scholarly journals Family Physician Perceptions of Climate Change, Migration, Health, and Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Exploratory Study

Author(s):  
Charlotte Scheerens ◽  
Els Bekaert ◽  
Sunanda Ray ◽  
Akye Essuman ◽  
Bob Mash ◽  
...  

Although family physicians (FPs) are community-oriented primary care generalists and should be the entry point for the population’s interaction with the health system, they are underrepresented in research on the climate change, migration, and health(care) nexus (hereafter referred to as the nexus). Similarly, FPs can provide valuable insights into building capacity through integrating health-determining sectors for climate-resilient and migration-inclusive health systems, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Here, we explore FPs’ perceptions on the nexus in SSA and on intersectoral capacity building. Three focus groups conducted during the 2019 WONCA-Africa conference in Uganda were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. Participants’ perceived interactions related to (1) migration and climate change, (2) migration for better health and healthcare, (3) health impacts of climate change and the role of healthcare, and (4) health impacts of migration and the role of healthcare were studied. We coined these complex and reinforcing interactions as continuous feedback loops intertwined with socio-economic, institutional, and demographic context. Participants identified five intersectoral capacity-building opportunities on micro, meso, macro, and supra (international) levels: multi-dimensional and multi-layered governance structures; improving FP training and primary healthcare working conditions; health advocacy in primary healthcare; collaboration between the health sector and civil society; and more responsibilities for high-income countries. This exploratory study presents a unique and novel perspective on the nexus in SSA which contributes to interdisciplinary research agendas and FP policy responses on national, regional, and global levels.

BJGP Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. bjgpopen20X101065
Author(s):  
Charlotte Scheerens ◽  
Ilse Ruyssen ◽  
Sunanda Ray ◽  
An De Sutter ◽  
Wouter Vanhove ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 22-47
Author(s):  
Hamid El Bilali

The impacts of climate change (CC) are expected to be higher in developing countries (e.g. Sub-Saharan Africa). However, these impacts will depend on agriculture development and resilience. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted relationships between CC and agriculture in Burkina Faso (BF). A search performed in March 2020 on the Web of Science yielded 1,820 documents and 217 of them were included in the systematic review. The paper provides an overview on both bibliometrics (e.g. journals, authors, institutions) and topics addressed in the literature viz. agriculture subsectors, climate trends in BF, agriculture and CC mitigation (e.g. agriculture-related emissions, soil carbon sequestration), impacts of CC on agriculture (e.g. natural resources, crop suitability, yields, food security) as well as adaptation strategies. BF is experiencing CC as evidenced by warming and an increase in the occurrence of climate extremes. The literature focuses on crops, while animal husbandry and, especially, fisheries are often overlooked. Moreover, most of the documents deal with CC adaptation by the Burkinabe farmers, pastoralists and rural populations. Analysed adaptation options include conservation agriculture and climate-smart agriculture, irrigation, crop diversification, intensification, livelihoods diversification and migration. However, the focus is mainly on agricultural and individual responses, while livelihoods strategies such as diversification and migration are less frequently addressed. Further research is needed on the dual relation between agriculture and CC to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Research results are crucial to inform policies aimed at CC mitigation and/or adaptation in rural BF.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadia Chérif ◽  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
Ulisses M. Azeiteiro

2018 ◽  
pp. 149-158
Author(s):  
Jade S. Sasser

The concluding chapter turns to the questions and observations that initially motivated this project: the role of women in sub-Saharan Africa, whom population advocates claim to represent. It raises questions about the links between contemporary investment in global South girls, instrumental gender and climate change solutions, and sexual stewardship, demonstrating how development-led concepts of women’s agency elide the contexts of their everyday lives. It concludes, not by offering solutions, but by fretting over the role of youth population advocacy, the politics and possibilities of their engagements with this work, raising questions about whether and how young people can transform populationist ideas into something closer to the social justice they seek.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-290
Author(s):  
Stephen O. Fapohunda ◽  
Annabella A. Adewunmi

The role of climate change on mycotoxin profile and activity was reviewed. The unprecedented spread and relocation experienced by some regulated mycotoxins on food and feed items were investigated. Aspergillus species and aflatoxin, originally associated with tropical and subtropical climate characteristics of Sub-Saharan Africa are now comfortable guests in temperate zones. The same applies to Fusarium and Penicilium species, earlier thought to be strictly specific to temperate regions of Europe, now encountered in tropical Africa, with their toxins like zearalenone and trichothecenes, particularly in recent surveillance studies. This review is an update on the unstable trend on a global mycotoxin map with reference to the obvious climatic dynamics, having Africa in view


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
Ulisses M. Azeiteiro ◽  
Sadia Chérif

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 10966
Author(s):  
Alex Taylor ◽  
Maarten Wynants ◽  
Linus Munishi ◽  
Claire Kelly ◽  
Kelvin Mtei ◽  
...  

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is widely recognised as pivotal in soil function, exerting important controls on soil structure, moisture retention, nutrient cycling and biodiversity, which in turn underpins a range of provisioning, supporting and regulatory ecosystem services. SOC stocks in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are threatened by changes in land practice and climatic factors, which destabilises the soil system and resilience to continued climate change. Here, we provide a review of the role of SOC in overall soil health and the challenges and opportunities associated with maintaining and building SOC stocks in SSA. As an exemplar national case, we focus on Tanzania where we provide context under research for the “Jali Ardhi” (Care for the Land) Project. The review details (i) the role of SOC in soil systems; (ii) sustainable land management (SLM) techniques for maintaining and building SOC; (iii) barriers (environmental, economic and social) to SLM implementation; and (iv) opportunities for overcoming barriers to SLM adoption. We provide evidence for the importance of site-specific characterisation of the biophysicochemical and socio-economic context for effective climate adaptation. In particular, we highlight the importance of SOC pools for soil function and the need for practitioners to consider the type of biomass returns to the soil to achieve healthy, balanced systems. In line with the need for local-scale site characterisation we discuss the use of established survey protocols alongside opportunities to complement these with recent technologies, such as rapid in situ scanning tools and aerial surveys. We discuss how these tools can be used to improve soil health assessments and develop critical understanding of landscape connectivity and the management of shared resources under co-design strategies.


Author(s):  
Dalal Aassouli ◽  
Mehmet Asutay ◽  
Mahmoud Mohieldin ◽  
Tochukwu Chiara Nwokike

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