scholarly journals Access to Water and Sanitation Infrastructures for Primary Schoolchildren in the South-Central Part of Côte d’Ivoire

Author(s):  
Parfait K. Kouamé ◽  
Anaïs Galli ◽  
Maryna Peter ◽  
Georg Loss ◽  
Diarassouba Wassa ◽  
...  

In rural settings of Côte d’Ivoire, access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) at schools is often lacking. The purpose of this study was to assess the availability, quality, and use of WASH infrastructure in schools in the south-central part of Côte d’Ivoire, and to determine the hygiene practices of schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 primary schools with (n = 10) or without (n = 10) direct access to drinking water. The survey was comprised of a questionnaire directed at schoolchildren aged 8–17 years, an assessment of the WASH infrastructure, and the testing of drinking water samples for Escherichia coli and total coliforms. Overall, 771 schoolchildren were enrolled in the study. One out of four children (24.9%) reported that they used available toilets. Among those children not using toilets, more than half (57.5%) reported that they practised open defecation. Drinking water infrastructure was limited in most schools because of poor storage tanks, the low flow of water, or broken wells. All drinking water samples (n = 18) tested positive for total coliforms and 15 (83.3%) tested positive for E. coli. The lack of WASH infrastructures in primary schools in the south-central part of Côte d’Ivoire, in combination with poor hygiene practices, might govern disease transmission and absenteeism at school, especially among females.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fidèle K. Bassa ◽  
Ikenna C. Eze ◽  
Rufin K. Assaré ◽  
Clémence Essé ◽  
Siaka Koné ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Schistosomiasis remains an important public health issue among adults and infected individuals not treated serve as a reservoir of the parasite. Despite this fact, evidence on the epidemiology of schistosomiasis in adults in Côte d’Ivoire is scanty. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of schistosomiasis among adults in the Taabo health and demographic surveillance system in the south-central part of Côte d’Ivoire.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in April and May 2017 in the frame of the “Côte d’Ivoire Dual Burden of Disease Study” (CoDuBu). A total of 901 randomly selected individuals, aged 18-90 years, provided blood, stool and urine samples for the diagnosis of malaria and helminth infections. With an emphasis on schistosomiasis, stool samples were subjected to the Kato-Katz technique for detection of Schistosoma mansoni eggs, while urine samples were examined for eggs of Schistosoma haematobium and circulating cathodic antigen of S. mansoni. Risk factors and morbidity profiles were assessed using health examination and questionnaires. Multinomial logistic regressions were employed to identify independent risk factors and morbidity patterns associated with S. mansoni mono- and co-infections.Results: The prevalence of S. mansoni and S. haematobium was 23.2% and 1.0%, respectively. Most S. mansoni were mono-infections (81.3%). Independent determinants of S. mansoni infection were young age, low socioeconomic status (mono- and co-infection) and poor hygiene practices (co-infection). S. mansoni infection was independently associated with higher pain and symptom scores (mono-infection), poor self-rated health and low healthcare use (co-infection).Conclusions: This study showed that adults represent a substantial reservoir of S. mansoni. To sustain schistosomiasis control and improve people’s wellbeing, it is important to expand preventive chemotherapy from school-aged children to adults, coupled with hygiene and health education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41.2 ◽  
pp. 6926-6939
Author(s):  
NIAMIEN Coffi Jean Magloire ◽  
KONAN Ekoun Michaël ◽  
ODOUKPE Kadio Saint Guillaume ◽  
YAOKOKORE-BEIBRO Kouassi Hilaire ◽  
N’GORAN Kouakou Eliézer

Les oiseaux rendent d’importants services écologiques nécessaires au bien-être de l’homme. En Côte d’Ivoire, l’essentiel des études ornithologiques se sont déroulées au sud, et accessoirement au centre et au centre-ouest. En outre, très peu de travaux ont porté sur les zones humides. La ville de Korhogo abrite des barrages à vocation agro-pastorale qui n’ont été l’objet d’aucune étude. Pour combler ce manque de connaissance, une étude a été menée de février 2016 à janvier 2017. L’objectif de ce travail est d’évaluer la richesse spécifique et de déterminer l’influence des saisons sur la distribution qualitative de la communauté des oiseaux du barrage urbain de Koko dans la commune de Korhogo. Pour ce faire, des observations directes, utilisant la méthode des transects ponctuée d’arrêts d’environ 15 minutes, ont été effectuées. Les résultats indiquent que cette communauté est constituée de 63 espèces d’oiseaux appartenant à 32 familles et regroupées en 14 ordres. Globalement, l’ordre des Passériformes et la famille des Ardeidae sont les mieux représentés. Du point de vue de leur statut biogéographique, les espèces résidentes (37 individus : 59 %) et accidentelles (23 individus : 36,51%) sont majoritaires. Le plus grand nombre d’espèces a été observé en saison des pluies (52 individus : 82,54%). Sept espèces ont été spécifiques de la saison sèche alors que trois espèces sont caractéristiques de la saison des pluies. Les espèces résidentes ont été les nombreuses en toute saison. Au niveau structural, les espèces accessoires, les espèces assez-fréquentes et les espèces fréquentes ont été les mieux représentées en saison sèche tandis que les espèces assez-fréquentes ont été majoritaires en saison des pluies. Cette étude confirme la distribution des communautés des oiseaux selon les saisons. ABSTRACT Birds provide important ecosystem services necessary for human well-being. In Côte d'Ivoire, ornithological studies were carried out in the south, central and central-west. In addition, very little work has been done on wetlands. The Commune of Korhogo is home to agro-pastoral dams that have not been studied. To fill in this gap of information, a study was conducted from February 2016 to January 2017. The aim of this study was to assess the specific richness and to examine the effect of seasons on the qualitative distribution of the Koko urban dam birds’ community. Direct observations using the method of line transects with a 15 minutes points were carried out. Results show that this community consists of 63 species of birds belonging to 32 families and grouped in 14 orders. Globally, the order of the Passeriformes and the family of Ardeidae were the best represented. In terms of their biogeographical status, resident species (37 individuals: 59%) and accidental species (23 individuals: 36.51%) were dominant. The high number of bird species was observed during the rainy season (52 individuals: 82.54%). Seven species were specific to the dry season while three species are characteristic of the rainy season. Resident species were numerous in all seasons. The accessory and relatively frequent species have been the most abundant during the dry season while the fairly frequent species were predominant in the rainy season. This study confirms the distribution of bird communities according to the seasons.


2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 970-976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabian Rohner ◽  
Michael B. Zimmermann ◽  
Rita Wegmueller ◽  
Andreas B. Tschannen ◽  
Richard F. Hurrell

There are few data on the prevalence of riboflavin deficiency in sub-Saharan Africa, and it remains unclear whether riboflavin status influences the risk for anaemia. The aims of this study were to: (1) measure the prevalence of riboflavin deficiency in children in south-central Côte d'Ivoire; (2) estimate the riboflavin content of the local diet; and (3) determine if riboflavin deficiency predicts anaemia and/or iron deficiency. In 5- to 15-year-old children (n281), height, weight, haemoglobin (Hb), whole blood zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGRAC), serum retinol, C-reactive protein (CRP) and prevalence ofPlasmodiumspp. (asymptomatic malaria) andSchistosoma haematobium(bilharziosis) infections were measured. Three-day weighed food records were kept in twenty-four households. Prevalence of anaemia in the sample was 52 %; 59 % were iron-deficient based on an elevated ZPP concentration, and 36 % suffered from iron deficiency anaemia.Plasmodiumparasitaemia was found in 49 % of the children. Nineteen percent of the children were infected withS. haematobium. Median riboflavin intake in 5- to 15-year-old children from the food records was 0·42 mg/d, ~47 % of the estimated average requirement for this age group. Prevalence of riboflavin deficiency was 65 %, as defined by an EGRAC value >1·2. Age, elevated CRP and iron deficiency were significant predictors of Hb. Riboflavin-deficient children free of malaria were more likely to be iron deficient (odds ratio; 3·07; 95 % CI 1·12, 8·41). In conclusion, nearly two-thirds of school-age children in south-central Côte d'Ivoire are mildly riboflavin deficient. Riboflavin deficiency did not predict Hb and/or anaemia, but did predict iron deficiency among children free of malaria.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serge Ayekoe ◽  
Christin Lang ◽  
Gnamien Sylvain Traoré ◽  
Jürg Utzinger ◽  
Markus Gerber ◽  
...  

Background. Physical activity is known to improve health and cognitive function in children. Yet, in Côte d’Ivoire, physical education (PE) receives little attention in the current school curricula due to insufficient time allocation, lack of fresh-up training for teachers, as well as insufficient governmental financial contribution towards school infrastructure, materials and sport facilities. Objective. In the frame of the implementation of a randomized-controlled trial, in which we will examine the effects of a school-based physical activity and multi-micronutrient supplementation intervention on primary school children in Côte d’Ivoire, we carried out a situational analyses of PE in eight randomly selected public primary schools in Taabo, Côte d’Ivoire, from November 2019 to March 2020 in advance. Methods. First, the study comprised a systematic observation of the school environment. Second, guided interviews were conducted with the Inspection of the Ministry of National Education of Taabo, and the general inspectorate of national education in charge of PE and sport at Abidjan. The primary focus in these interviews was placed on primary school organization, training of teachers, time allocated to PE in the official schedule, as well as monitoring and evaluation of the PE curriculum. Third, eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 40 teachers and 8 school principals focusing on the PE program, teacher`s perception and motivation towards teaching PA. Fourth, we carried out cost analysis to estimate the required financial resources for basic school infrastructure (sport fields), teacher salary and consumables, sport materials and equipment, which are required to meet minimal standards for implementing quality PE at public primary schools in rural Côte d’Ivoire. Last, we implemented a participatory dialog with an educational inspector, school teachers and principals to improve the situation of PE in Taabo. FGD transcriptions were transferred to MAXQDA for analysis. Results. In line with the national curricula, teachers perceive PE to be important for children’s motor and social learning. Despite this importance, PE remains a neglected school subject. The main reasons stated were (i) significant reduction of PE lessons per week in favour of academic subjects, (ii) lack of training, (iii) insufficient sports facilities and equipment, and (iv) absence of an evaluation guideline on how to grade a child`s PE performance. Our financial appraisal reveals that a minimum investment of FCFA 2’710’000 (~ US $ 5’000) per school is needed to establish a basic infrastructure at each school and to empower teachers to conduct standardised and quality PE in this area.Discussion. The promotion of PE is currently not a key educational target in Côte d’Ivoire. Thus, the neglected importance at national level perpetuates the marginalized status of PE. Overall, teachers claim that the lack of support in a setting without proper facilities, equipment, and personal skills hampers their motivation to implement PE. Conclusion. In order to initiate a change to the current situation, evidence on the overall health benefits and academic performance of regular physical activity among primary school children is urgently needed to highlight the importance of this neglected school subject to education authorities


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