scholarly journals The 2013-2016 West African Ebola virus outbreak: Local contexts and future issues

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Cecon ◽  
Peter F McGrath
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
West African ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
News Reports ◽  
Literature Searches ◽  
The Many ◽  
High Level ◽  
International Experts

Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect mainly the developing world. We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks. In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries. By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature searches and news reports, combined with the views of 10 international experts, we develop eight actions that might help potentially susceptible countries and the international community to prevent, contain or better respond to possible future outbreaks.

scholarly journals The 2013-2016 West African Ebola virus outbreak: Local contexts and future issues

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Cecon ◽  
Peter F McGrath
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
West African ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
News Reports ◽  
Literature Searches ◽  
The Many ◽  
High Level ◽  
International Experts

Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect mainly the developing world. We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks. In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries. By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature searches and news reports, combined with the views of 10 international experts, we develop eight actions that might help potentially susceptible countries and the international community to prevent, contain or better respond to possible future outbreaks.

scholarly journals Challenges of ongoing Covid and Ebola epidemics amidst violence and other epidemics in DR Congo

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Amorim Tomaz ◽  
F I P M Bastos ◽  
R S Santos ◽  
M Mossoko
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Poor Countries ◽  
Conflict Zone

Abstract The world has seen outbreaks of emergency and re-emergency of infectious diseases very often in the past years, many of them with devastating consequences for low-income countries with fragile or nonexistent health system, covid-19 being by now the last of a long series of global challenges. Although it is a huge challenge for the whole world, one country is facing it together with a current Ebola outbreak plus violence and some other diseases. The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing the immediate effects of both epidemics as illness and death, however its consequences at the political and economic level are usually more complex and may be protracted. Following the debate on why poor countries remain poor, it is maybe useful to rethink poverty and inequality keeping in mind Amartya Sen's seminal concepts: development must comprise freedom and respect for human rights and institutions at the price of fostering a vicious circle of (re)emerging diseases and structural violence. Ebola epidemics, that usually face some challenges when they happen alone, now together with malaria, measles, plague and covid, on top of violence in some areas, the disease sees its protocols harmed: for covid the orientation is to stay isolated, for Ebola the response includes tracking contacts. What means coming with a team to field to do the mapping in the middle of a confinement. The surveillance for such many epidemics on top of violence and humanitarian crisis makes the Democratic Republic of Congo one of the most worrying countries in terms of consequences of the Covid outbreak. Key messages Study of the association between the Covid, Ebola virus disease outbreak and the at-risk population living in the conflict zone in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The study presents the difficulties that the population encountered in the face of restrictions imposed by armed groups to reach health services during an Ebola outbreak, in a conflict zone.

A Cross-sectional Study of the Clinical Profile of Children With Cerebral Palsy in Benin, a West African Low-Income Country

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (13) ◽  
pp. 842-850
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Segnon Sogbossi ◽  
Damienne Houekpetodji ◽  
Toussaint G. Kpadonou ◽  
Yannick Bleyenheuft
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Classification System ◽  
West African ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Common Cause ◽  
Low Income Country ◽  
Children With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a common cause of pediatric motor disability. Although there are increasing amounts of data on the clinical profile of children with cerebral palsy in high-income countries, corresponding information about low-income countries and developing countries is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to describe the clinical spectrum of cerebral palsy in children in Benin, a representative West African low-income country. Our cross-sectional observational study included 114 children with cerebral palsy recruited from community-based rehabilitation centers and teaching hospitals (median age: 7 years, range 2-17; sex: 66% male). Data were collected through review of medical records and interviews with children’s mothers. Assessment included risk factors, clinical subtypes according to the Surveillance of CP in Europe criteria, severity of motor outcome scored by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Manual Ability Classification System, comorbidities, and school attendance. We recorded a high prevalence of intrapartum adverse events. Seventeen percent of children had postneonatal cerebral palsy, with cerebral malaria being the most common cause. Most children were severely affected (67.5% as bilateral spastic; 54.4% as GMFCS IV or V), but severity declined substantially with age. Only 23% of the children with cerebral palsy had attended school. Poor motor outcomes and comorbidities were associated with school nonattendance. These results suggest that intrapartum risk factors and postnatal cerebral malaria in infants are opportune targets for prevention of cerebral palsy in Sub-Saharan low-income countries.

scholarly journals Global e-government development: besides the relative wealth of countries, do policies matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonçalo Paiva Dias
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Political Commitment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Relative Wealth ◽  
Innovative Thinking ◽  
High Level ◽  
Government Development

Purpose This study aims to investigate whether, discounting the effect of the relative wealth of countries, it is possible to observe the relevance of policies for e-government development. Design/methodology/approach The deviations of countries' results from what could be expected, considering their relative wealth is calculated by using the residuals of a linear regression using the Gross Domestic Product per capita as the independent variable and the UN E-Government Development Index as the dependent variable. The countries that achieve better and worse results than expected are then identified and their cases are analyzed by resorting to secondary sources, namely, published research referring to their cases. Those research documents were identified by successively searching the Scopus database, the Google Scholar database and the Web of Science. Findings The existence of formal e-government strategies and plans and the capacity to implement them can make a difference, allowing countries to achieve better results than expected or, in their absence, to perform worse than expected. Research limitations/implications The proposed methodology can be useful to e-government researchers, particularly as a basis for deeper and more detailed studies. Practical implications Countries should invest in well-developed and focused strategies and continuity of public policies and their capacity to deliver results. For that purpose, political commitment and high-level coordination are key factors. For low-income countries, long-lasting cooperation with external experienced partners is crucial. For high-income countries, innovative thinking is a key enabler. Originality/value This study uses an innovative method to look beyond the effect of the relative wealth of countries and investigate the relevance of public policies for e-government development.

scholarly journals Cervical cancer testing among women aged 30–49 years in the WHO European Region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianne Williams ◽  
Ivo Rakovac ◽  
Jocelyn Victoria ◽  
Tatiana Tatarinova ◽  
Marilys Corbex ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
European Region ◽  
Screening Programs ◽  
High Level

Abstract Background Screening programs play an important role in a comprehensive strategy to prevent cervical cancer, a leading cause of death among women of reproductive age. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of information about rates of cervical cancer testing, particularly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia where levels of cervical cancer are among the highest in the WHO European Region. The purpose of this article is to report on the lifetime prevalence of cervical cancer testing among females aged 30–49 years from across the WHO European region, and to describe high-level geographic and socioeconomic differences. Methods We used data from the European Health Information Survey and the WHO STEPwise approach to Surveillance survey to calculate the proportions of women who were tested for cervical cancer. Results The percentage of tested women ranged from 11.7% in Azerbaijan to 98.4% in Finland, with the lowest percentages observed in Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Testing was lower in Eastern Europe (compared to Western Europe), among low-income countries and among women with lower levels of education. Conclusion Effective cervical cancer screening programs are one part of a larger strategy, which must also include national scale-up of human papilloma virus vaccination, screening and treatment.

scholarly journals Antibiotic Use in Poultry Production in Grenada

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindonne Glasgow ◽  
Martin Forde ◽  
Darren Brow ◽  
Catherine Mahoney ◽  
Stephanie Fletcher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Poultry Production ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
High Level

Objective. Research is often lacking in low-income countries to substantiate the regulation of antibiotics in poultry production. Nonregulation of antibiotics in food animal industries has implications for human health. This study was conducted to provide an understanding of farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the use of antibiotics in poultry production in Grenada. Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted in August-September, 2016, surveying 30 poultry farmers each having 500 or more chickens grown for commercial purposes. Results. More than 1000 birds were kept on 18 (60.0%) farms. Antibiotics were used on the majority of farms (25, 83.3%). More than half of the respondents, 19 (63.3%), stated they were only somewhat aware of issues related to the use of antibiotics and the majority, 21 (70.0%), were also unable to define antimicrobial resistance. There was inconsistency in the farmers’ knowledge about how and when to use antibiotics. There was also a high level of noncompliance with manufacturers’ recommendations for use of antibiotics. The respondents were not aware of local programs to monitor antibiotic use or manage antibiotic resistance in the poultry industry. Conclusion. Generally, the farmers’ knowledge and practices were inconsistent with recommendations by the World Health Organization for antibiotic stewardship. While low-income countries, such as Grenada, are challenged with the lack of resources to undertake research and implement responsive actions, this research highlights the need for some immediate measures of remedy, such as education of farmers and monitoring procurement and use of antibiotics, to reduce risk to public health.

Vietnam Public Expenditure Review in the Period of 2007-2017 and Some Recommendations

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoang Khac Lich ◽  
Nguyen Thi Huyen
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Public Debt ◽  
Budget Deficit ◽  
Public Expenditure ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Viet Nam ◽  
State Budget ◽  
Total State ◽  
High Level ◽  
Budget Expenditure

This study explores the current situation of public spending of Vietnam in the period from 2007 to 2017. The results show that the total state budget expenditure has increased over the past 10 years; however the growth rate of public expenditure has reduced. The state budget deficit and the ratio of public debt to GDP have remained at a high level. The analysis also indicates that there has been an increase in the proportion of recurrent spending in total state budget expenditure. By constract, the percentage of investment expenditure tends to decrease. Expenditures on health, education and science and technology have risen in recent years. Keywords Public expenditure, budget deficit, public debt, development investment expenditures, recurrent expenditures References  [1] Barro, Robert J., “Government spending in a simple model of endogeneous growth”, Journal of Political Economy 98 (1990) 5: 103-125.[2] Ngân hàng Thế giới, “Đánh giá chi tiêu công Việt Nam: Chính sách tài khóa hướng tới bền vững, hiệu quả và công bằng”, 2017.[3] Ngân hàng Thế giới, “Cải thiện hiệu suất và công bằng trong chi tiêu công”, 2017.[4] Sanjeev Gupta, Benedict Clements; Emanuele Baldacci and Carlos Mulas-Granados, “Fiscal Policy, Expenditure Composition and Growth in Low-Income Countries”, Journal of International Money and Finance, 24 (2005) 3, 441-463.[5] Vũ Sỹ Cường, “Cải cách chi tiêu công: Từ lý luận đến thực tiễn ở Việt Nam”, Viện Chiến lược và Chính sách Tài chính, 2018.

Moderation Effects of Political Instability and Tourism on Economic Growth

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shrabani Saha ◽  
Ghialy Yap ◽  
Yong Rae Kim
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Political Instability ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Moderator Variable ◽  
Sustainable Tourism Development ◽  
Inbound Tourism ◽  
Generalized Methods Of Moments ◽  
High Level

This study examines the impacts of inbound tourism on economic growth by using panel system-generalized-methods-of-moments techniques for over one hundred countries during the period 1995-2016. Using political instability as a moderator variable, the evidence shows that inbound tourism alone can lead to economic growth along with an increase in the standard control variables such as capital formation, education, and R&D expenditure. Nevertheless, a significant adverse effect on economic growth is revealed in the presence of medium to high political instability. The marginal impact of inbound tourism on economic growth with a high level of political instability is more detrimental in low-income countries than in their counterparts. Developing countries, which are heavily reliant on tourism, suffer more severe damages to economic growth when there is increasing political instability. Therefore, the analysis concludes that political stability is one of the key players in sustainable tourism development and economic growth.

scholarly journals High-level of anxiety and depressive symptoms among patients with general medical conditions and community residents: a comparative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eyaya Misgan ◽  
Habte Belete
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Health Center ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Northwest Ethiopia ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Medical Conditions ◽  
Community Residents ◽  
High Level

Abstract Background The global burden of anxiety and depressive symptoms become increasing, specifically accounts for high burden of morbidity among patients with medical conditions in low-income countries. The aim was to compare the level of anxiety and depressive symptoms in participants with general medical conditions and community residents in northwest Ethiopia. Methods Comparatively 2625 adults in the community and 1363 patients at health center in Mecha Demographic Surveillance and Field Research Center (MDSFRC) had interviewed. Level of anxiety and depressive symptoms was assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and logistic regression analysis was employed with corresponding adjusted OR (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) at p-value less than 0.05 declaration of significant. Results A higher prevalence of high-level anxiety and depressive symptoms, 12.6% with 95% CI; 11.0%, 14.0% and 10.1%, 95% CI; 8.0%, 12% were found among participants at health center compared to community residents, 6.8%, 95% CI; 7.0%, 8.0% and 5.2%, 95% CI; 4.0%, 6.0% at (p value < .0001), respectively. Social support, loss of a parent before age of 18 years, physical/verbal abuse, and having general medical conditions were significantly associated with both high-level anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, factors such as advanced age, perceived relative wealth, living alone, and having a family history of mental illness were associated with high-level of anxiety symptoms, but not with depressive symptoms. Conclusions Proportion of high-level of anxiety and depressive symptoms were found a two-fold higher in patients with medical condition than healthy residents in the community. Patients with medical illnesses should be assess for anxiety and depressive symptoms at health center.

scholarly journals A demographic perspective on human wellbeing: Concepts, measurement and population heterogeneity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Spitzer ◽  
Vanessa di Lego ◽  
Angela Greulich ◽  
Raya Muttarak
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Population Heterogeneity ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
Human Wellbeing ◽  
The Many ◽  
Health And Mortality ◽  
Good Quality Data

This introduction to the 2021 special issue of the Vienna Yearbook of Population Research explores demographic perspectives on human wellbeing across time and space. While the idea of relating demographic parameters to wellbeing has been around for a while, a more concrete research agenda on this topic has only recently gained momentum. Reviewing the research presented in this volume, we show how existing theoretical concepts and methodological tools in demography can be used to make substantial advances in the study of wellbeing. We also touch upon the many challenges researchers face in defining and measuring wellbeing, with the most important debate being about whether the focus should be on objective or subjective measures. The studies discussed here define wellbeing as health and mortality; as income, education or other resources; as happiness or life satisfaction; or as a combination thereof. They cover wellbeing in historical and contemporary populations in high- and low-income countries, and also point out important barriers to research on wellbeing, including the lack of good quality data in many regions. Finally, we highlight the value of considering population heterogeneities when studying wellbeing in order to identify population subgroups who are likely to fall behind, which can have important policy implications.

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