scholarly journals Social Innovation in the Academic Curricula of Chemical Science Degrees in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 46-72
Author(s):  
Pheladi Junior Mohlala ◽  
Jabulile Msimango-Galawe
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Chemical Science ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Challenges ◽  
The Social ◽  
African Context ◽  
Effective Community ◽  
Sub Saharan

Social innovation is growing internationally and is a focus area for sub-Saharan Africa. While studies have been conducted on the factors thatcontribute to the failure to incorporate social innovation in academic curricula,there is a paucity of such research in the South African context, especially inrelation to university curricula. This qualitative study explored chemicalscientists’ perceptions on the interventions required to introduce socialinnovation to the academic curricula of the chemical science degree inSouth African universities. Semi-structured interviews were conductedwith 14 chemical scientists and the data was analysed using thematicanalysis. The key findings included the overall lack of awareness andunderstanding of social innovation and the social challenges confrontingSouth Africa. These factors hamper the development of sustainableacademic curricula, effective community engagement and societal change.Furthermore, academic institutions’ reluctance to embrace change is causefor concern. Key words: Social innovation, chemical sciences, academic curriculum,South African universities

scholarly journals A School Library in Sub-Saharan Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (110) ◽  
pp. 3-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Anderson
Keyword(s):  
School Library ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
African Context ◽  
Sub Saharan

This paper reports on the success and suitability of a Western-donated school library in furthering literacy and reader development in Malawi. A qualitative, case study approach was taken using semi-structured interviews with teachers and a library assistant at a primary school in Malawi. The research reveals positive attitudes towards reading and literacy in a predominantly oral culture. Limitations include a lack of attention to reader development and inappropriateness of materials for the local context. The study reveals that the book donation model commonly supported by international donors and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) falls short in its ability to contribute to global literacy and education targets. Recommendations to improve impact are given. This research is original in representing the voices of school teachers in the debate over the suitability of libraries and the overseas book donation model to the sub-Saharan African context.

scholarly journals Enclaving: Spatial detachment as an aesthetics of imagination in an urban sub-Saharan African context

Urban Studies ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 004209802091609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Nielsen ◽  
Jason Sumich ◽  
Bjørn Enge Bertelsen
Keyword(s):  
Urban Spaces ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Economic Dynamic ◽  
African Cities ◽  
Social Divisions ◽  
The Social ◽  
African Context ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
American Cities

While detachment and separation continue to be central to urban development across the globe, in several sub-Saharan African cities they have acquired a particular form of acute social and political efficacy. In many European and American cities, the making of fortified enclosures is considered to be an effect of an endemic fear of societal dissolution, and a growing number of sub-Saharan African cities are, seemingly, affected by a similar socio-political and economic dynamic. However, in sub-Saharan Africa the spatial lines of separation that isolate the affluent few from surrounding urban spaces follow both a much wider and less coordinated meshwork of social divisions and political fissures, and draw on a deeper socio-cultural, economic and historical repertoire. In this article, we trace the contours of enclaving as a critical urban driver, which is rapidly changing the social and physical fabric of cities across the sub-Saharan continent. Rather than considering enclaving simply as a physical manifestation of dominance and privilege, however, we consider it as an ‘aesthetics of imagination’ that migrates through the cities and thereby weaves together otherwise dissimilar and distinct social practices and spaces, political desires and economic aspirations.

scholarly journals Barriers and facilitators to implementing coronary care networks in South Africa: a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 338-350
Author(s):  
Willem Stassen ◽  
Lisa Kurland ◽  
Lee Wallis ◽  
Maaret Castren ◽  
Craig Vincent-Lambert
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
South African ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
The South ◽  
African Context ◽  
Coronary Care ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Care System

Background: ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa consistently fails to deliver timely reperfusion to these patients, possibly due to under-developed coronary care networks (CCN). Objectives: To determine the current perceived state of CCNs, to determine the barriers to optimising CCNs and to suggest facilitators to optimising CCNs within the South African context. Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was employed, by performing two structured in-depth and two focus group inter- views (n=4 and 5, respectively), inviting a purposely heterogeneous sample of 11 paramedics (n=4), doctors (n=5), and nurses (n=2) working within different settings in South African CCNs. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to content analysis. Results: Participants described an under-resourced, unprioritised and fragmented CCN with significant variation in perfor- mance. Barriers to CCN optimisation resided in recognition and diagnosis of STEMI, transport and treatment decisions, and delays. Participants suggested that thrombolysing all STEMI patients could facilitate earlier reperfusion and that pre-hospital thrombolysis should be considered. Participants highlighted the need for regionalised STEMI guidelines, and the need for fur- ther research. Conclusion: Numerous barriers were highlighted. Healthcare policy-makers should prioritise the development of CCNs that is underpinned by evidence and that is contextualised to each specific region within the South African health care system. Keywords: Health care system; emergency care; cardiovascular disease. 

scholarly journals Conservation research output in sub-Saharan Africa is increasing, but only in a few countries

Oryx ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
P. Christy Pototsky ◽  
Will Cresswell
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Search Term ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
North American Country ◽  
Conservation Research ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract We tested if peer-reviewed conservation research output has increased in sub-Saharan African countries over the last 30 years in response to increased development. We carried out a bibliometric analysis to identify the number of conservation research papers published by national authors of 41 sub-Saharan African countries during 1987–2017, to provide an index of national conservation research output. We identified country-specific development factors influencing these totals, using general linear modelling. There were positive relationships between conservation research output and population size, GDP, literacy rate, international tourism receipts and population growth rate, and negative relationships with urban population and agricultural land cover, in total explaining 77% of variation. Thirty-eight per cent of countries contributed < 30 conservation research papers (of 12,701) in 30 years. Analysis of trends in primary authorship in a random subsample of 2,374 of these papers showed that primary authorship by sub-Saharan African authors has increased significantly over time but is now at a lower rate than primary authorship for authors from countries outside the country associated with the search term, usually a European or North American country. Overall, 46% of papers had national primary authors, but 67% of these were South African. The results show that conservation research output in sub-Saharan Africa overall is increasing but only significantly in a few countries, and is still dominated by non-national scientists, probably as a result of a lack of socio-economic development.

scholarly journals Connected diagnostics to improve accurate diagnosis, treatment, and conditional payment of malaria services in Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannen M. C. van Duijn ◽  
Angela K. Siteyi ◽  
Sherzel Smith ◽  
Emmanuel Milimo ◽  
Leon Stijvers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Performance ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Malaria Treatment ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Private Providers ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
Treatment Data ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, the material and human capacity to diagnose patients reporting with fever to healthcare providers is largely insufficient. Febrile patients are typically treated presumptively with antimalarials and/or antibiotics. Such over-prescription can lead to drug resistance and involves unnecessary costs to the health system. International funding for malaria is currently not sufficient to control malaria. Transition to domestic funding is challenged by UHC efforts and recent COVID-19 outbreak. Herewith we present a digital approach to improve efficiencies in diagnosis and treatment of malaria in endemic Kisumu, Kenya: Connected Diagnostics. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, user experience and clinical performance of this approach in Kisumu. Methods Our intervention was performed Oct 2017–Dec 2018 across five private providers in Kisumu. Patients were enrolled on M-TIBA platform, diagnostic test results digitized, and only positive patients were digitally entitled to malaria treatment. Data on socio-demographics, healthcare transactions and medical outcomes were analysed using standard descriptive quantitative statistics. Provider perspectives were gathered by 19 semi-structured interviews. Results In total 11,689 febrile patients were digitally tested through five private providers. Malaria positivity ranged from 7.4 to 30.2% between providers, significantly more amongst the poor (p < 0.05). Prescription of antimalarials was substantially aberrant from National Guidelines, with 28% over-prescription (4.6–63.3% per provider) and prescription of branded versus generic antimalarials differing amongst facilities and correlating with the socioeconomic status of clients. Challenges were encountered transitioning from microscopy to RDT. Conclusion We provide full proof-of-concept of innovative Connected Diagnostics to use digitized malaria diagnostics to earmark digital entitlements for correct malaria treatment of patients. This approach has large cost-saving and quality improvement potential.

scholarly journals Estimating the burden of cardiovascular risk in community dwellers over 40 years old in South Africa, Kenya, Burkina Faso and Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e003499
Author(s):  
Ryan G Wagner ◽  
Nigel J Crowther ◽  
Lisa K Micklesfield ◽  
Palwende Romauld Boua ◽  
Engelbert A Nonterah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
South African ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
Genomic Studies ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionCardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. The impact of these risk factors on future CVD outcomes and burden is poorly understood. We examined the magnitude of modifiable risk factors, estimated future CVD risk and compared results between three commonly used 10-year CVD risk factor algorithms and their variants in four African countries.MethodsIn the Africa-Wits-INDEPTH partnership for Genomic studies (the AWI-Gen Study), 10 349 randomly sampled individuals aged 40–60 years from six sites participated in a survey, with blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid levels measured. Using these data, 10-year CVD risk estimates using Framingham, Globorisk and WHO-CVD and their office-based variants were generated. Differences in future CVD risk and results by algorithm are described using kappa and coefficients to examine agreement and correlations, respectively.ResultsThe 10-year CVD risk across all participants in all sites varied from 2.6% (95% CI: 1.6% to 4.1%) using the WHO-CVD lab algorithm to 6.5% (95% CI: 3.7% to 11.4%) using the Framingham office algorithm, with substantial differences in risk between sites. The highest risk was in South African settings (in urban Soweto: 8.9% (IQR: 5.3–15.3)). Agreement between algorithms was low to moderate (kappa from 0.03 to 0.55) and correlations ranged between 0.28 and 0.70. Depending on the algorithm used, those at high risk (defined as risk of 10-year CVD event >20%) who were under treatment for a modifiable risk factor ranged from 19.2% to 33.9%, with substantial variation by both sex and site.ConclusionThe African sites in this study are at different stages of an ongoing epidemiological transition as evidenced by both risk factor levels and estimated 10-year CVD risk. There is low correlation and disparate levels of population risk, predicted by different risk algorithms, within sites. Validating existing risk algorithms or designing context-specific 10-year CVD risk algorithms is essential for accurately defining population risk and targeting national policies and individual CVD treatment on the African continent.

Slaves and society in Western Africa, c. 1445—c. 1700

1980 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Fage
Keyword(s):  
Social Mobility ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Western Africa ◽  
The Social ◽  
African Slaves ◽  
Limited Supply ◽  
Sub Saharan

Published European first-hand accounts of the coastlands from Senegal to Angola for the period c. 1445-c. 1700 are examined to see what light they throw on the extent to which institutions of servitude in pre-colonial sub-Saharan Africa were autonomous developments or a response to external demands for African slaves. It seems clear that when, in the early years of this period, European traders first approached societies along the western African coasts, they were commonly offered what they called ‘slaves’ in exchange for the goods they had brought. But it would be wrong to conclude from this that a slave class was necessarily a feature of western African coastal societies when these were first contacted by Europeans. It is clear, for instance, that the Europeans preferred to deal with societies which had developed monarchical governments, whose leaders had control of sufficient surpluses to make trade worthwhile. The evidence suggests that in these societies most individuals were dependants of a ruling and entrepreneurial elite, but that there was also social mobility. A category of dependants that particularly attracted the notice of the European observers was women, whom men of power and wealth tended to accumulate as wives (and hence as the potential mothers of still more dependants). The necessarily limited supply of women may have been a factor encouraging such men to seek to increase their followings, and thus their status, power and wealth, by recruiting other dependants by forcible, judicial and economic means. While many such dependants, or their offspring, would be assimilated into the social groups commanded by their masters, the latter were certainly willing to contemplate using recently acquired or refractory recruits in other ways, such as exchanging them for alternative forms of wealth.

Transcontinental Modernism. M&G as an Unité d’habitation and a factory complex in Mozambique

2010 ◽  
pp. 70-73
Author(s):  
Ana Tostões ◽  
Maria Manuel Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Social Program ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Industrial Complex ◽  
Architectural Heritage ◽  
Technological Approach ◽  
The Social ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Overseas Territories ◽  
Architectural Modernism

With the aim of contributing to the documentation and conservation of the modern architectural heritage, this paper presents Monteiro & Giro Complex (M&G), built during the 50’s in Quelimane, Mozambique, with the goal of stressing the modernity of the social program and the technological approach. If one wants to gain a better understanding of the worldwide Diaspora of architectural modernism, it is essential to document and analyse the important heritage of sub–Saharan Africa. Modern architectural debates have been reproduced, transformed, contested and sometimes even improved in distant lands and overseas territories. These contradictory aspects of Modernist practice are revealed in the programmatic, technological and structural M&G industrial Complex.

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