest inventories of oil among all African countries. Angola recorded one of the highest growth of GDP between 2004-2008 from all countries in the world economy and nowadays is the third biggest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria and South Africa. The essential problem of Angola is the one-way oriented economy on oil and general on natural resources. Angola will be forced to change their one-way oriented economy to be more diversified and competitive in the future.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the alignment of policies and practices for state-sponsored educational initiatives for sustainable health workforce solutions in selected Southern African countries: a protocol, multimethods study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e046379
Author(s):  
Sikhumbuzo Mabunda ◽  
Blake Angell ◽  
Rohina Joshi ◽  
Andrea Durbach
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Ethics Committees ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Research ◽  
Human Research Ethics ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Government Work

IntroductionHealth systems across the world are facing challenges with shortages and maldistribution of skilled health professionals. Return-of-service (ROS) initiatives are government-funded strategies used to educate health professionals by contracting beneficiaries to undertake government work on a year-for-year basis after their qualification. It is envisaged that once they have served their contract, they will be attracted to serve in the same area or government establishment beyond the duration of their obligatory period. Little is known about the processes that led to the development and implementation of ROS policies. Furthermore, there is no systematic evaluation of the strategies that demonstrate their utility. This research aims to evaluate the ROS initiatives, explore their efficacy and sustainability in five Southern African countries.Methods and analysisThis study will be conducted in South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana and Namibia in a phased approach through a multimethods approach of policy reviews, quantitative and qualitative research. First, a review will be conducted to explore current ROS schemes. Second, a quantitative retrospective cohort study of ROS scheme recipients for the period 2000–2010 will be undertaken. Information will be sourced from multiple provincial or national information systems and/or databases. Third, we will conduct semistructured group or individual interviews with senior health, education, ROS managing agency managers (where appropriate) and finance managers and/policy makers in each country to determine managers’ perceptions, challenges and the costs and benefits of these schemes. Fourth, we will interview or conduct group discussions with health professional regulatory bodies to assess their willingness to collaborate with ROS initiative funders.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval for this study was obtained through the Human Research Ethics Committees of the University of New South Wales (HC200519), Australia; South Africa and Lesotho (065/2020); Eswatini (SHR302/2020); Namibia (SK001); and Botswana (HPDME 13/18/1). Relevant findings will be shared through presentations to participating governments, publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at relevant conferences.

African states hope the Gulf crisis will end soon

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Union ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gulf Countries ◽  
Political Effects ◽  
Gulf Crisis ◽  
Sub Saharan

Significance The split between Qatar and its neighbours has pushed a few small African countries to side with Saudi Arabia, but leaves the continent’s leading powers and several conflict-afflicted nations eager to stay neutral -- for now. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) -- where Gulf countries have strong diplomatic ties and major economic investments -- the crisis has had significant political effects. Impacts The withdrawal of Qatari peacekeepers from the Djibouti-Eritrea border will become a pressing concern for the African Union. Ongoing expulsions of African migrants from Saudi Arabia will complicate Saudi and Emirati efforts to find African partners against Qatar. Countries such as South Africa and Nigeria may begin to act more assertively in calling for neutrality.

scholarly journals Improving quality of surgical and anaesthesia care at hospital level in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review protocol of health system strengthening interventions

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. e036615
Author(s):  
Nataliya Brima ◽  
Justine Davies ◽  
Andrew JM Leather
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health System ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Implementation Outcomes ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Anaesthesia Care

IntroductionOver 5 billion people in the world do not have access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care when needed. In order to improve health outcomes in patients with surgical conditions, both access to care and the quality of care need to be improved. A recent commission on high-quality health systems highlighted that poor-quality care is now a bigger barrier than non-utilisation of the health system for reducing mortality.AimTo carry out a systematic review to provide an evidence-based summary of hospital-based interventions associated with improved quality of surgical and anaesthesia care in sub-Saharan African countries (SSACs).Methods and analysisThree search strings (1) surgery and anaesthesia, (2) quality improvement hospital-based interventions and (3) SSACs will be combined. The following databases EMBASE, Global Health, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus will be searched. Further relevant studies will be identified from national and international health organisations and publications and reference lists of all selected full-text articles. The review will include all type of original articles in English published between 2008 and 2019. Article screening, data extraction and assessment of methodological quality will be done by two reviewers independently and any disputes will be resolved by a third reviewer or team consensus. Three types of outcomes will be collected including clinical, process and implementation outcomes. The primary outcome will be mortality. Secondary outcomes will include other clinical outcomes (major and minor complications), as well as process and implementation outcomes. Descriptive statistics and outcomes will be summarised and discussed. For the primary outcome, the methodological rigour will be assessed.Ethics and disseminationThe results will be published in a peer reviewed open access journal and presented at national and international conferences. As this is a review of secondary data no formal ethical approval is required.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019125570.

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