scholarly journals Investment case for malaria elimination in South Africa: a financing model for resource mobilization to accelerate regional malaria elimination

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Njau ◽  
Sheetal P. Silal ◽  
Aparna Kollipara ◽  
Katie Fox ◽  
Ryleen Balawanth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Malaria Elimination ◽  
Economic Burden ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Transmission Model ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Source Reduction ◽  
The Government ◽  
Business As Usual ◽  
Malaria Interventions

Abstract Background Malaria continues to be a public health problem in South Africa. While the disease is mainly confined to three of the nine provinces, most local transmissions occur because of importation of cases from neighbouring countries. The government of South Africa has reiterated its commitment to eliminate malaria within its borders. To support the achievement of this goal, this study presents a cost–benefit analysis of malaria elimination in South Africa through simulating different scenarios aimed at achieving malaria elimination within a 10-year period. Methods A dynamic mathematical transmission model was developed to estimate the costs and benefits of malaria elimination in South Africa between 2018 and 2030. The model simulated a range of malaria interventions and estimated their impact on the transmission of Plasmodium falciparum malaria between 2018 and 2030 in the three endemic provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. Local financial, economic, and epidemiological data were used to calibrate the transmission model. Results Based on the three primary simulated scenarios: Business as Usual, Accelerate and Source Reduction, the total economic burden was estimated as follows: for the Business as Usual scenario, the total economic burden of malaria in South Africa was R 3.69 billion (USD 223.3 million) over an 11-year period (2018–2029). The economic burden of malaria was estimated at R4.88 billion (USD 295.5 million) and R6.34 billion (~ USD 384 million) for the Accelerate and Source Reduction scenarios, respectively. Costs and benefits are presented in midyear 2020 values. Malaria elimination was predicted to occur in all three provinces if the Source Reduction strategy was adopted to help reduce malaria rates in southern Mozambique. This could be achieved by limiting annual local incidence in South Africa to less than 1 indigenous case with a prediction of this goal being achieved by the year 2026. Conclusions Malaria elimination in South Africa is feasible and economically worthwhile with a guaranteed positive return on investment (ROI). Findings of this study show that through securing funding for the proposed malaria interventions in the endemic areas of South Africa and neighbouring Mozambique, national elimination could be within reach in an 8-year period.

scholarly journals The Corona Virus and Migration Governance in South Africa: Business As Usual?

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franzisca Luise Zanker ◽  
Khangelani Moyo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
The Political ◽  
The South ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Border Fence ◽  
The Government ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Business As Usual

The South African response in dealing with the Corona pandemic needs to speak to the realities of all people living in the country, including migrant and refugee communities. Reflecting on this in light of ongoing research on the political stakes of migration governance, we find that the virus response shows little change in the government agenda when it comes to dealing with refugees and other migrants. Veritably, we see that the pandemic may even be an excuse for pushing through already-aspired to policies. This includes the securitised agenda behind the sudden building of a border fence to close off Zimbabwe and the xenophobic-rhetorical clout behind the lockdown rules about which shops are allowed to remain open. The temporary stay on renewing asylum seekers permits counts as a perfunctory exception. We show that each of these developments very much play into politics as usual.

Eliminating Hepatitis B from Bangladesh by the Year 2030

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 145-149
Author(s):  
Md Golam Mustafa ◽  
Md Shahinul Alam ◽  
Md Golam Azam ◽  
Md Mahabubul Alam ◽  
Md Saiful Islam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Hbv Infection ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Medical Institutions ◽  
The Government

Worldwide, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still a major public health problem. Bangladesh having a large burden of HBV infection, should be a major contributor towards it’s elimination by 2030. The country has been making progress in reducing incidence of HBV infection during the past decades. The progresses are mainly due to large vaccination coverage among children and large coverage of timely birthdose vaccine for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HBV. However, Bangladesh still faces challenges in achieving target of reduction in mortality from HBV. On the basis of targets of the WHO’s Global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis 2016–2021, we highlight priorities for action towards HBV elimination. To attain the target of reduced mortality we propose that, the service coverage targets of diagnosis and treatment should be prioritized along with vaccination. Firstly, improvements are needed in the diagnostic and treatment abilities of medical institutions and health workers. Secondly, the government needs to reduce the costs of health care. Thirdly, better coordination is needed across existing national program and resources to establish an integrated system for prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment of HBV infection. In this way, we can make progress towards achieving the target of eliminating HBV from Bangladesh by 2030 J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2020; 38(3): 145-149

A Call for Public Participation in the Treaty-making Process in South Africa: What can South Africa Learn from the Kingdom of Thailand?

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Retselisitsoe Phooko
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
International Treaty ◽  
Legal Implications ◽  
Future Situation ◽  
Rules Of Procedure ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government ◽  
Personal Jurisdiction

On 2 August 2002 South Africa signed the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Tribunal and the Rules of Procedure Thereof, thus effectively recognising and accepting the jurisdiction of the SADC Tribunal. Among the cases received by the SADC Tribunal was a complaint involving allegations of human rights violations by the government of Zimbabwe. It ruled that the government of Zimbabwe had violated human rights. Consequently, Zimbabwe mounted a politico-legal challenge against the existence of the Tribunal. This resulted in the review of the role and functions of the Tribunal in 2011 which resulted in the Tribunal being barred from receiving new cases or proceeding with the cases that were already before it. Furthermore, on 18 August 2014, the SADC Summit adopted and signed the 2014 Protocol on the Tribunal in the SADC which disturbingly limits personal jurisdiction by denying individual access to the envisaged Tribunal, thus reducing it to an inter-state judicial forum. This article critically looks at the decision of 18 August 2014, specifically the legal implications of the Republic of South Africa’s signing of the 2014 Protocol outside the permissible procedure contained in article 37 of the SADC Protocol on the Tribunal. It proposes that South Africa should correct this democratic deficit by introducing public participation in treaty-making processes in order to prevent a future situation where the executive unilaterally withdraws from an international treaty that is meant to protect human rights at a regional level. To achieve this, this article makes a comparative study between South Africa and the Kingdom of Thailand to learn of any best practices from the latter.

Is Xenophobic Violence and Criminality Systemic in Post-Apartheid South Africa? A Critical Analysis of Growing Denialism to 2015 Incidents

Politeia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mbekezeli Comfort Mkhize ◽  
Kongko Louis Makau
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Hate Crime ◽  
International Organisations ◽  
Foreign Nationals ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Structural Problems ◽  
The Government

This article argues that the 2015 xenophobic violence was allowed to spread due to persistent inaction by state officials. While the utterances of King Goodwill Zwelithini have in part fuelled the attacks, officials tend to perceive acts of xenophobia as ordinary crimes. This perception has resulted in ill-advised responses from the authorities, allowing this kind of hate crime against foreign nationals to engulf the whole country. In comparison with similar attacks in 2008, the violent spree in 2015 is characterised by a stronger surge in criminal activities. The militancy showcased fed a sense of insecurity amongst foreigners, creating a situation inconsistent with the country’s vaunted respect for human rights and the rule of law. Investors lost confidence in the country’s outlook, owing in part to determined denialism in government circles regarding the targeting of foreigners. While drawing from existing debates, the article’s principal objective is to critically examine the structural problems that enable xenophobia to proliferate and the (in)effectiveness of responses to the militancy involved in the 2015 attacks. Of particular interest are the suggested responses that could be effective in curbing future violence. The article concludes that xenophobia is systemic in post-apartheid South Africa. Strong cooperation between the government, national and international organisations could provide the basis for successful anti-xenophobia measures. The article further argues that the country is obliged to find a sustainable solution to the predicament for humanitarian reasons firstly, and in recognition of the support South Africans received from its African counterparts during the liberation struggle.

Prevalence and risk factors of anaemia among men: A study based on Empowered Action Group states, India

2021 ◽  
pp. 026010602098234
Author(s):  
Pradeep Kumar ◽  
Himani Sharma ◽  
Kamalesh Kumar Patel
Keyword(s):  
Family Health ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Action Group ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Government ◽  
Eag States

Background: Despite various programmes initiated by the Government of India, the nutritional indicators are not encouraging, as several problems like undernutrition, malnutrition and anaemia – still persist in the country, especially in the Empowered Action Group (EAG) states. Aim: Because of the dearth of studies regarding anaemia among men in India, the present study aimed to determine its prevalence in this population in the EAG states and to analyse its geographical and socio-demographic determinants. Methods: The study utilized nationally representative, cross-sectional survey data from round 4 of the National Family Health Survey conducted in 2015–16. Bivariate analysis along with binary logistic regression were performed to assess the predictors of anaemia among men in the EAG states. Results: Around a quarter of the men in the EAG states suffered from anaemia. A similar high-prevalence pattern was observed across the EAG states. Wherein, Bihar and Jharkhand had the highest prevalence of anaemia while Uttarakhand showed the lowest. Age, place of residence, marital status and caste were positively associated with the likelihood of anaemia among men in the EAG states. Conclusions: Focusing on the EAG states, this study considered the severity of anaemia as a public health problem among men. Strategies to reduce the burden of anaemia among this population are needed. The government should formulate programmes targeting anaemia specifically, and improving the nutritional status among men in general in the EAG states.

The Economic Cost of Violence Against Women and Girls in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802110160
Author(s):  
Seema Vyas ◽  
Melissa Meinhart ◽  
Katrina Troy ◽  
Hannah Brumbaum ◽  
Catherine Poulton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Economic Burden ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Female Genital Cutting ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Evidence demonstrating the economic burden of violence against women and girls can support policy and advocacy efforts for investment in violence prevention and response programming. We undertook a systematic review of evidence on the costs of violence against women and girls in low- and middle-income countries published since 2005. In addition to understanding costs, we examined the consistency of methodological approaches applied and identified and assessed common methodological issues. Thirteen articles were identified, eight of which were from sub-Saharan Africa. Eight studies estimated costs associated with domestic or intimate partner violence, others estimated the costs of interpersonal violence, female genital cutting, and sexual assaults. Methodologies applied to estimate costs were typically based on accounting approaches. Our review found that out-of-pocket expenditures to individuals for seeking health care after an episode of violence ranged from US$29.72 (South Africa) to US$156.11 (Romania) and that lost productivity averaged from US$73.84 to US$2,151.48 (South Africa) per facility visit. Most studies that estimated provider costs of service delivery presented total programmatic costs, and there was variation in interventions, scale, and resource inputs measured which hampered comparability. Variations in methodological assumptions and data availability also made comparisons across countries and settings challenging. The limited scope of studies in measuring the multifaceted impacts of violence highlights the challenges in identifying cost metrics that extend beyond specific violence episodes. Despite the limited evidence base, our assessment leads us to conclude that the estimated costs of violence against women and girls are a fraction of its true economic burden.

scholarly journals Trapped Between Two Pandemics: Domestic Violence Cases Under COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 0272684X2110221
Author(s):  
Endurance Uzobo ◽  
Aboluwaji D Ayinmoro
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Biomed Central ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
The Government

Background As it is common with the most devastating events in the world, women always seem to be at the most disadvantage position. This situation manifested during the period of COVID-19 lockdown throughout the world and Africa in particular. The purpose of this study is to explore Domestic Violence (DV) cases in African during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods Data for this study were gleaned from an electronic literature search using various databases PubMed and BioMed Central, Web of Science, etc. Key search words were gender DV during and after COVID-19. A total of 68 records were identified during the search. However, only 46 of these sources met the inclusion criteria. Results From the review done in selected African countries which include Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Zimbabwe; it was discovered that COVID-19 lockdown across these countries worsens the already existing cases of DV. The study also noted that generally, the response of the government has been very poor in terms of dealing with DV cases in the period of COVID-19 lockdown. Conclusion The study concluded that despite the failures of government in tackling the DV pandemics, NGOs have been very active in championing the cause of those violated while also trying to provide succour to victims. Thus, the study recommended that countries in Africa need to join international initiatives in prioritising DV cases while trying to deal with the virus itself. Thus, one disease should not be traded for another.

Improvement of environmental health and hygiene practices - case study in the Northern Province

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 109-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Mathegana ◽  
L. K. Chauke ◽  
F. A.O. Otieno
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Northern Province ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Sustainable Improvement ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Proper Training ◽  
The Government ◽  
Better Than

The primary purpose of an improved water supply and sanitation is the achievement of acceptable health and hygiene standards as well as the sustainable improvement of the environment. Many governments recognize this and so they budget for large sums of money to improve these services to the communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the different gaps in environmental health and hygiene practices with the aim of suggesting a strategy of improving this in the Northern Province of South Africa. To do this, 231 households and 30 schools were surveyed. Workshops and visits to different government departments were also used. This paper reports the results from this study which indicate that the situation in schools was not any better than that in households, with more than 90% of the villages still dependent on the unimproved pit latrines and 56,6% relying on standpipes which were (70% of the time) non-operational. The main problems identified seem to those associated with implementation and maintenance. The study concludes that with proper training of the water committees and their active involvement with the government and NGOs, environmental health and hygiene problems can be minimized or eliminated.

scholarly journals Affordability and Availability of Child Restraints in an Under-Served Population in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 1979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prasanthi Puvanachandra ◽  
Aliasgher Janmohammed ◽  
Pumla Mtambeka ◽  
Megan Prinsloo ◽  
Sebastian Van As ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Injury Death ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Restraint Use ◽  
Child Restraint

Background: Child road traffic injuries are a major global public health problem and the issue is particularly burdensome in middle-income countries such as South Africa where injury death rates are 41 per 100,000 for under 5′s and 24.5 per 100,000 for 5–14-year-old. Despite their known effectiveness in reducing injuries amongst children, the rates of use of child restraint systems (CRS) remains low in South Africa. Little is known about barriers to child restraint use especially in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: We carried out observation studies and parent/carer surveys in 7 suburbs of Cape Town over a three month period to assess usage rates and explore the knowledge and perceptions of parents towards child restraint legislation, ownership and cost; Results: Only 7.8% of child passengers were observed to be properly restrained in a CRS with driver seatbelt use and single child occupancy being associated with higher child restraint use. 92% of survey respondents claimed to have knowledge of current child restraint legislation, however, only 32% of those parents/carers were able to correctly identify the age requirements and penalty. Reasons given for not owning a child seat included high cost and the belief that seatbelts were a suitable alternative. Conclusions: These findings indicate the need for a tighter legislation with an increased fine paired with enhanced enforcement of both adult seatbelt and child restraint use. The provision of low-cost/subsidised CRS or borrowing schemes and targeted social marketing through online fora, well baby clinics, early learning centres would be beneficial in increasing ownership and use of CRS.

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