United States Military Assistance Programs C-130B's to Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study in Policy, Decision Making & Strategy

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Schroer, D. J

1997-01-01

This case study will examine decision making in U.S. Military Assistance Programs in the form of C-l3OB transfers to the Sub-Saharan countries of Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa from 1994 to present...

Cases of human brucellosis in Sweden linked to Middle East and Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Garofolo, Giuliano; Fasanella, Antonio; Di Giannatale, Elisabetta; Platone, Ilenia; Sacchini, Lorena; Persiani, Tiziana; Boskani, Talar; Rizzardi, Kristina; Wahab, Tara

2016-05-17

Human brucellosis cases are still reported each year in Sweden despite eradication of the disease in animals. Epidemiological investigation has never been conducted to trace back the source of human infection in the country. The purpose of the study was to identify the source of infection for 16 human brucellosis cases that occurred in Sweden, during the period 2008-2012. The isolates were identified as Brucella melitensis and MLVA-16 genotyping revealed 14 different genotypes of East Mediterranean and Africa lineages. We also reported one case of laboratory-acquired brucellosis (LAB) that was shown to be epidemiological linked to one of the cases in the current study. Brucella melitensis was the only species diagnosed, confirming its highest zoonotic potential in the genus Brucella, and MLVA-16 results demonstrated that the cases of brucellosis in Sweden herein investigated, are imported and linked to travel in the Middle East and Africa. Due to its zoonotic concerns, any acute febrile illness linked to recent travel within those regions should be investigated for brucellosis and samples should be processed according to biosafety level 3 regulations.

Field-based random sampling without a sampling frame: control selection for a case-control study in rural Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Crampin, A C; Mwinuka, V; Malema, S S; Glynn, J R; Fine, P E

2001-01-01

Selection bias, particularly of controls, is common in case-control studies and may materially affect the results. Methods of control selection should be tailored both for the risk factors and disease under investigation and for the population being studied. We present here a control selection method devised for a case-control study of tuberculosis in rural Africa (Karonga, northern Malawi) that selects an age/sex frequency-matched random sample of the population, with a geographical distribution in proportion to the population density. We also present an audit of the selection process, and discuss the potential of this method in other settings.

A geomorphological characterisation of river systems in South Africa: A case study of the Sabie River

Science.gov (United States)

Eze, Peter N.; Knight, Jasper

2018-06-01

Fluvial geomorphology affects river character, behaviour, evolution, trajectory of change and recovery potential, and as such affects biophysical interactions within a catchment. Water bodies in South Africa, in common with many other water-stressed parts of the world, are generally under threat due to increasing natural and anthropogenic influences including aridity, siltation and pollution, as well as climate and environmental change. This study reports on a case study to characterise the geomorphology of different river systems in South Africa, with the aim of better understanding their properties, controls, and implications for biophysical interactions including water quality, biodiversity (aquatic and riparian), and human activity within the catchment. The approach adopted is based on the River Styles® framework (RSF), a geomorphology-based approach developed for rivers in New Zealand and Australia, but applied here for the first time to South Africa. Based on analysis of remote sensing imagery, SRTM-2 digital topographic data and field observations on sites through the entire river system, six geomorphic elements were identified along the Sabie River, northeast South Africa (gorge, bedrock-forced meander, low-moderate sinuosity planform controlled sand bed, meandering sand bed, low sinuosity fine grained sand bed, and floodouts), using the RSF classification scheme and based on the RSF procedural tree of Brierley and Fryirs (2005). Previous geomorphological studies along the Sabie River have shown that different reaches respond differently to episodic floods; we use these data to link river geomorphological character (as defined by the RSF) to the hydrodynamic conditions and processes giving rise to such character. This RSF approach can be used to develop a new management approach for river systems that considers their functional biophysical behaviour within individual reaches, rather than considering them as homogeneous and uniform systems.

Evolution of Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa - from Nkruma To Mutharika The 2nd: Case Study Of South Africa

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Mavhungu Abel Mafukata

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Since Sub-Saharan Africa's first independence in Ghana, the region has experienced massive and costly political and bureaucratic corruption within public service and administration. The causes of the corruption, its nature and form are wide and intertwined. In Sub-Saharan Africa, efforts to curb corruption have failed to discard it. The paper focused on the period from Nkruma in Ghana to Mutharika the 2nd in Malawi. This paper reviewed existing literature on political and bureaucratic corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa while on the other hand the paper employed key informant interviews to gather the required data to investigate, analyse and profile the genesis and evolution of corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa. The key informant interviews were employed to solicit public views and opinion from nineteen key informant participants (n=19 selected from 11 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The paper found that corruption is legendary; has entrenched itself to becoming some sort of culture in the region, and has become the most difficult socio-economic challenge to resolve in the region despite the various anti-corruption efforts employed by stakeholders to curb it. It emerged through the study that law-enforcement efforts against corruption need some reinforcement in order to be effective and eficient in uprooting corruption in the region. If Sub-Saharan Africa fails to address its corruption challenge, its development prospects would seriously curtailed.

"I passed the test!" Evidence of diagnostic misconception in the recruitment of population controls for an H3Africa genomic study in Cape Town, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Masiye, Francis; Mayosi, Bongani; de Vries, Jantina

2017-02-15

Advances in genetic and genomic research have introduced challenges in obtaining informed consent for research in low and middle-income settings. However, there are only few studies that have explored challenges in obtaining informed consent in genetic and genomic research in Africa and none in South Africa. To start filling this gap, we conducted an empirical study to investigate the efficacy of informed consent procedures for an H3Africa genomic study on Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHDGen) at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. The main aim of the study was to understand ethical challenges in obtaining informed consent in the RHDGen study. We used a qualitative study methodology involving in-depth interviews and participant observations. Our study participants were RHDGen cases (patients), healthy controls and research staff involved in the recruitment of RHDGen cases and controls. In total, we conducted 32 in-depth interviews with RHDGen cases and controls, 2 in-depth interviews with research staff and 57 direct observations of the consent procedures of RHDGen cases and controls. The interviews were conducted in English, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The study was conducted in 3 sites within Cape Town, South Africa. Most healthy controls joined the RHDGen study in order to be screened for rheumatic heart disease (diagnostic misconception). A majority of RHDGen cases decided to join the RHDGen study because of therapeutic misconception. The ethical challenges that impacted on obtaining informed consent in the RHDGen study were complex. In this study, the main challenges were diagnostic misconception among RHDGen controls and therapeutic misconception among RHDGen cases.

Questioning the Pace and Pathway of E-Government Development in Africa: A Case Study of South Africa's Cape Gateway Project

Science.gov (United States)

Maumbe, Blessing Mukabeta; Owei, Vesper; Alexander, Helen

2008-01-01

The paper examines e-government development in Africa. This study is based on the Cape Gateway project in South Africa, a leading e-government initiative on the continent. We observe that African countries have jumped on the e-government band wagon by looking mostly at the benefits without a clear risk assessment. We argue that African countries…

A Case Study of the Vredefort Dome

African Journals Online (AJOL)

South Africa became a signatory to and ratified the World Heritage Convention, 1972 (WHC) in 1997. It thereby voluntarily agreed to identify and conserve world heritage areas of universal value for the benefit of mankind. This article presents a case study of the Vredefort Dome, one of South Africa\\'s World Heritage Sites ...

Cr(VI) and Conductivity as Indicators of Surface Water Pollution from Ferrochrome Production in South Africa: Four Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Loock-Hattingh, M. M.; Beukes, J. P.; van Zyl, P. G.; Tiedt, L. R.

2015-10-01

South Africa is one of the largest ferrochromium (FeCr) producers. Most FeCr is exported to developed countries. Therefore the impact of this industry is of national and international importance. Cr(VI) and conductivity of surface water in four case study areas, near five FeCr smelters were monitored for approximately 1 year. Results indicated that FeCr production in three case study areas had a negative influence on the Cr(VI) concentration and/or the conductivity of surface waters. In the remaining case study areas, drinking water, originating from groundwater, was severely polluted with Cr(VI). The main factors causing pollution were surface run-off and/or seepage, while atmospheric deposition did not seem to contribute significantly. The extinction of diatoms during a severe Cr(VI) surface water pollution event (concentrations up to 216 µg/L) in one of the case study areas was also observed, which clearly indicates the ecological impact of such surface water pollution events.

Tobacco Smoking and Tuberculosis among Men Living with HIV in Johannesburg, South Africa: A Case-Control Study.

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Liza Bronner Murrison

Full Text Available Although there is ample evidence that smoking increases the risk of tuberculosis (TB, the magnitude of impact on TB risk among HIV-infected persons is poorly described. Given that a high proportion of patients with TB are co-infected with HIV in South Africa, the risks arising from the intersection of smoking, TB, and HIV/AIDS have key relevance for tobacco control policies.To evaluate the association of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB with current tobacco smoking among men with HIV in South Africa.Case-control study of antiretroviral therapy naïve men with confirmed HIV-infection in Johannesburg. Cases had laboratory-confirmed PTB and controls had no evidence of active TB. Participants were interviewed to collect detailed smoking histories.We enrolled 146 men diagnosed with PTB and 133 controls. Overall, 33% of participants were currently smoking, defined as smoking a cigarette within 2 months (34% cases vs. 32% controls, p = 0.27. Median CD4 count was lower (60 vs. 81 cells/mm3, P = 0.03 and median viral load was higher (173 vs. 67 copies/ul per thousand, P<0.001 among cases versus controls. In adjusted analyses, current smoking tripled the odds of PTB (aOR 3.2; 95%CI: 1.3-7.9, P = 0.01 and former smoking nearly doubled the odds of PTB (aOR 1.8; 95%CI 0.8-4.4, P = 0.18 compared to never smoking.Males with HIV that smoke are at greater odds for developing PTB than non-smokers. Extensive smoking cessation programs are needed to reduce odds of TB and promote health among adults living with HIV.

E-health readiness assessment for e-health framework for Africa: a case study of hospitals in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Coleman, A

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This study assessed e-healthcare readiness of rural and urban hospitals in North West Province of South Africa. Outcome of assessment led to creation of e-health architectural framework for e-health solutions. Assessment was conducted in usage...

Social Work in a Developing Continent: The Case of Africa

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Christopher Chitereka

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Social work is a professional approach to ameliorating social problems. It is generally understood as a helping profession that utilizes professionally qualified personnel who use its knowledge base to help people tackle their social problems (Mupedziswa, 2005. Nevertheless, in developing countries, social work is a relatively young profession which was influenced by colonialism in its formation. The type of social work practiced in these countries largely mirrors the one that is being practiced in Britain, France and Portugal among others. Utilizing the continent of Africa as a case study, this article argues that social work practice in Africa tends to be curative or remedial in nature and is not adequately addressing people’s problems. It therefore proposes a paradigm shift from remedial to a social development paradigm if it is to make an impact in the 21st century.

Atovaquone/proguanil resistance in Africa: a case report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

David, Kim P; Alifrangis, Michael; Salanti, Ali

2003-01-01

The Atovaquone/proguanil combination has quickly been established as an effective chemoprophylaxis for travellers to areas with chloroquineresistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. We describe the molecular cause of the first reported case of primary Atovaquone/proguanil resistance observed in our...... department in a Plasmodium falciparum infected traveller returning from West Africa, and link our findings to other reports of resistance....

Rethinking the Poverty-disease Nexus: the Case of HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Pienaar, Kiran

2017-09-01

While it is well-established that poverty and disease are intimately connected, the nature of this connection and the role of poverty in disease causation remains contested in scientific and social studies of disease. Using the case of HIV/AIDS in South Africa and drawing on a theoretically grounded analysis, this paper reconceptualises disease and poverty as ontologically entangled. In the context of the South African HIV epidemic, this rethinking of the poverty-disease dynamic enables an account of how social forces such as poverty become embodied in the very substance of disease to produce ontologies of HIV/AIDS unique to South Africa.

Quantifying errors and omissions in alien species lists: The introduction status of Melaleuca species in South Africa as a case study

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Llewellyn Jacobs

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduced species lists provide essential background information for biological invasions research and management. The compilation of these lists is, however, prone to a variety of errors. We highlight the frequency and consequences of such errors using introduced Melaleuca (sensu lato, including Callistemon species in South Africa as a case study. We examined 111 herbarium specimens from South Africa and noted the categories and sub-categories of errors that occurred in identification. We also used information from herbarium specimens and distribution data collected in the field to determine whether a species was introduced, naturalized and invasive. We found that 72% of the specimens were not named correctly. These were due to human error (70% (misidentification, and improved identifications and species identification problems (30% (synonyms arising from inclusion of Callistemon, and unresolved taxonomy. At least 36 Melaleuca species have been introduced to South Africa, and field observations indicate that ten of these have naturalized, including five that are invasive. While most of the errors likely have negligible impact on management, we highlight one case where incorrect identification lead to an inappropriate management approach and some instances of errors in published lists. Invasive species lists need to be carefully reviewed to minimise errors, and herbarium specimens supported by DNA identification are required where identification using morphological features is particularly challenging.

Africa Center for Strategic Studies

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2000-01-01

The Africa Center for Strategic Studies supports democratic governance in Africa by offering senior African civilian and military leaders a rigorous academic and practical program in civil-military...

Neurosyphilis in Africa: A systematic review.

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Michael Marks

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Neurological involvement is one of the most important clinical manifestations of syphilis and neurological disease occurs in both early and late syphilis. The impact of HIV co-infection on clinical neurosyphilis remains unclear. The highest prevalence of both syphilis and HIV is in Africa. Therefore it might be expected that neurosyphilis would be an important and not uncommon manifestation of syphilis in Africa and frequently occur in association with HIV co-infection; yet few data are available on neurosyphilis in Africa. The aim of this study is to review data on neurosyphilis in Africa since the onset of the HIV epidemic.We searched the literature for references on neurosyphilis in Africa for studies published between the 1st of January 1990 and 15th February 2017. We included case reports, case series, and retrospective and prospective cohort and case-control studies. We did not limit inclusion based on the diagnostic criteria used for neurosyphilis. For retrospective and prospective cohorts, we calculated the proportion of study participants who were diagnosed with neurosyphilis according to the individual study criteria. Depending on the study, we assessed the proportion of patients with syphilis found to have neurosyphilis, and the proportion of patients with neurological syndromes who had neurosyphilis. Due to heterogeneity of data no formal pooling of the data or meta-analysis was undertaken.Amongst patients presenting with a neurological syndrome, three studies of patients with meningitis were identified; neurosyphilis was consistently reported to cause approximately 3% of all cases. Three studies on stroke reported mixed findings but were limited due to the small number of patients undergoing CSF examination, whilst neurosyphilis continued to be reported as a common cause of dementia in studies from North Africa. Ten studies reported on cases of neurosyphilis amongst patients known to have syphilis. Studies from both North and

Neurosyphilis in Africa: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Marks, Michael; Jarvis, Joseph N; Howlett, William; Mabey, David C W

2017-08-01

Neurological involvement is one of the most important clinical manifestations of syphilis and neurological disease occurs in both early and late syphilis. The impact of HIV co-infection on clinical neurosyphilis remains unclear. The highest prevalence of both syphilis and HIV is in Africa. Therefore it might be expected that neurosyphilis would be an important and not uncommon manifestation of syphilis in Africa and frequently occur in association with HIV co-infection; yet few data are available on neurosyphilis in Africa. The aim of this study is to review data on neurosyphilis in Africa since the onset of the HIV epidemic. We searched the literature for references on neurosyphilis in Africa for studies published between the 1st of January 1990 and 15th February 2017. We included case reports, case series, and retrospective and prospective cohort and case-control studies. We did not limit inclusion based on the diagnostic criteria used for neurosyphilis. For retrospective and prospective cohorts, we calculated the proportion of study participants who were diagnosed with neurosyphilis according to the individual study criteria. Depending on the study, we assessed the proportion of patients with syphilis found to have neurosyphilis, and the proportion of patients with neurological syndromes who had neurosyphilis. Due to heterogeneity of data no formal pooling of the data or meta-analysis was undertaken. Amongst patients presenting with a neurological syndrome, three studies of patients with meningitis were identified; neurosyphilis was consistently reported to cause approximately 3% of all cases. Three studies on stroke reported mixed findings but were limited due to the small number of patients undergoing CSF examination, whilst neurosyphilis continued to be reported as a common cause of dementia in studies from North Africa. Ten studies reported on cases of neurosyphilis amongst patients known to have syphilis. Studies from both North and Southern Africa continue

Outbreak of Rickettsia africae infections in participants of an adventure race in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Fournier, P E; Roux, V; Caumes, E; Donzel, M; Raoult, D

1998-08-01

African tick-bite fever, caused by Rickettsia africae and transmitted by Amblyomma ticks, is an emerging rickettsiosis in southern Africa. Because of increased tourism to this area, several cases in tourists have been reported recently. We report 13 cases of R. africae infection diagnosed in France that occurred in competitors returning from an adventure race in South Africa and compare our data with previously reported findings. Most of our patients presented with fever, headache, multiple inoculation eschars, and regional lymphadenopathies, but only 15.4% had a cutaneous rash. Diagnosis was confirmed either by isolation of R. africae from an eschar biopsy specimen or by serological methods, including cross-adsorption between R. africae and Rickettsia conorii. The purpose of this study was to raise physicians' awareness of R. africae infections in an attempt to facilitate the rapid diagnosis and treatment of imported African tick-bite fever in developed countries.

Islamic NGOs in Africa and their notion of development. The case of Somalia

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Valeria Saggiomo

2012-11-01

Full Text Available After briefly describing the origins of Islamic NGOs in Africa and the factors that boosted their growth during the last three decades, this chapter will discuss their notion of development and their understanding of basic development concepts such as the human rights and the needs’ approach. It will then review the strategic approaches used by Islamic NGOs to achieve development, using Somalia as a case study for confirming the nexus between migrations and the diffusion of Islamic NGOs in Africa, identified by Salih and Weiss, and for advancing the thesis that Islamic NGOs promote a private welfare system in developing countries.

The Development Needs of Newly Appointed Senior School Leaders in the Western Cape South Africa: A Case Study

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Nelius Jansen van Vuuren

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The essential role that senior school leaders play in school leadership teams to ensure effective strategic leadership in schools has been the subject of intense discussion for many years. Crucial to this debate is the establishment of professional learning and leadership approaches for newly appointed senior school leaders. Recommendations for policy and practice highlight the importance of appropriate, multifaceted, developmental support initiatives for newly appointed school leaders. In many countries, including South Africa, a teaching qualification and, in most cases, extensive teaching experience is the only requirement for being appointed as a senior school leader in a school. This tends to suggest that no further professional development is required for newly appointed school leaders, the problem addressed in this paper. This paper reports on the main findings of the perceived development needs of newly appointed senior school leaders in the Western Cape, South Africa, and suggests that school leaders occupy a unique and specialist role in education, which requires relevant and specific preparation to support effective leadership. The respondents of this study report a lack of contextualised training and support before and after their appointment in their new roles creating unique development needs. This paper, therefore, employs a mixed-method approach to gather data to understand the perceived needs of twenty newly appointed senior school leaders in the Western Cape, South Africa.

What determines Chinese outward direct investment in Africa? Case study: CNPC and Huawei

OpenAIRE

WU, XUANYONG

2014-01-01

Outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) from China has increased substantially in recent years. Africa, as one of the most significant destinations of OFDI, has attracted increased global attention. The determinants of China’s OFDI to Africa are primarily linked to poorly governed countries with abundant natural resources. However, the results are inconclusive because of the differences between state-controlled and privately owned firms. In order to explore what drives Chinese OFDI in Africa...

Implementing RDA Data Citation Recommendations: Case Study in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Hugo, Wim

2016-04-01

SAEON operates a shared research data infrastructure for its own data sets and for clients and end users in the Earth and Environmental Sciences domain. SAEON has a license to issue Digital Object Identifiers via DataCite on behalf of third parties, and have recently concluded development work to make a universal data deposit, description, and DOI minting facility available. This facility will be used to develop a number of end user gateways, including DataCite South Africa (in collaboration with National Research Foundation and addressing all grant-funded research in the country), DIRISA (Data-intensive Research Infrastructure for South Africa - in collaboration with Meraka Institute and Department of Science and Technology), and SASDI (South African Spatial Data Infrastructure). The RDA recently published Data Citation Recommendations [1], and this was used as a basis for specification of Digital Object Identifier implementation, raising two significant challenges: 1. Synchronisation of frequently harvested meta-data sets where version management practice did not align with the RDA recommendations, and 2. Handling sub-sets of and queries on large, continuously updated data sets. In the first case, we have developed a set of tests that determine the logical course of action when discrepancies are found during synchronization, and we have incorporated these into meta-data harvester configurations. Additionally, we have developed a state diagram and attendant workflow for meta-data that includes problem states emanating from DOI management, reporting services for data depositors, and feedback to end users in respect of synchronisation issues. In the second case, in the absence of firm guidelines from DataCite, we are seeking community consensus and feedback on an approach that caches all queries performed and subsets derived from data, and provide these with anchor-style extensions linked to the dataset's original DOI. This allows extended DOIs to resolve to a meta

Water market transfers in South Africa: Two case studies

Science.gov (United States)

Nieuwoudt, W. L.; Armitage, R. M.

2004-09-01

Statistical analyses (discriminant, logit, and principal components) of water transfers in the Lower Orange River showed that water rights were transferred to farmers with the highest return per unit of water applied, those producing table grapes, and with high-potential arable "outer land" without water rights. Only unused water (sleeper right) was transferred, while water saved (through adoption of conservation practices) was retained possibly for security purposes. A second study in the Nkwaleni Valley in northern KwaZulu-Natal found that no water market had emerged despite the scarcity of water in the area. No willing sellers of water rights existed. Demand for institutional change to establish tradable water rights may take more time in the second area since crop profitability in this area is similar for potential buyers and nonbuyers. Transaction costs appear larger than benefits from market transactions. Farmers generally use all their water rights in the second area and retain surplus water rights as security against drought because of unreliable river flow. This study indicates that these irrigation farmers are highly risk averse (downside risk). Government policies that increase the level of risk and reduce security of licenses are estimated to have a significant effect on future investment in irrigation. In an investment model the following variables explain future investment: expected profits, liquidity, risk aversion (Arrow-Pratt), and security of water use rights. The study is seen in the light of the New South African Water Act of 1998. According to this act, the ownership of water in South Africa has changed from private to public. This reform may not impede the development of water markets in South Africa since in the well-developed water markets of the United States, western states claim ownership of water within their boundaries. All states in the western United States allow private rights in the use of water to be established and sold.

Evaluating the investment decision-making process for business expansion into Africa: A case study

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Jason Kasozi

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Africa is a potential domain for international business. However, numerous uncertainties characterize this environment and the challenge for multinationals remains the ability to assess the true value of an Africa-bound investment project. A telecommunications’ survey was conducted on Siemens Southern Africa (Siemens and Mobile Telecommunications’ Network (MTN and the following observations were made: (1 Approaches used by the businesses to value Africa-bound investments were not comprehensive and inclusive. (2 Neutrality existed to the suggestion that Africa is unique and that investment decisions should be customized to suit it. (3 Certain approaches used by the businesses were modified to suit pertaining investment circumstances thereby differing from literature, and (4, participants desired to learn new ways of improving this process suggesting dissatisfaction with the current norm. This paper presents the conflicting ideologies about the decision-making process for business expansion into Africa and suggests ways of improving the process

Electricity supply options, sustainable development and climate change priorities. Case studies for South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winkler, H.; Mukheibir, P.; Mwakasonda, S.; Garg, A.; Halsnaes, K.

2007-09-01

This report summarizes the results of the project Projecting future energy demand: Balancing development, energy and climate priorities in large developing economies, which has been managed by UNEP Risoe Centre on behalf of UNEP DTIE. The report argues that starting from development objectives is critical to mitigation efforts in developing countries. Instead of defining local benefits as ancillary to mitigation, reductions of GHG emissions should be seen as the co-benefits of policies that drive local sustainable development. A development-focused approach seems more likely to be implemented than the imposition of GHG targets by the international community - especially as South Africa has adopted development targets such as the Millennium Development Goals and promoted the Johannesburg Plan of Action. The case studies presented take as their starting point development objectives, rather than climate change targets. The form of climate action which it investigates is sustainable development policies and measures. (BA)

A Perspective on Sea Level Rise and Coastal Storm Surge from Southern and Eastern Africa: A Case Study Near Durban, South Africa

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Derek D. Stretch

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Recent coastal storms in southern Africa have highlighted the need for more proactive management of the coastline. Within the southern and eastern African region the availability of coastal information is poor. The greatest gap in information is the likely effects of a combination of severe sea storms and future sea level rise (SLR on the shoreline. This lack of information creates a barrier to informed decision making. This research outlines a practical localized approach to this problem, which can be applied as a first order assessment within the region. In so doing it provides a cost effective and simple decision support tool for the built environment and disaster professionals in development and disaster assessments. In a South African context the newly promulgated Integrated Coastal Management Act requires that all proposed coastal developments take into consideration future SLR, however such information currently does not exist, despite it being vital for informed planning in the coastal zone. This practical approach has been applied to the coastline of Durban, South Africa as a case study. The outputs are presented in a Geographic Information System (GIS based freeware viewer tool enabling ease of access to both professionals and laypersons. This demonstrates that a simple approach can provide valuable information about the current and future risk of flooding and coastal erosion under climate change to buildings, infrastructure as well as natural features along the coast.

Ethnicity, Land and Conflict in Eastern Africa : Case Studies from ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

, Tanzania and Uganda. As in other parts of Africa, land remains the basis of a mainly agrarian economy and the focal point of identity contests, especially within and between ethnic groups. Postcolonial land reforms have largely failed to ...

Erysipelas of the leg (cellulitis in sub-Saharan Africa: A multicentric study of 562 cases

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Bayaki Saka

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Erysipelas of the leg is a common and serious infection. We carried out this study aiming at describing the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, and assessing the risks factors associated with the local complications of erysipelas of the leg in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: This was a prospective multicentric study carried out in the dermatology units of Hospitals located in seven sub-Saharan African countries during a period of 12 months. Patients aged 15 and above with a first episode of erysipelas of the leg were recruited. Results: In this study, 562 patients were recruited, having a mean age of 43.7±16.9 years and a sex-ratio (M/F of 0.67. Patients infected on one leg were 562 while those infected with two were 27. Bullous forms of the disease were observed in 95 patients, while purpuric forms were observed in 167 patients. The existence of a point of entry (485 cases, obesity (230, lymph edema (130 and the use of bleaching agents (97 were the mains risk factors. Complications during the course of the infection such as necrotizing fasciitis (34 cases and abscesses (63 cases were observed. They were due to the use of antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory treatments, and the use of cataplasm. Conclusion: This study reveals that existence of a point of entry, obesity and lymph edema, and the use of bleaching agents were the mains risk factors influencing the local complications of erysipelas of the leg. Necrotizing fasciitis and abscesses were influenced by the use of antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory treatments, and the use of cataplasm.

Estimation of household income diversification in South Africa: A case study of three provinces

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Jabulani Mathebula

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We estimated household income diversification in settlement types of the poorest provinces in South Africa the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal. We obtained data from the 2010/2011 Income and Expenditure Survey from Statistics South Africa and Wave 3 data from the National Income Dynamics Study. We used the number of income sources, the number of income earners and the Shannon Diversity Index to estimate income diversification in the study provinces. The results show that households in the traditional and urban formal areas diversified income sources to a greater extent than households in urban informal and rural formal settlements. The varied degrees of income diversification in the three provinces suggest that targeted policy initiatives aimed at enhancing household income are important in these provinces.

Risk factors associated with hospitalisation for influenza-associated severe acute respiratory illness in South Africa: A case-population study.

Science.gov (United States)

Abadom, Tochukwu Raphael; Smith, Adrian D; Tempia, Stefano; Madhi, Shabir A; Cohen, Cheryl; Cohen, Adam L

2016-11-04

Influenza is a common cause of severe respiratory illness, but risk factors for hospitalisation in low income settings with a high HIV prevalence are not well described. We aimed to assess risk factors associated with influenza-associated severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) hospitalisation in South Africa. We conducted a case-population study using data on risk conditions in patients hospitalised with SARI and the national prevalence of these conditions. Data on hospitalised cases were from the national SARI surveillance program while data on the referent population were from the latest national census or health and demographic surveillance surveys. From 2009 to 2012, we identified 3646 (7.9%) of 46,031 enrolled cases of SARI that were associated with influenza infection. Risk factors associated with hospitalisation included previous history of smoking [case-population ratio (CPR) 3.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.5-4.16], HIV infection (CPR 3.61, 95% CI 3.5-3.71), asthma (CPR 2.45, 95% CI 2.19-2.73), previous history of hospital admission in the past 12months (CPR 2.07, 95% CI 1.92-2.23), and tuberculosis (CPR 1.85, 95% CI 1.68-2.02). When stratified by age, there is increased risk of hospitalisation in those ⩽5yearsof age (CPR 3.07, 95% CI 2.93-3.21) and among those 35yearsof age and above (CPR 1.23, 95% CI 1.28-1.18). Male sex (CPR 0.85, 95% CI 0.82-0.88) and completion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccination schedule in children <5yearsof age (CPR 0.74, 95% CI 0.71-0.77) were associated with decreased risk of hospitalisation. These results identify groups at high-risk for severe influenza who should be considered potential targets for influenza vaccination in South Africa and similar settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Case studies: Mining and milling activities - South African facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metcalf, P.E.; Woude, S. van der

2000-01-01

The mining and milling of minerals is a very important industry in South Africa that employs more than 300,000 people. South Africa extracts minerals with naturally occurring radionuclides, amongst which uranium, monazite and zircon. Two case studies involving environmental restoration activities that are typically associated with mining and minerals processing are discussed. The first case study, Katdoringbos, describes the restoration of a contaminated site where scrap material originating from the mining and minerals processing facilities had been recycled. The other case study, Crown 4, deals with the restoration of a contaminated site where a mine tailings dam had been removed and the owner of the land wished to develop it for commercial exploitation. (author)

The cost of water hyacinth control in South Africa: a case study of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The biology, ecology and impacts of water hyacinth are well studied, but sound and cost-effective management of it remains an enormous challenge in South Africa. Since the 1970s, control programmes have focused on the use of herbicides, with some success, while biological and integrated control have historically ...

Satellite-based hybrid drought monitoring tool for prediction of vegetation condition in Eastern Africa: A case study for Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Tadesse, Tsegaye; Demisse, Getachew Berhan; Zaitchik, Ben; Dinku, Tufa

2014-03-01

An experimental drought monitoring tool has been developed that predicts the vegetation condition (Vegetation Outlook) using a regression-tree technique at a monthly time step during the growing season in Eastern Africa. This prediction tool (VegOut-Ethiopia) is demonstrated for Ethiopia as a case study. VegOut-Ethiopia predicts the standardized values of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) at multiple time steps (weeks to months into the future) based on analysis of "historical patterns" of satellite, climate, and oceanic data over historical records. The model underlying VegOut-Ethiopia capitalizes on historical climate-vegetation interactions and ocean-climate teleconnections (such as El Niño and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO)) expressed over the 24 year data record and also considers several environmental characteristics (e.g., land cover and elevation) that influence vegetation's response to weather conditions to produce 8 km maps that depict future general vegetation conditions. VegOut-Ethiopia could provide vegetation monitoring capabilities at local, national, and regional levels that can complement more traditional remote sensing-based approaches that monitor "current" vegetation conditions. The preliminary results of this case study showed that the models were able to predict the vegetation stress (both spatial extent and severity) in drought years 1-3 months ahead during the growing season in Ethiopia. The correlation coefficients between the predicted and satellite-observed vegetation condition range from 0.50 to 0.90. Based on the lessons learned from past research activities and emerging experimental forecast models, future studies are recommended that could help Eastern Africa in advancing knowledge of climate, remote sensing, hydrology, and water resources.

(PML): A retrospective study from Pretoria, South Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Two cases of PML have been reported from Gambia, and 4 additional ... impaired co-ordination (41%), and speech disturbances (12%), and CSF analysis showed .... leukoencephalopathy in India and Africa: Is there a biological explanation?

Local Governance and ICTs in Africa: Case Studies and Guidelines ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2011-08-01

Aug 1, 2011 ... ... been a lack of evidence on information technology in local governance in Africa. ... land management, education, local economic development, citizen registration ... but is also a practical handbook for government decision makers. ... call for proposals to establish Cyber Policy Centres in the Global South.

Renewable energy alternatives to mega hydropower: a case study of Inga 3 for Southern Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Deshmukh, R.; Mileva, A.; Wu, G. C.

2018-06-01

We assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of renewable energy alternatives to Inga 3, a 4.8-GW hydropower project on the Congo River, to serve the energy needs of the host country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the main buyer, South Africa. To account for a key uncertainty in the literature regarding the additional economic impacts of managing variable wind and solar electricity, we built a spatially and temporally detailed power system investment model for South Africa. We find that a mix of wind, solar photovoltaics, and some natural gas is more cost-effective than Inga 3 to meet future demand except in scenarios with pessimistic assumptions about wind technology performance. If a low load growth forecast is used, including Inga 3 in the power mix results in higher system cost across all sensitivities. In our scenarios, the effect of Inga 3 deployment on South African power system cost ranges from an increase of ZAR 4300 (US 330) million annually to savings of ZAR 1600 (US 120) million annually by 2035. A cost overrun as low as 20% makes the Inga 3 scenarios more expensive in all sensitivity cases. Including time and cost overruns and losses in transmission from DRC to South Africa make Inga 3 an even less attractive investment. For DRC, through analysis of spatial datasets representing technical, physical, and environmental constraints, we find abundant renewable energy potential: 60 GW of solar photovoltaic and 0.6–2.3 GW of wind located close to transmission infrastructure have levelized costs less than US 0.07 per kWh, or the anticipated cost of Inga 3 to residential consumers.

Development of a rapid approach for the enumeration of Escherichia coli in riverbed sediment: case study, the Apies River, South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Abia

2015-12-01

Full Text Available stream_source_info Abia_2015_ABSTRACT.pdf.txt stream_content_type text/plain stream_size 3292 Content-Encoding UTF-8 stream_name Abia_2015_ABSTRACT.pdf.txt Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Journal of Soils... and Sediments Development of a rapid approach for the enumeration of Escherichia coli in riverbed sediment: case study, the Apies River, South Africa L. K. A. Abia: M. N. B. Momba Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Science, Tshwane University...

Pentecostals and the pulpit: A case study of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marius Nel

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In general, early Pentecostals did not use any pulpits in their halls in order to underline their emphasis that each believer is a prophet and priest equipped by the Holy Spirit with gifts for the edification of other members of the assembly. All participated in the worship service by way of praying, prophesying, witnessing and bringing a message from God. From the 1940s, Pentecostals in their desire to be acceptable in their communities formed an alliance with evangelicals, accepted their hermeneutical viewpoint and built traditional churches in accordance with the Protestant tradition. From the 1980s, the pulpit started disappearing from the front of Pentecostal churches. This is explained in terms of new alliances that Pentecostals made with neo-Pentecostalist churches and a new hermeneutical viewpoint. The hypothesis of the article is that the Pentecostal stance towards the pulpit was determined by its hermeneutical perspectives. It is described by way of a comparative literature study and applied to a specific case study, the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa.

Impact of China on sub-Saharan Africa : Country Case Studies ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The research will be carried out as a collaborative effort in which senior African scholars and their counterparts outside Africa interact with African policymakers who are engaged in various ways with China and India. The idea is to better understand the implications of economic relations with China for African development ...

Case Study: Small bowel perforation secondary to ileal tuberculosis ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The following case study was discussed at the South African Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (SASPEN) workshop on critcal care Nutrition held at the 25th Congress of the Nutrition Society of South Africa and the 13th Congress of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa in Johannesburg in September 2014.

Evolution of Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa - from Nkruma to Mutharika The 2nd: Case Study Of South Africa

OpenAIRE

Mavhungu Abel Mafukata

2016-01-01

Since Sub-Saharan Africa's first independence in Ghana, the region has experienced massive and costly political and bureaucratic corruption within public service and administration. The causes of the corruption, its nature and form are wide and intertwined. In Sub-Saharan Africa, efforts to curb corruption have failed to discard it. The paper focused on the period from Nkruma in Ghana to Mutharika the 2nd in Malawi. This paper reviewed existing literature on political and bureaucratic corrupt...

Healthcare Worker Preferences for Active Tuberculosis Case Finding Programs in South Africa: A Best-Worst Scaling Choice Experiment.

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Nathan N O'Hara

Full Text Available Healthcare workers (HCWs in South Africa are at a high risk of developing active tuberculosis (TB due to their occupational exposures. This study aimed to systematically quantify and compare the preferred attributes of an active TB case finding program for HCWs in South Africa.A Best-Worst Scaling choice experiment estimated HCW's preferences using a random-effects conditional logit model. Latent class analysis (LCA was used to explore heterogeneity in preferences."No cost", "the assurance of confidentiality", "no wait" and testing at the occupational health unit at one's hospital were the most preferred attributes. LCA identified a four class model with consistent differences in preference strength. Sex, occupation, and the time since a previous TB test were statistically significant predictors of class membership.The findings support the strengthening of occupational health units in South Africa to offer free and confidential active TB case finding programs for HCWs with minimal wait times. There is considerable variation in active TB case finding preferences amongst HCWs of different gender, occupation, and testing history. Attention to heterogeneity in preferences should optimize screening utilization of target HCW populations.

[Several cases of giant epulis observed in West Africa].

Science.gov (United States)

Cantaloube, D; Larroque, G; Ndiaye, R; Rives, J M; Seurat, P

1987-01-01

The presenting symptomatology in 9 cases of giant epulis seen in West Africa was constantly difficulties in mastication or even speech, and on some occasions tumefaction of the face. A certain number of factors are involved in the development of these benign tumors, and although inflammation represents the primum movens of this affection, other causes, including some specific to the African continent, must be considered with a view to a pathogenic approach.

Study of the climatic change impact on vector-borne diseases in West Africa: the case of tick-borne borreliosis and malaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trape, J.F.

2005-04-01

Malaria and tick-borne borreliosis are the two first causes of morbidity due to vector-borne diseases in a large part of Sudan-sahelian West Africa. They are also the two tropical diseases which have been the most affected by climatic change in recent years. In the case of tick-borne borreliosis it has been shown in Senegal that the persistence of drought since the years 70 has been associated with a considerable extension of the geographic range of diseases and the vector tick A-sonrai, a species that was in the past limited to the Sahara and Sahel. In the case of malaria, drought has strongly reduced in these same regions of Africa the distribution, abundance and infection rate of Anopheline mosquitoes, but without any significant reduction of the burden of malaria for most populations concerned. The emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to antimalarial drugs only explain part of this phenomenon. (A.L.B.)

Design considerations for identifying breast cancer risk factors in a population-based study in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Brinton, Louise A; Awuah, Baffour; Nat Clegg-Lamptey, Joe; Wiafe-Addai, Beatrice; Ansong, Daniel; Nyarko, Kofi M; Wiafe, Seth; Yarney, Joel; Biritwum, Richard; Brotzman, Michelle; Adjei, Andrew A; Adjei, Ernest; Aitpillah, Francis; Edusei, Lawrence; Dedey, Florence; Nyante, Sarah J; Oppong, Joseph; Osei-Bonsu, Ernest; Titiloye, Nicholas; Vanderpuye, Verna; Brew Abaidoo, Emma; Arhin, Bernard; Boakye, Isaac; Frempong, Margaret; Ohene Oti, Naomi; Okyne, Victoria; Figueroa, Jonine D

2017-06-15

Although breast cancer is becoming more prevalent in Africa, few epidemiologic studies have been undertaken and appropriate methodologic approaches remain uncertain. We therefore conducted a population-based case-control study in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana, enrolling 2,202 women with lesions suspicious for breast cancer and 2,161 population controls. Biopsy tissue for cases prior to neoadjuvant therapy (if given), blood, saliva and fecal samples were sought for study subjects. Response rates, risk factor prevalences and odds ratios for established breast cancer risk factors were calculated. A total of 54.5% of the recruited cases were diagnosed with malignancies, 36.0% with benign conditions and 9.5% with indeterminate diagnoses. Response rates to interviews were 99.2% in cases and 91.9% in controls, with the vast majority of interviewed subjects providing saliva (97.9% in cases vs. 98.8% in controls) and blood (91.8% vs. 82.5%) samples; lower proportions (58.1% vs. 46.1%) provided fecal samples. While risk factor prevalences were unique as compared to women in other countries (e.g., less education, higher parity), cancer risk factors resembled patterns identified elsewhere (elevated risks associated with higher levels of education, familial histories of breast cancer, low parity and larger body sizes). Subjects with benign conditions were younger and exhibited higher socioeconomic profiles (e.g., higher education and lower parity) than those with malignancies, suggesting selective referral influences. While further defining breast cancer risk factors in Africa, this study showed that successful population-based interdisciplinary studies of cancer in Africa are possible but require close attention to diagnostic referral biases and standardized and documented approaches for high-quality data collection, including biospecimens. © 2017 UICC.

Agricultural chemical exposures and birth defects in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa A case – control study

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Tyler Joanne

2003-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background South Africa is one of the major users of pesticides on the African continent. The Eastern Cape is the second largest province in South Africa. There has been growing concern about the occurrence of certain birth defects which seemed to have increased in the past few years. In this paper we investigate associations between exposure to agricultural chemicals and certain birth defects. Few such studies have been undertaken in the developing world previously. Methods Between September 2000 and March 2001 a case – control study was conducted among rural women in the area of the Eastern cape to investigate the association between women's exposure to pesticides and the occurrence of birth defects. Information on birth defects was obtained from the register of the Paediatrics Department at the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane, one of the largest referral hospitals in the province. The cases were children who were diagnosed with selected birth defects. The controls were children born in the same areas as the cases. Exposure information on the mothers was obtained by interview concerning from their activities in gardens and fields. Data were analysed using conditional logistic regression. Results A total of 89 case mothers and 178 control mothers was interviewed. Babies with birth defects were seven times more likely to be born to women exposed to chemicals used in gardens and fields compared to no reported exposure (Odds Ratio 7.18, 95% CI 3.99, 13.25; and were almost twice as likely to be born to women who were involved in dipping livestock used to prevent ticks (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.15, 3.14. They were also 6.5 times more likely to be born to women who were using plastic containers for fetching water (OR 6.5, 95% CI 2.2, 27.9. Some of these containers had previously contained pesticides (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.06, 3.31. Conclusions These findings suggest a link between exposure to pesticides and certain birth defects among the

Is schooling good for the development of society? The case of South Africa

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Clive Harber

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is concerned with three possible theoretical relationships, between education and social, economic and political development, that - (a education improves society, (b education reproduces society as it is and (c education actually makes society worse. The paper then uses South Africa as a case study to critically analyse these different roles of education in relation to development theory. In particular, it examines three theoretical tensions in post-apartheid education policy and practice - those between human capital theory and social reproduction, between modernisation and bureaucratic disorganisation, and between democracy and peace and authoritarianism and violence. It concludes by attempting to explain these tensions and contradictions in term of factors specific to South Africa such as teacher professionalism and teacher identity and in relation to wider factors inherent in the historical origins of schooling as a form of organisation based on social control.

Hospital solid waste management practices in Limpopo Province, South Africa: A case study of two hospitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemathaga, Felicia; Maringa, Sally; Chimuka, Luke

2008-01-01

The shortcomings in the management practices of hospital solid waste in Limpopo Province of South Africa were studied by looking at two hospitals as case studies. Apart from field surveys, the generated hospital waste was weighed to compute the generation rates and was followed through various management practices to the final disposal. The findings revealed a major policy implementation gap between the national government and the hospitals. While modern practices such as landfill and incineration are used, their daily operations were not carried according to minimum standards. Incinerator ash is openly dumped and wastes are burned on landfills instead of being covered with soil. The incinerators used are also not environmentally friendly as they use old technology. The findings further revealed that there is no proper separation of wastes according to their classification as demanded by the national government. The mean percentage composition of the waste was found in the following decreasing order: general waste (60.74%) > medical waste (30.32%) > sharps (8.94%). The mean generation rates were found to be 0.60 kg per patient per day

Case Study: Nutrition in the ICU and multi-organ failure ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The following case study was discussed at the recent SASPEN Congress held at Spier Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa. The case study was adapted from the original and used with the kind permission of Fresenius Kabi, Germany. Herewith follows a summarised discussion of the case. It is a reflection of the general ...

A second wave of gentrification: The case of Parkhurst, Johannesburg, South Africa

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Paul Tsietsi Monare

2014-07-01

Full Text Available As in many other countries, gentrification and urban regeneration occurs across South Africa. Despite this, geographical research on gentrification in South Africa is limited. This study adds to the literature by presenting the case of Parkhurst, a Johannesburg surburb. The study found that Parkhurst displays numerous characteristics of gentrification. The housing stock has undergone extensive physical improvement, with almost one third renovated or under renovation. Property values have increased and the original residents have been displaced. Parkhurst has a demographic and a socio-economic profile typical of a gentrified suburb. It is populated by young, white, educated, weathy professionals people. In addition, gentrification has resulted in the conversion of residential into commercial space, with some residences converted into business premises. The result is a distinct linear commerical zone within the neigbourhood. Gentrification is also associated with a change in housing tenure from rentals to ownership, it was found that ownership was a common feature of Parkhurst. Overall, it was concluded that gentrification of the suburb has occurred over an extensive period of time and is now in a super-gentrification stage.

The Management of Parental Involvement in Multicultural Schools in South Africa: A Case Study

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Sathiapama Michael

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the management of parental involvement in three multicultural schools in the Umlazi District in Durban, South Africa. A literature survey resulting in a theoretical framework on parental involvement in schools, multicultural schools, and the managing of parental involvement in schools has been done. The contextual background of schools in contemporary South Africa is depicted. A qualitative research design has been used. Focus group discussions have been conducted, with a total of thirty-three principals, teachers and parents. It has found that there is a low level of meaningful contact between school and parents. Apathy exists on the side of parents, low expectations on the side of principals and teachers, and an organisational structure facilitating parent-school interaction is lacking. In managing parental involvement in multicultural schools, school managers display a lack of intercultural sensitivity.

Groundwater and climate change in Africa : review of recharge studies

OpenAIRE

Bonsor, H.C.; MacDonald, A.M.

2010-01-01

The review of recharge studies was conducted as part of a one year DFID-funded research programme, aimed at improving understanding of the impacts of climate change on groundwater resources and local livelihoods – see http://www.bgs.ac.uk/GWResilience/. The review is one of a series of components within the project. The overall outputs of the project are: Two hydrogeological case studies in West and East Africa – which assess the storage and availability of groundwater in different aquifers a...

Rubella in Sub-Saharan Africa and sensorineural hearing loss: a case control study

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Cristina Caroça

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Rubella infection can affect several organs and cause birth defects that are responsible for congenital rubella syndrome (CRS. Congenital hearing loss is the most common symptom of this syndrome, occurring in approximately 60% of CRS cases. Worldwide, over 100 000 babies are born with CRS every year. There is no specific treatment for rubella, but the disease is preventable by vaccination. Since 1969, the rubella vaccine has been implemented in many countries, but in Africa, only a few countries routinely immunize against rubella. The aim of this study was to estimate the rate of infection from the wild-type rubella virus in São Tomé and Príncipe by determining rubella seroprevalence with a DBS method. The goal of this study was to reinforce the need for implementation of the rubella vaccine in this country. As secondary objectives, the validation of a DBS method was first attempted and an association between seroprevalence and hearing loss was assessed. Methods We collected samples from individuals observed during humanitarian missions in São Tomé and Príncipe. All individuals underwent an audiometric evaluation, and a drop of blood was collected for the dried blood spot (DBS. We define two groups: the case group (individuals with unilateral or bilateral hearing loss (HL and the control group (individuals with two normal ears. Patients were excluded if they suffered from conductive HL, if they showed evidence of possible causes of HL, if they had developmental delay or if they refused to participate in the study. Results Among the 315 subjects, we found 64.1% individuals with IgG for the rubella virus, 32.1% without immunity for the rubella virus and 3.8% who were borderline. In the control group, 62.6% were positive for the rubella IgG, whereas in the case group, 72% were positive. Analyzing both groups, with ages ranging from 2 to 14 years of age and from 15 to 35 years of age, we found a seroprevalence of 50.3% to

Making the case for biodiversity in South Africa: Re-framing biodiversity communications

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Kristal Maze

2016-12-01

Conclusion: Based on the findings, a communications strategy known as ‘Making the case for biodiversity’ was developed that re-framed the economic, emotional and practical value propositions for biodiversity. The communications strategy has already resulted in greater political and economic attention towards biodiversity in South Africa.

Epidemiology, causes, and treatment of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa

OpenAIRE

Ba-Diop, Awa; Marin, Beno?t; Druet-Cabanac, Michel; Ngoungou, Edgard B; Newton, Charles R; Preux, Pierre-Marie

2014-01-01

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease in tropical countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Previous work on epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa has shown that many cases are severe, partly a result of some specific causes, that it carries a stigma, and that it is not adequately treated in many cases. Many studies on the epidemiology, aetiology, and management of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa have been reported in the past 10 years. The prevalence estimated from door-to-door studies is a...

Human infections due to Salmonella Blockley, a rare serotype in South Africa: a case report

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Gonose Thandubuhle

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Infections due to nontyphoidal Salmonella have increased worldwide over the last couple of decades. Salmonella enterica serotype Blockley (Salmonella Blockley infections is associated with chickens and is a rarely isolated serotype in human infections in most countries. Case presentation We report a case of human infections due to Salmonella Blockley in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2011. Three African males (aged 4, 14 and 16 presented to a clinic with diarrhoea, stomach cramps and headache. They started experiencing signs of illness a day after they consumed a common meal, consisting of meat, rice and potatoes. Stool specimens from the patients cultured Salmonella Blockley. The strains showed an indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern. Conclusion This is the first recorded case of human infections due to Salmonella Blockley in South Africa.

Excess co-movement in asset prices: The case of South Africa

OpenAIRE

Ocran, Mathew; Mlambo, Chipo

2009-01-01

The paper investigates excess co-movement in asset prices in South Africa between 1995 and 2005 using the definition of excess comovement as correlation between two asset prices beyond what could be explained by key economic fundamentals. The results of the study suggest that there is excess co-movement between returns on equities and bonds in South Africa. The findings suggest that there are considerable noise traders on the financial market in South Africa. The result of this behaviour woul...

West Africa

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

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NESDA: Network for Environment and Sustainable Development in Africa .... Some of the key natural resources of the region are transboundary—case of surface ..... The goals of the present study on the risk-sharing approach to regional ...... The reserve includes a World Heritage Site (Djoudj) and 5 Ramsar sites (Djoudj,.

Community-acquired acute kidney injury in adults in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Adu, Dwomoa; Okyere, Perditer; Boima, Vincent; Matekole, Michael; Osafo, Charlotte

We review recent published data on demographics, causes, diagnoses, treatment, and outcome of acute kidney injury (AKI) in Africa. A review of the incidence, etiology, diagnoses, and treatment of AKI in adults in Africa from studies published between the years 2000 and 2015. The incidence of AKI in hospitalized patients in Africa ranges from 0.3 to 1.9% in adults. Between 70 and 90% of cases of AKI are community acquired. Most patients with AKI are young with a weighted mean age of 41.3 standard deviation (SD) 9.3 years, and a male to female ratio of 1.2 : 1.0. Medical causes account for between 65 and 80% of causes of AKI. This is followed by obstetric causes in 5 - 27% of cases and surgical causes in 2 - 24% of cases. In the reported studies, between 17 and 94% of patients who needed dialysis received this. The mortality of AKI in adults in Africa ranged from 11.5 to 43.5%. Most reported cases of AKI in Africa originate in the community. The low incidence of hospital-acquired AKI is likely to be due to under ascertainment. Most patients with AKI in Africa are young and have a single precipitating cause. Prominent among these are infection, pregnancy complications and nephrotoxins. Early treatment can improve clinical outcomes.

A journey towards inclusive education; a case study from a 'township' in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Luger, Rosemary; Prudhomme, Debbie; Bullen, Ann; Pitt, Catherine; Geiger, Martha

2012-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to relate part of the journey to appropriate education for two young children with physical disabilities in a low socio-economic peri-urban informal settlement - or 'township' - in South Africa. The part of the on-going journey described here spanned four-and-a-half years and included the two children, their families, their teachers, their community and a small team of rehabilitation professionals working for a non-profit organisation in the area. The rehabilitation professionals' goals were to provide support for the children, their families, their current special care centre and the school(s) they would attend in the future. The steps from the special care centre, to a mainstream early childhood development (ECD) centre for both of them, and then on to (a) a school for learners with special educational needs (LSEN) for one child and (b) a mainstream primary school for the other, are described. Challenges encountered on the way included parental fears, community attitudes and physical accessibility. Practical outcomes included different placements for the two children with implications and recommendations for prioritised parent involvement, individual approaches, interdisciplinary and community-based collaborations. Recommendations are given for clinical contexts, curricula and policy matters; for research and for scaling up such a programme through community workers.

Empirical Analysis of China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation for Good or Bad: A Case of Tanzania

OpenAIRE

Johansein Ladislaus Rutaihwa; Amina Ramadhan Mkwawa

2011-01-01

This study investigated China-Africa Economic and Trade ties taking Tanzania as the case study and the prime objective was to identify the main drivers for the bilateral trade and the benefits of the ties. The study draws theoretical framework from Realism, Dependency and Marxist theories of Imperialism. The dependency theory explains underdevelopment while the Marxist explains dominant state expansion. This study mainly employs descriptive research approach to asses China-Tanzania economic a...

Sustaining Industrial Growth and Trade in Africa | Kaggwa | Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The use of selective industrial policy to reintegrate South Africa's previously protected automotive industry into the global business is one of the few successful cases on the African continent in recent times. South Africa's success provides a useful reference point for other African countries in which selective industrial policy ...

Translator education and accreditation policies in Africa: Exploring ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article questions the presuppositions on which current translator education and accreditation in South Africa and Africa are based. This is done on the basis of Tymozcko's reconceptualisation of translation studies and of Robinson's theory of translation quality. It presents sets of data as case studies that support ...

Socio-cultural factors affecting the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dada-Adegbola, H O

2004-06-01

There is a disproportionate share of AIDS cases over the years in Africa. This has occurred in racial and ethnic minority populations, a finding likely related to social, economic and cultural factors. Certain socio-cultural and religious practices such as polygamy and giving a daughter away in marriage without considering the social life of the man are likely contributory factors to the higher prevalence of HIV/AIDS in women in this part of the world. This is illustrated with a case of Mr. M. S. who married two wives within four months interval, having lived a promiscuous life before marriage. One of the wives was a virgin at the time of marriage. Neither of wives had any symptoms suggestive of STD or HIV before marriage, however, the three of them tested positive to HIV-1 following a visit to the special treatment clinic. He had genital herpes and his two wives also had vulvovaginal candidiasis, genital herpes and condyloma accuminata (genital warts). The husband would not want his HIV status declared to the wives. There is therefore a need to enact law on pre-marriage HIV screening for intending couples. Couple Pre-and post-test counseling must be encouraged and promoted. In addition, women should be empowered to negotiate safer sex.

Bio-fuels and Food Security: A Case Study of South Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The impact of an expanding bio-fuels sector in South Africa is expected to be widespread and substantial and could affect the agricultural sector. For example, an expanded bio-fuels industry in the country is predicted to lead to marginal price increases of 7.5% for milk, 2% for chicken, 9.6% for beef and 2.5% for eggs per ...

Globalization and State–Society Relations in Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

sulaiman.adebowale

2008-10-20

Oct 20, 2008 ... Department of African and African American Studies, Pennsylvania State .... higher taxes and state provision of greater public services (Findlay and Wellisz ... the impacts of new globalization on state–society relations in Africa is placed ... In any case, the experience of Africa's incorporation into the global.

Emerging patterns and trends in citizen journalism in Africa: The case of Zimbabwe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mutsvairo, Bruce; Columbus, Simon

2012-01-01

While it has generally been accepted that non-professional media actors empowered by novel digitally networked technologies are changing the media landscape in the West, this is less obvi- ous in the case of sub-Saharan Africa. Recent years, however, have seen the emergence of a diverse range of

Mobile Africa : changing patterns of movement in Africa and beyond

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruijn, de M.E.; Dijk, van R.A.; Foeken, D.W.J.

2001-01-01

The case studies in this book on mobility in sub-Saharan Africa critically discuss dichotomous interpretations of mobility and reject the idea that migration indicates a breakdown in society. They adopt the approach that sedentary and mobile worlds converge and that mobility is part of the

International Remittances, Poverty and Inequality : a Case Study of ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

International Remittances, Poverty and Inequality : a Case Study of Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria (West Africa) ... through official and unofficial channels, and the impact of remittances on poverty and income inequality. ... Journal articles.

Arbitration Foundation of South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir O. Kramarenko

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In the present article author explores the history and legal framework for the creation and operation of international commercial arbitration in South Africa. Author notes that South Africa is the most economically developed country in Africa, it is among dozens of major international organizations. From the point of view of the development of the system of law, legal proceedings and arbitration, South Africa is an attractive state for study. Author emphasizes that the South African Republic throughout its existence has been influenced by two legal families: Anglo-Saxon and Romano-Germanic. Therefore, it is important to note that South Africa refers to a mixed system of law. To date, South Africa has two international commercial arbitration: the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa and the Association of Arbitrators. In the conclusion author points out that the development and establishment of the centers of the arbitration fund continues: new centers are being established, and the system of procedures for dealing with cases in already established centers is being improved.

Managing wetlands for disaster risk reduction: A case study of the eastern Free State, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes A. Belle

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This article investigated the knowledge and practice of a nature-based solution to reduce disaster risks of drought, veld fires and floods using wetlands in the eastern Free State, South Africa. A mixed research method approach was used to collect primary data using three data collection tools, namely questionnaires, interviews and field observations. Ninety-five wetlands under communal and private ownership as well as a few in protected areas were sampled, with their users completing questionnaires. The study showed that communal wetlands were more degraded, while wetlands in protected areas and in private commercial farms were in a good ecological state. An extensive literature review reveals that healthy wetlands are effective buffers in reducing disaster risks such as drought, veld fires and floods which are recurrent in the study area. Therefore, through better land-use and management practices, backed by education and awareness, wetlands could be good instruments to mitigate recurrent natural hazards in the agriculturally dominated eastern Free State in South Africa.

All projects related to South Africa | Page 2 | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

This study will adopt a groundbreaking approach to understanding and responding to urban ... Region: Brazil, South Africa, United Kingdom ... Urban upgrading for violence prevention in South Africa: Does it work? ... DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, Economic and social development, CASE STUDIES, POLICY MAKING, ...

Some isotope hydrological studies in Southern Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verhagen, B.Th.

2001-01-01

Four case studies involving the use of the environmental isotopes 14 C and 3 H, in the and to semi-arid Kalahari region of Southern Africa are described and general conclusions regarding the qualitative aspects of recharge and discharge characteristics of the systems are based on these measurements. In each of the studies, diffuse, local recharge was found to be the dominant recharge mechanism. Recharge via river beds was found to be limited at the regional scale. The balancing discharge mechanism for groundwater was found to be via evapotranspiration. Groundwater salinity and mineralisation as well as the regional hydrogeology are controlled by geological structure rather than lithologies or residence times and the absence of hypersaline groundwaters indicates that the aquifers are periodically flushed during pluvial periods, thus pointing to long-term hydroclimatic controls over the observed present-day hydrology. (author)

Evaluating institutional capacity for research ethics in Africa: a case study from Botswana

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The increase in the volume of research conducted in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC), has brought a renewed international focus on processes for ethical conduct of research. Several programs have been initiated to strengthen the capacity for research ethics in LMIC. However, most such programs focus on individual training or development of ethics review committees. The objective of this paper is to present an approach to institutional capacity assessment in research ethics and application of this approach in the form of a case study from an institution in Africa. Methods We adapted the Octagon model originally used by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency to assess an organization along eight domains in research ethics: basic values and identity; structure and organization; ability to carry out activities; relevance of activities to stated goals; capacity of staff and management; administrative, financing and accounting systems; its relations with target groups; and the national context. We used a mixed methods approach to collect empirical data at the University of Botswana from March to December 2010. Results The overall shape of the external evaluation Octagon suggests that strengths of the University of Botswana are in the areas of structure, relevance, production and identity; while the university still needs more work in the areas of systems of finance, target groups, and environment. The Octagons also show the similarities and discrepancies between the 'external' and 'internal' evaluations and provide an opportunity for exploration of these different assessments. For example, the discrepant score for 'identity' between internal and external evaluations allows for an exploration of what constitutes a strong identity for research ethics at the University of Botswana and how it can be strengthened. Conclusions There is a general lack of frameworks for evaluating research ethics capacity in LMICs. We presented an approach that

Evaluating institutional capacity for research ethics in Africa: a case study from Botswana.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyder, Adnan A; Zafar, Waleed; Ali, Joseph; Ssekubugu, Robert; Ndebele, Paul; Kass, Nancy

2013-07-30

The increase in the volume of research conducted in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC), has brought a renewed international focus on processes for ethical conduct of research. Several programs have been initiated to strengthen the capacity for research ethics in LMIC. However, most such programs focus on individual training or development of ethics review committees. The objective of this paper is to present an approach to institutional capacity assessment in research ethics and application of this approach in the form of a case study from an institution in Africa. We adapted the Octagon model originally used by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency to assess an organization along eight domains in research ethics: basic values and identity; structure and organization; ability to carry out activities; relevance of activities to stated goals; capacity of staff and management; administrative, financing and accounting systems; its relations with target groups; and the national context. We used a mixed methods approach to collect empirical data at the University of Botswana from March to December 2010. The overall shape of the external evaluation Octagon suggests that strengths of the University of Botswana are in the areas of structure, relevance, production and identity; while the university still needs more work in the areas of systems of finance, target groups, and environment. The Octagons also show the similarities and discrepancies between the 'external' and 'internal' evaluations and provide an opportunity for exploration of these different assessments. For example, the discrepant score for 'identity' between internal and external evaluations allows for an exploration of what constitutes a strong identity for research ethics at the University of Botswana and how it can be strengthened. There is a general lack of frameworks for evaluating research ethics capacity in LMICs. We presented an approach that stresses evaluation from both internal

Bringing 'Light, Life and Happiness': British American Tobacco and musicsponsorship in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Preeti; Okechukwu, Cassandra A; Collin, Jeff; Hughes, Belinda

This article aims to provide a review of music sponsorship to market cigarettes in sub-Saharan Africa. Using analysis of previously secret corporate documents from British American Tobacco (BAT) and focusing on two separate case studies of sponsorship in Africa, Nigeria and South Africa, the paper illustrates how tobacco companies have sought to undermine health legislation from 1990 to 2001. Both case studies suggest that music is an important marketing tool in Africa because it can effectively target young consumers; has a universal appeal; transcends barriers to communication imposed by limited literacy and language barriers; has a long-term appeal and can be successful in undermining tobacco control measures. The case studies highlight the limitations of national regulatory efforts and reinforce the significance of the implementation of the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Africa, a critical region for the convention's success.

A study on the epidemiological characteristics and infectious forecast model of malaria at Guangzhou Airport among Chinese returnees from Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Hui-Ming; Fang, Zhi-Qiang; Zhao, Dang; Chen, Yan-Ling; Liu, Chuan-Ge; Liang, Xi

2017-07-04

Cross-border malaria transmission in China is a major component of Chinese imported malaria cases. Such cases mostly are travellers returning from malaria endemic countries in Africa. By investigating malaria infectious status among Chinese worker in Africa, this study analysed the malaria risk factors, in order to establish infectious forecast model. Chinese returnees data from Africa were collected at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou, China between August 2015 and March 2016 and were included in the cross-sectional and retrospective survey. A total of 1492 respondents were included in the study with the majority consisting of junior middle school educated male. Most of them are manual and technical workers hired by companies, with average of 37.04 years of age. Overall malaria incidence rate of the population was 8.98% (134/1492), and there were no significant differences regarding age, gender, occupation, or team. Forecast model was developed on the basis of malaria risk factors including working country, local ecological environment type, work duration and intensity of mosquito bite prevention. The survey suggested that malaria incidence was high among Chinese travellers who had worked in Africa countries of heavy malaria burden. Further research on the frequency and severity of clinical episodes among Chinese travellers having worked in Africa is needed.

Regional scenarios of future climate change over southern Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Engelbrecht, F

2010-08-01

Full Text Available positive chill units. 31 Winter (Apr - Sep) CASE STUDY - Global change impacts on agriculture and water: South Africa?s Garden Route 33 7 Global change and human health 35 CASE STUDY - Environmental health: Bridging the gap between traditional... days). Annual (Jan - Dec) 31 Map 6.2 Intermediate future - present (degree days). Accumulated heat units. 31 Annual (Jan - Dec) Map 6.3 Accumulated positive chill units. Winter (Apr - Sep) 31 Map 6.4 Intermediate future - present. Accumulated...

A brief description of South Africa's present-day climate

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Engelbrecht, F

2010-08-01

Full Text Available positive chill units. 31 Winter (Apr - Sep) CASE STUDY - Global change impacts on agriculture and water: South Africa?s Garden Route 33 7 Global change and human health 35 CASE STUDY - Environmental health: Bridging the gap between traditional... days). Annual (Jan - Dec) 31 Map 6.2 Intermediate future - present (degree days). Accumulated heat units. 31 Annual (Jan - Dec) Map 6.3 Accumulated positive chill units. Winter (Apr - Sep) 31 Map 6.4 Intermediate future - present. Accumulated...

Patient- and provider-level risk factors associated with default from tuberculosis treatment, South Africa, 2002: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Finlay, Alyssa; Lancaster, Joey; Holtz, Timothy H; Weyer, Karin; Miranda, Abe; van der Walt, Martie

2012-01-20

Persons who default from tuberculosis treatment are at risk for clinical deterioration and complications including worsening drug resistance and death. Our objective was to identify risk factors associated with tuberculosis (TB) treatment default in South Africa. We conducted a national retrospective case control study to identify factors associated with treatment default using program data from 2002 and a standardized patient questionnaire. We defined default as interrupting TB treatment for two or more consecutive months during treatment. Cases were a sample of registered TB patients receiving treatment under DOTS that defaulted from treatment. Controls were those who began therapy and were cured, completed or failed treatment. Two respective multivariable models were constructed, stratified by history of TB treatment (new and re-treatment patients), to identify independent risk factors associated with default. The sample included 3165 TB patients from 8 provinces; 1164 were traceable and interviewed (232 cases and 932 controls). Significant risk factors associated with default among both groups included poor health care worker attitude (new: AOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.4; re-treatment: AOR 12, 95% CI 2.2-66.0) and changing residence during TB treatment (new: AOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.7; re-treatment: AOR 3.4, 95% CI 1.1-9.9). Among new patients, cases were more likely than controls to report having no formal education (AOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.2), feeling ashamed to have TB (AOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.3-3.0), not receiving adequate counseling about their treatment (AOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-2.8), drinking any alcohol during TB treatment (AOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.0), and seeing a traditional healer during TB treatment (AOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.4). Among re-treatment patients, risk factors included stopping TB treatment because they felt better (AOR 21, 95% CI 5.2-84), having a previous history of TB treatment default (AOR 6.4, 95% CI 2.9-14), and feeling that food provisions might have helped

Hospital reform and staff morale in South Africa: a case study of Dr ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2012-02-16

Feb 16, 2012 ... in South Africa, can affect budget, equipment, the work ..... There is insufficient appreciation by management and an insufficient reward .... literature review of selected theories dealing with job satisfaction and motivation.

The importance of context in delivering effective EIA: Case studies from East Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marara, Madeleine; Okello, Nick; Kuhanwa, Zainab; Douven, Wim; Beevers, Lindsay; Leentvaar, Jan

2011-01-01

This paper reviews and compares the condition of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) system in three countries in the East Africa region: Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. The criteria used for the evaluation and the comparison of each system are based on the elements of the legal, administrative and procedural frameworks, as well as the context in which they operate. These criteria are adapted from the evaluation and quality control criteria derived from a number of literature sources. The study reveals that the EIA systems of Kenya and Tanzania are at a similar stage in their development. The two countries, the first to introduce the EIA concept into their jurisdiction in this part of Africa, therefore have more experience than Rwanda in the practice of environmental impact assessment, where the legislation and process requires more time to mature both from the governmental and societal perspective. The analysis of the administrative and procedural frameworks highlights the weakness in the autonomy of the competent authority, in all three countries. Finally a major finding of this study is that the contextual set up i.e. the socio-economic and political situation plays an important role in the performance of an EIA system. The context in developing countries is very different from developed countries where the EIA concept originates. Interpreting EIA conditions in countries like Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania requires that the analysis for determining the effectiveness of their systems should be undertaken within a relevant framework, taking into account the specific requirements of those countries.

Maternal mortality in rural South Africa: the impact of case definition on levels and trends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Garenne M

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Michel Garenne,1–3 Kathleen Kahn,1,4,5 Mark A Collinson,1,4,5 F Xavier Gómez-Olivé,1,5 Stephen Tollman1,4,51MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; 2Institut Pasteur, Epidémiologie des Maladies Emergentes, Paris, France; 3Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMI Résiliences, Centre Ile de France, Bondy, France; 4Centre for Global Health Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; 5INDEPTH Network, East Legon, Accra, GhanaBackground: Uncertainty in the levels of global maternal mortality reflects data deficiencies, as well as differences in methods and definitions. This study presents levels and trends in maternal mortality in Agincourt, a rural subdistrict of South Africa, under long-term health and sociodemographic surveillance.Methods: All deaths of women aged 15 years–49 years occurring in the study area between 1992 and 2010 were investigated, and causes of death were assessed by verbal autopsy. Two case definitions were used: “obstetrical” (direct causes, defined as deaths caused by conditions listed under O00-O95 in International Classification of Diseases-10; and “pregnancy-related deaths”, defined as any death occurring during the maternal risk period (pregnancy, delivery, 6 weeks postpartum, irrespective of cause.Results: The case definition had a major impact on levels and trends in maternal mortality. The obstetric mortality ratio averaged 185 per 100,000 live births over the period (60 deaths, whereas the pregnancy-related mortality ratio averaged 423 per 100,000 live births (137 deaths. Results from both calculations increased over the period, with a peak around 2006, followed by a decline coincident with the national roll-out of Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and antiretroviral treatment programs. Mortality increase from direct causes was

Case study: apparel industry waste management: a focus on recycling in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Larney, M; van Aardt, A M

2010-01-01

The need for effective apparel waste management is motivated by the increasing cost and decreasing availability of landfill space and the dwindling of natural resources. The aim of this study was to identify the current solid waste disposal and recycling practices of the apparel industry in South Africa and to determine their attitude and willingness towards recycling, their perception of the feasibility thereof, barriers to recycling and marketing strategies that would be appropriate for products made from recycled materials. A structured questionnaire was mailed to apparel manufacturers in South Africa. The results indicated that most apparel manufacturers use landfills to dispose of their waste, while approximately half recycle some of the waste. They are fairly positive towards recycling, with consideration of economical feasibility. Phi-coefficients show no practically significant relationship between company size and the use of recycled materials. The most important barriers to recycling are lack of equipment and technology, lack of material to recycle and lack of consumer awareness. Marketing strategies for recycled products are recommended. It is concluded that consumer awareness and knowledge regarding recycled apparel products should be developed in order to ensure a market and that apparel manufacturers should be encouraged to recycle more extensively, in order to ensure that resources will not be exhausted unnecessarily and the environment will be preserved optimally.

Fisheries credit programmes and revolving loan funds: case studies

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Tietze, U; Merrikin, P

1992-01-01

... programmes and revolving loan funds. In order to gain more information in this vital area, the Fishery Industries Division of FAO initiated a series of case studies in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean...

Sustainable Development in Northern Africa: The Argan Forest Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dom Guillaume

2009-11-01

Full Text Available The argan tree is a slow growing tree exclusively endemic in the dry lowlands of Southwest Morocco. The argan forest constitutes a long time ignored specific biotope that has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1998. The argan forest is particularly fragile to climate change. Forecasts show annual precipitation levels and prolonged drought periods that could severely threaten the future of the argan forest. In some places, the argan forest is already damaged, resulting in the retreat of the argan tree and the subsequent desert encroachment. An acceleration of this trend would have devastating consequences. In response, some twenty years ago, an ambitious, unique in Northern-Africa, and government-supported program was initiated in Morocco to rescue the argan tree via the sustainable development of the argan forest. Because in the late 1980s, sustainable development in developing countries was often considered as a utopia, the argan forest case represents a sign of progress, as it is also an interesting and unique experience in Africa. This review analyses the process followed, the measures taken, the pitfalls encountered, and the results obtained during the last two decades. It also points out the measures that still need to be taken before declaring the argan forest rescue mission is accomplished.

Emotionally intelligent learner leadership development: a case study ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A case study was conducted with a student leadership body of a private multicultural international secondary school in North- West Province , South Africa, to indicate that the emotional intelligence leadership development challenges of student leaders can be identified through a questionnaire as a measuring instrument, ...

Mapping Forage Resources Using Earth Observation Data: A Case Study to Assess the Relationship Between Herbaceous and Woody Cover Components as Determinants of Large Herbivore Distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Hanan, N. P.; Kahiu, M. N.

2016-12-01

Grazing systems are important for survival of humans, livestock and wildlife in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). They are mainly found in the arid and semi-arid regions and are characterized by naturally occurring tree-grass vegetation mixtures ("savannas"), low and erratic rainfall, low human populations, and scanty water resources. Due to the scarce population and perceived low resource base they have been marginalized for decades, if not centuries. However, their economic and environmental significance, particularly their role as foraging lands for livestock and wildlife cannot be underrated. SSA natural grazing systems comprise a significant source of livelihood, where millions of people depend on pastoralism as a source of food and income. Further, the African savannas support diverse flora and charismatic large herbivore and carnivore guilds. The above considerations motivate a more detailed study of the composition, temporal and spatial variability of foraging resources in SSA arid and semi-arid regions. We have therefore embarked on a research to map Africa foraging resources by partitioning MODIS total leaf area index (LAIA) time series into its woody (LAIW) and herbaceous (LAIH) constituents as proxies for grazing and browsing resources, respectively. Using the portioned LAI estimates we will develop a case study to assess how forage resources affect distribution and abundance of large herbivores in Africa. In our case study we explore two separate but related hypothesis: i) small and medium sized mammalian herbivore numbers will peak at intermediate biomass (LAIH for grazers and LAIW for browsers), since they optimize on forage quantity and quality. Conversely, large-body mammalian herbivores have the ability to process high quantity-low quality food, hence, we hypothesize that ii) larger herbivores will tend to be more common in high forage areas irrespective of forage quality. We will use LAIH and LAIW retrievals to compute annual average leaf area duration

Sustainable solutions for cooling systems in residential buildings: case study in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Foudzai, F.; M' Rithaa, M. [Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town (South Africa). Dept. of Industrial Design

2010-07-01

The energy demand in building sectors for summer air-conditioning is growing exponentially due to thermal loads, increased living standards and occupant comfort demands throughout the last decades. This increasing consumption of primary energy is contributing significantly to emission of greenhouse gases and therefore to global warming. Moreover, fossil fuels, current main sources of energy used for electricity generation, are being depleted at an alarming rate despite continued warning. In addition, most air-conditioning equipment still utilise CFCs, promoting further destruction of our planet's protective ozone layer. Concerns over these environmental changes, have begun shifting the emphasis from current cooling methods, to 'sustainable strategies' of achieving equally comfortable conditions in building interiors. Study of ancient strategies applied by vernacular architecture shows how the indigenously clean energies to satisfy the cooling need were used. One of the most important influences on vernacular architecture is the macro-climate of the area in which the building is constructed. Mediterranean vernacular architecture, as well as that of much of the Middle East, often includes a courtyard with a fountain or pond; air cooled by water mist and evaporation is drawn through the building by the natural ventilation set up by the building form, and in many cases also includes wind-catchers to draw air through the internal spaces. Similarly, Northern African vernacular designs often have very high thermal mass and small windows to keep the occupants cool. Not only vernacular structure but also the recent development in solar and geothermal cooling technologies could be used to the needs for environmental control. Intelligent coupling of these methods as alternative design strategies could help developing countries such as South Africa toward sustainable development in airconditioning of building. In this paper, the possible strategies for

International Criminal Justice, Peace and Reconciliation in Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

mass atrocities in Africa with evidence grounded in both state practice and the histories of African ... for this study in its explicit acknowledgement and emphasis that the “Court .... though it is by cases concerning African countries, international criminal justice is not ..... efficient response to conflict and crisis situations in Africa.

Modelling as a means to promote water diplomacy in Southern Africa: the Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System case study

Science.gov (United States)

De Filippis, Giovanna; Carvalho Resende, Tales; Filali-Meknassi, Youssef; Puri, Shaminder; Kenabatho, Piet; Amakali, Maria; Majola, Kwazikwakhe; Rossetto, Rudy

2017-04-01

visualization of large spatial datasets; this is demonstrated by running fourteen case studies using the FREEWAT platform. Among these, the STAS is a particularly representative case study aiming at facilitating the link between science based analysis and stakeholder participation aiming at the adoption of sound transboundary management policies. Due to the scarcity of surface water, water-demanding activities in the study area rely only on groundwater. The first version of the model is developed adapting an existing model of the Namibian part of the aquifer: so far, the groundwater body is discretized using rectangular cells about 40 km2 wide and a stack of three aquifers divided respectively by three aquitards with variable thicknesses and heterogeneous hydraulic properties. The model setup is then revised integrating outcomes from the GGRETA project and extended until the groundwater body limits. Also, boundary conditions and hydrologic stresses (i.e., rainfall infiltration and abstraction for irrigation purposes) were re-defined according to maps and datasets available from the GGRETA project. The involvement of the UNESCO-IHP within the FREEWAT Consortium supports the coordination and integration of previous research outcomes (e.g., from the GGRETA project) and the model development to achieve a full characterization of the STAS current and forecast dynamics and possibly highlighting any existing knowledge gaps. This will be

Three case studies involving Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona infection in mixed farming units : case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Gummow

1999-07-01

Full Text Available Three case studies involving Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona outbreaks within mixed farming systems in South Africa are described. On 2 farms, pigs constituted the main enterprise with cattle and sheep of secondary importance. On each of these 2 farms, abortion due to L. pomona in sows was confirmed by culture, and antibody titres to pomona were detected in cattle, sheep, horses and dogs. On the 3rd farm, a piggery was ofsecondary importance to cattle farming. Abortion and death in cows occurred on this farmand serology showed titres to various serovars, including pomona. L. pomona was also isolated from bovine urine, an aborted bovine foetus and kidneys from slaughtered pigs. This particular case study was regarded as clinically atypical in that adult Jersey cattle died of acute leptospirosis in a semiarid region of South Africa. In all 3 case studies, the poor management of pig effluent and of the drinking water and its sources played a pivotal role in the transmission of the disease. Inadequate vaccination of animals against Leptospira and poor record-keeping within the secondary farming enterprises were also contributing factors to the spread of leptospirosis.

Strategies for building trust with farmers: the case of Bt maize in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ezezika Obidimma C

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In 1999, South Africa became the first African country to approve commercial production of subsistence genetically modified (GM maize. The introduction of GM crop technology is often met with skepticism by stakeholders including farmers. The involvement of the private sector in this process can further breed mistrust or misperceptions. To examine these issues more closely, the objective of this case study was to understand the role of trust in the public-private partnership (PPP arrangement involved in the development of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt maize in South Africa. Methods We conducted semi-structured, face-to-face interviews to obtain stakeholders’ understanding of trust in general as well as in the context of agricultural biotechnology (agbiotech PPPs. A thematic analysis of the interview transcripts, documents, reports and research articles was conducted to generate insights into the challenges to, and practices for, building trust among the partners and with the public. Results The findings of this study are organized into four main lessons on trust building. First, as the end users of GM technology, farmers must be engaged from the start of the project through field demonstrations and educational activities. Second, an effective technology (i.e., the seed is key to the success of an agbiotech PPP. Third, open communication and full disclosure between private sector companies and government regulatory bodies will build trust and facilitate the regulatory processes. Fourth, enforcing good agronomic practices, including appropriate management of the refuge areas, will serve the interests of both the farmers and the seed companies. Conclusions Trust has proven to be a critical factor determining the success of the Bt maize project in South Africa. Distrust of the private sector and of GM technology were cited as major barriers to building trust. The trust-building practices described in this case study have often

Participatory Democracy in Theory and Practice: A Case Study of Local Government in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ntsikelelo Breakfast

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The idea of democracy is a curious oneand puzzling. There is reason for this;everyone talks about democracy no matter whether their views are on the left, centreor right of the political spectrum. Various politicians, regimes, whether in Africa, Europe or America claim to be democratic;yet what each says and does is usuallydifferent. Democracy as a practice is supposed to bestow rules, laws and decisions that are justifiable on democraticgrounds. Democracy also has evolved through social struggles. This article examines the practice of democracy withinthe context of local government in South Africa, and is an attempt to explore the concept of democracy without escaping other historical aspects of the idea and practice. From a methodological standpoint, this article is based on a literature assessment. Lastly and most importantly, this paper has made a scholarly contribution to the scholarship of Political Science and Public Administration with regard to the nexus between democracy and public participation at local government level in South Africa.

Testing the Value of Citizen Science for Roadkill Studies: A Case Study from South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stéphanie Périquet

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Roads impact wildlife through a range of mechanisms from habitat loss and decreased landscape connectivity to direct mortality through wildlife-vehicle collisions (roadkill. These collisions have been rated amongst the highest modern risks to wildlife. With the development of “citizen science” projects, in which members of the public participate in data collection, it is now possible to monitor the impacts of roads over scales far beyond the limit of traditional studies. However, the reliability of data provided by citizen scientists for roadkill studies remains largely untested. This study used a dataset of 2,666 roadkill reports on national and regional roads in South Africa (total length ~170,000 km over 3 years. We first compared roadkill data collected from trained road patrols operating on a major highway with data submitted by citizen scientists on the same road section (431 km. We found that despite minor differences, the broad spatial and taxonomic patterns were similar between trained reporters and untrained citizen scientists. We then compared data provided by two groups of citizen scientists across South Africa: (1 those working in the zoology/conservation sector (that we have termed “regular observers,” whose reports were considered to be more accurate due to their knowledge and experience, and (2 occasional observers, whose reports required verification by an expert. Again, there were few differences between the type of roadkill report provided by regular and occasional reporters; both types identified the same area (or cluster where roadkill was reported most frequently. However, occasional observers tended to report charismatic and easily identifiable species more often than road patrols or regular observers. We conclude that citizen scientists can provide reliable data for roadkill studies when it comes to identifying general patterns and high-risk areas. Thus, citizen science has the potential to be a valuable tool for

Strengthening Local Safety Nets as a Key to Enhancing the Food Security of Pastoralists in East Africa: A Case Study of the Rendille of Northern Kenya

OpenAIRE

SUN, Xiaogang

2017-01-01

The increase in climate-change-related natural disasters presents a major threat to the food security of pastoralists in East Africa. This paper explores ways of reducing the dependence on food aid and enhancing the food security of pastoralists through a case study of the Rendille in Northern Kenya. Current Rendille food systems have resulted from adapted livestock herding strategies and loss of nomadic lifestyles, as well as dependence on food aid. Although food aid is included in the livel...

Language and Development in Multilingual Settings: A Case Study of Knowledge Exchange and Teacher Education in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Rassool, Naz; Edwards, Viv; Bloch, Carole

2006-12-01

The quality of a country's human-resource base can be said to determine its level of success in social and economic development. This study focuses on some␣of the major human-resource development issues that surround the implementation of South Africa's policy of multilingualism in education. It begins by discussing the relationship between knowledge, language, and human-resource, social and economic development within the global cultural economy. It then considers the situation in South Africa and, in particular, the implications of that country's colonial and neo-colonial past for attempts to implement the new policy. Drawing on the linguistic-diversity-in-education debate in the United Kingdom of the past three decades, it assesses the first phase of an in-service teacher-education programme that was carried out at the Project for Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA) based at the University of Cape Town. The authors identify key short- and long-term issues related to knowledge exchange in education in multilingual societies, especially concerning the use of African languages as mediums for teaching and learning.

Emotionally Intelligent Learner Leadership Development: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, C. A.; Moosa, S. O.; van Niekerk, E. J.; Muller, H.

2014-01-01

A case study was conducted with a student leadership body of a private multicultural international secondary school in North-West Province , South Africa, to indicate that the emotional intelligence leadership development challenges of student leaders can be identified through a questionnaire as a measuring instrument, which can then be utilized…

Epidemiology, causes, and treatment of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Ba-Diop, Awa; Marin, Benoît; Druet-Cabanac, Michel; Ngoungou, Edgard B; Newton, Charles R; Preux, Pierre-Marie

2014-10-01

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease in tropical countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Previous work on epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa has shown that many cases are severe, partly a result of some specific causes, that it carries a stigma, and that it is not adequately treated in many cases. Many studies on the epidemiology, aetiology, and management of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa have been reported in the past 10 years. The prevalence estimated from door-to-door studies is almost double that in Asia, Europe, and North America. The most commonly implicated risk factors are birth trauma, CNS infections, and traumatic brain injury. About 60% of patients with epilepsy receive no antiepileptic treatment, largely for economic and social reasons. Further epidemiological studies should be a priority to improve understanding of possible risk factors and thereby the prevention of epilepsy in Africa, and action should be taken to improve access to treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mobile Africa : an introduction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruijn, de M.E.; Dijk, van R.A.; Foeken, D.W.J.

2001-01-01

The case studies in this book on mobility in sub-Saharan Africa critically discuss dichotomous interpretations of mobility and reject the idea that migration indicates a breakdown in society. They adopt the approach that sedentary and mobile worlds converge and that mobility is part of the

A journey towards inclusive education; a case study from a ‘township’ in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosemary Luger

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this case study was to relate part of the journey to appropriate education for two young children with physical disabilities in a low socio-economic peri-urban informal settlement – or ‘township’ – in South Africa. The part of the on-going journey described here spanned four-and-a-half years and included the two children, their families, their teachers, their community and a small team of rehabilitation professionals working for a non-profit organisation in the area. The rehabilitation professionals’ goals were to provide support for the children, their families, their current special care centre and the school(s they would attend in the future. The steps from the special care centre, to a mainstream early childhood development (ECD centre for both of them, and then on to (a a school for learners with special educational needs (LSEN for one child and (b a mainstream primary school for the other, are described. Challenges encountered on the way included parental fears, community attitudes and physical accessibility. Practical outcomes included different placements for the two children with implications and recommendations for prioritised parent involvement, individual approaches, interdisciplinary and community-based collaborations. Recommendations are given for clinical contexts, curricula and policy matters; for research and for scaling up such a programme through community workers.

A journey towards inclusive education; a case study from a ‘township’ in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Luger, Rosemary; Prudhomme, Debbie; Bullen, Ann; Pitt, Catherine

2012-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to relate part of the journey to appropriate education for two young children with physical disabilities in a low socio-economic peri-urban informal settlement – or ‘township’ – in South Africa. The part of the on-going journey described here spanned four-and-a-half years and included the two children, their families, their teachers, their community and a small team of rehabilitation professionals working for a non-profit organisation in the area. The rehabilitation professionals’ goals were to provide support for the children, their families, their current special care centre and the school(s) they would attend in the future. The steps from the special care centre, to a mainstream early childhood development (ECD) centre for both of them, and then on to (a) a school for learners with special educational needs (LSEN) for one child and (b) a mainstream primary school for the other, are described. Challenges encountered on the way included parental fears, community attitudes and physical accessibility. Practical outcomes included different placements for the two children with implications and recommendations for prioritised parent involvement, individual approaches, interdisciplinary and community-based collaborations. Recommendations are given for clinical contexts, curricula and policy matters; for research and for scaling up such a programme through community workers. PMID:28729975

Epidemiology of Leptospirosis in Africa: A Systematic Review of a Neglected Zoonosis and a Paradigm for 'One Health' in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Allan, Kathryn J; Biggs, Holly M; Halliday, Jo E B; Kazwala, Rudovick R; Maro, Venance P; Cleaveland, Sarah; Crump, John A

2015-01-01

Leptospirosis is an important but neglected bacterial zoonosis that has been largely overlooked in Africa. In this systematic review, we aimed to summarise and compare current knowledge of: (1) the geographic distribution, prevalence, incidence and diversity of acute human leptospirosis in Africa; and (2) the geographic distribution, host range, prevalence and diversity of Leptospira spp. infection in animal hosts in Africa. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched for studies that described (1) acute human leptospirosis and (2) pathogenic Leptospira spp. infection in animals. We performed a literature search using eight international and regional databases for English and non-English articles published between January 1930 to October 2014 that met out pre-defined inclusion criteria and strict case definitions. We identified 97 studies that described acute human leptospirosis (n = 46) or animal Leptospira infection (n = 51) in 26 African countries. The prevalence of acute human leptospirosis ranged from 2 3% to 19 8% (n = 11) in hospital patients with febrile illness. Incidence estimates were largely restricted to the Indian Ocean islands (3 to 101 cases per 100,000 per year (n = 6)). Data from Tanzania indicate that human disease incidence is also high in mainland Africa (75 to 102 cases per 100,000 per year). Three major species (Leptospira borgpetersenii, L. interrogans and L. kirschneri) are predominant in reports from Africa and isolates from a diverse range of serogroups have been reported in human and animal infections. Cattle appear to be important hosts of a large number of Leptospira serogroups in Africa, but few data are available to allow comparison of Leptospira infection in linked human and animal populations. We advocate a 'One Health' approach to promote multidisciplinary research efforts to improve understanding of the animal to human transmission of leptospirosis on the African

Epidemiology of Leptospirosis in Africa: A Systematic Review of a Neglected Zoonosis and a Paradigm for 'One Health' in Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathryn J Allan

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an important but neglected bacterial zoonosis that has been largely overlooked in Africa. In this systematic review, we aimed to summarise and compare current knowledge of: (1 the geographic distribution, prevalence, incidence and diversity of acute human leptospirosis in Africa; and (2 the geographic distribution, host range, prevalence and diversity of Leptospira spp. infection in animal hosts in Africa.Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA guidelines, we searched for studies that described (1 acute human leptospirosis and (2 pathogenic Leptospira spp. infection in animals. We performed a literature search using eight international and regional databases for English and non-English articles published between January 1930 to October 2014 that met out pre-defined inclusion criteria and strict case definitions.We identified 97 studies that described acute human leptospirosis (n = 46 or animal Leptospira infection (n = 51 in 26 African countries. The prevalence of acute human leptospirosis ranged from 2 3% to 19 8% (n = 11 in hospital patients with febrile illness. Incidence estimates were largely restricted to the Indian Ocean islands (3 to 101 cases per 100,000 per year (n = 6. Data from Tanzania indicate that human disease incidence is also high in mainland Africa (75 to 102 cases per 100,000 per year. Three major species (Leptospira borgpetersenii, L. interrogans and L. kirschneri are predominant in reports from Africa and isolates from a diverse range of serogroups have been reported in human and animal infections. Cattle appear to be important hosts of a large number of Leptospira serogroups in Africa, but few data are available to allow comparison of Leptospira infection in linked human and animal populations. We advocate a 'One Health' approach to promote multidisciplinary research efforts to improve understanding of the animal to human transmission of leptospirosis on the

Private Universities in Zimbabwe: The Case of Africa University ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Whilst many of these challenges are shared with other private universities in Zimbabwe, a few are peculiar to Africa University. This paper discusses Africa University's experience with regard to establishment, nature, institutional marketing and student recruitment, programmes, governance, finding and other external factors ...

Bringing ‘Light, Life and Happiness’:1 British American Tobacco and musicsponsorship in sub-Saharan Africa

Science.gov (United States)

PATEL, PREETI; OKECHUKWU, CASSANDRA A; COLLIN, JEFF; HUGHES, BELINDA

2010-01-01

This article aims to provide a review of music sponsorship to market cigarettes in sub-Saharan Africa. Using analysis of previously secret corporate documents from British American Tobacco (BAT) and focusing on two separate case studies of sponsorship in Africa, Nigeria and South Africa, the paper illustrates how tobacco companies have sought to undermine health legislation from 1990 to 2001. Both case studies suggest that music is an important marketing tool in Africa because it can effectively target young consumers; has a universal appeal; transcends barriers to communication imposed by limited literacy and language barriers; has a long-term appeal and can be successful in undermining tobacco control measures. The case studies highlight the limitations of national regulatory efforts and reinforce the significance of the implementation of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Africa, a critical region for the convention’s success. PMID:25737602

Developing Biosensors in Developing Countries: South Africa as a Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fogel, Ronen; Limson, Janice

2016-02-02

A mini-review of the reported biosensor research occurring in South Africa evidences a strong emphasis on electrochemical sensor research, guided by the opportunities this transduction platform holds for low-cost and robust sensing of numerous targets. Many of the reported publications centre on fundamental research into the signal transduction method, using model biorecognition elements, in line with international trends. Other research in this field is spread across several areas including: the application of nanotechnology; the identification and validation of biomarkers; development and testing of biorecognition agents (antibodies and aptamers) and design of electro-catalysts, most notably metallophthalocyanine. Biosensor targets commonly featured were pesticides and metals. Areas of regional import to sub-Saharan Africa, such as HIV/AIDs and tuberculosis diagnosis, are also apparent in a review of the available literature. Irrespective of the targets, the challenge to the effective deployment of such sensors remains shaped by social and economic realities such that the requirements thereof are for low-cost and universally easy to operate devices for field settings. While it is difficult to disentangle the intertwined roles of national policy, grant funding availability and, certainly, of global trends in shaping areas of emphasis in research, most notable is the strong role that nanotechnology, and to a certain extent biotechnology, plays in research regarding biosensor construction. Stronger emphasis on collaboration between scientists in theoretical modelling, nanomaterials application and or relevant stakeholders in the specific field (e.g., food or health monitoring) and researchers in biosensor design may help evolve focused research efforts towards development and deployment of low-cost biosensors.

Histoplasmosis in Africa: An emerging or a neglected disease?

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Histoplasmosis in Africa has markedly increased since the advent of the HIV/AIDS epidemic but is under-recognised. Pulmonary histoplasmosis may be misdiagnosed as tuberculosis (TB). In the last six decades (1952–2017), 470 cases of histoplasmosis have been reported. HIV-infected patients accounted for 38% (178) of the cases. West Africa had the highest number of recorded cases with 179; the majority (162 cases) were caused by Histoplasma capsulatum var. dubuosii (Hcd). From the Southern African region, 150 cases have been reported, and the majority (119) were caused by H. capsulatum var. capsulatum (Hcc). There have been 12 histoplasmin skin test surveys with rates of 0% to 35% positivity. Most cases of Hcd presented as localised lesions in immunocompetent persons; however, it was disseminated in AIDS patients. Rapid diagnosis of histoplasmosis in Africa is only currently possible using microscopy; antigen testing and PCR are not available in most of Africa. Treatment requires amphotericin B and itraconazole, both of which are not licensed or available in several parts of Africa. PMID:29346384

Parental perceptions: a case study of school choice amidst ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article stems from a case study of parental school choice which was nested within a longitudinal .... which solidly advocates maintenance if not also development of home languages in .... urban region in South Africa where the language of instruction has become English. ..... Am Main: Multilingualism Network. Heugh K ...

Efficient and equitable HIV prevention: A case study of male circumcision in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verguet Stéphane

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We determine efficient, equitable and mixed efficient-equitable allocations of a male circumcision (MC intervention reducing female to male HIV transmission in South Africa (SA, as a case study of an efficiency-equity framework for resource allocation in HIV prevention. Methods We present a mathematical model developed with epidemiological and cost data from the nine provinces of SA. The hypothetical one-year-long MC intervention with a budget of US$ 10 million targeted adult men 15–49 years of age in SA. The intervention was evaluated according to two criteria: an efficiency criterion, which focused on maximizing the number of HIV infections averted by the intervention, and an equity criterion (defined geographically, which focused on maximizing the chance that each male adult individual had access to the intervention regardless of his province. Results A purely efficient intervention would prevent 4,008 HIV infections over a year. In the meantime, a purely equitable intervention would avert 3,198 infections, which represents a 20% reduction in infection outcome as compared to the purely efficient scenario. A half efficient-half equitable scenario would prevent 3,749 infections, that is, a 6% reduction in infection outcome as compared to the purely efficient scenario. Conclusions This paper provides a framework for resource allocation in the health sector which incorporates a simple equity metric in addition to efficiency. In the specific context of SA with a MC intervention for the prevention of HIV, incorporation of geographical equity only slightly reduces the overall efficiency of the intervention.

The balance of trade in alien species between South Africa and the rest of Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katelyn T. Faulkner

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Alien organisms are not only introduced from one biogeographical region to another but also spread within regions. As South Africa shares land borders with six countries, multiple opportunities exist for the transfer of alien species between South Africa and other African countries; however, the direction and importance of intra-regional spread is unclear. Objectives: The aim of this study was to gain a greater understanding of the introduction of alien species into Africa and the spread of species between South Africa and other African countries. Method: We developed scenarios that describe the routes by which alien species are introduced to and spread within Africa and present case studies for each. Using data from literature sources and databases, the relative importance of each scenario for alien birds and insect pests of eucalypts was determined, and the direction and importance of intra-regional spread was assessed. Results: Alien species from many taxonomic groups have, through various routes, been introduced to and spread within Africa. For birds and eucalypt insect pests, the number of species spreading in the region has recently increased, with South Africa being a major recipient of birds (14 species received and 5 donated and a major donor of eucalypt insect pests (1 species received and 10 donated. For both groups, many introduced species have not yet spread in the region. Conclusion: The intra-regional spread of alien species in Africa represents an important and possibly increasing threat to biosecurity. To address this threat, we propose a framework that details how African countries could cooperate and develop a coordinated response to alien species introductions.

Boosting food security in sub-Saharan Africa through cassava ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Boosting food security in sub-Saharan Africa through cassava production: a case study of Nigeria. ... Nigerian Journal of Economic History ... The paper argues that cassava which is widely grown in Sub-Saharan Africa with a lot of variety of food derivatives from it can reduce to the barest minimum the present state of food ...

High prevalence of tuberculosis and insufficient case detection in two communities in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mareli Claassens

Full Text Available In South Africa the estimated incidence of all forms of tuberculosis (TB for 2008 was 960/100000. It was reported that all South Africans lived in districts with Directly Observed Therapy, Short-course. However, the 2011 WHO report indicated South Africa as the only country in the world where the TB incidence is still rising.To report the results of a TB prevalence survey and to determine the speed of TB case detection in the study communities.In 2005 a TB prevalence survey was done to inform the sample size calculation for the ZAMSTAR (Zambia South Africa TB and AIDS Reduction trial. It was a cluster survey with clustering by enumeration area; all households were visited within enumeration areas and informed consent obtained from eligible adults. A questionnaire was completed and a sputum sample collected from each adult. Samples were inoculated on both liquid mycobacterium growth indicator tube (MGIT and Löwenstein-Jensen media. A follow-up HIV prevalence survey was done in 2007.In Community A, the adjusted prevalence of culture positive TB was 32/1000 (95%CI 25-41/1000 and of smear positive TB 8/1000 (95%CI 5-13/1000. In Community B, the adjusted prevalence of culture positive TB was 24/1000 (95%CI 17-32/1000 and of smear positive TB 9/1000 (95%CI 6-15/1000. In Community A the patient diagnostic rate was 0.38/person-year while in community B it was 0.30/person-year. In both communities the adjusted HIV prevalence was 25% (19-30%.In both communities a higher TB prevalence than national estimates and a low patient diagnostic rate was calculated, suggesting that cases are not detected at a sufficient rate to interrupt transmission. These findings may contribute to the rising TB incidence in South Africa. The TB epidemic should therefore be addressed rapidly and effectively, especially in the presence of the concurrently high HIV prevalence.

Eco policy: Environmental Stress and Conflicts in Africa. Case Study of Drainage Basins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okidi, C.O

1994-01-01

The main cause for African misery is limited supply of water which has a direct impact on agricultural production. The continent of Africa has a reticulation of 54 drainage basins including rivers which either traverse boundaries or form part of such boundaries. These basins cover approximately half of the continent but only 2% of the total water is utilized leaving 98% to replenish the oceans. In future Africa should focus attention on control, apportionment and utilization of the waters of it's drainage basins in order to ameliorate the the problems brought about by scarcity of rainfall and consequent drought and famine. After the drought in the late 1970s and mid-1980s, there has been efforts to control the promising rivers and transfer the water to to centres of agriculture and human settlements and this is likely to cause international conflicts. The author recommends that, in order to control such conflicts the basin states there should be systematic collaboration among the basin states in the management of such waters

Climate Change Adaptation in Africa Program : 2009-10 in brief

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

CCAA

adaptation policies in Africa. It builds on the assumption that while adaptation is essentially local, it requires different levels of support and political commitment. Drawing on locally focused case studies of adaptation in Africa, it illustrates how the uptake of research is strengthened when policymakers are involved throughout ...

Neo-Nationalism in Higher Education: Case of South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jenny J.

2017-01-01

Given the rise of regional hubs, emerging economies are experiencing international student growth as higher education providers in their respective regions. This study examined the neo-national experiences of international students in South Africa. Neo-nationalism refers to a new nationalism based national order in the new global economy. The…

Development Impact Assessment (DIA) Case Study. South Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cox, Sadie [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Nawaz, Kathleen [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sandor, Debra [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-05-19

This case study reviews South Africa’s experience in considering the impacts of climate change action on development goals, focusing on the South African energy sector and development impact assessments (DIAs) that have and could be used to influence energy policy or inform the selection of energy activities. It includes a review of assessments—conducted by government ministries, technical partners, and academic institutes and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—that consider employment, health, and water implications of possible energy sector actions, as well as multi-criteria impact assessments.

South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, D.

1990-01-01

This paper reports that South Africa's main reason for entering the international nuclear market is, and always has been, to sell its uranium abroad. From 1939-45 South Africa took part in the war against Nazi Germany, and the South African government of the time sought to help the Allied war effort in all ways that were practical. Later, during the Cold War, it tried to help build up the West's nuclear arsenal. In 1944, the British government secretly asked General Smuts---prime minister of South Africa since 1939 and a member of Churchill's War Cabinet---to survey South Africa's deposits of uranium. The survey, carried out with U.S. and British help, showed that the deposits were large, generally low-grade, but, in most cases, associated with gold and therefore could be profitably mined. In 1951, South Africa became a significant producer, with lucrative contracts for the sale of all its output to the U.S.-U.K.-Canada Joint Development Agency and one of the three main suppliers to the U.S. nuclear weapons program. In time, government controls eased and uranium production and marketing became a purely commercial operation

Africa Center for Strategic Studies Senior Leader Seminar. Academic Summary

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1999-01-01

From October 31 to November 12, 1999, 115 civilian and military officials from Africa, Europe, and the United States participated in the inaugural Senior Leader Seminar of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) in Dakar, Senegal...

The Internet as Public Sphere – A Zimbabwean Case Study

African Journals Online (AJOL)

chifaou.amzat

2012-03-06

Mar 6, 2012 ... Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, 2012 ... urban citizens who have access to telecommunication infrastructure and ... Manganga: The Internet as Public Sphere – A Zimbabwean Case Study .... stations and regional and Western media to articulate and disseminate political.

Developing Biosensors in Developing Countries: South Africa as a Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronen Fogel

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A mini-review of the reported biosensor research occurring in South Africa evidences a strong emphasis on electrochemical sensor research, guided by the opportunities this transduction platform holds for low-cost and robust sensing of numerous targets. Many of the reported publications centre on fundamental research into the signal transduction method, using model biorecognition elements, in line with international trends. Other research in this field is spread across several areas including: the application of nanotechnology; the identification and validation of biomarkers; development and testing of biorecognition agents (antibodies and aptamers and design of electro-catalysts, most notably metallophthalocyanine. Biosensor targets commonly featured were pesticides and metals. Areas  of regional import to sub-Saharan Africa, such as HIV/AIDs and tuberculosis diagnosis, are also apparent in a review of the available literature. Irrespective of the targets, the challenge to the effective deployment of such sensors remains shaped by social and economic realities such that the requirements thereof are for low-cost and universally easy to operate devices for field settings. While it is difficult to disentangle the intertwined roles of national policy, grant funding availability and, certainly, of global trends in shaping areas of emphasis in research, most notable is the strong role that nanotechnology, and to a certain extent biotechnology, plays in research regarding biosensor construction. Stronger emphasis on collaboration between scientists in theoretical modelling, nanomaterials application and or relevant stakeholders in the specific field (e.g., food or health monitoring and researchers in biosensor design may help evolve focused research efforts towards development and deployment of low-cost biosensors.

The important role of springs in South Africa's rural water supply: The case study of two rural communities in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nkuna, Z

2014-12-01

Full Text Available rural communities are geographically located in hard to reach areas due to their dispersed nature and bad terrain. In South Africa, these conditions have made it particularly expensive and difficult for water service providers to effect services to rural...

Where is the game? Wild meat products authentication in South Africa: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amato, Maria Eugenia; Alechine, Evguenia; Cloete, Kevin Wesley; Davison, Sean; Corach, Daniel

2013-03-01

Wild animals' meat is extensively consumed in South Africa, being obtained either from ranching, farming or hunting. To test the authenticity of the commercial labels of meat products in the local market, we obtained DNA sequence information from 146 samples (14 beef and 132 game labels) for barcoding cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and partial cytochrome b and mitochondrial fragments. The reliability of species assignments were evaluated using BLAST searches in GenBank, maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis and the character-based method implemented in BLOG. The Kimura-2-parameter intra- and interspecific variation was evaluated for all matched species. The combined application of similarity, phylogenetic and character-based methods proved successful in species identification. Game meat samples showed 76.5% substitution, no beef samples were substituted. The substitutions showed a variety of domestic species (cattle, horse, pig, lamb), common game species in the market (kudu, gemsbok, ostrich, impala, springbok), uncommon species in the market (giraffe, waterbuck, bushbuck, duiker, mountain zebra) and extra-continental species (kangaroo). The mountain zebra Equus zebra is an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red listed species. We also detected Damaliscus pygargus, which is composed of two subspecies with one listed by IUCN as 'near threatened'; however, these mitochondrial fragments were insufficient to distinguish between the subspecies. The genetic distance between African ungulate species often overlaps with within-species distance in cases of recent speciation events, and strong phylogeographic structure determines within-species distances that are similar to the commonly accepted distances between species. The reliability of commercial labeling of game meat in South Africa is very poor. The extensive substitution of wild game has important implications for conservation and commerce, and for the consumers making decisions on the basis of

A socio-cultural perspective on transformation of gender roles and relations, and non-change in energy-health perceptions following electrification in rural South Africa : case study for Gender and Energy World Development Report Background Paper

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Matinga, Margaret Njirambo

2012-01-01

This case study draws on a PhD which used an ethnographic approach in data collection and analysis. It is informed by extensive periods of observation and interviews by the researcher embedded in two villages, Cutwini and Tsilitwa in rural South Africa. Cutwini had no electricity or modern

Adapting to climate change in Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Downing, T.E. Ringius, L. Hulme, M. Waughray, D.

1997-01-01

The intersection of present vulnerability and the prospect of climate change in Africa warrants proactive action now to reduce the risk of large-scale, adverse impacts. The process of planning adaptive strategies requires a systematic evaluation of priorities and constraints, and the involvement of stakeholders. An overview of climate change in Africa and case studies of impacts for agriculture and water underlie discussion of a typology of adaptive responses that may be most effective for different stakeholders. The most effective strategies are likely to be to reduce present vulnerability and to enhance a broad spectrum of capacity in responding to environmental, resource and economic perturbations. In some cases, such as design of water systems, an added risk factor should be considered. 2 figs., 7 tabs., 48 refs

Local economic regeneration in the fishing industry: a case study ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Local economic regeneration in the fishing industry: a case study. HR Lloyd, GS Horn. Abstract. Africa Insight Vol.33(4) 2003: 33-39. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. Article Metrics. Metrics Loading ... Metrics powered by PLOS ALM

Regional, Continental, and Global Mobility to an Emerging Economy: The Case of South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jenny J.; Sehoole, Chika

2015-01-01

This study examined mobility within the understudied region of southern Africa and particularly, the factors that drive and shape educational migration toward South Africa as a regional, continental, and global destination. Based on a survey administered to international students across seven South African universities, the findings revealed…

Unconsummated marriage in sub-Saharan Africa: case reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Lema, Valentino M

2014-09-01

Unconsummated marriage is a condition where newly married couples are unable to achieve penile-vaginal intercourse for variable periods despite desire and several attempts to do so. Its exact cause(s) is/are unknown, but performance anxiety resulting from or leading to other conditions is reportedly the major etiological factor. It is thought to be more prevalent in traditional and conservative religious communities where premarital sexual exposure is strictly prohibited. Most publications on unconsummated marriage have originated from North America, European and Middle Eastern countries. There have not been any such reports from sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to diverse cultures and traditions regarding premarital sex and marriage. This paper presents a sample of four cases with unconsummated marriage managed by the author in his private clinic based in the city of Nairobi Kenya, over the past five years. Possible etiological factors and management approaches are discussed, with a review of relevant literature.

Renewable energy resources barriers in Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umoh, U.T.; Ekpoh, I.J.

2008-01-01

Africa's hydroelectric power plants are not able to perform at greater than 30 per cent of their installed capacity, despite the fact that Africa has abundant hydroelectric resources. Droughts and floods attributed to climate change are presenting challenges to the effective management and distribution of hydroelectric power supplies. This paper identified climate change-related barriers against hydroelectric power development in Africa. Case studies of 3 hydroelectric power projects in Nigeria were considered. Rainfall intensity data for a 25-year period were analyzed. The study showed that while the hydroelectric power plants are capable of supplying more power, most dams in Africa are prone to erosion and flash flooding. The sedimentation of reservoirs and natural lakes are also posing significant water management problems. Redesigns are needed in order to reduce risk. The new hydroelectric projects should be designed to ensure that environmental impacts are minimized. A river basin management approach was recommended in order to improve industrial water supplies, power generation, and recreational aspects of waterways. 11 refs., 2 tabs.

Rising global burden of breast cancer: the case of sub-Saharan Africa (with emphasis on Nigeria) and implications for regional development: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Azubuike, Samuel O; Muirhead, Colin; Hayes, Louise; McNally, Richard

2018-03-22

Despite mortality from breast cancer in Africa being higher than in high income countries, breast cancer has not been extensively studied in the region. The aim of this paper was to highlight the rising burden of breast cancer with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa as well as trends, characteristics, controversies and their implications for regional development. A review of published studies and documents was conducted in Medline, Scopus, Pubmed and Google using combinations of key words-breast neoplasm, breast cancer, cancer, incidence, mortality, Africa, Nigeria. Graphical and frequency analyses were carried out on some of the incidence and mortality figures retrieved from published papers and the GLOBOCAN website. Globally, about 25% and 15% of all new cancer cases and cancer deaths respectively among females were due to breast cancer. Africa currently had the highest age-standardized breast cancer mortality rate globally, with the highest incidence rates being recorded within the sub-Saharan African sub-region. Incidence trends such as inherently aggressive tumour and younger age profile had been subject to controversies. Certain factors such as westernized diet, urbanization and possibly increasing awareness had been implicated, though their specific contributions were yet to be fully established. Unless urgent action is taken, breast cancer will compound sub-Saharan Africa's disease burden, increase poverty and gender inequality as well as reverse the current global gains against maternal and neonatal mortality.

Importance of bovine mastitis in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Motaung, Thabiso E; Petrovski, Kiro R; Petzer, Inge-Marie; Thekisoe, Oriel; Tsilo, Toi J

2017-06-01

Bovine mastitis is an important animal production disease that affects the dairy industry globally. Studies have estimated the prevalence of this disease in approximately 30% of African countries, with the highest prevalence found in Ethiopia. This is despite the wide cattle distribution in Africa, and the largest number of dairy farms and herds in countries such as South Africa, Kenya and Uganda. Furthermore, the estimated financial losses due to direct and indirect impacts of bovine mastitis are lacking in this continent. Therefore, intensive research efforts will help determine the continent-wide economic impacts and advance careful monitoring of disease prevalence and epidemiology. Here, published cases supporting the occurrence and importance of bovine mastitis in certain regions of Africa are outlined.

Transformative Adult Learning in New Social Movement – a Case Study from South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Čubajevaitė Marta

2015-12-01

Full Text Available New social movements in South Africa could play a prominent role in mobilizing the communities to reflect critically and address the repercussions of the neo-liberal agenda which manifests itself in perpetual exclusion of under-educated adults and provision of poor quality education.

Perception-based analysis of climate change effect on forest-based livelihood: The case of Vhembe District in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chidiebere Ofoegbu

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Forests are vulnerable to climate change and are also major sources of livelihood for many rural households in Africa. This study examines rural people’s perceptions of climate change impacts on forest-based livelihoods using rural communities of Vhembe District in South Africa as a case study. The study was based on the principles of perceived impact-based assessment, and sustainable livelihoods framework. Using the stratified proportionate random sampling procedure in combination with weighted Enumeration Area for the selected communities, 366 households were chosen and interviewed. Data analysis involved computing frequencies and conducting the Chi-square, binomial tests and binary logistic regression analysis. The respondents identified erratic rainfall, extreme temperature, extreme drought and flooding as key climatic events in their community. But not all identified key climatic events were perceived to constitute risk to forest products and forest-based livelihood. Only extreme drought was indicated to constitute risk to availability of forest products. In addition, the binary logistic regression showed a significant difference (p < 0.05 in the perceived risk of climate change to the availability of essential forest products across the three municipalities. Hence the need for forest development initiatives that target vulnerable forest products per community as a means of enhancing resilience of forest-based livelihood to climate change impacts in rural community development in South Africa.

Sustainable Electricity Supply Scenarios for West Africa. A Case Study Conducted by IAEA Member States in West Africa with the Support of the IAEA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-06-01

This publication covers topics relevant to Member States in the process of evaluation of future electricity supply options and strategies, from resource evaluation to electricity demand analysis and connections to overall social, economic and demographic developments. It is an outcome of a study carried out in West Africa, providing a coherent sub regional platform for the development of a robust policy framework for an enhanced and sustainable provision of electricity services to support socio economic growth

Corporate social responsibility in public health: A case-study on HIV/AIDS epidemic by Johnson & Johnson company in Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Chattu, Vijay Kumar

2015-01-01

HIV/AIDS has claimed millions of lives in the global workforce and continues to remain a threat to many businesses. An estimated 36.5 million of working people are living with HIV; the global workforce has lost 28 million people from AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic. In the absence of access to treatment, this number could grow to 74 million by 2015. The epidemic continues to affect the working population through absenteeism, sickness and death. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an obligation that corporates have toward their employees, community and society. A review and documentation of one such CSR by Johnson & Johnson (a multinational company) for HIV/AIDS in Africa is presented here. Johnson & Johnson Company is involved in numerous projects around the world to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The company is working to fight the spread of the disease and improve the quality of life for those living with the illness through various donations of its products and sponsorship of local programs. This case study also highlights different categories of CSR activities such as Cause Promotion, Cause related Marketing, Corporate Philanthropy, Corporate Social Marketing, Corporate Volunteering and Socially responsible business practices, which are discussed with specific examples from different countries in Africa. Conclusions: CSR of any business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical & discretionary expectation placed on the organization by society at a given point of time. CSR is therefore the obligation that corporations have toward their stakeholders and society in general which horizons beyond what is prescribed by law or union contracts. Johnson & Johnson has a proved history of being committed to caring for people and a good example of a company with a long history of citizenship and sustainability. PMID:25810667

Corporate social responsibility in public health: A case-study on HIV/AIDS epidemic by Johnson & Johnson company in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Chattu, Vijay Kumar

2015-01-01

HIV/AIDS has claimed millions of lives in the global workforce and continues to remain a threat to many businesses. An estimated 36.5 million of working people are living with HIV; the global workforce has lost 28 million people from AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic. In the absence of access to treatment, this number could grow to 74 million by 2015. The epidemic continues to affect the working population through absenteeism, sickness and death. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an obligation that corporates have toward their employees, community and society. A review and documentation of one such CSR by Johnson & Johnson (a multinational company) for HIV/AIDS in Africa is presented here. Johnson & Johnson Company is involved in numerous projects around the world to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The company is working to fight the spread of the disease and improve the quality of life for those living with the illness through various donations of its products and sponsorship of local programs. This case study also highlights different categories of CSR activities such as Cause Promotion, Cause related Marketing, Corporate Philanthropy, Corporate Social Marketing, Corporate Volunteering and Socially responsible business practices, which are discussed with specific examples from different countries in Africa. CSR of any business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical & discretionary expectation placed on the organization by society at a given point of time. CSR is therefore the obligation that corporations have toward their stakeholders and society in general which horizons beyond what is prescribed by law or union contracts. Johnson & Johnson has a proved history of being committed to caring for people and a good example of a company with a long history of citizenship and sustainability.

Informing international UNFCCC technology mechanisms from the ground up: Using biogas technology in South Africa as a case study to evaluate the usefulness of potential elements of an international technology agreement in the UNFCCC negotiations process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyd, Anya

2012-01-01

Transfer of low carbon technologies to developing countries is 1 approach for tackling rising global emissions. An international technology transfer mechanism has been proposed under the UNFCCC; however, it remains unclear how this international mechanism would translate into local level technology implementation. This study uses biogas technology in South Africa to obtain empirical data inductively related to technology transfer. Observations and activities specific to the biogas sector in South Africa are put forward based on site visits and stakeholder discussions in South Africa, the UK, Germany and Sweden. This paper presents empirical findings on technology transfer in the biogas sector in South Africa and analyses the role of an international technology mechanism in supporting the uptake of biogas. Many of the barriers to biogas technology in South Africa are national level constraints such as lack of supportive policy environment, financial incentives and information sharing. This case study supports the argument that it will be unrealistic for international technology mechanisms to capture the necessary specificities of individual technologies at a country level. Therefore, as demonstrated through the example of biogas technology in South Africa, there is a need for both effective national and international engagement to support technology implementation. - Highlights: ► The UNFCCC technology mechanism aims to increase low carbon technology deployment. ► The interface of global technology frameworks and national implementation is unclear. ► Biogas is a widely used technology yet its uptake in South Africa (SA) is minimal. ► Empirical data is gathered from biogas sites in SA, UK, Germany and Sweden. ► Findings show biogas uptake in SA requires national and international support

Building up climate change adaptation expertise in Africa: Lead ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Hayley Price

Developing Countries Farm Radio Network ... Resources Development in South Africa ... Rural-Urban Cooperation on Water Management ... Regional Institute for Population Studies, ... Interactions: the Case Study of Aba and its Region,.

Evaluation of the WHO clinical case definition for pediatric HIV infection in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

van Gend, Christine L; Haadsma, Maaike L; Sauer, Pieter J J; Schoeman, Cornelius J

2003-06-01

The WHO clinical case definition for pediatric HIV infection has been designed to be used in countries where diagnostic laboratory resources are limited. We evaluated the WHO case definition to determine whether it is a useful instrument to discriminate between HIV-positive and HIV-negative children. In addition, clinical features not included in this case definition were recorded. We recorded clinical data from 300 consecutively admitted children in a state hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and tested these children for HIV infection. A total of 222 children were included in the study; 69 children (31.1 per cent) were HIV positive. The sensitivity of the WHO case definition in this study was 14.5 per cent, the specificity was 98.6 per cent. Apart from weight loss and generalized dermatitis, the signs of the WHO case definition were significantly more often seen in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative children. Of the clinical signs not included in the WHO case definition, marasmus and hepatosplenomegaly especially occurred more frequently in HIV-positive children. Based on these findings we composed a new case definition consisting of four signs: marasmus, hepatosplenomegaly, oropharyngeal candidiasis, and generalized lymphadenopathy. HIV infection is suspected in a child presenting with at least two of these four signs. The sensitivity of this case definition was 63.2 per cent, the specificity was 96.0 per cent. We conclude that in this study the WHO case definition was not a useful instrument to discriminate between HIV-positive and HIV-negative children, mainly because its sensitivity was strikingly low. The simplified case definition we propose, proved to be more sensitive than the WHO case definition (63.2 vs. 14.5 per cent), whilst its specificity remained high.

Epidemiology of eating disorders in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

van Hoeken, Daphne; Burns, Jonathan K; Hoek, Hans W

2016-11-01

This is the first review of studies on the epidemiology of eating disorders on the African continent. The majority of articles found through our search did not assess formal diagnoses, but only screened for eating attitudes and behaviors. Only four studies - including only one recent study - provided specific epidemiological data on anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and/or eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). No cases of anorexia nervosa according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV criteria were found among a total of 1476 (young) females. The combined point-prevalence rate of bulimia nervosa is 0.87% (95% CI 0.22-1.51) and of EDNOS is 4.45% (95% CI 2.74-6.16) in young women in Africa. The epidemiological study of eating disorders in Africa is still in its infancy. Over time in total four studies providing epidemiological data on specific, formally assessed eating disorders were found. No cases of anorexia nervosa were reported in African epidemiological studies, which concurs with the very low prevalence rates of anorexia nervosa in Latin Americans and in African Americans in the USA. With the DSM-5 criteria for anorexia nervosa, some women in the African studies would have fulfilled the criteria for anorexia nervosa. The prevalence rate of bulimia nervosa in women in Africa is within the range reported for western populations, as well as African Americans and Latin Americans.

A Complex Systems Approach to Energy Poverty in sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria as a Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Chidebell Emordi, Chukwunonso

Energy poverty is pervasive in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria, located in sub-Saharan West Africa, is the world's seventh largest oil exporting country and is a resource-rich nation. It however experiences the same levels of energy poverty as most of its neighboring countries. Attributing this paradox only to corruption or the "Dutch Disease", where one sector booms at the expense of other sectors of the economy, is simplistic and enervates attempts at reform. In addition, data on energy consumption is aggregated at the national level via estimates, disaggregated data is virtually non-existent. Finally, the wave of decentralization of vertically integrated national utilities sweeping the developing world has caught on in sub-Saharan Africa. However, little is known of the economic and social implications of these transitions within the unique socio-technical system of the region's electricity sector, especially as it applies to energy poverty. This dissertation proposes a complex systems approach to measuring and mitigating energy poverty in Nigeria due to its multi-dimensional nature. This is done via a three-fold approach: the first section of the study delves into causation by examining the governance institutions that create and perpetuate energy poverty; the next section proposes a context-specific minimum energy poverty line based on field data collected on energy consumption; and the paper concludes with an indicator-based transition management framework encompassing institutional, economic, social, and environmental themes of sustainable transition within the electricity sector. This work contributes to intellectual discourse on systems-based mitigation strategies for energy poverty that are widely applicable within the sub-Saharan region, as well as adds to the knowledge-base of decision-support tools for addressing energy poverty in its complexity.

Affordability, availability and acceptability barriers to health care for the chronically ill: Longitudinal case studies from South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Russell Steven

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is an increasing burden of chronic illness in low and middle income countries, driven by TB/HIV, as well as non-communicable diseases. Few health systems are organized to meet the needs of chronically ill patients, and patients' perspectives on the difficulties of accessing care need to be better understood, particularly in poor resourced settings, to achieve this end. This paper describes the experience of poor households attempting to access chronic care in a rural area of South Africa. Methods A household survey (n = 1446 individuals was combined with qualitative longitudinal research that followed 30 case study households over 10 months. Illness narratives and diaries provided descriptive textual data of household interactions with the health system. Results In the survey 74% of reported health problems were 'chronic', 48% of which had no treatment action taken in the previous month. Amongst the case study households, of the 34 cases of chronic illness, only 21 (62% cases had an allopathic diagnosis and only 12 (35% were receiving regular treatment. Livelihoods exhausted from previous illness and death, low income, and limited social networks, prevented consultation with monthly expenditure for repeated consultations as high as 60% of income. Interrupted drug supplies, insufficient clinical services at the clinic level necessitating referral, and a lack of ambulances further hampered access to care. Poor provider-patient interaction led to inadequate understanding of illness, inappropriate treatment action, 'healer shopping', and at times a break down in cooperation, with the patient 'giving up' on the public health system. However, productive patient-provider interactions not only facilitated appropriate treatment action but enabled patients to justify their need for financial assistance to family and neighbours, and so access care. In addition, patients and their families with understanding of a disease became a

The African Genome Variation Project shapes medical genetics in Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Gurdasani, Deepti; Carstensen, Tommy; Tekola-Ayele, Fasil; Pagani, Luca; Tachmazidou, Ioanna; Hatzikotoulas, Konstantinos; Karthikeyan, Savita; Iles, Louise; Pollard, Martin O.; Choudhury, Ananyo; Ritchie, Graham R. S.; Xue, Yali; Asimit, Jennifer; Nsubuga, Rebecca N.; Young, Elizabeth H.; Pomilla, Cristina; Kivinen, Katja; Rockett, Kirk; Kamali, Anatoli; Doumatey, Ayo P.; Asiki, Gershim; Seeley, Janet; Sisay-Joof, Fatoumatta; Jallow, Muminatou; Tollman, Stephen; Mekonnen, Ephrem; Ekong, Rosemary; Oljira, Tamiru; Bradman, Neil; Bojang, Kalifa; Ramsay, Michele; Adeyemo, Adebowale; Bekele, Endashaw; Motala, Ayesha; Norris, Shane A.; Pirie, Fraser; Kaleebu, Pontiano; Kwiatkowski, Dominic; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Rotimi, Charles; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Sandhu, Manjinder S.

2015-01-01

Given the importance of Africa to studies of human origins and disease susceptibility, detailed characterization of African genetic diversity is needed. The African Genome Variation Project provides a resource with which to design, implement and interpret genomic studies in sub-Saharan Africa and worldwide. The African Genome Variation Project represents dense genotypes from 1,481 individuals and whole-genome sequences from 320 individuals across sub-Saharan Africa. Using this resource, we find novel evidence of complex, regionally distinct hunter-gatherer and Eurasian admixture across sub-Saharan Africa. We identify new loci under selection, including loci related to malaria susceptibility and hypertension. We show that modern imputation panels (sets of reference genotypes from which unobserved or missing genotypes in study sets can be inferred) can identify association signals at highly differentiated loci across populations in sub-Saharan Africa. Using whole-genome sequencing, we demonstrate further improvements in imputation accuracy, strengthening the case for large-scale sequencing efforts of diverse African haplotypes. Finally, we present an efficient genotype array design capturing common genetic variation in Africa.

The African Genome Variation Project shapes medical genetics in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurdasani, Deepti; Carstensen, Tommy; Tekola-Ayele, Fasil; Pagani, Luca; Tachmazidou, Ioanna; Hatzikotoulas, Konstantinos; Karthikeyan, Savita; Iles, Louise; Pollard, Martin O; Choudhury, Ananyo; Ritchie, Graham R S; Xue, Yali; Asimit, Jennifer; Nsubuga, Rebecca N; Young, Elizabeth H; Pomilla, Cristina; Kivinen, Katja; Rockett, Kirk; Kamali, Anatoli; Doumatey, Ayo P; Asiki, Gershim; Seeley, Janet; Sisay-Joof, Fatoumatta; Jallow, Muminatou; Tollman, Stephen; Mekonnen, Ephrem; Ekong, Rosemary; Oljira, Tamiru; Bradman, Neil; Bojang, Kalifa; Ramsay, Michele; Adeyemo, Adebowale; Bekele, Endashaw; Motala, Ayesha; Norris, Shane A; Pirie, Fraser; Kaleebu, Pontiano; Kwiatkowski, Dominic; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Rotimi, Charles; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Sandhu, Manjinder S

2015-01-15

Given the importance of Africa to studies of human origins and disease susceptibility, detailed characterization of African genetic diversity is needed. The African Genome Variation Project provides a resource with which to design, implement and interpret genomic studies in sub-Saharan Africa and worldwide. The African Genome Variation Project represents dense genotypes from 1,481 individuals and whole-genome sequences from 320 individuals across sub-Saharan Africa. Using this resource, we find novel evidence of complex, regionally distinct hunter-gatherer and Eurasian admixture across sub-Saharan Africa. We identify new loci under selection, including loci related to malaria susceptibility and hypertension. We show that modern imputation panels (sets of reference genotypes from which unobserved or missing genotypes in study sets can be inferred) can identify association signals at highly differentiated loci across populations in sub-Saharan Africa. Using whole-genome sequencing, we demonstrate further improvements in imputation accuracy, strengthening the case for large-scale sequencing efforts of diverse African haplotypes. Finally, we present an efficient genotype array design capturing common genetic variation in Africa.

Experiences in New Public Management in Africa: The Case of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

seriane.camara

Department of Political and Administrative Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, ... Reform and Public Administration in Africa: Some Research Issues', Guy Mhone ... countries led to a realization that such a dismal state of affairs was largely ..... Permanent Secretaries in each ministry were sponsors for PMS and were.

Amietia angolensis and A. fuscigula (Anura: Pyxicephalidae) in southern Africa: a cold case reheated.

Science.gov (United States)

Channing, Alan; Baptista, Ninda

2013-01-01

A study combining DNA sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, advertisement calls and morphology of some southern African river frogs confirms Amietia vandijki (Visser & Channing, 1997) as a good species. The form presently referred to as Amietia angolensis in southern Africa is shown to comprise two species: Amietia angolensis (Bocage, 1866) known from Angola, and Amietia quecketti (Boulenger, 1895) known from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. Junior synonyms of A. quecketti include Rana theileri Mocquard, 1906 and Afrana dracomontana Channing, 1978. The form presently known as Amietia fuscigula is shown to consist of two distantly related taxa: Amietia fuscigula (Duméril & Bibron, 1841) from the south-western Cape and an undescribed species that we here name Amietia poyntoni sp. nov. Channing & Baptista, known from the rest of South Africa and Namibia. These five species have large differences in 16S sequences, as well as differences in morphology and advertisement call. Call and molecular data are both diagnostic, while morphology shows some overlap between taxa. An extended study of the genus across Africa is in preparation.

Teaching Mixed-Mode: A Case Study in Remote Delivery of Computer Science in Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, Sheila; Harris, Michael; Wilkinson, Simon; Zuluaga, Catherine; Voutier, Paul

2004-01-01

In February 2003, RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, commenced delivery of a Computer Science diploma and degree programme using mixed mode delivery to 250 university students in sub-Saharan Africa, through a World Bank funded project designed for the African Virtual University (AVU). The project is a unique experience made possible by…

securitisation: the case of post-9/11 united states africa policy

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Tarryn

Using the Copenhagen School's securitisation theory, we investigate the interaction .... help explain why post 9/11 changes in US Africa policy took place. .... African condition.39 In addition, the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Being authentic is the new image : A qualitative study on the authenticity constructions and self-images of Christian millennials in Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Counted, Victor

2016-01-01

The article is a qualitative study that focuses on the authenticity and self-constructions of Christian millennials in Africa. While exploring how 15 respondents manifested their authentic self-behaviours using a case study design, the hallmark of the study was to observe the common coping mechanism

MANAGING AFRICA'S NATURAL RESOURCE ENDOWMENTS ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

RAYAN_

explained by the fact that many of the oil-producing countries or petro- states are ... Specifically for Africa, it has been argued that the resource curse paradigm .... sector.18 In Mozambique, after an audit of investments between 2002 and 2008, the ..... resources reserves in Africa, in most cases, the heart of usage – especially.

Africa and International Corruption : the Strange Case of South Africa and Seychelles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ellis, S.

1996-01-01

This article traces the development of corruption in one part of Africa - Seychelles - in a global context. It demonstrates how the ease with which capital can be transferred and commodities bought and sold and the speed of modern communication in general have been given considerable impetus to the

A 43-year systematic review and meta-analysis: case-fatality and risk of death among adults with tuberculous meningitis in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Woldeamanuel, Yohannes W; Girma, Belaineh

2014-05-01

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a preventable and curable common health problem among African adults. Poor nutrition, poverty, household crowding, drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) strains, AIDS, and malfunctioning TB control programs are important risk factors. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature reporting case-fatalities of TBM among adults in African countries from 1970 till date. A PubMed search identified relevant papers. Employed terms include 'adult tuberculous meningitis' AND 'tuberculosis Africa'. PRISMA review guidelines were applied. Adult TBM case-fatalities, odds ratio (OR), relative risk (RR), forest-plot meta-analysis for weighted OR and RR, funnel plots, L'Abbé plots, meta-regressed bubble plots, and inter-study homogeneity were computed. Among 15 studies included, adult TBM occurred in up to 28 % of all meningitis forms with case-fatality of 60 % (inverse-variance weighted 54 %). Fixed-effect meta-analysis revealed weighted OR and RR of adult TBM fatalities to be 4.37 (95 % CI 3.92, 4.88) and 2.53 (95 % CI 2.38, 2.69), respectively. Inter-study homogeneity was reliable, regional representativeness was adequate allowing generalizability, and funnel-plots behaved symmetrically with insignificant inconsistency. All cases were initiated with anti-TB medication, while some had 'breakthrough' TBM. In Africa, adult TBM has a significant public health importance with a very high fatality which has remained stagnant for the past half-century. This reflects ongoing low quality of medical care at facilities where lengthy referrals end up. Community-based studies can reveal higher unaccounted morbidity, accrued disability, and larger mortality. Improving access points for early TB management at community-level, developing health infra-structure for comprehensive case management at facility-level, and poverty reduction can help combat this multi-faceted problem--whose reduction can in return help fight poverty.

Brand Africa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Richey, Lisa Ann; Ponte, Stefano

2012-01-01

a. Lisa Ann Richey, Roskilde University and Stefano Ponte, Danish Institute for International Studies - Brand Aid and Africa b. Fantu Cheru, Nordic Africa Institute - The Right to Consume: Compassion and the Intricate New Phase of Capitalism and Africa c. Rita Abrahamsen, University of Ottawa...... - Africa in a Global Political Economy of Symbolic Goods d. Graham Harrison, University of Sheffield - Images and Representations of Africa: Old, New and Beyond e. Claire Mercer, London School of Economics and Political Science - The Privatisation of Aid? f. Dan Brockington, University of Manchester...

A population study on rheumatoid arthritis in Lesotho, southern Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Moolenburgh, J D; Valkenburg, H A; Fourie, P B

1986-01-01

Motivated by the results of a hospital study on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Lesotho (southern Africa) a survey of inflammatory polyarthritis (IP) and RA was undertaken in a sample of the rural population of that country. Contrary to expectations the prevalence of IP grades 2-4 (definite disease) was low (0.4%) and equal in both sexes, while probable and definite RA combined (American Rheumatism Association (ARA) criteria) occurred in 1.8% of both males and females. RA was slightly more severe than in other rural African Negro studies but less so when compared with the disease condition of the patients observed in the hospital study. Rheumatoid factor and particularly that directed against heterologous antigen occurred in 41% of the RA patients and in 16% of the controls. Two thirds of the definite cases and 29% of the combined probable and definite group showed radiological abnormalities. PMID:3740998

The Value of Play for Conflict Management: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Snodgrass, Lyn; Blunt, Richard

2009-01-01

This is a case study of a conflict management intervention in two secondary schools in post-apartheid South Africa. The feature of the intervention that we examine is the use of play as an educational strategy. The literature attests that play can facilitate change by allowing learners freedom to change their behaviour and opportunities to explore…

Molecular diversity of Theileria parva : a case study of Kilosa district ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Theileria parva is an apicomplexan protozoan parasite which causes East Coast fever (ECF) in Eastern and Central Africa. A study was conducted between February and May 2012 in Morogoro region to determine the diversity of the T. Parva parasite circulating in cattle in Kilosa district. Also ECF cases reported between ...

Desegregation, Racial Conflict and Education for Democracy in the New South Africa: A Case Study of Institutional Change

Science.gov (United States)

Harber, Clive

1998-09-01

Education under apartheid in South Africa was characterised by racism and segregation. Since the first democratic election in 1994 a process of racial desegregation has begun in South African schools. However, desegregation is not the same as integration. Given the historical context of South Africa, simply mixing students from different racial groups in one school is likely to result in racial conflict and violence unless the structure and processes of schooling are changed at the same time. This article examines the experience of one school in South Africa which has not only desegregated its intake but has also attempted to democratise its management structures in order to teach democratic values through experience and in particular to foster a climate of mutual respect among students so as to decrease racial distrust. So far, the changes appear to be successful but there are a number of important lessons to be learned.

Identifying regional landscapes for conservation planning: a case study from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Fairbanks, DHK

2000-08-30

Full Text Available , and the landscape structure and processes that maintain patterns of biodiversity. The authors have developed a method of classifying landscapes for the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The process entailed the use of 1 km grid data from climate and terrain...

Sport tourism event impacts on the host community – a case study of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and ... Sport tourism event impacts on the host community – a case study of Red Bull Big Wave Africa ... and direct observations were carried out as methods of obtaining data.

Why study higher education and capacity building in Africa?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adriansen, Hanne Kirstine; Madsen, Lene Møller; Jensen, Stig

2015-01-01

innovative approach to higher education and capacity building, namely by studying this through ‘geographies of knowledge’. This is an interdisciplinary field that pays attention to the ways scientific knowledge is produced and consumed with a special focus on geography. By using a geographical approach...... for exploring the current and future development of teaching and knowledge production in Africa, we want to explore how scientific knowledge is negotiated and contested in parallel to societal changes in general and capacity building in particular, and thus how scientific knowledge becomes local. Then we...... position the book and its authors before the structure of the book is presented together with a short presentation of the case-based chapters, organised in three parts. These are Part I: Capacity building of African universities – asymmetrical power relations? Part II: Researching and teaching climate...

The Case for Adolescent HIV Vaccination in South Africa

OpenAIRE

Moodley, Nishila; Gray, Glenda; Bertram, Melanie

2016-01-01

Abstract Despite comprising 0.7% of the world population, South Africa is home to 18% of the global human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence. Unyielding HIV subepidemics among adolescents threaten national attempts to curtail the disease burden. Should an HIV vaccine become available, establishing its point of entry into the health system becomes a priority. This study assesses the impact of school-based HIV vaccination and explores how variations in vaccine characteristics affect cost-e...

Decolonizing Bioethics in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Fayemi, Ademola Kazeem; Macaulay-Adeyelure, O C

2016-01-01

The global spread of bioethics from its North-American and European provenance to non-Western societies is currently raising some concerns. Part of the concern has to do with whether or not the exportation of bioethics in its full Western sense to developing non-Western states is an instance of ethical imperialism or bioethical neocolonialism. This paper attempts an exploration of this debate in the context of bioethics in sub-Saharan Africa. Rather than conceding that bioethics has a colonial agenda in Africa, this paper defends the position that the current bioethics trend in sub-Saharan Africa is an unintended imperialistic project. It argues that its colonizing character is not entirely a product of the Western programmed goals of training and institution building; rather, it is a structural consequence of many receptive African minds and institutions. Though bioethics in Africa is turning out as a colonizing project, one serious implication of such trend, if unchecked urgently, is that bioethics' invaluable relevance to Africa is being incapacitated. This paper, therefore, attempts a decolonizing trajectory of bioethics in Africa. Contrary to the pretense of 'African bioethics,' which some African scholars are now defending, this paper through the logic of decolonization makes case for 'bioethics in Africa'. In such logic, the principle of existential needs is prioritized over the principle of identity and authenticity that define African voice in bioethics.

Meteorite falls in Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Khiri, Fouad; Ibhi, Abderrahmane; Saint-Gerant, Thierry; Medjkane, Mohand; Ouknine, Lahcen

2017-10-01

The study of meteorites provides insight into the earliest history of our solar system. From 1800, about the year meteorites were first recognized as objects falling from the sky, until December 2014, 158 observed meteorite falls were recorded in Africa. Their collected mass ranges from 1.4 g to 175 kg with the 1-10 kg cases predominant. The average rate of African falls is low with only one fall recovery per 1.35-year time interval (or 0.023 per year per million km2). This African collection is dominated by ordinary chondrites (78%) just like in the worldwide falls. The seventeen achondrites include three Martian meteorite falls (Nakhla of Egypt, Tissint of Morocco and Zagami of Nigeria). Observed Iron meteorite falls are relatively rare and represent only 5%. The falls' rate in Africa is variable in time and in space. The number of falls continues to grow since 1860, 80% of which were recovered during the period between 1910 and 2014. Most of these documented meteorite falls have been recovered from North-Western Africa, Eastern Africa and Southern Africa. They are concentrated in countries which have a large surface area and a large population with a uniform distribution. Other factors are also favorable for observing and collecting meteorite falls across the African territory, such as: a genuine meteorite education, a semi-arid to arid climate (clear sky throughout the year most of the time), croplands or sparse grasslands and possible access to the fall location with a low percentage of forest cover and dense road network.

Africa Insight - Vol 38, No 1 (2008)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Democratic South Africa in the International Migration–Development Nexus: The Development Impact for sub-Saharan Africa · EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ... Nigeria and its Anti-Corruption War: The Cases of Dariye and Alamieyeseigha · EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT

Rotavirus disease in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa: a review of longitudinal community and hospital studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fischer, Thea Kølsen; Aaby, Peter; Mølbak, Kåre

2010-01-01

Rotavirus is one of the most common causes of childhood diarrheal disease and deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. This article reviews community- and hospital-based surveillance of rotavirus disease in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. Here, rotavirus infections exhibit a seasonal pattern, with annual...... epidemics occurring during the relatively dry and cooler months, from January to April, and few cases registered from May to December. Most children (74%) experience their first infection before the age of 2 years, and rotavirus has been identified as the most pathogenic of all diarrheal agents during 2...

Tobacco Control in Africa: People, Politics and Policies | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2011-10-15

Oct 15, 2011 ... Although the policy interventions are well understood, the political economy ... case studies – representing diverse linguistic, geographic, political, legal and ... Addressing Africa's unmet need for family planning by intensifying ...

Small contribution of gold mines to the ongoing tuberculosis epidemic in South Africa: a modeling-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Stewart T; Chihota, Violet N; Fielding, Katherine L; Grant, Alison D; Houben, Rein M; White, Richard G; Churchyard, Gavin J; Eckhoff, Philip A; Wagner, Bradley G

2018-04-12

Gold mines represent a potential hotspot for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) transmission and may be exacerbating the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic in South Africa. However, the presence of multiple factors complicates estimation of the mining contribution to the TB burden in South Africa. We developed two models of TB in South Africa, a static risk model and an individual-based model that accounts for longer-term trends. Both models account for four populations - mine workers, peri-mining residents, labor-sending residents, and other residents of South Africa - including the size and prevalence of latent TB infection, active TB, and HIV of each population and mixing between populations. We calibrated to mine- and country-level data and used the static model to estimate force of infection (FOI) and new infections attributable to local residents in each community compared to other residents. Using the individual-based model, we simulated a counterfactual scenario to estimate the fraction of overall TB incidence in South Africa attributable to recent transmission in mines. We estimated that the majority of FOI in each community is attributable to local residents: 93.9% (95% confidence interval 92.4-95.1%), 91.5% (91.4-91.5%), and 94.7% (94.7-94.7%) in gold mining, peri-mining, and labor-sending communities, respectively. Assuming a higher rate of Mtb transmission in mines, 4.1% (2.6-5.8%), 5.0% (4.5-5.5%), and 9.0% (8.8-9.1%) of new infections in South Africa are attributable to gold mine workers, peri-mining residents, and labor-sending residents, respectively. Therefore, mine workers with TB disease, who constitute ~ 2.5% of the prevalent TB cases in South Africa, contribute 1.62 (1.04-2.30) times as many new infections as TB cases in South Africa on average. By modeling TB on a longer time scale, we estimate 63.0% (58.5-67.7%) of incident TB disease in gold mining communities to be attributable to recent transmission, of which 92.5% (92.1-92.9%) is attributable to

Civil Service Reform in Ghana: A Case Study of Contemporary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Civil Service Reform in Ghana: A Case Study of Contemporary Reform Problems in Africa. Joseph R.A Ayee. Abstract. (A. J. of Political Science: 2001 6(1): 1-41). Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajps.v6i1.27319 · AJOL African ...

English in Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

English in Africa was founded in 1974 to provide a forum for the study of African literature and English as a language of Africa. The Editor invites contributions, including unsolicited reviews, on all aspects of English writing and the English language in Africa, including oral traditions. English in Africa is listed in the Journal of ...

China and Africa: human rights perspective | Osondu-Oti | Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

At the turn of the twenty-first century, China emerged as a major player in Africa's international relations. This emergence has attracted a lot of attention in literature on what it portends for Africa. Studies have pointed that China's involvement in Africa undermines human rights. Of important note was China's support for the ...

Monitoring urban growth around Rustenburg, South Africa, using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nale Mudau

spatial growth of Rustenburg city in South Africa from 2007 to 2012 using ... Many studies point out that population growth in urban areas is a result of ... maximum likelihood, minimum distance, spectral unmixing and neutral networks. ..... Bands (Case Study: Arid Region of Iran)', American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural.

Homicide-Suicide in Durban, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Kerry; Wassenaar, Douglas; Canetto, Silvia Sara; Pillay, Anthony

2010-01-01

This study investigated homicide-suicide in Durban, South Africa, for the years 2000 to 2001. The incidence was 0.89 per 100,000, higher than the international average. A majority of perpetrators (91%) and victims (87%) were Black African, proportional to their representation in the population. Perpetrators were typically men (in 95% of cases),…

AIDS in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Ijsselmuiden, C; Evian, C; Matjilla, J; Steinberg, M; Schneider, H

1993-01-01

The National AIDS Convention in South Africa (NACOSA) in October 1992 was the first real attempt to address HIV/AIDS. In Soweto, government, the African National Congress, nongovernmental organizations, and organized industry and labor representatives worked for 2 days to develop a national plan of action, but it did not result in a united effort to fight AIDS. The highest HIV infection rates in South Africa are among the KwaZulu in Natal, yet the Inkatha Freedom Party did not attend NACOSA. This episode exemplifies the key obstacles for South Africa to prevent and control AIDS. Inequality of access to health care may explain why health workers did not diagnose the first AIDS case in blacks until 1985. Migrant labor, Bantu education, and uprooted communities affect the epidemiology of HIV infection. Further, political and social polarization between blacks and whites contributes to a mindset that AIDS is limited to the other race which only diminishes the personal and collective sense of susceptibility and the volition and aptitude to act. The Department of National Health and Population Development's voluntary register of anonymously reported cases of AIDS specifies 1517 cumulative AIDS cases (October 1992), but this number is low. Seroprevalence studies show between 400,000-450,000 HIV positive cases. Public hospitals cannot give AIDS patients AZT and DDI. Few communities provided community-based care. Not all hospitals honor confidentiality and patients' need for autonomy. Even though HIV testing is not mandatory, it is required sometimes, e.g., HIV testing of immigrants. AIDS Training, Information and Counselling Centers are in urban areas, but not in poor areas where the need is most acute. The government just recently developed in AIDS education package for schools, but too many people consider it improper, so it is not being used. The poor quality education provided blacks would make it useless anyhow. Lifting of the academic boycott will allow South African

Human Responses to Climate Variability: The Case of South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Oppenheimer, M.; Licker, R.; Mastrorillo, M.; Bohra-Mishra, P.; Estes, L. D.; Cai, R.

2014-12-01

Climate variability has been associated with a range of societal and individual outcomes including migration, violent conflict, changes in labor productivity, and health impacts. Some of these may be direct responses to changes in mean temperature or precipitation or extreme events, such as displacement of human populations by tropical cyclones. Others may be mediated by a variety of biological, social, or ecological factors such as migration in response to long-term changes in crops yields. Research is beginning to elucidate and distinguish the many channels through which climate variability may influence human behavior (ranging from the individual to the collective, societal level) in order to better understand how to improve resilience in the face of current variability as well as future climate change. Using a variety of data sets from South Africa, we show how climate variability has influenced internal (within country) migration in recent history. We focus on South Africa as it is a country with high levels of internal migration and dramatic temperature and precipitation changes projected for the 21st century. High poverty rates and significant levels of rain-fed, smallholder agriculture leave large portions of South Africa's population base vulnerable to future climate change. In this study, we utilize two complementary statistical models - one micro-level model, driven by individual and household level survey data, and one macro-level model, driven by national census statistics. In both models, we consider the effect of climate on migration both directly (with gridded climate reanalysis data) and indirectly (with agricultural production statistics). With our historical analyses of climate variability, we gain insights into how the migration decisions of South Africans may be influenced by future climate change. We also offer perspective on the utility of micro and macro level approaches in the study of climate change and human migration.

Studies in Gender and Development in Africa: Submissions

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aim and Scope Studies in Gender and Development in Africa (SIGADA) is a ... lived realities and activisms on gender issues in development with the view to ... analytical work including issues, claims, arguments; implications/relevance etc.) vi.

Use of mapping time and space as a forensic tool in a murder case in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Schmitz, Peter MU

2009-11-01

Full Text Available shooting incident at Cape Town’s Waterfront (State vs. D Osman, Case No: CPV/98/0562H in the High Court of South Africa, Cape of Good Hope Provincial Division); and (b) the hijacking of trucks carrying cigarettes (State vs. S De Vries and 10 other, Case... 010 9819) contacts Hassan (078 169 8347) Rylands 3 Symphony Secondary 3 59 20:11 Najwa P (082 566 7967) contacts Faheem (072 922 9617) Kewtown 3 Westridge School 1 60 20:15 Faheem (072 922 9617) contacts Emjedi (072 010 9819) Westridge School 2...

Predictors of HIV Testing among Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Asaolu, Ibitola O; Gunn, Jayleen K; Center, Katherine E; Koss, Mary P; Iwelunmor, Juliet I; Ehiri, John E

2016-01-01

In spite of a high prevalence of HIV infection among adolescents and young adults in sub-Saharan Africa, uptake of HIV testing and counseling among youth in the region remains sub-optimal. The objective of this study was to assess factors that influence uptake of HIV testing and counseling among youth aged 15-24 years in sub-Saharan Africa. This study used the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from countries that represent four geographic regions of sub-Saharan Africa: Congo (Brazzaville), representing central Africa (DHS 2011-2012); Mozambique, representing southern Africa (DHS 2011); Nigeria, representing western Africa (DHS 2013); and Uganda, representing eastern Africa (DHS 2011). Analyses were restricted to 23,367 male and female respondents aged 15-24 years with complete data on the variables of interest. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were used to assess predictors of HIV testing. Statistical significance was set at psub-Saharan Africa for HIV testing continues to be a challenge. Public health programs that seek to increase HIV counseling and testing among youth should pay particular attention to efforts that target high-risk subpopulations of youth. The results further suggest that these initiatives would be strengthened by including strategies to increase HIV comprehensive knowledge.

Science-based health innovation in sub-Saharan Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daar Abdallah S

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract In recent years emerging markets such as India, China, and Brazil have developed appropriate business models and lower-cost technological innovations to address health challenges locally and internationally. But it is not well understood what capabilities African countries, with their high disease burden, have in science-based health innovation. This gap in knowledge is addressed by this series in BMC International Health and Human Rights. The series presents the results of extensive on-the-ground research in the form of four country case studies of health and biotechnology innovation, six studies of institutions within Africa involved in health product development, and one study of health venture funds in Africa. To the best of our knowledge it is the first extensive collection of empirical work on African science-based health innovation. The four country cases are Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The six case studies of institutions are A to Z Textiles (Tanzania, Acorn Technologies (South Africa, Bioventures venture capital fund (South Africa, the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research (IMRA; Madagascar, the Kenyan Medical Research Institute (KEMRI; Kenya, and Niprisan’s development by Nigeria’s National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development and Xechem (Nigeria. All of the examples highlight pioneering attempts to build technological capacity, create economic opportunities, and retain talent on a continent significantly affected by brain drain. They point to the practical challenges for innovators on the ground, and suggest potentially helpful policies, funding streams, and other support systems. For African nations, health innovation represents an opportunity to increase domestic capacity to solve health challenges; for international funders, it is an opportunity to move beyond foreign aid and dependency. The shared goal is creating self-sustaining innovation that has both health and development impacts. While

Science-based health innovation in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Bader, Sara; Masum, Hassan; Simiyu, Ken; Daar, Abdallah S; Singer, Peter A

2010-12-13

In recent years emerging markets such as India, China, and Brazil have developed appropriate business models and lower-cost technological innovations to address health challenges locally and internationally. But it is not well understood what capabilities African countries, with their high disease burden, have in science-based health innovation.This gap in knowledge is addressed by this series in BMC International Health and Human Rights. The series presents the results of extensive on-the-ground research in the form of four country case studies of health and biotechnology innovation, six studies of institutions within Africa involved in health product development, and one study of health venture funds in Africa. To the best of our knowledge it is the first extensive collection of empirical work on African science-based health innovation.The four country cases are Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The six case studies of institutions are A to Z Textiles (Tanzania), Acorn Technologies (South Africa), Bioventures venture capital fund (South Africa), the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research (IMRA; Madagascar), the Kenyan Medical Research Institute (KEMRI; Kenya), and Niprisan's development by Nigeria's National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development and Xechem (Nigeria).All of the examples highlight pioneering attempts to build technological capacity, create economic opportunities, and retain talent on a continent significantly affected by brain drain. They point to the practical challenges for innovators on the ground, and suggest potentially helpful policies, funding streams, and other support systems.For African nations, health innovation represents an opportunity to increase domestic capacity to solve health challenges; for international funders, it is an opportunity to move beyond foreign aid and dependency. The shared goal is creating self-sustaining innovation that has both health and development impacts. While this is a long-term strategy

Everyday hazards and vulnerabilities amongst backyard dwellers: A case study of Vredendal North, Matzikama Municipality, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia J. Zweig

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The populations of many small towns in South Africa continue to expand unmatched by parallel economic growth, entrenching high levels of poverty. The town of Vredendal, located close to the national route between Namibia and Cape Town in South Africa, is a West Coast development node and an emergent industrial and processing area that continues to attract an influx of people seeking economic opportunities. This is challenging the capacity of the local municipality, which has a waiting list for state-provided low-cost housing units, whilst the provision of adequate infrastructure to meet growing local need is also a developmental concern. In the suburb of Vredendal North this has resulted in the proliferation of unplanned informal dwellings in the backyards of formalised low-cost housing areas. Largely overlooked by urban researchers, little is known or understood about small town backyard populations. This prompted a brief study of Vredendal North backyard dwellers commissioned by the local municipality to identify their everyday hazards and livelihood vulnerabilities to inform future development planning. A community workshop identified critical development needs and suggested that backyard dwellers in small towns experience similar living conditions and hazards to those in the cities, although underlain by some unique differences.

Assessing stocks in data-poor African fisheries: a case study on the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Assessing stocks in data-poor African fisheries: a case study on the white grouper Epinephelus aeneus of Mauritania. ... African Journal of Marine Science ... The lack of reliable stock assessment for numerous exploited stocks in West Africa often results from poor-quality data, high multi-specificity of captures, and the ...

Case studies of Kenyan digital villages with a focus on women and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

areas are more vulnerable compared to those in urban areas (Project Africa, 2010). ... (2005) draw from a case study on stages of telecentre development in New Zealand. ..... that social networking sites are of major interest among users. .... equal society nonetheless, not much of this is done on regional or local levels.

The evolution of dwarf shrubs in alpine environments: a case study of Alchemilla in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Gehrke, Berit; Kandziora, Martha; Pirie, Michael D

2016-01-01

Alpine and arctic environments worldwide, including high mountains, are dominated by short-stature woody plants (dwarf shrubs). This conspicuous life form asserts considerable influence on local environmental conditions above the treeline, creating its own microhabitat. This study reconstructs the evolution of dwarf shrubs in Alchemilla in the African tropical alpine environment, where they represent one of the largest clades and are among the most common and abundant plants. Different phylogenetic inference methods were used with plastid and nuclear DNA sequence markers, molecular dating (BEAST and RelTime), analyses of diversification rate shifts (MEDUSA and BAMM) and ancestral character and area reconstructions (Mesquite). It is inferred that African Alchemilla species originated following long-distance dispersal to tropical East Africa, but that the evolution of dwarf shrubs occurred in Ethiopia and in tropical East Africa independently. Establishing a timeframe is challenging given inconsistencies in age estimates, but it seems likely that they originated in the Pleistocene, or at the earliest in the late Miocene. The adaptation to alpine-like environments in the form of dwarf shrubs has apparently not led to enhanced diversification rates. Ancestral reconstructions indicate reversals in Alchemilla from plants with a woody base to entirely herbaceous forms, a transition that is rarely reported in angiosperms. Alchemilla is a clear example of in situ tropical alpine speciation. The dwarf shrub life form typical of African Alchemilla has evolved twice independently, further indicating its selective advantage in these harsh environments. However, it has not influenced diversification, which, although recent, was not rapid. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Probabilistic Impact Assessment of Domestic Rainwater Harvesting in Urban Slums: West Africa Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Cowden, J. R.; Watkins, D. W.; Mihelcic, J. R.; Fry, L. M.

2007-12-01

Urban populations now exceed rural populations worldwide, creating unique challenges in providing basic services, especially in developing countries where informal or illegal settlements grow in peri-urban areas. West Africa is an acute example of the problems created by rapid urban growth, with high levels of urban poverty and low water and sanitation access rates. Although considerable effort has been made in providing improved water access and urban services to slum communities, research indicates that clean water access rates are not keeping up with urbanization rates in several areas of the world and that rapidly growing slum communities are beginning to overwhelm many prior water improvements projects. In the face of these challenges, domestic rainwater harvesting is proposed as a technologically appropriate and economically viable option for enhancing water supplies to urban slum households. However, assessing the reliability, potential health impacts, and overall cost-effectiveness of these systems on a regional level is difficult for several reasons. First, long daily rainfall records are not readily available in much of the developing world, including many regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Second, significant uncertainties exist in the relevant cost, water use, and health data. Third, to estimate the potential future impacts at the regional scale, various global change scenarios should be investigated. Finally, in addition to these technical challenges, there is also a need to develop relatively simple and transparent assessment methods for informing policy makers. A procedure is presented for assessment of domestic rainwater harvesting systems using a combination of scenario, sensitivity, and trade-off analyses. Using data from West Africa, simple stochastic weather models are developed to generate rainfall sequences for the region, which are then used to estimate the reliability of providing a range of per capita water supplies. Next, a procedure is

Prevention and nursing care in the first case of Ebola virus disease contracted outside Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Cerón-Serrano, Alicia; Jiménez-Castellano, Rafael; Gómez-Campos, Ana María

After the evacuation from Africa to Western hospitals of several international workers with the Ebola virus disease, the first case of contagion outside Africa occurred in Madrid, Spain. A nursing care assistant who had attended a missionary repatriated from Sierra Leone contracted the disease. On October 7 th 2014, the patient arrived at the University Hospital La Paz-Carlos III in Madrid. She remained in the hospital for 30 days, 25 of which were in strict isolation in a negative pressure room with air lock anteroom; personal protective equipment was required. During the last five days, the patient was moved to a standard room. Protection measures were used in accordance with the Hospital Occupational Health Department. According to its evolution, we differentiate three phases with specific care demands which were conditioned by the risk of transmission, forcing extreme measures of prevention. The largest numbers of direct interventions fall within the realm of the nursing profession. It is essential that specialized units with regular training be created for highly contagious diseases. In addition, this and other cases should be analyzed from the point of view of nursing, to allow standardized care. We also recognize the importance of managing communication to prevent social unrest and stigmatization of staff. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Where is the game? Wild meat products authentication in South Africa: a case study

OpenAIRE

D?Amato, Maria Eugenia; Alechine, Evguenia; Cloete, Kevin Wesley; Davison, Sean; Corach, Daniel

2013-01-01

Background Wild animals? meat is extensively consumed in South Africa, being obtained either from ranching, farming or hunting. To test the authenticity of the commercial labels of meat products in the local market, we obtained DNA sequence information from 146 samples (14 beef and 132 game labels) for barcoding cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and partial cytochrome b and mitochondrial fragments. The reliability of species assignments were evaluated using BLAST searches in GenBank, maximum lik...

Costs, benefits and management options for an invasive alien tree species: the case of mesquite in the Northern Cape, South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Wise, RM

2012-08-01

Full Text Available and management options for an invasive alien tree species: The case of mesquite in the Northern Cape, South Africa R.M. Wise1?, B.W. van Wilgen2 and D.C. Le Maitre2 1 CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, GPO Box 284, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia . 2 Centre for Invasion... determined the net economic impact of mesquite in arid parts of South Africa today and for a range of plausible future scenarios, and identified the pivotal factors driving these outcomes. Our assessment was based on a thorough review of the beneficial...

Drought preparedness, impact and response: A case of the Eastern Cape and Free State provinces of South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Makala J. Ngaka

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Drought is a major disaster in South Africa in terms of total economic loss and number of people affected. This study investigated and analysed the preparedness, impact of and response by the farming community to the 2007/2008 drought using the Eastern Cape and Free State provinces of South Africa as case studies. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in this study. Primary data were collected through face-to-face interviews with sampled recipients of the 2007/2008 drought relief scheme. These were analysed using MedCalc® software and various statistical tests and correlations were performed to test for statistical differences on key variables. Major findings of this study included inadequacy of the extension support service, particularly as a vehicle for disseminating early-warning information. The most significant impact was livestock losses, and t-test results supported the hypothesis that there was a significant difference in terms of drought impact for the three categories of farmers (i.e. small, medium and large scale, particularly with regard to the proportion of livestock lost. A Logit analysis showed that the decision to reduce livestock during drought was influenced by access to land and race. The main constraint to the drought relief scheme, as perceived by the respondents, was the turnaround time − they felt that the relief was provided long after the disaster had occurred.

The Analysis Of Capillary Tube System For Office Buildings In Africa. A Case Study Of Nigerian And Namibian Climate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sulaiman Muhammad kabir

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The change in climate and the rise in energy rates have become a necessary consideration in the construction industry which has made architects and engineers to arise with improved building design concepts. A focus on creating a comfortable indoor climate in office buildings ensures productive working conditions for the users and reduces global warming. Specific climatic design principles are often disregarded when designing to create a comfortable indoor climate. Sustainable design methods in buildings has been replicated from one zone to another zone without adjustments which results to buildings that do not provide adequate comfort. Capillary tube system is used to provide a comfortable indoor climate for office buildings making an interesting use of geothermal energy. This paper aims to explain its principle using geothermal energy and the effect of climate on the use of this system in office buildings in Africa. A case study of Lagos state lying on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean which is challenged with high rise in sea level as a result of global warming in Nigeria and Windhoek in Namibia is to be taken into consideration as the business hub of its country. These regions comprises of many office buildings to facilitate the countries trade internationally and locally.

Location and characterization of populations vulnerable to climate change: two case studies in Sub-Saharan Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Wesenbeeck, C.F.A.; Sonneveld, B.G.J.S.; Voortman, R.L.

2016-01-01

Future climate change potentially can have a strong impact on the African continent. Of special concern are the effects on food security and the restricted adaptive capacity of Africa's poverty stricken population. Targeted policy interventions are, therefore, of vital importance. While there is a

Gendered health care labour markets? A case study of anatomical pathologists and haematologists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suveera Singh

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study qualitatively explored the role of gender and related factors that influence medical doctors’ decisions in selecting a specialisation within medical laboratory medicine. This study is novel in that it disaggregates doctors by specialisation. It further focuses on non-clinical medical specialists who have been ignored in the global human resources for health literature. Hakim’s preference theory as well as socialisation theory is adapted to explain some of the reasons female doctors make certain career choices regarding specialisation within the medical field. The study focused on laboratory doctors in the public and private sector in KwaZulu- Natal. A qualitative approach was adopted given the small population size and the need for an interpretive approach to the data. The research design was an exploratory case study and thematic analysis was used to discover the relevant themes. The non-probability purposeful sample comprised a total of 20 participants, of which 11 were anatomical pathologists and 9 were haematologists, all based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data collection was performed via in-depth interviews. Trustworthiness of the data was ensured through methods of credibility and triangulation. The key finding is that although gender is a significant factor in career choice (for specific disciplines, it is one of many factors that determine self-selection into a specific medical laboratory specialisation. The conclusions, although not generalisable, have implications for human resources for health policies targeted at achieving higher levels of recruitment in laboratory medicine as a profession.

The mass miniature chest radiography programme in Cape Town, South Africa, 1948-1994: The impact of active tuberculosis case finding

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hermans, S. M.; Andrews, J. R.; Bekker, L.-G.; Wood, R.

2016-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) control programmes rely mainly on passive detection of symptomatic individuals. The resurgence of TB has rekindled interest in active case finding. Cape Town (South Africa) had a mass miniature radiography (MMR) screening programme from 1948 to 1994. To evaluate screening coverage,

Flexible intellectual property rights lead to greater innovation in Africa

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2016-04-27

Apr 27, 2016 ... The network is unique in offering a distinctly African perspective on the global intellectual property and innovation agenda. ... Case studies illustrate this balance: ... Unlocking the potential of Africa's young entrepreneurs.

Theoretical interpretation of e-government implementation challenges in South Africa: A case study of a selected provincial government

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Twum-Darko

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses factors influencing e-Government initiatives by African Governments to improve services to their citizens, businesses and their constituent. It further discusses, as a socially constructed phenomenon, the degree of readiness of governments to implement e-Government initiatives to improve services. The discussion uses Actor Network Theory (ANT and in particular the concepts of moments of translation and irreversibility as a lens through which to understand and interpret the social phenomenon. Although a number of e-Government researchers have argued that strong leadership and clear vision is required to implement e-Government initiatives, the view is that Governments have continuously failed to achieve the intended results. E-Government potentials and benefits which are well documented in Information Systems and e-Government research literature have not been realised by governments due to limited capabilities in the administration of the public service. The study applied a deductive approach where semi-structured interviews were used for data collection in a selected Provincial Government in South Africa. The outcome is a general framework to determine the readiness of South Africa government and generally, African governments for e-Government initiatives to achieve the intended results.

The relationship between drought and tourist arrivals: A case study of Kruger National Park, South Africa

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Fhumulani I. Mathivha

2017-07-01

Full Text Available National parks around the world have been recognised as important sources of nature experiences for both local and international visitors. In South Africa, national parks are similarly important recreational and nature tourism attractions. They offer visitors an unparalleled diversity of tourism opportunities, including game viewing, bush walks and exposure to culture and history. South African National Parks (SANParks, established in 1926, is one of the world’s leading conservation and scientific research bodies and a leading agent in maintaining the country’s indigenous natural environment. The study aims to analyse the correlation between drought and the number of tourist arrivals to the Kruger National Park (KNP. Rainfall data, as well as data on tourist arrivals at KNP for the period from 1963 to 2015 were obtained from the South African Weather Services (SAWS and SANParks, respectively. Rainfall data were used to determine the drought years at the KNP through computing the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI for various stations around the park. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used as a statistical measure of the strength of a linear relationship between drought and tourist arrivals. The results showed that KNP experienced both negative and positive tourist arrivals, although the former was the case, tourist arrivals showed an increasing trend. The correlation relationship showed that 19.36% of the drought years corresponded to a negative change in tourist arrivals to the park. The results obtained confirm that the tourism industry is a fragile industry which is prone to environmental, social and economic state of a region.

Sensitivity, Specificity, and Public-Health Utility of Clinical Case Definitions Based on the Signs and Symptoms of Cholera in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Nadri, Johara; Sauvageot, Delphine; Njanpop-Lafourcade, Berthe-Marie; Baltazar, Cynthia S; Banla Kere, Abiba; Bwire, Godfrey; Coulibaly, Daouda; Kacou N'Douba, Adele; Kagirita, Atek; Keita, Sakoba; Koivogui, Lamine; Landoh, Dadja E; Langa, Jose P; Miwanda, Berthe N; Mutombo Ndongala, Guy; Mwakapeje, Elibariki R; Mwambeta, Jacob L; Mengel, Martin A; Gessner, Bradford D

2018-04-01

During 2014, Africa reported more than half of the global suspected cholera cases. Based on the data collected from seven countries in the African Cholera Surveillance Network (Africhol), we assessed the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of clinical cholera case definitions, including that recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) using culture confirmation as the gold standard. The study was designed to assess results in real-world field situations in settings with recent cholera outbreaks or endemicity. From June 2011 to July 2015, a total of 5,084 persons with suspected cholera were tested for Vibrio cholerae in seven different countries of which 35.7% had culture confirmation. For all countries combined, the WHO case definition had a sensitivity = 92.7%, specificity = 8.1%, positive predictive value = 36.1%, and negative predictive value = 66.6%. Adding dehydration, vomiting, or rice water stools to the case definition could increase the specificity without a substantial decrease in sensitivity. Future studies could further refine our findings primarily by using more sensitive methods for cholera confirmation.

Human fascioliasis in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Black, J; Ntusi, N; Stead, P; Mayosi, B; Mendelson, M

2013-07-29

Human fascioliasis has the widest latitudinal, longitudinal and altitudinal distribution of any vector-borne disease, yet only 3 cases have been reported from South Africa, the last in 1964. We report 2 cases from the same geographic area associated with local consumption of watercress, suggesting an endemic focus. 

Africa Insight - Vol 38, No 3 (2008)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The impact of major sporting events on the economy and the people of a developing region: the case of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament · EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT ... When will it be Africa's turn?: prospects and challenges for South Africa hosting the Olympic games · EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT

Reflections on educational research in South Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Erna Kinsey

research in South Africa as (1) a particular mode of social service (with discussion of an ... by an interest in scientific work, and an interest in theatre. The study provided an apt way to ... the general public, and establish professional autonomy (through ... own affairs responsibly and for societal benefit). ..... In this case, the.

Africa and International Corruption: the Strange Case of South Africa and Seychelles

OpenAIRE

Ellis, S.

1996-01-01

This article traces the development of corruption in one part of Africa - Seychelles - in a global context. It demonstrates how the ease with which capital can be transferred and commodities bought and sold and the speed of modern communication in general have been given considerable impetus to the linking of corrupt practices across borders, and that this process of transnational corruption was considerably encouraged by the Cold War. After independence in 1976 Seychelles was subject to inte...

Linkage to care among adults being investigated for tuberculosis in South Africa: pilot study of a case manager intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Maraba, Noriah; Chihota, Violet; McCarthy, Kerrigan; Churchyard, Gavin J; Grant, Alison D

2018-05-24

We piloted an intervention to determine if support from a case manager would assist adults being investigated for tuberculosis (TB) to link into TB and HIV care. Pilot interventional cohort study. Patients identified by primary healthcare clinic staff in South Africa as needing TB investigations were enrolled. Participants were supported for 3 months by case managers who facilitated the care pathway by promoting HIV testing, getting laboratory results, calling patients to return for results and facilitating treatment initiation. Linkage to TB care was defined as starting TB treatment within 28 days in those with a positive test result; linkage to HIV care, for HIV-positive people, was defined as having blood taken for CD4 count and, for those eligible, starting antiretroviral therapy within 3 months. Intervention implementation was measured by number of attempts to contact participants. Among 562 participants (307 (54.6%) female, median age: 36 years (IQR 29-44)), most 477 (84.8%) had previously tested for HIV; of these, 328/475 (69.1%) self-reported being HIV-positive. Overall, 189/562 (33.6%) participants needed linkage to care (132 HIV care linkage only; 35 TB treatment linkage only; 22 both). Of 555 attempts to contact these 189 participants, 407 were to facilitate HIV care linkage, 78 for TB treatment linkage and 70 for both. At the end of 3-month follow-up, 40 participants had not linked to care (29 of the 132 (22.0%) participants needing linkage to HIV care only, 4 of the 35 (11.4%) needing to start on TB treatment only and 7 of the 22 (31.8%) needing both). Many people testing for TB need linkage to care. Despite case manager support, non-linkage into HIV care remained higher than desirable, suggesting a need to modify this intervention before implementation. Innovative strategies to enable linkage to care are needed. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial

International Studies in Africa. Interview with Prof. O. Igho Natufe, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dzherri Roulings Tafotie Deffo Jerry Rowllings

2016-12-01

Full Text Available O. Igho Natufe is a Nigerian-born Sovietologist and a specialist in International Relations and Soviet/ Russian Foreign Policy. Dr. Natufe is an alumnus of the People's Friendship University, a former university professor of Political Science (University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, 1978-1980, and the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria, 1980-1989 and senior advisor to the Government of Canada (1970-1978, 1989-2011. He is author of several of scientific research, including “Soviet policy in Africa: from Lenin to Brezhnev”. In his interview he speeks about IR studies in Africa, about mutual perceptions of Russians and Africans, about his recent book on Soviet and Russian Foreign Policy, about scramble for Africa between great and emerging powers. He expects Russia, the USA, and China to enhance their influence in Africa, at the expense of Britain and France. Prof. Natufe pays a special attention to the role of African Diaspora in Development of African countries.

Cherubism in sub-Saharan Africa: a first case-report in a child

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Ntetani Aloni

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Cherubism is rare disease and has been rarely reported in African pediatric population. We report here the case of a 10-year-old child who was referred to our hospital for bilateral jaws swelling. Physical examination revealed bilateral swelling symmetry of the face. Histopathological examination of the biopsy specimen showed loose fibrous stroma, proliferating fibrous connective with tissue interspersed with multinucleated giant cells, small thin walled blood vessels and scattered sparse mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate. Our patient presented cherubism. Cherubism is rarely described in children living in sub-Saharan Africa. Genetic and molecular investigations plays an important role in diagnosis but were not available in poor resources settings in developing countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Toward a standardized investigation protocol in sudden unexpected deaths in infancy in South Africa: a multicenter study of medico-legal investigation procedures and outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

du Toit-Prinsloo, Lorraine; Dempers, Johan; Verster, Janette; Hattingh, Christa; Nel, Hestelle; Brandt, V D; Jordaan, Joyce; Saayman, Gert

2013-09-01

South Africa manifests a socio-economic dichotomy that shows features of both a developed and developing country. As a result of this, areas exist where a lack of resources and expertise prevents the implementation of a highly standardized protocol for the investigation of sudden and unexpected deaths in infants (SUDI). Although the medico-legal mortuaries attached to academic centers have the capacity to implement standardized protocols, a previous study conducted at two large medico-legal mortuaries indicated otherwise. This study also revealed that the exact number and incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases was unknown. These findings prompted a multicenter study of the medico-legal investigation procedures and outcomes in five academic centers in South Africa. A retrospective case audit was conducted for a 5-year period (2005-2009) at medico-legal laboratories attached to universities in Bloemfontein, Cape Town-Tygerberg, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. The total case load as well as the total number of infants younger than 1 year of age admitted to these mortuaries was documented. The case files on all infants younger than 1 year of age who were admitted as sudden and unexpected or unexplained deaths were included in the study population. Data collected on the target population included demographic details, the nature and scope of the post-mortem examinations, as well as the final outcome (cause of death). A total case load of 80,399 cases were admitted to the mortuaries over the 5 year period with a total of 3,295 (6.5 %) infants. In the infant group, 591 (0.7 %) died from non-natural causes and 2,704 (3.3 %) cases of sudden, unexpected and/or unexplained deaths in infants were admitted and included in the detailed case analysis study. One hundred and ninety-nine babies were between 0 and 7 days of age and 210 babies between 8 and 30 days. The remaining 2,295 infants were between 1 month and 12 months of age. Death scene investigation was

Globalisation and higher education studies in South Africa | Strydom ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Globalisation and higher education studies in South Africa. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... Globalisation and its impact on higher education will be discussed, while globalisation as a critical external influence on the ...

Decolonizing Bioethics in Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Macaulay-Adeyelure, O.C.

2017-01-01

The global spread of bioethics from its North-American and European provenance to non-Western societies is currently raising some concerns. Part of the concern has to do with whether or not the exportation of bioethics in its full Western sense to developing non-Western states is an instance of ethical imperialism or bioethical neocolonialism. This paper attempts an exploration of this debate in the context of bioethics in sub-Saharan Africa. Rather than conceding that bioethics has a colonial agenda in Africa, this paper defends the position that the current bioethics trend in sub-Saharan Africa is an unintended imperialistic project. It argues that its colonizing character is not entirely a product of the Western programmed goals of training and institution building; rather, it is a structural consequence of many receptive African minds and institutions. Though bioethics in Africa is turning out as a colonizing project, one serious implication of such trend, if unchecked urgently, is that bioethics’ invaluable relevance to Africa is being incapacitated. This paper, therefore, attempts a decolonizing trajectory of bioethics in Africa. Contrary to the pretense of ‘African bioethics,’ which some African scholars are now defending, this paper through the logic of decolonization makes case for ‘bioethics in Africa’. In such logic, the principle of existential needs is prioritized over the principle of identity and authenticity that define African voice in bioethics. PMID:28344985

Adverse drug reaction reports for cardiometabolic drugs from sub-Saharan Africa: a study in VigiBase.

Science.gov (United States)

Berhe, Derbew Fikadu; Juhlin, Kristina; Star, Kristina; Beyene, Kidanemariam G M; Dheda, Mukesh; Haaijer-Ruskamp, Flora M; Taxis, Katja; Mol, Peter G M

2015-06-01

Identifying key features in individual case safety reports (ICSR) of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) with cardiometabolic drugs from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared with reports from the rest of the world (RoW). Reports on suspected ADRs of cardiometabolic drugs (ATC: A10[antidiabetic], B01[antithrombotics] and C[cardiovascular]) were extracted from WHO Global database, VigiBase(®) (1992-2013). We used vigiPoint, a logarithmic odds ratios (log2 OR)-based method to study disproportional reporting between SSA and RoW. Case-defining features were considered relevant if the lower limit of the 99% CI > 0.5. In SSA, 3773 (9%) of reported ADRs were for cardiometabolic drugs, in RoW for 18%. Of these, 79% originated from South Africa and 81% were received after 2007. Most reports were for drugs acting on the renin-angiotensin system (36% SSA & 14% RoW). Compared with RoW, reports were more often sent for patients 18-44 years old (log2 OR 0.95 [99 CI 0.80; 1.09]) or with non-fatal outcome (log2 OR 1.16 [99 CI 1.10; 1.22]). Eight ADRs (cough, angioedema, lip swelling, face oedema, swollen tongue, throat irritation, drug ineffective and blood glucose abnormal) and seven drugs (enalapril, rosuvastatin, perindopril, vildagliptin, insulin glulisine, nifedipine and insulin lispro) were disproportionally more reported in SSA than in the RoW. 'In recent years, the number of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has sharply increased. The data showed the well-known population-based differential ADR profile of ACE inhibitors in the SSA population.' © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Implementing case-based teaching strategies in a decentralised nursing management programme in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zethu Nkosi

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Case-based education has a long history in the disciplines of education, business, law and the health professions. Research suggests that students who learn via acase-based method have advanced critical thinking skills and a greater ability for application of knowledge in practice. In medical education, case-based methodology is widely used to facilitate knowledge transfer from theoretical knowledge to application in patient care. Nursing education has also adopted case-based methodology to enhance learner outcomes and critical thinking. Objectives: The objectives of the study was to describe a decentralised nursing management education programme located in Durban, South Africa and describe the perceptions of nursing faculty facilitators regarding implementation of this teaching method. Method: Data was collected through the use of one-on-one interviews and also focus groups amongst the fifteen facilitators who were using a case-based curriculum to teach the programme content. The average facilitator was female, between 41 and 50 years of age,working part-time, educated with a baccalaureate degree, working as a professional nurse for between 11 and 20 years; slightly more than half had worked as a facilitator for three or more years. Results: The facilitators identified themes related to the student learners, the learning environment, and strengths and challenges of using facilitation to teach the content through cases. Decentralised nursing management educational programmes can meet the needs of nurses who are located in remote areas which are characterised by poor transportation patterns and limited resources and have great need for quality healthcare services. Conclusion: Nursing faculty facilitators need knowledgeable and accessible contact with centrally based full-time nursing faculty in order to promote high quality educational programmes.

Assessing South Africa's strategic options of soft power application ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

discussion, the South African Dialogue for Women is used as a case study that ... the era of Greek city states, when diplomacy was limited to the interaction ... Due to its regional work the SABWID dialogue, the focus of this study, is considered ... reconciliation within the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Meningitis in HIV-positive patients in sub-Saharan Africa: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Veltman, Jennifer A; Bristow, Claire C; Klausner, Jeffrey D

2014-01-01

Meningitis is one of the leading causes of death among patients living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. There is no widespread tracking of the incidence rates of causative agents among patients living with HIV, yet the aetiologies of meningitis are different than those of the general population. We reviewed the scientific literature published in PubMed to determine the incidence rates of meningitis among hospitalized people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and report our findings from seven studies across sub-Saharan Africa. We found high rates of cryptococcal meningitis (19-68%). Tuberculous meningitis was lower (1-36%), although some centres included possible cases as "other" meningitis; therefore, this may not be a true representation of the total cases. Pyogenic meningitis ranged from 6 to 30% and "other" meningitis ranged from 7 to 28% of all reported cases of meningitis. Mortality rates ranged from 25 to 68%. This review describes the most common aetiologies and provides practical diagnostic, treatment and prevention considerations as they apply to the individual living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Diagnosis is often limited, and wider availability of accurate and low-cost laboratory diagnostics is desperately needed for prompt diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment. Wider acceptance and adoption of available preventative modalities can decrease the incidence of potentially fatal central nervous system infections in African patients living with HIV.

Joint atmospheric-terrestrial water balances for East Africa: a WRF-Hydro case study for the upper Tana River basin

Science.gov (United States)

Kerandi, Noah; Arnault, Joel; Laux, Patrick; Wagner, Sven; Kitheka, Johnson; Kunstmann, Harald

2018-02-01

For an improved understanding of the hydrometeorological conditions of the Tana River basin of Kenya, East Africa, its joint atmospheric-terrestrial water balances are investigated. This is achieved through the application of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) and the fully coupled WRF-Hydro modeling system over the Mathioya-Sagana subcatchment (3279 km2) and its surroundings in the upper Tana River basin for 4 years (2011-2014). The model setup consists of an outer domain at 25 km (East Africa) and an inner one at 5-km (Mathioya-Sagana subcatchment) horizontal resolution. The WRF-Hydro inner domain is enhanced with hydrological routing at 500-m horizontal resolution. The results from the fully coupled modeling system are compared to those of the WRF-only model. The coupled WRF-Hydro slightly reduces precipitation, evapotranspiration, and the soil water storage but increases runoff. The total precipitation from March to May and October to December for WRF-only (974 mm/year) and coupled WRF-Hydro (940 mm/year) is closer to that derived from the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) data (989 mm/year) than from the TRMM (795 mm/year) precipitation product. The coupled WRF-Hydro-accumulated discharge (323 mm/year) is close to that observed (333 mm/year). However, the coupled WRF-Hydro underestimates the observed peak flows registering low but acceptable NSE (0.02) and RSR (0.99) at daily time step. The precipitation recycling and efficiency measures between WRF-only and coupled WRF-Hydro are very close and small. This suggests that most of precipitation in the region comes from moisture advection from the outside of the analysis domain, indicating a minor impact of potential land-precipitation feedback mechanisms in this case. The coupled WRF-Hydro nonetheless serves as a tool in quantifying the atmospheric-terrestrial water balance in this region.

Implementing case-based teaching strategies in a decentralised nursing management programme in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zethu Nkosi

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Case-based education has a long history in the disciplines of education, business, law and the health professions. Research suggests that students who learn via a case-based method have advanced critical thinking skills and a greater ability for application of knowledge in practice. In medical education, case-based methodology is widely used to facilitate knowledge transfer from theoretical knowledge to application in patient care. Nursing education has also adopted case-based methodology to enhance learner outcomes and critical thinking.Objectives: The objectives of the study was to describe a decentralised nursing management education programme located in Durban, South Africa and describe the perceptions of nursing faculty facilitators regarding implementation of this teaching method.Method: Data was collected through the use of one-on-one interviews and also focus groups amongst the fifteen facilitators who were using a case-based curriculum to teach the programme content. The average facilitator was female, between 41 and 50 years of age, working part-time, educated with a baccalaureate degree, working as a professional nurse for between 11 and 20 years; slightly more than half had worked as a facilitator for three or more years.Results: The facilitators identified themes related to the student learners, the learning environment, and strengths and challenges of using facilitation to teach the content through cases. Decentralised nursing management educational programmes can meet the needs of nurses who are located in remote areas which are characterised by poor transportation patterns and limited resources and have great need for quality healthcare services.Conclusion: Nursing faculty facilitators need knowledgeable and accessible contact with centrally based full-time nursing faculty in order to promote high quality educational programmes.

Towards understanding the drivers of policy change: a case study of infection control policies for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Saidi, Trust; Salie, Faatiema; Douglas, Tania S

2017-05-30

Explaining policy change is one of the central tasks of contemporary policy analysis. In this article, we examine the changes in infection control policies for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in South Africa from the time the country made the transition to democracy in 1994, until 2015. We focus on MDR-TB infection control and refer to decentralised management as a form of infection control. Using Kingdon's theoretical framework of policy streams, we explore the temporal ordering of policy framework changes. We also consider the role of research in motivating policy changes. Policy documents addressing MDR-TB in South Africa over the period 1994 to 2014 were extracted. Literature on MDR-TB infection control in South Africa was extracted from PubMed using key search terms. The documents were analysed to identify the changes that occurred and the factors driving them. During the period under study, five different policy frameworks were implemented. The policies were meant to address the overwhelming challenge of MDR-TB in South Africa, contextualised by high prevalence of HIV infection, that threatened to undermine public health programmes and the success of antiretroviral therapy rollouts. Policy changes in MDR-TB infection control were supported by research evidence and driven by the high incidence and complexity of the disease, increasing levels of dissatisfaction among patients, challenges of physical, human and financial resources in public hospitals, and the ideologies of the political leadership. Activists and people living with HIV played an important role in highlighting the importance of MDR-TB as well as exerting pressure on policymakers, while the mass media drew public attention to infection control as both a cause of and a solution to MDR-TB. The critical factors for policy change for infection control of MDR-TB in South Africa were rooted in the socioeconomic and political environment, were supported by extensive research, and can be framed

Africa and electricity: To electrify Africa - necessary financial and human investments; The development of hydroelectricity in sub-Saharan Africa; A major challenge: to improve distribution efficiency; Smart grids in Africa?; Rural electrification in Africa; The development of renewable energies in Ethiopia - an example of empowerment of a local structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horvilleur, Jacques; Favennec, Jean-Pierre; Cerdan, Jean-Pierre; Bauley, Jacky; Caumon, Pauline; Guerin, Andre-Jean; Beaussant, Henri; Louis, Frederic; Sall, Ousmane; Ledoux, Thierry; Boye, Henri; Bagayoko, Moussa

2016-01-01

This publication proposes a set of six articles which address various aspects related to the issue of Africa electrification. More precisely, the authors propose a general presentation of the present situation and an assessment of necessary financial, organisational, governance and training investments or needs (To electrify Africa: necessary financial and human investment), illustrate these issues in the case of hydroelectricity-rich Republic of Congo, discuss the issue of financing hydroelectricity development in Africa and of the need of operation and maintenance policies to meet needs associated with sustainable installations (The development of hydroelectricity in sub-Saharan Africa), address issues related to distribution through an improvement of existing distribution networks (A major challenge: to improve distribution efficiency) and through a possible development of smart grids (Smart grids in Africa?), comment issues related to rural electrification as a major challenge for these sometimes very poor areas with almost none financial resources, and evoke the possibilities associated with decentralised photovoltaic production (Rural electrification in Africa), and report interventions of an NGO in Ethiopia based on solar installations and actions of empowerment of local structures (The development of renewable energies in Ethiopia - an example of empowerment of a local structure)

Mexico 1968 and South Africa 2010: development, leadership and legacies

OpenAIRE

Bolsmann, Chris H.; Brewster, Keith

2009-01-01

In this essay we compare the rationales for hosting the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City with the FIFA World Cup 2010 to be held in South Africa. We draw on in-depth interviews, archival materials and a range of press coverage. We argue that three broad overlapping themes are apparent in both case studies. These are the developmental rhetoric both hosts employ in the justification of holding the events in their respective countries. Mexico and South Africa convey a leadership role that stret...

Development through Business: What Do American Business Students Know about Emerging Markets and Opportunities in Africa?

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Kelli N.

2010-01-01

This article investigates how Africa is taught in business and examines African and American student perspectives on business in Africa. Conclusions find that African students, business students or not, had more knowledge about business and economic structures than American business students; however, learning about successful case studies on…

[Juvenile myasthenia gravis in sub-Saharan Africa: a case study of two consanguine sisters born from consanguinity in Togo].

Science.gov (United States)

Maneh, Nidain; Apetse, Kossivi; Diatewa, Bénédicte Marèbe; Domingo, Sidik Abou-Bakr; Agba, Aidé Isabelle; Ayena, Koffi Didier; Balogou, Koffi Agnon; Balo, Komi Patrice

2017-01-01

Myasthenia gravis is a rare acquired autoimmune pathology causing neuromuscular transmission impairment. Juvenile onset of myasthenia gravis is often characterized by ocular involvement. We report two cases of ocular juvenile myasthenia gravis (JMG) in two siblings. They were two young girls, XA and XB, aged 11 and 9 years, of Malian origin, residing in Togo, born from first-degree of consanguinity presenting to Ophthalmology due to progressive decrease in visual acuity. XA showed visual acuity 8/10 on both eyes while XB showed improvement in visual acuity from 3/10 to 7/10 using a pinhole occluder, suggesting ametropia. XA had a 2-year history of bilateral ptosis lifting the upper eyelid of 7 mm, while XB had a 3-year history of bilateral ptosis with no lifting of the upper eyelid. Ice pack test was strongly positive in both patients. They had Cogan's lid twitch with paresis of the oculomotor nerve without diplopia. The dosage of acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies was normal. The diagnosis of JMG associated with ametropia was suspected. Ametropia was corrected by glasses and a specific treatment with pyridostigmine was initiated, but both patients were lost to follow-up. Autoimmune myasthenia gravis with inaugural ophthalmologic manifestation is rare but it can occur among children living in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies should be conducted to establish the features of this disease.

Energy options for Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karekezi, S. (ed.) (Botswana Univ., Gaborone (Botswana). African Energy Policy Research Network Foundation for Woodstove Dissemination, Nairobi (Kenya)); Mackenzie, G.A. (ed.) (United Nations Environment Programme, Roskilde (Denmark). Collaborating Centre on Energy and Environment)

1993-01-01

While unsustainable energy generation and consumption have always been considered to be key causes of the degradation of the earth's environment, it was often assumed that in the case of Africa, its very low consumption of modern fuels would result in limited energy-related ecological problems. As demonstrated by the country cases contained in this volume, although energy-related environmental problems that afflict the continent are different from those faced in more developed parts of the world, their negative impact on the African populace is equally worrisome. The biomass sector in Africa presents a bewildering array of challenges, opportunities and constraints to the African energy policy maker. The continent is endowed with a rich source of biomass energy in the form of forests, woodlands, grasslands, agricultural residues and urban waste. Most of this abundant biomass energy resource base is either unexploited or utilized in an inefficient manner. (Author)

Case series

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ebutamanya

2016-04-27

Apr 27, 2016 ... Laparoscopic surgery for groin hernia in a third world country: a report of 9 cases of ... Concerning mesh repair, the (open) LICHENSTEIN and laparoscopic inguinal hernia techniques are ... Two cases were bilateral, 5 unilateral and all of them primary. ... In Africa, This approach is still marginal; few studies.

Perpetuated Human-Wildlife Wars: A Case Study of the Marauding ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review ... cases of damage by elephants reported in media and frequent public demonstrations by small scale farmers adjacent ... The conflicts have a great negative impact on the community's welfare.

GIS-based groundwater vulnerability modelling: A case study of the Witbank, Ermelo and Highveld Coalfields in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Sakala, E.; Fourie, F.; Gomo, M.; Coetzee, H.

2018-01-01

In the last 20 years, the popular mineral systems approach has been used successfully for the exploration of various mineral commodities at various scales owing to its scientific soundness, cost effectiveness and simplicity in mapping the critical processes required for the formation of deposits. In the present study this approach was modified for the assessment of groundwater vulnerability. In terms of the modified approach, water drives the pollution migration processes, with various analogies having been derived from the mineral systems approach. The modified approach is illustrated here by the discussion of a case study of acid mine drainage (AMD) pollution in the Witbank, Ermelo and Highveld coalfields of the Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces in South Africa. Many AMD cases have been reported in these provinces in recent years and are a cause of concern for local municipalities, mining and environmental agencies. In the Witbank, Ermelo and Highveld coalfields, several areas have been mined out while mining has not yet started in others, hence the need to identify groundwater regions prone to AMD pollution in order to avoid further impacts on the groundwater resources. A knowledge-based fuzzy expert system was built using vulnerability factors (energy sources, ligands sources, pollutant sources, transportation pathways and traps) to generate a groundwater vulnerability model of the coalfields. Highly vulnerable areas were identified in Witbank coalfield and the eastern part of the Ermelo coalfield which are characterised by the presence of AMD sources, good subsurface transport coupled with poor AMD pollution trapping properties. The results from the analysis indicate significant correlations between model values and both groundwater sulphate concentrations as well as pH. This shows that the proposed approach can indeed be used as an alternative to traditional methods of groundwater vulnerability assessment. The methodology only considers the AMD pollution

APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA

African Journals Online (AJOL)

conventions that are shared by a group of people, and that influence (but do not determine) ... Matsumoto Culture and Psychology 16: "…the set of attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors shared by a group of ... Chinese Association of South Africa v Minister of Labour (PHC) unreported case no 59521/2007 of 18 June 2008 ...

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP on moulding state structures: The Non-Ergodic Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fred Amonya

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Public-Private Partnerships (PPP is a ubiquitous reality. In Africa, the wave of PPP has hit states in their infancy – still moulding following only 50 years since independence. The common perspective of PPP on the realms of scholarship is transactional (focused on the delivery-end of infrastructure. This paper presents a deeper and broader perspective, and it is a distillate of a case study on PPP as a policy phenomenon. It dissects and illuminates the interaction between the forces of state formation and the wave of PPP hitting the continent. The lens of this case study is Institutional Rational Choice (IRC. The tools are a variety, comprising textual analysis, hermeneutics and econometrics – in keeping with the essence of case study (explication of reality in-situ. The product is not the orthodox generalization (claiming ‘the way’. Instead, the explication offers a viewpoint (and trigger questions on public space of Africa, while underpinning the non-ergodic character of that space

Challenges for Research Collaboration in and with Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-03-17

Mar 17, 2015 ... Professor, Department of Political Sciences/University of Pretoria and Centre for Africa. Studies/University of the Free State, Bloemfontein. .... cases outside of the African realm, also with regard to the power of definition of what is ... 'contributing to the emergence of a new “crisis of quality” engineered from.

Linking biodiversity conservation to market-led development: a case study of the Right Rooibos Initiative, South Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Douma, M.; Hawkins, H.S.; Vellema, S.

2010-01-01

This series of Working Papers is a result of the Partnership Programme between the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government and Wageningen UR. The project ‘Inclusive Chains for Agro biodiversity IChA’ collaborated with partners in 5 countries: Colombia, Ghana, Namibia, South Africa and

Understanding the Causes of Civil Wars in Post-Colonial Sub-Saharan Africa. Case study: Sierra Leone and the Role of women in the Search for Peace

OpenAIRE

Sesay, Adama

2013-01-01

It is widely understood or assumed among scholars like Thomas Weiss, that civil wars in Africa are mainly wars for natural resources. This statement needs careful evaluation, and it is for this reason that this study will use Weiss`s theories on the causes of wars in sub-Sahara Africa as a background for understanding the Sierra Leone conflict. In addition, as the title implies, this paper further aims to investigate the war in Sierra Leone and most...

Case study of the development of a SANDF tactical data link network enabling capability [Journal article

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Smith, CJ

2011-11-01

Full Text Available -1 JOURNAL OF BATTLEFIELD TECHNOLOGY VOL 14, NO 3, NOVEMBER 2011 5 * Interoperability Development Environment, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa. ISSN 1440-5113 ? 2011 Argos Press A CASE STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A...

Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002-2009: a repeated cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Jim A; Yang, Hong; Rivett, Ulrike; Gundry, Stephen W

2012-07-27

In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been cross-sectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. The objective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and household characteristics. This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002-2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002-2009 in relation to reported cholera cases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographic household characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression. The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000-02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics. This suggests that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising, given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period.

Humanitarian logistics: Review and case study of Zimbabwean experiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles Mbohwa

2010-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews and presents findings on mini-case studies done on the difficulties and problems faced by humanitarian organisations in running logistics systems in Zimbabwe. Document analysis was done and this was complemented by mini-case studies and semi-structured interviews and site visits. Mini-case studies of the operations of the World Food Programme, the International Red Cross Society and the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Children's Fund and the Zimbabwean Civil Protection Organisation in Zimbabwe are discussed. These clarify the difficulties and problems faced such as the lack of trained logistics personnel, lack of access to specialised humanitarian logistics courses and research information, the difficulty in using and adapting existing logistics systems in attending to humanitarian logistics and the lack of collaborative efforts that address the area specifically. This study seeks to use primary and secondary information to inform decision-making in humanitarian logistics with possible lessons for neighbouring countries, other regions in Africa and beyond. Activities on collaborative networks that are beneficial to humanitarian logistics are also suggested.

The impact of motor-vehicles in Africa in the twentieth century : towards a socio-historical case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gewald, J.B.

2005-01-01

The introduction of the motor vehicle into Africa during the course of the 20th century led to far-reaching and complex transformations of African economies, politics, societies and cultures. Through African agency the motor vehicle transformed all aspects of African life. Until now no systematic

Assessing the potential impact of artemisinin and partner drug resistance in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Slater, Hannah C; Griffin, Jamie T; Ghani, Azra C; Okell, Lucy C

2016-01-06

Artemisinin and partner drug resistant malaria parasites have emerged in Southeast Asia. If resistance were to emerge in Africa it could have a devastating impact on malaria-related morbidity and mortality. This study estimates the potential impact of artemisinin and partner drug resistance on disease burden in Africa if it were to emerge. Using data from Asia and Africa, five possible artemisinin and partner drug resistance scenarios are characterized. An individual-based malaria transmission model is used to estimate the impact of each resistance scenario on clinical incidence and parasite prevalence across Africa. Artemisinin resistance is characterized by slow parasite clearance and partner drug resistance is associated with late clinical failure or late parasitological failure. Scenarios with high levels of recrudescent infections resulted in far greater increases in clinical incidence compared to scenarios with high levels of slow parasite clearance. Across Africa, it is estimated that artemisinin and partner drug resistance at levels similar to those observed in Oddar Meanchey province in Cambodia could result in an additional 78 million cases over a 5 year period, a 7% increase in cases compared to a scenario with no resistance. A scenario with high levels of slow clearance but no recrudescence resulted in an additional 10 million additional cases over the same period. Artemisinin resistance is potentially a more pressing concern than partner drug resistance due to the lack of viable alternatives. However, it is predicted that a failing partner drug will result in greater increases in malaria cases and morbidity than would be observed from artemisinin resistance only.

Good Governance and Effective Public Administration in Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper is an attempt to respond to the question of whether Africa will be able to meet the NEPAD 2050 vision successfully. In addressing this question, a descriptive approach with a broad focus on the AU and NEPAD is undertaken. The case of South Africa is briefly considered to augment this discussion on the ...

Burden and seasonality of testicular torsion in tropical Africa: Analysis of incident cases in a Nigerian community

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Jibril O. Bello

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Children, adolescents and young adults in tropical Africa occasionally presents to the emergency department with testicular torsion. However, no estimates of the burden of the condition is available and there is also sparse evidence of a seasonal variation in incidence. Objective: To determine the incidence and seasonality of the condition in a Nigerian community. Subjects and methods: A retrospective review of incident cases of testicular torsion occurring in a typical tropical sub-Saharan African community between January 2011 and December 2016 was performed. Incidence rates were calculated and trend analysis performed to evaluate for seasonality. Results: Twenty-three patients were seen during the study period and the average annual incidence of testicular torsion among ‘at risk’ males (<40 years was 2.7/100,000. Testicular salvage rate was 81%. Cases occurred 91% higher than average during the cold season (November to January. Trend analysis revealed a significant seasonal difference in the number of cases seen (p = 0.045 and Post Hoc tests (Tukey further showed that this is attributable to the seasonal difference between the cold season and the warmer early rains period (p = 0.036. Conclusion: The burden of testicular torsion found in the studied tropical sub-Saharan community is comparable to other regions of the world and seasonal variation in incidence does occur with a significant increase in cases during the cold season. Keywords: Testicular torsion, Seasonality, Disease burden, Orchiopexy, Orchiectomy

Farmers’ desired traits and selection criteria for maize varieties and their implications for maize breeding: A case study from KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

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Julia Sibiya

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Adoption of hybrids and improved varieties has remained low in the smallholder farming sector of South Africa, despite maize being the staple food crop for the majority of households. The objective of this study was to establish preferred maize characteristics by farmers which can be used as selection criteria by maize breeders in crop improvement. Data were collected from three villages of a selected smallholder farming area in South Africa using a survey covering 300 households and participatory rural appraisal methodology. Results indicated a limited selection of maize varieties grown by farmers in the area compared to other communities in Africa. More than 97% of the farmers grew a local landrace called Natal-8-row or IsiZulu. Hybrids and improved open pollinated varieties were planted by less than 40% of the farmers. The Natal-8-row landrace had characteristics similar to landraces from eastern and southern Africa and closely resembled Hickory King, a landrace still popular in Southern Africa. The local landrace was preferred for its taste, recycled seed, tolerance to abiotic stresses and yield stability. Preferred characteristics of maize varieties were high yield and prolificacy, disease resistance, early maturity, white grain colour, and drying and shelling qualities. Farmers were willing to grow hybrids if the cost of seed and other inputs were affordable and their preferences were considered. Our results show that breeding opportunities exist for improving the farmers’ local varieties and maize breeders can take advantage of these preferred traits and incorporate them into existing high yielding varieties.

Public-private partnerships' contribution to quality healthcare : a case study of South Africa after 1994

OpenAIRE

2012-01-01

M.Comm. PPPs have developed out of a realisation by governments that in order to improve health systems efficiency there is a need to involve the private sector. Governments throughout the world have opted for PPPs to deliver public services, share risks and attain common goals. While the idea of PPPs is not new, it nonetheless has grown in application in recent years especially in developing countries such as South Africa. The neo-liberal GEAR macro-economic policy, that seeked to reduce ...

The challenges of developing computational physics: the case of South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salagaram, T; Chetty, N

2013-01-01

Most modern scientific research problems are complex and interdisciplinary in nature. It is impossible to study such problems in detail without the use of computation in addition to theory and experiment. Although it is widely agreed that students should be introduced to computational methods at the undergraduate level, it remains a challenge to do this in a full traditional undergraduate curriculum. In this paper, we report on a survey that we conducted of undergraduate physics curricula in South Africa to determine the content and the approach taken in the teaching of computational physics. We also considered the pedagogy of computational physics at the postgraduate and research levels at various South African universities, research facilities and institutions. We conclude that the state of computational physics training in South Africa, especially at the undergraduate teaching level, is generally weak and needs to be given more attention at all universities. Failure to do so will impact negatively on the countrys capacity to grow its endeavours generally in the field of computational sciences, with negative impacts on research, and in commerce and industry

[Cost estimation of an epidemiological surveillance network for animal diseases in Central Africa: a case study of the Chad network].

Science.gov (United States)

Ouagal, M; Berkvens, D; Hendrikx, P; Fecher-Bourgeois, F; Saegerman, C

2012-12-01

In sub-Saharan Africa, most epidemiological surveillance networks for animal diseases were temporarily funded by foreign aid. It should be possible for national public funds to ensure the sustainability of such decision support tools. Taking the epidemiological surveillance network for animal diseases in Chad (REPIMAT) as an example, this study aims to estimate the network's cost by identifying the various costs and expenditures for each level of intervention. The network cost was estimated on the basis of an analysis of the operational organisation of REPIMAT, additional data collected in surveys and interviews with network field workers and a market price listing for Chad. These costs were then compared with those of other epidemiological surveillance networks in West Africa. The study results indicate that REPIMAT costs account for 3% of the State budget allocated to the Ministry of Livestock. In Chad in general, as in other West African countries, fixed costs outweigh variable costs at every level of intervention. The cost of surveillance principally depends on what is needed for surveillance at the local level (monitoring stations) and at the intermediate level (official livestock sectors and regional livestock delegations) and on the cost of the necessary equipment. In African countries, the cost of surveillance per square kilometre depends on livestock density.

Out of Africa, but how and when? The case of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas).

Science.gov (United States)

Kopp, Gisela H; Roos, Christian; Butynski, Thomas M; Wildman, Derek E; Alagaili, Abdulaziz N; Groeneveld, Linn F; Zinner, Dietmar

2014-11-01

Many species of Arabian mammals are considered to be of Afrotropical origin and for most of them the Red Sea has constituted an obstacle for dispersal since the Miocene-Pliocene transition. There are two possible routes, the 'northern' and the 'southern', for terrestrial mammals (including humans) to move between Africa and Arabia. The 'northern route', crossing the Sinai Peninsula, is confirmed for several taxa by an extensive fossil record, especially from northern Egypt and the Levant, whereas the 'southern route', across the Bab-el-Mandab Strait, which links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is more controversial, although post-Pliocene terrestrial crossings of the Red Sea might have been possible during glacial maxima when sea levels were low. Hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) are the only baboon taxon to disperse out of Africa and still inhabit Arabia. In this study, we investigate the origin of Arabian hamadryas baboons using mitochondrial sequence data from 294 samples collected in Arabia and Northeast Africa. Through the analysis of the geographic distribution of genetic diversity, the timing of population expansions, and divergence time estimates combined with palaeoecological data, we test: (i) if Arabian and African hamadryas baboons are genetically distinct; (ii) if Arabian baboons exhibit population substructure; and (iii) when, and via which route, baboons colonized Arabia. Our results suggest that hamadryas baboons colonized Arabia during the Late Pleistocene (130-12 kya [thousands of years ago]) and also moved back to Africa. We reject the hypothesis that hamadryas baboons were introduced to Arabia by humans, because the initial colonization considerably predates the earliest records of human seafaring in this region. Our results strongly suggest that the 'southern route' from Africa to Arabia could have been used by hamadryas baboons during the same time period as proposed for modern humans. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier

The effectiveness of regional peace- making in Southern Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

tension, with more than one organisation vying for the lead, or in other cases, trying to pass ... of successfully managing conflict resolution efforts and establishing peace. ... in Africa further argued that 'sub-regional organizations sometimes have a ... a 1999 study, commissioned by the OAU on the functioning of cooperation.

Interactive simulations for promoting transdisciplinary understanding: a case study of the Western Cape fisheries, South Africa

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Cecile Proches

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Simulations have proven beneficial in enabling participants from various backgrounds to meaningfully engage in learning from experience. The aim of this paper is to investigate how interactive simulations can play a role in navigating the changes faced in a multi- stakeholder setting, characterised by users dependent on marine resources and an authorising institution. Relevant literature in the areas of simulation and gaming, change management, systems thinking, and complexity theory was examined. A qualitative research approach and purposive sampling were employed. Interviews were first conducted with diverse stakeholders in the Western Cape fisheries of South Africa to determine the issues. A simulation was thereafter designed. The main findings from this study indicate that simulation use illustrates how the various stakeholders in a system interact, and how their actions and decisions influence each other. The simulation may be used in other areas of natural resource management, as well as in other kinds of multi- stakeholder scenarios. Keywords: Simulation and gaming, Change management, Fisheries, Multi-stakeholder scenarios, Systems thinking, Complexity theory Disciplines: Conflict Resolution, Leadership Studies, Management Studies, Natural Resource Management

Soft Power and Tourism: A Study of Chinese Outbound Tourism to Africa

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Yu-Wen Chen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The increase of Sino-African interactions in trade, aid and investments has attracted Chinese tourists to Africa. The Beijing Action Plan of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC outlines China’s cultural diplomacy in Africa, delineating a number of areas of cultural cooperation: education; press, publishing and media; and tourism and people-to-people exchange programs in academia and think tanks among young people, women and athletes. Though scholars of International relations (IR have detected that tourism is one way of manifesting soft power, they do not feel comfortable nor ready to place the promotion of tourism into standard IR discourse. This is in contrast to scholars of tourism studies who have recognized the political nature of China's outbound tourism, particularly to less-developed areas such as Africa. In this paper, we have argued that the Chinese government uses outbound tourism to perform its perceived relationship with African countries; that is, Beijing aspires to be seen as a benign rising power willing to help weaker countries develop and establish harmonious ties. It is hard to separate the economic and cultural functions of outbound tourism, each of which reinforces the other, although not without limits. We find that not all African countries’ national tourism policies are capable of, or willing to prioritize, attracting Chinese tourists. Moreover, we find that South Africa is most active in working with public relations companies in China to promote South Africa as a tourist destination.

Plasmodium vivax Transmission in Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosalind E Howes

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Malaria in sub-Saharan Africa has historically been almost exclusively attributed to Plasmodium falciparum (Pf. Current diagnostic and surveillance systems in much of sub-Saharan Africa are not designed to identify or report non-Pf human malaria infections accurately, resulting in a dearth of routine epidemiological data about their significance. The high prevalence of Duffy negativity provided a rationale for excluding the possibility of Plasmodium vivax (Pv transmission. However, review of varied evidence sources including traveller infections, community prevalence surveys, local clinical case reports, entomological and serological studies contradicts this viewpoint. Here, these data reports are weighted in a unified framework to reflect the strength of evidence of indigenous Pv transmission in terms of diagnostic specificity, size of individual reports and corroboration between evidence sources. Direct evidence was reported from 21 of the 47 malaria-endemic countries studied, while 42 countries were attributed with infections of visiting travellers. Overall, moderate to conclusive evidence of transmission was available from 18 countries, distributed across all parts of the continent. Approximately 86.6 million Duffy positive hosts were at risk of infection in Africa in 2015. Analysis of the mechanisms sustaining Pv transmission across this continent of low frequency of susceptible hosts found that reports of Pv prevalence were consistent with transmission being potentially limited to Duffy positive populations. Finally, reports of apparent Duffy-independent transmission are discussed. While Pv is evidently not a major malaria parasite across most of sub-Saharan Africa, the evidence presented here highlights its widespread low-level endemicity. An increased awareness of Pv as a potential malaria parasite, coupled with policy shifts towards species-specific diagnostics and reporting, will allow a robust assessment of the public health

[Study on discourse right construction of China's medical aid to Africa].

Science.gov (United States)

Li-Ying, Zhou; Yao, Deng; Kun, Yang

2016-11-24

To analyze the discourse right construction of China's medical aid to Africa, so as to provide evidences for improving the effect and sustainable development of China's medical aid to Africa. The documents of the discourse right that China constructed in the medical aid to Africa were selected at different periods as discourse samples. The achievement and deficiency were analyzed from four aspects, namely confident, charismatic, influential, and dominant. China's medical team made much in the discourse right construction in their aid to Africa, but some China's medical team members were still too cautious and too low-key. China's medical team gained the trust of the people of Africa, but the language communication difficulties still hampered in China's medical aid to Africa. Chinese medical team were widely praised by the African society, but in the west, some African media, even China's media still neglected to report China's doctors. China's international discourse right were greatly improved, but western countries still dominated the public opinion. China should refer to the actual situation of medical aid to Africa to strengthen the construction of discourse right.

West Africa LP gas market development study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

Jointly sponsored with the World Bank, this essential study explores the opportunity for greatly expanded LP Gas use in the West Africa region. LP Gas supply in the area is increasing rapidly, This offers the opportunity for bringing modern energy to millions without current access, protects forests the only current source of energy for many, and encourages governments to adopt proactive policies that will reap benefits of the increasing availability of LP Gas. (author)

Child Labor in Africa: A Comparative Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Canagarajah, Sudharshan; Nielsen, Helena Skyt

2001-01-01

This paper analyzes the determinants of child labor in Africa as inferred from recent empirical studies. The empirical analysis is based upon five country studies undertaken in three different African countries, namely Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Zambia. Some support is found for the popular belief...... of poverty as a determinant of child labor, however other determinants are of similar importance. Among school costs, transportation costs have the greatest effect on child labor and school attendance, whereas the hypothesis of imperfect capital markets and that of household composition generally find some...

Child Labor in Africa: A Comparative Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Helena Skyt; Canagarajah, Sudharshan

1999-01-01

This paper analyzes the determinants of child labor in Africa as inferred from recent empirical studies. The empirical analysis is based upon five country studies undertaken in three different African countries, namely Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Zambia. Some support is found for the popular belief...... of poverty as a determinant of child labor, however other determinants are of similar importance. Among school costs, transportation costs have the greatest effect on child labor and school attendance, whereas the hypothesis of imperfect capital markets and that of household composition generally find some...

The behaviours that dementia care home staff in South Africa find challenging: An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyk, Adele; Manthorpe, Jill; Clark, Charlotte

2017-10-01

Background Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia are often the reasons for moving to a care home. Care staff, often with limited dementia training, may have to support residents with distressed behaviour on a daily basis. Evidence about the support of residents with distressed or challenging behaviour in the South African context is lacking. This exploratory study aimed to gain an understanding of what care home staff perceived to be distressed behaviour, their coping strategies and how they learned to work with residents with behavioural symptoms of dementia. Methods An exploratory study was conducted among 17 participants working in four care homes in the Western Cape province of South Africa in 2014. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded. Data were analysed thematically. Findings Findings reflected the literature with regard to examples of behavioural symptoms of people with dementia that staff find challenging to manage. Overall, the majority of staff reported holding positive feelings about working with people with dementia. All preferred interpersonal approaches to manage distressed behaviour above medication although a small minority noted the use of medication in some cases. Dementia training was considered by most participants as an unmet need. Conclusion This exploratory study identified care home workers' desires for training about dementia and their preferences for interpersonal as opposed to pharmacological approaches to managing residents' distressed behaviour. The legacy of race and cultural perspectives in South Africa appears to still influence care practice and provision. Staff commitment, their interest in advancing their practice and their aspirations to offer more person-centred care were evident. Dementia training was identified as potentially helpful to care home staff who manage residents' distressed behaviour. Training should be developed in South Africa to promote good practice.

An Examination of the Influence of Globalisation on Science Education in Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Koosimile, Anthony T.; Suping, Shanah M.

2015-09-01

This paper takes the view that the emergence of some trends and practices in science education mirrors the influence of the process of globalisation in Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa. Through a literature review, an attempt is made to link science education and globalisation by answering the question: 'What influence does globalisation have on science education in countries in Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa?' The findings of the study show some significant convergence of what is valued in science education in Sub-Saharan Africa in areas such as pedagogy; English language as a medium of instruction; assessment of learning; mobility of students in the region; and in the frameworks for collaborative engagements among stakeholders in Sub-Saharan Africa. The paper concludes with a reflective end-piece calling for more case studies to help scrutinise further the influence of globalisation on science education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Situational Context of Adolescent Homicide Victimization in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Swart, Lu-Anne; Seedat, Mohamed; Nel, Juan

2018-02-01

Although studies have described the incidence and epidemiology of adolescent homicide victimization in South Africa, little is known about the situational contexts in which they occur. This study aimed to describe the victim, offender, and event characteristics of adolescent homicide and to generate a typology based on the particular types of situational contexts associated with adolescent homicide in South Africa. Data on homicides among adolescents (15-19 years) that occurred in Johannesburg (South Africa) during the period 2001-2007 were obtained from the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System (NIMSS) and police case records. Of the 195 cases available for analysis, 81% of the victims were male. Most of the offenders were male (90%), comprising of strangers (42%) and friends/acquaintances (37%). Arguments (33%) were the most common precipitating circumstances, followed by revenge (11%), robbery (11%), and acts of vigilantism/retribution for a crime (8%). Through the use of cluster analysis, the study identified three categories of adolescent homicide: (a) male victims killed by strangers during a crime-related event, (b) male victims killed by a friend/acquaintance during an argument, and (c) female victims killed by male offenders. The results can serve to inform the development of tailored and focused strategies for the prevention of adolescent homicide.

Assessing the relationship between total factor productivity and foreign direct investment in an economy with a skills shortage: the case of South Africa

OpenAIRE

Bonga-Bonga, Lumengo; Phume, Maphelane

2017-01-01

This paper assesses the relationship between total factor productivity (TFP) and foreign direct investment (FDI) in a country with skills shortage. South Africa is used as a case study. Literature is inconclusive on how FDI should affect TFP. This paper shows that it is important to account for the interactivity between FDI and human capital when assessing the effects of FDI on TFP. Moreover, the empirical results show that, contrary to countries with abundance of skills, in countries with sk...

Overcoming SMEs Challenges through Critical Success Factors: A Case of SMEs in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

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Takalani Ramukumba

2014-03-01

Full Text Available SMEs comprise over 90% of African business operations and contribute to over 50% of African employment and Growth Domestic Product (GDP. SMEs sector has shown positive signs in South Africa, Mauritius and North Africa. In South Africa, SMEs constitute 55% of all jobs. Research of Bowler, Dawood and Page (2007 reveal that 40% of new business ventures fail in their first year, 60% in their second year, and 90% in their first 10 years of existence. It seems that a number of challenges have been identified as contributing to the failure of SMEs in South Africa and worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the critical success factors for the SMEs to improve their performance in order to overcome the challenges they are faced within the competitive market environment. The research problem of this study emanates from the current high business failure rate. The research investigates what are the critical success factors that can help these SMEs to be sustainable and have positive growth so to limit the high business failure rate in South Africa. The research established that attracting repeat customers and the performance of the product are the critical success factors that can lead to the sustenance of these SMEs. The study concluded that the resource-constraint SMEs need to focus on critical success factors to build competitive advantage to stay competitive amidst the challenges from globalisation and liberalisation. This study will make further contribution on understanding these critical success factors as they are central to business success, especially in South Africa where it is estimated that the failure rate of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMEs is between 70% and 80% (Brink and Cant, 2009.

Being authentic is the new image: a qualitative study on the authenticity constructions and self-images of Christian millennials in Africa

OpenAIRE

Counted, Victor

2016-01-01

The article is a qualitative study that focuses on the authenticity and self-construction of Christian millennials in Africa. While exploring how 15 respondents manifested their authentic self-behaviours using a case study design, the hallmark of the study was to observe the common coping mechanism of self-regulation, adopted by respondents to deal with their internal crisis. This coping strategy was employed as they remained true to self by creating new “authentic” images of themselves in th...

Performance of the WRF model to simulate the seasonal and interannual variability of hydrometeorological variables in East Africa: a case study for the Tana River basin in Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Kerandi, Noah Misati; Laux, Patrick; Arnault, Joel; Kunstmann, Harald

2017-10-01

This study investigates the ability of the regional climate model Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) in simulating the seasonal and interannual variability of hydrometeorological variables in the Tana River basin (TRB) in Kenya, East Africa. The impact of two different land use classifications, i.e., the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the US Geological Survey (USGS) at two horizontal resolutions (50 and 25 km) is investigated. Simulated precipitation and temperature for the period 2011-2014 are compared with Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Climate Research Unit (CRU), and station data. The ability of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Climate Research Unit (CRU) data in reproducing in situ observation in the TRB is analyzed. All considered WRF simulations capture well the annual as well as the interannual and spatial distribution of precipitation in the TRB according to station data and the TRMM estimates. Our results demonstrate that the increase of horizontal resolution from 50 to 25 km, together with the use of the MODIS land use classification, significantly improves the precipitation results. In the case of temperature, spatial patterns and seasonal cycle are well reproduced, although there is a systematic cold bias with respect to both station and CRU data. Our results contribute to the identification of suitable and regionally adapted regional climate models (RCMs) for East Africa.

The role of insurance in the achievement of universal coverage within a developing country context: South Africa as a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Heever, Alex M

2012-01-01

Achieving universal coverage as an objective needs to confront the reality of multiple mechanisms, with healthcare financing and provision occurring in both public and private settings. South Africa has both large and mature public and private health systems offering useful insights into how they can be effectively harmonized to optimise coverage. Private healthcare in South Africa has also gone through many phases and regulatory regimes which, through careful review, can help identify potential policy frameworks that can optimise their ability to deepen coverage in a manner that complements the basic coverage of public arrangements. Using South Africa as a case study, this review examines whether private health systems are susceptible to regulation and therefore able to support an extension and deepening of coverage when complementing a pre-existing publicly funded and delivered health system? The approach involves a review of different stages in the development of the South African private health system and its response to policy changes. The focus is on the time-bound characteristics of the health system and associated policy responses and opportunities. A distinction is consequently made between the early, largely unregulated, phases of development and more mature phases with alternative regulatory regimes. The private health system in South Africa has played an important supplementary role in achieving universal coverage throughout its history, but more especially in the post-Apartheid period. However, the quality of this role has been erratic, influenced predominantly by policy vacillation.The private system expanded rapidly during the 1980s mainly due to the pre-existence of a mature health insurance system and a weakening public hospital system which could accommodate and facilitate an increased demand for private hospital services. This growth served to expand commercial interest in health insurance, in the form of regulated medical schemes, which until

Africa Is Just Like Every Other Place, In That It Is Unlike Any Other Place

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mellahi, Kamel; Mol, Michael J.

2015-01-01

In this commentary we make a case that an increased focus on strategic management in Africa is both very timely and very necessary. We discuss existing research in this area, arguing that there is not quite enough of it and that authors could do a better job at accumulating knowledge. We then pro...... place to do business towards studying how firm strategies in Africa are actually created and implemented. Such an approach would align well with developments in the world of practice, because strategy in Africa is becoming ever more sophisticated....

Viewing ‘the other’ over a hundred and a score more years: South Africa and Russia (1890–2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Liebenberg

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Whether novel is history or history is novel, is a tantalising point. “The novel is no longer a work, a thing to make las t, to connect the pas t with the future but (only one current event among many, a ges ture with no tomorrow” Kundera (1988:19. One does not have to agree with Kundera to find that social sciences , as his toriography holds a s tory, a human narrative to be shared when focused on a case or cases. In this case, relations between peoples over more than a century are discussed. At the same time, what is known as broader casing in qualitative studies enters the picture. The relations between the governments and the peoples of South Africa and Russia ( including the Soviet Union, sometimes in conflict or peace and sometimes at variance are discussed. Past and present communalities and differences between two national entities within a changing international or global context deserve attention while moments of auto-ethnography compliment the study. References are made to the international political economy in the context of the relations between these countries. Keywords: Soviet Union; South Africa; Total Onslaught; United Party; Friends of the Soviet Union; ideological conflict (South Africa; Russians (and the Anglo-Boer War; racial capitalism; apartheid; communism/Trotskyism (in South Africa; broader casing (qualitative research Subject fields: political science; sociology; (military history; international political economy; social anthropology; international relations; conflict studies

Varicella zoster virus-associated morbidity and mortality in Africa - a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussey, Hannah; Abdullahi, Leila; Collins, Jamie; Muloiwa, Rudzani; Hussey, Gregory; Kagina, Benjamin

2017-11-14

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella and herpes zoster. These vaccine preventable diseases are common globally. Most available data on VZV epidemiology are from industrialised temperate countries and cannot be used to guide decisions on the immunization policy against VZV in Africa. This systematic review aims to review the published data on VZV morbidity and mortality in Africa. All published studies conducted in Africa from 1974 to 2015 were eligible. Eligible studies must have reported any VZV epidemiological measure (incidence, prevalence, hospitalization rate and mortality rate). For inclusion in the review, studies must have used a defined VZV case definition, be it clinical or laboratory-based. Twenty articles from 13 African countries were included in the review. Most included studies were cross-sectional, conducted on hospitalized patients, and half of the studies used varying serological methods for diagnosis. VZV seroprevalence was very high among adults. Limited data on VZV seroprevalence in children showed very low seropositivity to anti-VZV antibodies. Co-morbidity with VZV was common. There is lack of quality data that could be used to develop VZV control programmes, including vaccination, in Africa. PROSPERO 2015: CRD42015026144 .

Tele-neurology in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarfo, Fred S; Adamu, Sheila; Awuah, Dominic; Ovbiagele, Bruce

2017-09-15

The rapid advancement in telecommunications on the African continent has opened up avenues for improving medical care to underserved populations. Although the greatest burden of neurological disorders is borne by Low-and-Middle Income Countries (LMICs) including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there is a profound paucity of neurologists to serve the population. Telemedicine presents a promising avenue for effective mobilization and utilization of the few neurologists in Africa. To systematically review the published literature on the use of telemedicine for improved care and outcomes for patients with neurological disorders in SSA. We searched PubMed and Cochrane library from January 1, 1980 to April 30, 2017 using the following keywords: "Telemedicine neurology Africa", "Teleneurology Africa", "Telestroke Africa", "Telerehabilitation Africa", "Telemedicine for epilepsy", "Telemedicine for Parkinson's disease Africa", "Telemedicine for dementia Africa", "Telehealth neurology Africa". Our inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials, or case series that reported the utilization of telemedicine for care/education of individuals with neurological disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. This search yielded 6 abstracts. By consensus between two investigators, 1 publication met the criteria for inclusion and further review. The one study identified utilized telemedicine for the purpose of improving education/knowledge of 16 doctors and 17 allied health professionals in Parkinson's disease (PD) in Cameroon. The study noted feasibility and satisfaction of participants with telemedicine as well as improved knowledge base of participants after the educational course but noted access to healthcare by patients did not change. No studies have evaluated the use of telemedicine for care of patients with neurological disorders. The indication is that teleneurology may be feasible in SSA and studies are needed to assess feasibility, acceptability, efficacy, cost-effectiveness of this

Importance of woodlots to local communities, small scale entrepreneurs and indigenous forest conservation – A case study

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ham, C

2000-01-01

Full Text Available forestry, South Africa The Importance of Woodlots to Local Communities, Small-scale Entrepreneurs and Indigenous Forest Conservation A case study Cori Ham ii The Importance of Woodlots to Local Communities, Small Scale Entrepreneurs... by the financial support of the UK Department for International Development and the European Commission iii Citation: Ham, C. 2000. The importance of woodlots to local communities, small scale entrepreneurs and indigenous forest conservation– A case study...

The Politics of Trade and Industrial Policy in Africa: Forced ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2004-01-01

Jan 1, 2004 ... This book maps the policy process and political economy of policymaking in Africa. ... Detailed case studies help the reader to understand how the process ... Professionals, practitioners, and policymakers in the international donor ... a member of the editorial board of the Cambridge Journal of Economics.

Enforcing Competition Rules in South Africa: Thieves at the Dinner ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2013-03-01

Mar 1, 2013 ... Describing and analyzing competition law in South Africa, this book promotes a deeper understanding of the development of this foundational economic law within its specific national, social and economic context. Enforcing Competition Rules in South Africa draws strongly on case law and enforcement ...

Economic and demographic trends of municipalities in South Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

D.J. du Plessis, Centre for Regional and Urban Innovation and Statistical ... Studies, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. ... long-term development and resulting in the ..... France. 0.88-0.89. Company sales. France. 0.89-0.91. Company employees ... municipalities, and 1.04 in the case of.

Financial guarantees and public debt in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ogutu Miruka

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A few years since the worst of the Euro sovereign debt crisis, many nations, from Cyprus to Ireland, including South Africa are re-visiting their public debt management to avert or lessen the impact of similar such happenings in the future. There are a number of studies on risk assessments of fiscal sustainability; however, few focus on contingent liabilities and even fewer on financial guarantees. In South Africa, financial guarantees have consistently comprised just above or below 50% of all contingent liabilities since the early days of majoritarian rule. In lieu of this, the paper analyses the risks posed by financial guarantees to fiscal sustainability in South Africa. We estimate the effect of financial guarantees on public debt in South Africa via the Engle Granger and causality model with quarterly time series data obtained from the South African Reserve Bank (SARB as well as the National Treasury. The data covers the April 1997 to December 2011 period. All econometric methods were executed using the statistical software package E-Views 7. We found that no long run relationship exists between national net loan debt and financial guarantees in South Africa. The pass rate of financial guarantees significantly affects its present value. The pass rate of financial guarantees has a predicting ability in determining the present value of national net loan debt. These findings may be contrary to what would be expected in the case of South Africa considering that the country is managing the issuance of financial guarantees prudently and that at present levels, there is no need for a radical policy shift. The study therefore offers a lesson to similar merging economies on the good governance of contingent liabilities.

Anesthesia-related and perioperative mortality: An audit of 8493 cases at a tertiary pediatric teaching hospital in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Heidi M; Thomas, Jenny; Wilson, Graeme S; de Kock, Marianna

2017-10-01

This study aimed to quantify the incidence of anesthesia-related and perioperative mortality at a large tertiary pediatric hospital in South Africa. This study included all children aged anesthesia caused the death; (ii) anesthesia may have contributed to or influenced the timing of death; or (iii) anesthesia was entirely unrelated to the death. There were 47 deaths within 30 days of anesthesia prior to discharge from hospital during this 12-month period. The in-hospital mortality within 24 h of administration of anesthesia was 16.5 per 10 000 cases (95% confidence intervals [CI]=7.8-25.1) and within 30 days of administration of anesthesia was 55.3 per 10 000 cases (95% CI=39.5-71.2). Age under 1 year (OR 4.5; 95% CI=2.5-8.0, P=.012) and cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology procedures (OR 2.5; 95% CI=1.2-5.2, Prisk of perioperative mortality. The overall 24-h and 30-day anesthesia-related and in-hospital perioperative mortality rates in our study are comparable with other similar studies from tertiary pediatric centers. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cancer prevention in Africa: a review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Busolo, David S; Woodgate, Roberta L

2015-06-01

Cancer is an emerging crisis in Africa. Cancer was the seventh leading cause of death in 2004. If not controlled, cancer incidence in Africa is expected to reach 1.28 million cases annually and claim 970,000 lives yearly by 2030. This paper presents a review of the literature on current cancer prevention approaches in Africa, and consists of cancer prevention studies conducted in African countries (e.g. South Africa and Nigeria) from PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL databases. Common female cancers in Africa are breast and cervical cancer while prostate cancer is the most common neoplasm among African males. Other common cancers are liver, colorectal, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Mortality related to these cancers comes as a result of delays in screening and treatment, unfamiliarity with cancer and cancer prevention, inaccessibility and unaffordability of care, and inefficiency of healthcare systems. Cancer prevention efforts are deficient because many governments lack cancer prevention and control policies. Also contributing to the lack of cancer prevention and control policies are low levels of awareness, scarce human and financial resources, and inadequacy of cancer registries. Overall, governments grapple with limited funds and competing healthcare priorities. As cancer continues to increase in Africa, the need for rigorous interdisciplinary research on cancer etiology and monitoring in Africa has never been timelier. Cost-effective cancer prevention programs, coordination of donor funding, advocacy, and education should be aggressively pursued. The call for more collaborative approaches in research and policy is urgently needed. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Situation of Students in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study of St Augustine University of Tanzania

Science.gov (United States)

Muller, Bernadette; Haller, Max

2012-01-01

It is widely recognised that higher education is crucial for socio-economic growth in developing countries. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is lagging behind in this regard in spite of a strong expansion of universities in the last decades. However, this growth may have led to a deterioration of the quality of higher education. There is no dearth of…

Studies in Gender and Development in Africa - Vol 2 (2008)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Studies in Gender and Development in Africa - Vol 2 (2008) ... I don't love my husband” Advice Columns as Teaching Resource for Gender and Sexuality: Experiences from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana ... Current Issue Atom logo

Measles outbreak in South Africa, 2003 - 2005 | McMorrow | South ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives. Measles was virtually eliminated in South Africa following control activities in 1996/7. However, from July 2003 to November 2005, 1 676 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported in South Africa. We investigated the outbreak's cause and the role of HIV. Design. We traced laboratory-confirmed ...

The REVAMP trial to evaluate HIV resistance testing in sub-Saharan Africa: a case study in clinical trial design in resource limited settings to optimize effectiveness and cost effectiveness estimates.

Science.gov (United States)

Siedner, Mark J; Bwana, Mwebesa B; Moosa, Mahomed-Yunus S; Paul, Michelle; Pillay, Selvan; McCluskey, Suzanne; Aturinda, Isaac; Ard, Kevin; Muyindike, Winnie; Moodley, Pravikrishnen; Brijkumar, Jaysingh; Rautenberg, Tamlyn; George, Gavin; Johnson, Brent; Gandhi, Rajesh T; Sunpath, Henry; Marconi, Vincent C

2017-07-01

In sub-Saharan Africa, rates of sustained HIV virologic suppression remain below international goals. HIV resistance testing, while common in resource-rich settings, has not gained traction due to concerns about cost and sustainability. We designed a randomized clinical trial to determine the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of routine HIV resistance testing in sub-Saharan Africa. We describe challenges common to intervention studies in resource-limited settings, and strategies used to address them, including: (1) optimizing generalizability and cost-effectiveness estimates to promote transition from study results to policy; (2) minimizing bias due to patient attrition; and (3) addressing ethical issues related to enrollment of pregnant women. The study randomizes people in Uganda and South Africa with virologic failure on first-line therapy to standard of care virologic monitoring or immediate resistance testing. To strengthen external validity, study procedures are conducted within publicly supported laboratory and clinical facilities using local staff. To optimize cost estimates, we collect primary data on quality of life and medical resource utilization. To minimize losses from observation, we collect locally relevant contact information, including Whatsapp account details, for field-based tracking of missing participants. Finally, pregnant women are followed with an adapted protocol which includes an increased visit frequency to minimize risk to them and their fetuses. REVAMP is a pragammatic randomized clinical trial designed to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of HIV resistance testing versus standard of care in sub-Saharan Africa. We anticipate the results will directly inform HIV policy in sub-Saharan Africa to optimize care for HIV-infected patients.

Female Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Key to Development?

Science.gov (United States)

Browne, Angela W.; Barrett, Hazel R.

1991-01-01

In sub-Saharan Africa, aggregate data show that female literacy is associated with higher agricultural productivity and is more strongly correlated than GNP with mortality and immunization rates of young children. A case study of Gambia confirms these relationships, with high female illiteracy apparently impeding both human and economic…

Factors Associated with Teen Pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: A Multi-Country Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Odimegwu, Clifford; Mkwananzi, Sibusiso

2016-09-01

This study aimed to assess the contextual factors associated with teenage pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa. Using DHS data we modelled females aged 15-19 with multilevel logistic regression to establish the independent influence of social disadvantage on teenage pregnancy in West, East and Southern Africa with aid of the MLwiN programme. Results showed teenage pregnancy decreased in East Africa, plateaued in West Africa and increased slightly in Southern Africa between 1992 and 2011. Multilevel multivariate regression revealed teenage pregnancy was associated with family disruption (0.39; 0.40: Ppoverty (1.01; 1.02: PAfrica, while only community poverty (1.01; PAfrica. Our findings emphasise the necessity of creating regional-specific interventions and prevention campaigns to address multilevel factors such as family disruption as well as the need for governments to address issues of unemployment, poverty and inequality.

Unpacking policy formulation and industry influence: the case of the draft control of marketing of alcoholic beverages bill in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertscher, Adam; London, Leslie; Orgill, Marsha

2018-06-21

Alcohol is a major contributor to the Non-Communicable Disease burden in South Africa. In 2000, 7.1% of all deaths and 7% of total disability-adjusted life years were ascribed to alcohol-related harm in the country. Regulations proposed to restrict alcohol advertising in South Africa present an evidence-based upstream intervention. Research on policy formulation in low- and middle-income countries is limited. This study aims to describe and explore the policy formulation process of the 2013 draft Control of Marketing of Alcoholic Beverages Bill in South Africa between March 2011 and May 2017. Recognising the centrality of affected actors in policy-making processes, the study focused on the alcohol industry as a central actor affected by the policy, to understand how they-together with other actors-may influence the policy formulation process. A qualitative case study approach was used, involving a stakeholder mapping, 10 in-depth interviews, and review of approximately 240 documents. A policy formulation conceptual framework was successfully applied as a lens to describe a complex policy formulation process. Key factors shaping policy formulation included: (1) competing and shared values-different stakeholders promote conflicting ideals for policymaking; (2) inter-department jostling-different government departments seek to protect their own functions, hindering policy development; (3) stakeholder consultation in democratic policymaking-policy formulation requires consultations even with those opposed to regulation and (4) battle for evidence-evidence is used strategically by all parties to shape perceptions and leverage positions. This research (1) contributes to building an integrated body of knowledge on policy formulation in low- and middle-income countries; (2) shows that achieving policy coherence across government departments poses a major challenge to achieving effective health policy formulation and (3) shows that networks of actors with commercial and

Optimal tax rate and economic growth. Evidence from Nigeria and South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olufemi Muibi SAIBU

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The recent economic crisis had made developing countries to look inward for financial resources to finance development. The readily alternative is the tax revenues however, the possible adverse direct and indirect effects of tax on productivity and work efforts as well as on aggregate consumption had make some African countries (especially Nigeria and South Africa reluctant in implementing far reaching tax policy reform. This paper examines optimal tax burden and real output growth Nigeria and South Africa, two of the top four economies in Africa. The paper empirically determined what should be the optimal tax rate for Nigeria and South Africa-the two leading economies in Africa. The paper found that nonlinearity hypothesis in the effects of tax in the case of South Africa is rejected while a significant nonlinear relationship is found in the case of Nigeria. The results suggest that the growth-maximizing tax rate is about 15% of per capita GDP for South Africa and 30% for Nigeria. At that tax rate, the economic growth rate would be around 6% and 8% instead of the actual mean growth rate of 2.84% and 4.51% for South Africa and Nigeria respectively. The paper concluded the current tax burden in the two countries may be sub-optimal and may hurt long term sustainable growth process in the two countries

Treatment-seeking behaviour and social health insurance in Africa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fenny, Ama P; Asante, Felix A; Enemark, Ulrika

2014-01-01

or user fees in Africa. Therefore, Ghana serves as in interesting case study as it has successfully expanded coverage of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The study aims to establish the treatment-seeking behaviour of households in Ghana under the NHI policy. The study relies on household data...... as the concept of the NHIS grows widely in Ghana and serves as a good model for other African countries....

The use of blogs for political campaigning in a developing country context: the case of South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W Chigona

2012-07-01

Full Text Available All over the world, the use of the digital platform for political campaigning is growing. This development has the potential to empower the electorate to engage in political debate. This exploratory research aims at investigating the impacts and implications of blogging in the 2009 election campaign in South Africa. The study attempts to answer the following questions: What is the nature of the campaign blogosphere? What are the key issues addressed in the blogs? This study employed content analysis to identify the key concepts in the blogs posted during South Africa’s 2009 National and Provincial Elections. Data was gathered from the blogs of four different South African web log feeds. The coding method used in this study is priori coding, based on the concept of Cornfield, Carson, Kalis & Simon (2005, and Stanyer (2006. Findings show that, in South Africa, the use of blogging for political campaigning is still in its infancy. South African bloggers are mainly politicians, journalists and other media personnel who discuss high level political issues. The study notes a limited participation by ordinary citizens in political blogging. Keywords: blogs, blogging, content analysis, political campaign, South Africa Disciplines: Information Systems Studies, Communications Studies, Political Studies

Water governance challenges for rural supply: A case study of two local municipalities in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nkuna, ZW

2012-05-01

Full Text Available . W Nkuna Student Number: 10544403 Supervisor: Prof. C J dew. Rautenbach Department: Geography, Geo-informatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria ABSTRACT In South Africa water is regarded as constitutional right and government has therefore... the water needs of rural communities. Issues such as poverty, water resources challenges and lack of capacity and skills at municipalities create problems which leave rural communities with no alternative but to rely on unsafe water sources for their water...

A measure for the efficiency of water use and its determinants, a case study of small-scale irrigation schemes in North-West Province, South Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Speelman, S.; Haese, D' M.F.C.; Buysse, J.; Haese, D' L.

2008-01-01

This paper analyses the efficiency with which water is used in small-scale irrigation schemes in North-West Province in South Africa and studies its determinants. In the study area, small-scale irrigation schemes play an important role in rural development, but the increasing pressure on water

Prediction of injuries caused by explosive events: A case study of a hand grenade incident in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Whyte, TN

2008-11-01

Full Text Available An M26 hand grenade was accidentally detonated by a group of eight children, six of whom were killed, in the Mthatha area of South Africa. The M26 grenade is designed to produce casualties through the high velocity fragments that it expels. However...

Africa and Ethnic Conflict Management: A Comparative Study of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Relying on the comparative study of Nigeria and South Africa, it is the contention in this paper that ethnic conflict which has been at the heart of African countries development problem is a product of skewed economy, authoritarian governance and religious bigotry. There is no gainsaying the fact that African countries in ...

Journal of Social Development in Africa - Vol 17, No 1 (2002)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Social Development in Africa. ... Developing countries and incipient industrialization: a case study of enterprise clustering and inter-firm relations in small and medium-scale manufacturing industries in Lobatse, Botswana. J Nakizito, MBK ... Cross-cultural issues in counselling skills training: lessons from Lesotho.

Vitamin D Status in South Africa and Tuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Abhimanyu; Meyer, Vanessa; Jeffery, Tamsyn Jacki; Bornman, Liza

2015-12-01

According to the World Health Organisation South Africa has the third highest tuberculosis (TB) incidence in the world, with an estimated 60 % incident cases having both TB and HIV. The South African National Tuberculosis Association (SANTA) recognized the importance of nutrition in the prevention and management of TB by including feeding schemes in community outreach programs. Vitamin D enhances innate immunity against mycobacterial infection through the antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin. We reviewed studies on vitamin D status, its link with TB, and potential use in therapy in multiethnic South Africa with sunlight as primary source of vitamin D. Ethnicity, season, disease state, latitude, and urbanization are critical factors to be considered in vitamin D supplementation for prevention and treatment of TB.

Joint implementation initiatives in South Africa: A case study of two energy-efficiency projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Horen, C.; Simmonds, G.; Parker, G.

1998-11-01

This paper explores the issues pertinent to Joint Implementation (JI) in South Africa by examining two prototype potential projects on energy efficiency with the potential for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The first is an energy-efficient lighting project based on the public electricity utility, Eskom's plan for a compact fluorescent lighting program in the residential sector. The analysis indicates that the CFL program could avoid emissions of up to 243 thousand tons of carbon over the first five years, at negative cost (that is, with a positive economic return). The second project involves the delivery of passive solar, energy-efficient housing to a low-income township in the Western Cape Province, at an incremental capital cost of approximately $2.5m for the 6000 houses. In this case, the avoided GHG emissions over the first five years amount to between 14 and 20 tons of carbon, and over the 50 year life-span of the project it will result to 140 to 200 thousand tons of avoided emissions at a cost of $13 to $17 per ton. The housing project has significant non-GHG benefits such as savings on energy bills and health, which accrue to the low-income dwellers. A number of important JI-specific issues and concerns emerge with respect to the two projects, which can also be applied to other potential JI opportunities in the country generally. These include the issues of carbon credit sharing, for which a number of scenarios are suggested, as well as estimating unknown macroeconomic impacts, such as the effects of CFLs on the country's incandescent lighting industry. Findings from an examination of both potential projects conclude that capacity-building within the country is critical to ensure that the technology being transferred balances efficiency, cost and quality appropriate to the South African context. Finally, assessment and evaluation, monitoring and verification criteria and institutions are called for to guarantee measurable long

Development of oral health in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Thorpe, Samuel J

2003-01-01

Around 80% of African communities can be considered to be materially deprived. The presence of widespread poverty and underdevelopment in Africa means that communities are increasingly exposed to all of the major environmental determinants of oral disease. Previous approaches to oral health in Africa have failed to recognize the epidemiological priorities of the region or identify reliable and appropriate strategies to address them. Efforts have consisted of providing unplanned, ad hoc and spasmodic curative oral health services, which in most cases are poorly distributed and only reach affluent or urban communities. Realizing the limited impact of existing strategies, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) developed a regional oral health strategy to assist African countries and their partners in identifying priorities and planning preventive-oriented programmes, particularly at the district level. The long-term objective is to provide equitable and universal access to cost-effective quality oral healthcare and thereby significantly reduce the incidence of oral diseases in Africa. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Why Africa matters: evolution of Old World Salvia (Lamiaceae) in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Will, Maria; Claßen-Bockhoff, Regine

2014-07-01

Salvia is the largest genus in Lamiaceae and it has recently been found to be non-monophyletic. Molecular data on Old World Salvia are largely lacking. In this study, we present data concerning Salvia in Africa. The focus is on the colonization of the continent, character evolution and the switch of pollination systems in the genus. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference were used for phylogenetic reconstruction. Analyses were based on two nuclear markers [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and external transcribed spacer (ETS)] and one plastid marker (rpl32-trnL). Sequence data were generated for 41 of the 62 African taxa (66 %). Mesquite was used to reconstruct ancestral character states for distribution, life form, calyx shape, stamen type and pollination syndrome. Salvia in Africa is non-monophyletic. Each of the five major regions in Africa, except Madagascar, was colonized at least twice, and floristic links between North African, south-west Asian and European species are strongly supported. The large radiation in Sub-Saharan Africa (23 species) can be traced back to dispersal from North Africa via East Africa to the Cape Region. Adaptation to bird pollination in southern Africa and Madagascar reflects parallel evolution. The phenotypic diversity in African Salvia is associated with repeated introductions to the continent. Many important evolutionary processes, such as colonization, adaptation, parallelism and character transformation, are reflected in this comparatively small group. The data presented in this study can help to understand the evolution of Salvia sensu lato and other large genera. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Varicella zoster virus-associated morbidity and mortality in Africa – a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannah Hussey

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Varicella zoster virus (VZV causes varicella and herpes zoster. These vaccine preventable diseases are common globally. Most available data on VZV epidemiology are from industrialised temperate countries and cannot be used to guide decisions on the immunization policy against VZV in Africa. This systematic review aims to review the published data on VZV morbidity and mortality in Africa. Methods All published studies conducted in Africa from 1974 to 2015 were eligible. Eligible studies must have reported any VZV epidemiological measure (incidence, prevalence, hospitalization rate and mortality rate. For inclusion in the review, studies must have used a defined VZV case definition, be it clinical or laboratory-based. Results Twenty articles from 13 African countries were included in the review. Most included studies were cross-sectional, conducted on hospitalized patients, and half of the studies used varying serological methods for diagnosis. VZV seroprevalence was very high among adults. Limited data on VZV seroprevalence in children showed very low seropositivity to anti-VZV antibodies. Co-morbidity with VZV was common. Conclusion There is lack of quality data that could be used to develop VZV control programmes, including vaccination, in Africa. Trial registration PROSPERO 2015: CRD42015026144 .

A Model for Scaffolding Traditional Distance Learners in Africa for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

How can we solve the lull in uptake and usage of online learning amongst traditional distance learners in Africa? Several online learning initiatives are taking place in Africa, but a critical assessment of their impact in terms of increasing access to higher education through distance learning indicates, in most cases, lack of ...

High School Learners' Mental Construction during Solving Optimisation Problems in Calculus: A South African Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Brijlall, Deonarain; Ndlovu, Zanele

2013-01-01

This qualitative case study in a rural school in Umgungundlovu District in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, explored Grade 12 learners' mental constructions of mathematical knowledge during engagement with optimisation problems. Ten Grade 12 learners who do pure Mathemat-ics participated, and data were collected through structured activity sheets and…

Can the big push approach end rural poverty in Africa? : Insights from Sauri millennium village in Kenya

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wanjala, Bernadette

2016-01-01

This study sought to provide the first independent rigorous evaluation of the Millennium Villages Project, using Sauri millennium village (Kenya) as a case study. Sauri has been coined as a success story of the MVP across Africa, which makes it an ideal case study to assess the impact of the MVP

Measles Cases during Ebola Outbreak, West Africa, 2013-2106.

Science.gov (United States)

Colavita, Francesca; Biava, Mirella; Castilletti, Concetta; Quartu, Serena; Vairo, Francesco; Caglioti, Claudia; Agrati, Chiara; Lalle, Eleonora; Bordi, Licia; Lanini, Simone; Guanti, Michela Delli; Miccio, Rossella; Ippolito, Giuseppe; Capobianchi, Maria R; Di Caro, Antonino

2017-06-01

The recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa caused breakdowns in public health systems, which might have caused outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. We tested 80 patients admitted to an Ebola treatment center in Freetown, Sierra Leone, for measles. These patients were negative for Ebola virus. Measles virus IgM was detected in 13 (16%) of the patients.

Competitive intelligence in emerging economies: A comparative study between Brazil and South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Sewdass

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Competitive intelligence (CI has long been recognised as a strategic management tool that could enhance competitiveness. CI is expected to play an essential developmental role in emerging economies. The need to enhance companies’ competitiveness has grown rapidly. CI is essential, and will increasingly be a challenge in the years to come, especially for emerging economies. This article will compare CI activities in South Africa with CI activities in Brazil. Companies in these two countries have faced increased environmental uncertainty and increasingly there is a need to compete. A questionnaire survey methodology was used where questionnaires were administered to CI experts in organisations in South Africa and Brazil. The findings of the study revealed that only a limited number of organisations in Brazil and South Africa recognise the importance of a CI unit. It was also interesting to note that the CI function is more mature in South Africa than in Brazil. As Brazil and South Africa become more integrated into the global economy, it stands to reason that the global economy will have more of an impact on the countries’ economies. To this end it has become more crucial to monitor global events and trends and it is very important for both countries to develop a CI culture.

Chiefs in a Democracy: A Case Study of the ‘New’ Systems of Regulating Firewood Harvesting in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah J. Findlay

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Much of the international commons literature reveals a decreased functioning of local traditional institutions that regulate natural resource harvesting. In South Africa, it is believed that the creation of new democratic structures at the end of Apartheid has contributed significantly to the deterioration in traditional resource regulation and this in turn has led to the extensive resource degradation seen in parts of the country. Many of these assertions, though, remain anecdotal in nature. Given the high reliance by rural households on natural resources, and the serious negative implications that over-use has on livelihood security, understanding how well or poorly such commons are regulated is key to ensuring the sustainability of such resource-dependent populations. The aim of this study was therefore to examine systems of resource governance, focusing specifically on firewood, and to determine the roles of traditional and democratically elected community leaders in six rural villages spanning two chieftaincies in Bushbuckridge, South Africa. In each study village, five local leaders were interviewed and five community focus groups were conducted. Results indicate that most parties still regard the Chief as the ultimate authority for regulating firewood harvesting. However, overall firewood management appears weak, at best, across the region. Although some authors attribute this to community confusion over the roles of local leaders in a new democracy, we provide evidence that other socio-political factors, including political expediency, may be driving the increasingly relaxed implementation of these firewood management systems. With resource dependence remaining a vital contributor to livelihood security across the developing world and with many rural communities facing increasing strain under local resource depletion, these findings shed new light on the complex social dynamics underlying the widely reported weakening of traditional

Hantaviruses in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Witkowski, Peter T; Klempa, Boris; Ithete, Ndapewa L; Auste, Brita; Mfune, John K E; Hoveka, Julia; Matthee, Sonja; Preiser, Wolfgang; Kruger, Detlev H

2014-07-17

This paper summarizes the progress in the search for hantaviruses and hantavirus infections in Africa. After having collected molecular evidence of an indigenous African hantavirus in 2006, an intensive investigation for new hantaviruses has been started in small mammals. Various novel hantaviruses have been molecularly identified not only in rodents but also in shrews and bats. In addition, the first African hantavirus, Sangassou virus, has been isolated and functionally characterized in cell culture. Less is known about the ability of these hantaviruses to infect humans and to cause diseases. To date, no hantavirus genetic material could be amplified from patients' specimens collected in Africa. Serological studies in West Africa, based on a battery of screening and confirmatory assays, led to the detection of hantavirus antibodies in the human population and in patients with putative hantavirus disease. In addition to this overview, we present original data from seroepidemiological and field studies conducted in the Southern part of Africa. A human seroprevalence rate of 1.0% (n=1442) was detected in the South African Cape Region whereas no molecular evidence for the presence of hantavirus was found in 2500 small animals trapped in South Africa and Namibia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scientific research in the natural sciences in South Africa: A scientometric study

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Radhamany Sooryamoorthy

2013-07-01

Full Text Available As a leading producer of scientific publications on the African continent, South Africa has made remarkable progress. However, attempts are yet to be made to comprehend the empirical reality of scientific production in South Africa. One way to do this is to analyse specific science disciplines (such as the natural sciences, publication outputs and their features. A bibliometric study was undertaken of the publication trends and patterns of South African researchers in the natural sciences from 1975 to 2005 (choosing selected sample years, using the Thomson Reuters� Web of Knowledge database of selected indexed natural science journals. Characteristics of natural science publications, such as the trends over the years, were revealed as well as the collaborative dimensions involved in the production of scientific papers in these disciplines in South Africa. The connection between collaboration and publication, as well as between collaboration and sectors of authors was evident. The key findings of this study were that authors were based mostly in universities and were collaborative in their research endeavours. In addition, the participation of international collaborators has increased.

Africa-Asia trade versus Africa's trade with the North: Trends and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. This study shows that Europe continues to be Africa's major trading partner given the historical relations and long standing trading arrangements between the two. However, evidence also shows that despite maintaining strong trade linkages with Europe, Africa's trade with Asia has been growing at a much faster ...

Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002–2009: a repeated cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been cross-sectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. The objective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and household characteristics. Methods This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002–2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002–2009 in relation to reported cholera cases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographic household characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression. Results The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000–02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics. Conclusion This suggests that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising, given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period. PMID:22834485

Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002–2009: a repeated cross-sectional study

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Wright Jim A

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been cross-sectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. The objective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and household characteristics. Methods This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002–2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002–2009 in relation to reported cholera cases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographic household characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression. Results The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000–02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics. Conclusion This suggests that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising, given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period.

Study Moessbauer of chromites of South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, Ada; Velazquez, R.

1997-01-01

Coming natural chromites from South Africa they were studied by spectroscopy Moessbauer and X-rays diffraction. The ionic distribution of the ions of iron is reported in the area tetrahedral and octahedral in the structure showing that the pattern an orderly distribution, the chromites nearby to an inverse spinel. The microanalysis shows a certain variability in the composition in the coming specimen of the same area and could be the cause the apparent evolution of the chromite in the laterization process. We try to compare these results with a similar study coming f rom basaltic rocks of the Nemby Hill in oriental region of Paraguay [es

Forensic Medicine in South Africa: Associations between Medical Practice and Legal Case Progression and Outcomes in Female Murders

Science.gov (United States)

Abrahams, Naeemah; Jewkes, Rachel; Martin, Lorna J.; Mathews, Shanaaz

2011-01-01

Background Forensic medicine has been largely by-passed by the tide of health systems research and evidence based medicine. Murder victims form a central part of forensic medical examiners' case load, and women murdered by intimate partners are an important subgroup, representing the most severe form and consequence of intimate partner violence. Our aim was to describe the epidemiology of female murder in South Africa (by intimate and non-intimate partners); and to describe and compare autopsy findings, forensic medical management of cases and the contribution of these to legal outcomes. Methods We did a retrospective national study in a proportionate random sample of 25 medico-legal laboratories to identify all homicides in 1999 of women aged 14 years and over. Data were abstracted from the mortuary file and autopsy report, and collected from a police interview. Findings In 21.5% of cases the perpetrator was convicted. Factors associated with a conviction for the female murders included having a history of intimate partner violence 1.18 (95%CI: 0.16–2.20), weapon recovered 1.36 (95% CI:0.58–2.15) and a detective visiting the crime scene 1.57 (95% CI:0.14–3.00). None of the forensic medical activities increased the likelihood of a conviction. Conclusion The findings raise important questions about the role of forensic medicine in these cases. PMID:22194868

Forensic medicine in South Africa: associations between medical practice and legal case progression and outcomes in female murders.

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Naeemah Abrahams

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Forensic medicine has been largely by-passed by the tide of health systems research and evidence based medicine. Murder victims form a central part of forensic medical examiners' case load, and women murdered by intimate partners are an important subgroup, representing the most severe form and consequence of intimate partner violence. Our aim was to describe the epidemiology of female murder in South Africa (by intimate and non-intimate partners; and to describe and compare autopsy findings, forensic medical management of cases and the contribution of these to legal outcomes. METHODS: We did a retrospective national study in a proportionate random sample of 25 medico-legal laboratories to identify all homicides in 1999 of women aged 14 years and over. Data were abstracted from the mortuary file and autopsy report, and collected from a police interview. FINDINGS: In 21.5% of cases the perpetrator was convicted. Factors associated with a conviction for the female murders included having a history of intimate partner violence 1.18 (95%CI: 0.16-2.20, weapon recovered 1.36 (95% CI:0.58-2.15 and a detective visiting the crime scene 1.57 (95% CI:0.14-3.00. None of the forensic medical activities increased the likelihood of a conviction. CONCLUSION: The findings raise important questions about the role of forensic medicine in these cases.

A Systematic Review of Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Amina Abubakar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The burden of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA is not well known. We carried out a systematic review of the literature to identify published work from SSA. We have systematically searched four databases, namely, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Child Development & Adolescent Studies, through EBSCO and identified studies from across SSA. Based on predefined inclusion criteria, 47 studies were included in this review. Most of the identified studies (74% were conducted in only 2 African countries, that is, South Africa and Nigeria. Additionally, most of these studies (83% were carried out in the last decade. These studies had four major themes: development of measurement tools of ASD in Africa, examining the prevalence of ASD, identifying risk factors and risk markers, and examining psychosocial issues. We identified only a single population level study aimed at documenting the prevalence of ASD and could not identify a single case-control study aimed at examining a comprehensive set of potential risk factors. All intervention studies were based on very small sample sizes. Put together, our findings suggest that current evidence base is too scanty to provide the required information to plan adequately for effective intervention strategies for children with ASD in Africa.

The trade distorting effects of export refunds: The case of beef exports to Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herzfeld, T.

2005-01-01

The usual sale of European agricultural products to Africa using export refunds has been heavily discussed in recent decades. At the centre of the discussion are the consequences on the agricultural producers in Western and Southern Africa. There are two different points of view: On the one hand,

Alternative medicines for AIDS in resource-poor settings: insights from exploratory anthropological studies in Asia and Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardon, Anita; Desclaux, Alice; Egrot, Marc; Simon, Emmanuelle; Micollier, Evelyne; Kyakuwa, Margaret

2008-07-10

The emergence of alternative medicines for AIDS in Asia and Africa was discussed at a satellite symposium and the parallel session on alternative and traditional treatments of the AIDSImpact meeting, held in Marseille, in July 2007. These medicines are heterogeneous, both in their presentation and in their geographic and cultural origin. The sessions focused on the role of these medications in selected resource poor settings in Africa and Asia now that access to anti-retroviral therapy is increasing. The aims of the sessions were to (1) identify the actors involved in the diffusion of these alternative medicines for HIV/AIDS, (2) explore uses and forms, and the way these medicines are given legitimacy, (3) reflect on underlying processes of globalisation and cultural differentiation, and (4) define priority questions for future research in this area. This article presents the insights generated at the meeting, illustrated with some findings from the case studies (Uganda, Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso, China and Indonesia) that were presented. These case studies reveal the wide range of actors who are involved in the marketing and supply of alternative medicines. Regulatory mechanisms are weak. The efficacy claims of alternative medicines often reinforce a biomedical paradigm for HIV/AIDS, and fit with a healthy living ideology promoted by AIDS care programs and support groups. The AIDSImpact session concluded that more interdisciplinary research is needed on the experience of people living with HIV/AIDS with these alternative medicines, and on the ways in which these products interact (or not) with anti-retroviral therapy at pharmacological as well as psychosocial levels.

Health and wealth in Uzbekistan and sub-Saharan Africa in comparative perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Hohmann, Sophie; Garenne, Michel

2010-12-01

The study investigates the magnitude of differences in child and adult mortality by wealth in Uzbekistan, a former soviet country of Central Asia, and compares it with similar indicators from sub-Saharan Africa. Data were derived from Demographic and Health Surveys. An "Absolute Wealth Index" was built from data on goods owned by households and quality of housing, and scaled from 0 to 12. Wealth was distributed evenly in Uzbekistan, with a symmetric distribution around a mean of 5.5 modern goods. In sub-Saharan Africa, on the contrary, the wealth distribution had a lower mean (2.5) and was highly skewed towards the left, revealing a high proportion of very poor people. Adult and child mortality levels were lower in Uzbekistan. Despite these major differences, the relationships between mortality indicators and the wealth index were similar in the two cases. The magnitude of mortality differentials by wealth was of the same order in both cases, with gradients ranging from 2.5 to 1 for child mortality and 1.5 to 1 for adult mortality (poorest versus richest). However, mortality levels remained lower in Uzbekistan than in sub-Saharan Africa at the same level of wealth for both children and adults. A similar relationship was found between nutritional status and wealth index in both cases. On the contrary, there were no differences by wealth in use of health services and level of education in Uzbekistan, whereas wealth gradients were steep for the same variables in sub-Saharan Africa. The study suggests that mortality differentials were primarily due to nutritional status, and not to access and use of health services or to education. The discussion focuses on health and social policies during the colonial and post-colonial period that have produced these patterns. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Harnessing the power of the grassroots to conduct public health research in sub-Saharan Africa: a case study from western Kenya in the adaptation of community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a collaborative approach to research that involves the equitable participation of those affected by an issue. As the field of global public health grows, the potential of CBPR to build capacity and to engage communities in identification of problems and development and implementation of solutions in sub-Saharan Africa has yet to be fully tapped. The Orphaned and Separated Children’s Assessments Related to their Health and Well-Being (OSCAR) project is a longitudinal cohort of orphaned and non-orphaned children in Kenya. This paper will describe how CBPR approaches and principles can be incorporated and adapted into the study design and methods of a longitudinal epidemiological study in sub-Saharan Africa using this project as an example. Methods The CBPR framework we used involves problem identification, feasibility and planning; implementation; and evaluation and dissemination. This case study will describe how we have engaged the community and adapted CBPR methods to OSCAR’s Health and Well-being Project’s corresponding to this framework in four phases: 1) community engagement, 2) sampling and recruitment, 3) retention, validation, and follow-up, and 4) analysis, interpretation and dissemination. Results To date the study has enrolled 3130 orphaned and separated children, including children living in institutional environments, those living in extended family or other households in the community, and street-involved children and youth. Community engagement and participation was integral in refining the study design and identifying research questions that were impacting the community. Through the participation of village Chiefs and elders we were able to successfully identify eligible households and randomize the selection of participants. The on-going contribution of the community in the research process has been vital to participant retention and data validation while ensuring cultural and

Predictors of HIV Testing among Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study.

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Ibitola O Asaolu

Full Text Available In spite of a high prevalence of HIV infection among adolescents and young adults in sub-Saharan Africa, uptake of HIV testing and counseling among youth in the region remains sub-optimal. The objective of this study was to assess factors that influence uptake of HIV testing and counseling among youth aged 15-24 years in sub-Saharan Africa.This study used the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS data from countries that represent four geographic regions of sub-Saharan Africa: Congo (Brazzaville, representing central Africa (DHS 2011-2012; Mozambique, representing southern Africa (DHS 2011; Nigeria, representing western Africa (DHS 2013; and Uganda, representing eastern Africa (DHS 2011. Analyses were restricted to 23,367 male and female respondents aged 15-24 years with complete data on the variables of interest. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were used to assess predictors of HIV testing. Statistical significance was set at p< 0.01.The analysis revealed that a majority of the respondents were female (78.1% and aged 20-24-years (60.7%. Only a limited proportion of respondents (36.5% had ever tested for HIV and even fewer (25.7% demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. There was a significant association between HIV testing and respondents' gender, age, age at sexual debut, and comprehensive knowledge of HIV in the pooled sample. Older youth (adjusted OR (aOR = 2.19; 99% CI = 1.99-2.40 and those with comprehensive knowledge of HIV (aOR = 1.98; 1.76-2.22 had significantly higher odds of ever being tested for HIV than younger respondents and those with limited HIV/AIDS knowledge respectively. Furthermore, men had lower odds of HIV testing than women (aOR = 0.32; 0.28-0.37.Reaching youth in sub-Saharan Africa for HIV testing continues to be a challenge. Public health programs that seek to increase HIV counseling and testing among youth should pay particular attention to efforts that target high-risk subpopulations of youth

D 3.6 Africa: Discussion report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mandrup, Thomas

2017-01-01

in general, sub-matter experts, experts on peace and conflict studies, and practitioners in crisis management. A total of eighteen speakers explored the effectiveness of international assistance to the four African examples from different perspectives, drawing a rather pessimistic picture of the current......One round-table event was organised within the framework of Work Package III, part of the IECEU project. The events focused on the WP3’s four case studies: Libya, CAR, South Sudan and DRC. This report provides information on the round-table event and presents the main points of discussion...... that emerged during it. The round-table discussion and the subsequent seminar on the Effectiveness of International Assistance and Local Ownership in the four case studies was organised by the Royal Danish Defence College on 31 October-1. November 2016. The round-table participants included experts on Africa...

Advances towards the development of a cloud-resolving model in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Bopape, Mary-Jane M

2014-09-01

Full Text Available , Nelson A.F. Miranda , Rosemary A. Dorrington , Gwynneth F. Matcher , Nadine Strydom & Nasreen Peer .............................................................................................. 89 Open access in South Africa: A case study... and slows scientific progress.5 There are also more radical and, at the same time, very human positions on the importance of open access. Delivering an address entitled ‘The case against privatising knowledge’, during a Vice Chancellor’s Open Lecture...

Epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii infection in Africa: a OneHealth systematic review.

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Sky Vanderburg

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Q fever is a common cause of febrile illness and community-acquired pneumonia in resource-limited settings. Coxiella burnetii, the causative pathogen, is transmitted among varied host species, but the epidemiology of the organism in Africa is poorly understood. We conducted a systematic review of C. burnetii epidemiology in Africa from a "One Health" perspective to synthesize the published data and identify knowledge gaps.We searched nine databases to identify articles relevant to four key aspects of C. burnetii epidemiology in human and animal populations in Africa: infection prevalence; disease incidence; transmission risk factors; and infection control efforts. We identified 929 unique articles, 100 of which remained after full-text review. Of these, 41 articles describing 51 studies qualified for data extraction. Animal seroprevalence studies revealed infection by C. burnetii (≤13% among cattle except for studies in Western and Middle Africa (18-55%. Small ruminant seroprevalence ranged from 11-33%. Human seroprevalence was <8% with the exception of studies among children and in Egypt (10-32%. Close contact with camels and rural residence were associated with increased seropositivity among humans. C. burnetii infection has been associated with livestock abortion. In human cohort studies, Q fever accounted for 2-9% of febrile illness hospitalizations and 1-3% of infective endocarditis cases. We found no studies of disease incidence estimates or disease control efforts.C. burnetii infection is detected in humans and in a wide range of animal species across Africa, but seroprevalence varies widely by species and location. Risk factors underlying this variability are poorly understood as is the role of C. burnetii in livestock abortion. Q fever consistently accounts for a notable proportion of undifferentiated human febrile illness and infective endocarditis in cohort studies, but incidence estimates are lacking. C. burnetii presents a real

Cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: a preventable noncommunicable disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Mboumba Bouassa, Ralph-Sydney; Prazuck, Thierry; Lethu, Thérèse; Jenabian, Mohammad-Ali; Meye, Jean-François; Bélec, Laurent

2017-06-01

Infections caused by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) are responsible for 7.7% of cancers in developing countries, mainly cervical cancer. This disease is steadily increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, with more than 75,000 new cases and 50,000 deaths yearly, further increased by HIV infection. Areas covered: The current status of cervical cancer associated with HPV in sub-Saharan Africa has been systematically revised. The main issues discussed here are related to the public health burden of cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa and predictions for the coming decades, including molecular epidemiology and determinants of HPV infection in Africa, and promising prevention measures currently being evaluated in Africa. Expert commentary: By the year 2030, cervical cancer will kill more than 443,000 women yearly worldwide, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa. The increase in the incidence of cervical cancer in Africa could counteract the progress made by African women in reducing maternal mortality and longevity. Nevertheless, cervical cancer is a potentially preventable noncommunicable disease, and intervention strategies to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health concern should be urgently implemented.

Energy Justice in Sub-Saharan Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Buchholz, Kathleen B.

Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest rates of electrification and some of the worst education statistics worldwide. In the absence of strong infrastructure for a reliable grid system and quality universal primary schooling, the poor suffer significantly. Though substantial research has been done on both issues separately, the relationship between the two has yet to be explored. This thesis uses social justice theories to introduce the connections between energy poverty and an individual's education capabilities through a case study in Zambia. Case study research was carried out in the urban low-resource settlements of Lusaka, Zambia over a period of two months with Lifeline Energy, using methods of participant observation. Drawing on trends discovered in survey responses, interviews and feedback from a distribution of renewable technologies, this study demonstrates that a lack of modern forms of energy detracts from education. By synthesizing the data with Martha Nussbaum's capabilities approach and Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir's scarcity theory, the research reveals that energy poverty hinders an individual's ability to study and gain a quality education and diminishes their available cognitive capacity to learn by tunneling attention to the resource deficit. Furthermore, it supports the claim that energy poverty is not gender neutral. The research concludes that the scarcity caused by energy poverty can be lessened by the investment in and use of small-scale renewable technologies which alleviates some of the daily stress and grind of poverty. This thesis lays the groundwork to recognize energy poverty as an injustice. Keywords: Energy Poverty, Education, Gender, Sub-Saharan Africa, Scarcity, Capabilities Approach..

Penal reform in Africa: The case of prison chaplaincy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abraham K. Akih

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Penal reform is a challenge across the world. In Africa, those who are incarcerated are especially vulnerable and often deprived of basic human rights. Prison conditions are generally dire, resources are limited, and at times undue force is used to control inmates. The public attitude towards offenders is also not encouraging. Reform efforts include finding alternative ways of sentencing such as community service, making use of halfway houses and reducing sentences. These efforts have not yet yielded the desired results. The four principles of retribution, deterrence, incapacitation and rehabilitation guide penal practice in Africa. Retribution and rehabilitation stand in tension. Deterrence and incapacitation aim at forcing inmates to conform to the social order. The article argues that prison chaplaincy can make a valuable contribution to restoring the dignity and humanity of those who are incarcerated. Chaplaincy can contribute to improving attitudes and practices in the penal system and society. In addition to the social objective of rehabilitation, prison ministry can, on a spiritual level, also facilitate repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. The aim is the holistic restoration of human beings.

Case Study: Strategy for the Establishment of the Centre for Nuclear Safety and Security in South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nhleko, S.; Tyobeka, B.M.

2016-01-01

Full text: The establishment of a dedicated nuclear safety centre as part of nuclear industry infrastructure is a common practice among nuclear countries that is also recognized and recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (see, for instance, IAEA GSR Part 1). However, South Africa currently does not have such a centre. This paper presents a strategy that has been developed for the establishment of a nuclear safety centre that will support the nuclear knowledge management infrastructure of the National Nuclear Regulator of South Africa. After a brief introduction, the challenges faced by the Regulator are presented. Next, the minimum requirements for addressing the challenges are summarized by providing an outline of strategic objectives to be fulfilled. This is followed by the description of the strategy developed to fulfil the objectives, including key programmes that will be implemented. A qualitative evaluation of benefits that will result from the implementation of the strategy is also presented. Additional provisions which are required in the national legislation to facilitate successful implementation of the strategy are highlighted based on lessons learned from other regulators. Finally, lessons learned during the execution of this project are summarized in order to provide guidelines for similar projects. (author

Human myiasis in rural South Africa is under-reported.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuria, Simon Kamande; Kingu, H J C; Villet, M H; Dhaffala, A

2015-01-08

Myiasis is the infestation of live tissue of humans and other vertebrates by larvae of flies. Worldwide, myiasis of humans is seldom reported, although the trend is gradually changing in some countries. Reports of human myiasis in Africa are few. Several cases of myiasis were recently seen at the Mthatha Hospital Complex, Mthatha, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa (SA). Because of a paucity of literature on myiasis from this region, surgeons and scientists from Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, decided to document myiasis cases presenting either at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital or Umtata General Hospital from May 2009 to April 2013. The objective was to determine the incidence, epidemiology, patient age group and gender, and fly species involved. The effect of season on incidence was also investigated. Twenty-five cases (14 men and 11 women) were recorded in the 4-year study period. The fly species involved were Lucilia sericata, L. cuprina, Chrysomya megacephala, C. chloropyga and Sarcophaga (Liosarcophaga) nodosa, the latter being confirmed as an agent for human myiasis for the first time. The patients were 3 - 78 years old (median 56). Cases were most numerous during spring and summer, and were associated with underlying pathologies typical of ageing. Myiasis is a more common medical condition than expected in the Mthatha region. The study shows that human myiasis is still frequently encountered in SA, and there is a need to understand its epidemiology better.

Is Information Enough? User Responses to Seasonal Climate Forecasts in Southern Africa. Report to the World Bank, AFTE1-ENVGC. Adaptation to Climate Change and Variability in Sub{sub S}aharan Africa, Phase II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Brien, Karen; Sygna, Linda; Naess, Lars Otto; Kingamkono, Robert; Hochobeb, Ben

2000-05-01

Since the mid-1980s, long-lead climate forecasts have been developed and used to predict the onset of El Nino events and their impact on climate variability. This report discusses user responses to seasonal climate forecasts in southern Africa, with an emphasis on small-scale farmers in Namibia and Tanzania. The study examines how farmers received and used the forecasts in the agricultural season of 1997/1998. It also summarises a workshop on user responses to seasonal forecasts in southern Africa. Comparison of case studies across south Africa revealed differences in forecast dissemination strategies and in the capacity to respond to extreme events. However, improving these strategies and the capacity to respond to the forecasts would yield net profit to agriculture in southern Africa. In anticipation of potential changes in the frequency or magnitude of extreme events associated with global climate change, there clearly is a need for improved seasonal forecasts and improved information dissemination.

Operative needs in HIV+ populations: An estimation for sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherewick, Megan L; Cherewick, Steven D; Kushner, Adam L

2017-05-01

In 2015, it was estimated that approximately 36.7 million people were living with HIV globally and approximately 25.5 million of those people were living in sub-Saharan Africa. Limitations in the availability and access to adequate operative care require policy and planning to enhance operative capacity. Data estimating the total number of persons living with HIV by country, sex, and age group were obtained from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in 2015. Using minimum proposed surgical rates per 100,000 for 4, defined, sub-Saharan regions of Africa, country-specific and regional estimates were calculated. The total need and unmet need for operative procedures were estimated. A minimum of 1,539,138 operative procedures were needed in 2015 for the 25.5 million persons living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2015, there was an unmet need of 908,513 operative cases in sub-Saharan Africa with the greatest unmet need in eastern sub-Saharan Africa (427,820) and western sub-Saharan Africa (325,026). Approximately 55.6% of the total need for operative cases is adult women, 38.4% are adult men, and 6.0% are among children under the age of 15. A minimum of 1.5 million operative procedures annually are required to meet the needs of persons living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. The unmet need for operative care is greatest in eastern and western sub-Saharan Africa and will require investments in personnel, infrastructure, facilities, supplies, and equipment. We highlight the need for global planning and investment in resources to meet targets of operative capacity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adult-onset acral peeling skin syndrome in a non-identical twin: a case report in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathew, Reshmi; Omole, Olufemi B; Rigby, Jonathan; Grayson, Wayne

2014-12-31

Acral peeling skin syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder in which skin exfoliation is limited to the hands and feet. While it typically manifests from early childhood, in this first reported case from South Africa, the patient did not manifest clinically until the fourth decade of life. A 44-year-old woman of African descent, 1 of a set of non-identical twins, presented with recurrent episodes of skin peeling of the upper and lower limbs. The first episode occurred 4 years prior, followed by perennial skin peeling during the spring seasons. She was not on treatment for any chronic disease and reported no exposure to chemicals or other irritants. The family, including the non-identical twin sister, has no history of skin disorders and the patient's HIV antibody test was negative. At presentation, physical examination revealed ongoing exfoliation with new skin formation on the palms and soles. The mucous membranes and nails were spared. Other systems were normal. Skin biopsy taken from the palms confirmed peeling skin syndrome. The patient was managed with topical aqueous cream and analgesics. She was briefly counseled on the nature and prognosis of the disease, and referred for genetic testing and counseling. On follow-up, she continues to have skin peeling once or twice a year. This first reported case of this rare disease in South Africa contributes to the growing body of literature on the disease and highlights the need for clinicians to be aware of its variable clinical onset.

Can Climate Information be relevant to decision making for Agriculture on the 1-10 year timescale? Case studies from southern Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Fujisawa, Mariko

2016-04-01

Climate forecasts have been developed to assist decision making in sectors averse to, and affected by, climate risks, and agriculture is one of those. In agriculture and food security, climate information is now used on a range of timescales, from days (weather), months (seasonal outlooks) to decades (climate change scenarios). Former researchers have shown that when seasonal climate forecast information was provided to farmers prior to decision making, farmers adapted by changing their choice of planting seeds and timing or area planted. However, it is not always clear that the end-users' needs for climate information are met and there might be a large gap between information supplied and needed. It has been pointed out that even when forecasts were available, they were often not utilized by farmers and extension services because of lack of trust in the forecast or the forecasts did not reach the targeted farmers. Many studies have focused on the use of either seasonal forecasts or longer term climate change prediction, but little research has been done on the medium term, that is, 1 to 10 year future climate information. The agriculture and food system sector is one potential user of medium term information, as land use policy and cropping systems selection may fall into this time scale and may affect farmers' decision making process. Assuming that reliable information is provided and it is utilized by farmers for decision making, it might contribute to resilient farming and indeed to longer term food security. To this end, we try to determine the effect of medium term climate information on farmers' strategic decision making process. We explored the end-users' needs for climate information and especially the possible role of medium term information in agricultural system, by conducting interview surveys with farmers and agricultural experts. In this study, the cases of apple production in South Africa, maize production in Malawi and rice production in Tanzania

Pedagogical renewal in sub-Saharan Africa: the case of Uganda

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Altinyelken, H.K.

2010-01-01

There has been an unprecedented interest in reforming pedagogical practices in sub-Saharan Africa in the past two decades. The reform efforts are often characterised by a move away from teacher-centred instruction to child-centred pedagogy (CCP). Uganda has been no exception to this trend as the new

Astronomy, Indigenous Knowledge and Interpretation: Advancing studies of Cultural Astronomy in South Africa

OpenAIRE

Holbrook, Jarita

2016-01-01

The International Society for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture (ISAAC) Oxford X conference came to Africa for the first time in 2014. Oxford X exposed South African students and researchers to cultural astronomy data collection and analysis methods, as well as to potential mentors to further the goal of advancing the field. Cultural Astronomy studies in South Africa, however, remain in a nascent stage, which in some ways can be said for the entire field, but especially when it comes ...

TUBERCULOSIS IN TROPICAL AFRICA. AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY.

Science.gov (United States)

ROELSGAARD, E; IVERSEN, E; BLOCHER, C

1964-01-01

Up to the end of the nineteenth century the tubercle bacillus apparently had little opportunity of disseminating among the rather isolated tribes of tropical Africa. With the creation of large centres of trade and industry in the wake of European colonization, tuberculosis seems to have spread rapidly over the continent and is today found everywhere.In a number of tuberculosis prevalence surveys conducted by WHO during 1955-60, randomly selected population groups were tuberculin tested, X-rayed and had sputa examined by direct microscopy. The three methods of examination were applied independently of one another.Data collected during the surveys have been analysed with a view to discovering common epidemiological features of tuberculosis in tropical Africa, assessing the reliability of the diagnostic methods employed and discussing their usefulness in future tuberculosis control programmes.

Fermented fish in Africa: a study on processing, marketing and consumption

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Essuman, Kofi Manso

1992-01-01

...; and fermentation with salting but no drying. It was also observed in the study that, unlike in Southeast Asian countries, fermented fishery products in Africa are usually whole or in cut pieces, and are not a paste or sauce...

In the name of human rights: the problematics of EU ethical foreign policy in Africa and elsewhere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivia Umurerwa Rutazibwa

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This doctoral research project explores avenues to research ethically defined foreign policy differently, i.e. in ways that more systematically account for its counterproductive elements. Building on the specific case of the European Union’s foreign policy in sub-Saharan Africa, embodied by the 2000 Cotonou Agreement and the 2007 Joint Africa-EU Strategy, through four papers and one books review, the study firstly develops the Ethical Intervener Europe analytical framework to account for the embedded problematics in the EU’s ethical foreign policy. Secondly, through an eclectic theoretical approach, the study seeks to theoretically pin-point some alternatives to think about ethical foreign policy and finally, looks to concretize it through its application on the case of relative autonomous peace- and state-building in Somaliland. This research report briefly introduces the different findings and addresses the need for further research in view of a decolonial approach to the study of ethical foreign policy in a context of structural inequality. Key words: ethical foreign policy, (humanitarian interventions, EU, sub-Saharan Africa, Somaliland, decoloniality, democratization, state-building

The investment case for hepatitis B and C in South Africa: adaptation and innovation in policy analysis for disease program scale-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Hecht, Robert; Hiebert, Lindsey; Spearman, Wendy C; Sonderup, Mark W; Guthrie, Teresa; Hallett, Timothy B; Nayagam, Shevanthi; Razavi, Homie; Soe-Lin, Shan; Vilakazi-Nhlapo, Kgomotso; Pillay, Yogan; Resch, Stephen

2018-05-01

Even though WHO has approved global goals for hepatitis elimination, most countries have yet to establish programs for hepatitis B and C, which account for 320 million infections and over a million deaths annually. One reason for this slow response is the paucity of robust, compelling analyses showing that national HBV/HCV programs could have a significant impact on these epidemics and save lives in a cost-effective, affordable manner. In this context, our team used an investment case approach to develop a national hepatitis action plan for South Africa, grounded in a process of intensive engagement of local stakeholders. Costs were estimated for each activity using an ingredients-based, bottom-up costing tool designed by the authors. The health impact and cost-effectiveness of the Action Plan were assessed by simulating its four priority interventions (HBV birth dose vaccination, PMTCT, HBV treatment and HCV treatment) using previously developed models calibrated to South Africa's demographic and epidemic profile. The Action Plan is estimated to require ZAR3.8 billion (US$294 million) over 2017-2021, about 0.5% of projected government health spending. Treatment scale-up over the initial 5-year period would avert 13 000 HBV-related and 7000 HCV-related deaths. If scale up continues beyond 2021 in line with WHO goals, more than 670 000 new infections, 200 000 HBV-related deaths, and 30 000 HCV-related deaths could be averted. The incremental cost-effectiveness of the Action Plan is estimated at $3310 per DALY averted, less than the benchmark of half of per capita GDP. Our analysis suggests that the proposed scale-up can be accommodated within South Africa's fiscal space and represents good use of scarce resources. Discussions are ongoing in South Africa on the allocation of budget to hepatitis. Our work illustrates the value and feasibility of using an investment case approach to assess the costs and relative priority of scaling up HBV/HCV services.

Global media and violence in Africa : The case of Somalia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gewald, J.B.

2004-01-01

It has been argued that Africa has been sidelined in the global ICT revolution and that African societies appear to be cut off from global flows of information. Nevertheless, the manner in which war was waged in Somalia between 1991 and 1994 indicates that this global revolution has affected the

Demonstrating the effectiveness of social franchising principles: the emptying of household ventilated improved pits: a case study from South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Wall, K

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Having viewed the successful social franchising partnerships pilot programme that serviced sanitation facilities at 400 schools in the Butterworth District of the Eastern Cape of South Africa, the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) expressed...

The sexual history of the global South: sexual politics in Africa, Asia and Latin America

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wieringa, S.; Sívori, H.

2013-01-01

The Sexual History of the Global South explores the gap between sexuality studies and post-colonial cultural critique. Featuring twelve case studies, based on original historical and ethnographic research from countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the book examines the sexual investments

Alternative medicines for AIDS in resource-poor settings: Insights from exploratory anthropological studies in Asia and Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon Emmanuelle

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract The emergence of alternative medicines for AIDS in Asia and Africa was discussed at a satellite symposium and the parallel session on alternative and traditional treatments of the AIDSImpact meeting, held in Marseille, in July 2007. These medicines are heterogeneous, both in their presentation and in their geographic and cultural origin. The sessions focused on the role of these medications in selected resource poor settings in Africa and Asia now that access to anti-retroviral therapy is increasing. The aims of the sessions were to (1 identify the actors involved in the diffusion of these alternative medicines for HIV/AIDS, (2 explore uses and forms, and the way these medicines are given legitimacy, (3 reflect on underlying processes of globalisation and cultural differentiation, and (4 define priority questions for future research in this area. This article presents the insights generated at the meeting, illustrated with some findings from the case studies (Uganda, Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso, China and Indonesia that were presented. These case studies reveal the wide range of actors who are involved in the marketing and supply of alternative medicines. Regulatory mechanisms are weak. The efficacy claims of alternative medicines often reinforce a biomedical paradigm for HIV/AIDS, and fit with a healthy living ideology promoted by AIDS care programs and support groups. The AIDSImpact session concluded that more interdisciplinary research is needed on the experience of people living with HIV/AIDS with these alternative medicines, and on the ways in which these products interact (or not with anti-retroviral therapy at pharmacological as well as psychosocial levels.

Conservation of fishes in the Elands River, Mpumalanga, South Africa: Past, present and future

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gordon C. O’Brien

2014-02-01

Conservation implications: Continued conservation efforts are required to protect these fishes. This case study presented a rare example of how the impacts associated with the use of aquatic resources in South Africa can successfully be offset by conservation efforts.

Enhancing Access to Electricity for Clean and Efficient Energy Services in Africa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, John M.; Mackenzie, Gordon A.; Nygaard, Ivan

This report examines key issues related to electricity access in Africa, through the lens of selected case studies of countries that have successfully managed to increase access significantly in a short period of time, backed up with more general regional analysis. On the basis of this overview a...

The challenge of AIDS-related malignancies in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasco, Annie J; Jaquet, Antoine; Boidin, Emilie; Ekouevi, Didier K; Thouillot, Fabian; Lemabec, Thomas; Forstin, Marie-Anna; Renaudier, Philippe; N'dom, Paul; Malvy, Denis; Dabis, François

2010-01-11

With the lengthening of life expectancy among HIV-positive subjects related to the use of highly active antiretroviral treatments, an increased risk of cancer has been described in industrialized countries. The question is to determine what occurs now and will happen in the future in the low income countries and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where more than two-thirds of all HIV-positive people live in the world. The objective of our paper is to review the link between HIV and cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, putting it in perspective with what is already known in Western countries. Studies for this review were identified from several bibliographical databases including Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane, Pascal, Web of Science and using keywords "HIV, neoplasia, epidemiology and Africa" and related MesH terms. A clear association was found between HIV infection and AIDS-classifying cancers. In case-referent studies, odds ratios (OR) were ranging from 21.9 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 12.5-38.6) to 47.1 (31.9-69.8) for Kaposi sarcoma and from 5.0 (2.7-9.5) to 12.6 (2.2-54.4) for non Hodgkin lymphoma. The association was less strong for invasive cervical cancer with ORs ranging from 1.1 (0.7-1.2) to 1.6 (1.1-2.3), whereas ORs for squamous intraepithelial lesions were higher, from 4.4 (2.3-8.4) to 17.0 (2.2-134.1). For non AIDS-classifying cancers, squamous cell conjunctival carcinoma of the eye was associated with HIV in many case-referent studies with ORs from 2.6 (1.4-4.9) to 13.0 (4.5-39.4). A record-linkage study conducted in Uganda showed an association between Hodgkin lymphoma and HIV infection with a standardized incidence ratio of 5.7 (1.2-17) although OR in case-referent studies ranged from 1.4 (0.7-2.8) to 1.6 (1.0-2.7). Other cancer sites found positively associated with HIV include lung, liver, anus, penis, vulva, kidney, thyroid and uterus and a decreased risk of female breast cancer. These results so far based on a relatively small number of studies warrant

Strengthening Agricultural Education and Training in Sub-Saharan Africa from an Innovation Systems Perspective: A Case Study of Mozambique

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Kristin E.; Ekboir, Javier; Spielman, David J.

2008-01-01

This paper examines how post-secondary agricultural education and training (AET) in sub-Saharan Africa can contribute to agricultural development by strengthening the capacity to innovate--to introduce new products and processes that are socially or economically relevant to smallholder farmers and other agents. Using the AET system in Mozambique…

Climatology of the African Easterly Jet and Subtropical Highs over North Africa and Arabian Peninsula and a Numerical Case Study of an Intense African Easterly Wave

Science.gov (United States)

Spinks, James D.

North African climate is analyzed between 1979 and 2010 with an emphasis on August using the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) global dataset to investigate the effects of the subtropical anticyclones over North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula on the Africa easterly jet (AEJ). It was found that the AEJ encloses a core with a local wind maximum (LWM) in both West and East Africa, in which the west LWM core has a higher zonal wind speed. The strength of both cores is distinctly different by way of thermal wind balance. The variability of these synoptic weather features is higher in East Africa. The most noticeable variability of intensity occurred with easterly waves. Maintenance of easterly waves from the Arabian Peninsula into East Africa is dependent on strong zonal gradients from the AEJ. These zonal gradients were induced by the strengthening of the subtropical highs and the presence of a westerly jet in Central Africa and south of the Arabian Peninsula. During positive ENSO periods, these systems are generally weaker while in negative periods are stronger. The origins of an intense African easterly wave (AEW) and mesoscale convective system (MCS) in August 2004 (A04) were traced back to the southern Arabian Peninsula, Asir Mountains, and Ethiopian Highlands using gridded satellite (GridSat) data, ERA-I, and the WRF-ARW model. A vorticity budget was developed to investigate the dynamics and mechanisms that contribute to the formation of A04's vorticity perturbation.

Human Heredity and Health (H3) in Africa Kidney Disease Research Network: A Focus on Methods in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Osafo, Charlotte; Raji, Yemi Raheem; Burke, David; Tayo, Bamidele O; Tiffin, Nicki; Moxey-Mims, Marva M; Rasooly, Rebekah S; Kimmel, Paul L; Ojo, Akinlolu; Adu, Dwomoa; Parekh, Rulan S

2015-12-07

CKD affects an estimated 14% of adults in sub-Saharan Africa, but very little research has been done on the cause, progression, and prevention of CKD there. As part of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium, the H3Africa Kidney Disease Research Network was established to study prevalent forms of kidney disease in sub-Saharan Africa and increase the capacity for genetics and genomics research. The study is performing comprehensive phenotypic characterization and analyzing environmental and genetic factors from nine clinical centers in four African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya) over a 5-year period. Approximately 4000 participants with specified kidney disease diagnoses and 4000 control participants will be enrolled in the four African countries. In addition, approximately 50 families with hereditary glomerular disease will be enrolled. The study includes both pediatric and adult participants age research infrastructure can be successfully established in Africa. This study will provide clinical, biochemical, and genotypic data that will greatly increase the understanding of CKD in sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Harmonization of community health worker programs for HIV: A four-country qualitative study in Southern Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan-Walter De Neve

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Community health worker (CHW programs are believed to be poorly coordinated, poorly integrated into national health systems, and lacking long-term support. Duplication of services, fragmentation, and resource limitations may have impeded the potential impact of CHWs for achieving HIV goals. This study assesses mediators of a more harmonized approach to implementing large-scale CHW programs for HIV in the context of complex health systems and multiple donors.We undertook four country case studies in Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, and Swaziland between August 2015 and May 2016. We conducted 60 semistructured interviews with donors, government officials, and expert observers involved in CHW programs delivering HIV services. Interviews were triangulated with published literature, country reports, national health plans, and policies. Data were analyzed based on 3 priority areas of harmonization (coordination, integration, and sustainability and 5 components of a conceptual framework (the health issue, intervention, stakeholders, health system, and context to assess facilitators and barriers to harmonization of CHW programs. CHWs supporting HIV programs were found to be highly fragmented and poorly integrated into national health systems. Stakeholders generally supported increasing harmonization, although they recognized several challenges and disadvantages to harmonization. Key facilitators to harmonization included (i a large existing national CHW program and recognition of nongovernmental CHW programs, (ii use of common incentives and training processes for CHWs, (iii existence of an organizational structure dedicated to community health initiatives, and (iv involvement of community leaders in decision-making. Key barriers included a wide range of stakeholders and lack of ownership and accountability of non-governmental CHW programs. Limitations of our study include subjectively selected case studies, our focus on decision-makers, and limited

Securitisation: The case of post-9/11 United States Africa policy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

): weak states were believed to pose an existential threat to the US. American aid to Africa consequently more than tripled in the years following 9/11. Using the Copenhagen School's securitisation theory, we investigate the interaction between ...

Incidence of invasive salmonella disease in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicentre population-based surveillance study.

Science.gov (United States)

Marks, Florian; von Kalckreuth, Vera; Aaby, Peter; Adu-Sarkodie, Yaw; El Tayeb, Muna Ahmed; Ali, Mohammad; Aseffa, Abraham; Baker, Stephen; Biggs, Holly M; Bjerregaard-Andersen, Morten; Breiman, Robert F; Campbell, James I; Cosmas, Leonard; Crump, John A; Espinoza, Ligia Maria Cruz; Deerin, Jessica Fung; Dekker, Denise Myriam; Fields, Barry S; Gasmelseed, Nagla; Hertz, Julian T; Van Minh Hoang, Nguyen; Im, Justin; Jaeger, Anna; Jeon, Hyon Jin; Kabore, Leon Parfait; Keddy, Karen H; Konings, Frank; Krumkamp, Ralf; Ley, Benedikt; Løfberg, Sandra Valborg; May, Jürgen; Meyer, Christian G; Mintz, Eric D; Montgomery, Joel M; Niang, Aissatou Ahmet; Nichols, Chelsea; Olack, Beatrice; Pak, Gi Deok; Panzner, Ursula; Park, Jin Kyung; Park, Se Eun; Rabezanahary, Henintsoa; Rakotozandrindrainy, Raphaël; Raminosoa, Tiana Mirana; Razafindrabe, Tsiriniaina Jean Luco; Sampo, Emmanuel; Schütt-Gerowitt, Heidi; Sow, Amy Gassama; Sarpong, Nimako; Seo, Hye Jin; Sooka, Arvinda; Soura, Abdramane Bassiahi; Tall, Adama; Teferi, Mekonnen; Thriemer, Kamala; Warren, Michelle R; Yeshitela, Biruk; Clemens, John D; Wierzba, Thomas F

2017-03-01

Available incidence data for invasive salmonella disease in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. Standardised, multicountry data are required to better understand the nature and burden of disease in Africa. We aimed to measure the adjusted incidence estimates of typhoid fever and invasive non-typhoidal salmonella (iNTS) disease in sub-Saharan Africa, and the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the causative agents. We established a systematic, standardised surveillance of blood culture-based febrile illness in 13 African sentinel sites with previous reports of typhoid fever: Burkina Faso (two sites), Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar (two sites), Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, and Tanzania (two sites). We used census data and health-care records to define study catchment areas and populations. Eligible participants were either inpatients or outpatients who resided within the catchment area and presented with tympanic (≥38·0°C) or axillary temperature (≥37·5°C). Inpatients with a reported history of fever for 72 h or longer were excluded. We also implemented a health-care utilisation survey in a sample of households randomly selected from each study area to investigate health-seeking behaviour in cases of self-reported fever lasting less than 3 days. Typhoid fever and iNTS disease incidences were corrected for health-care-seeking behaviour and recruitment. Between March 1, 2010, and Jan 31, 2014, 135 Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (S Typhi) and 94 iNTS isolates were cultured from the blood of 13 431 febrile patients. Salmonella spp accounted for 33% or more of all bacterial pathogens at nine sites. The adjusted incidence rate (AIR) of S Typhi per 100 000 person-years of observation ranged from 0 (95% CI 0-0) in Sudan to 383 (274-535) at one site in Burkina Faso; the AIR of iNTS ranged from 0 in Sudan, Ethiopia, Madagascar (Isotry site), and South Africa to 237 (178-316) at the second site in Burkina Faso. The AIR of iNTS and typhoid

FAO study on irrigation potential for Africa

OpenAIRE

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.‏ United Nations Development Programme

2002-01-01

Metadata only record To improve the conjunctive use of sub-surface and surface water in order to increase water resources availability for sustainable small-scale irrigation development in support of food security in West Africa, south of the Sahara.

International Terrorism in East Africa: The Case of Kenya 1 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

International terrorism is a significant threat to world peace and security, and as such remains high on the agenda within policy and intelligence circles. In Africa, the notion of terrorism itself can be traced back to anti-colonial struggles whilst the more recent terrorist attacks in Kenya and Tanzania give some indication of the ...

Health and Ancestors: The Case of South Africa and Beyond

African Journals Online (AJOL)

denise

The IPJP is a joint project of the Humanities Faculty of the University of Johannesburg (South Africa) and Edith Cowan ... This work is licensed to the publisher under the Creative Commons Attributions License 3.0 .... that can be successful without the guidance and co- .... the failure by the family to perform a certain ritual.

Review of Sexuality Studies in Africa: Setting a New Post-2015 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJRH Managing Editor

In this paper, we review Africa sexuality studies published between 1994 ... Literature on pleasure, pain, procreation ... Keywords: sexual behaviour, sexual violence, sexual pleasure/satisfaction, gender roles, socio-cultural ... This failure is indicative of the additional work .... self-esteem and post-traumatic stress disorder are.

Odyssean malaria outbreaks in Gauteng Province, South Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Odyssean malaria cases are inevitable in South Africa, given the volume of road, rail and air traffic from malaria risk areas into Gauteng and other non-endemic provinces. It is likely that many cases are missed, owing to the rare and sporadic nature of the condition. Malaria should always be kept in mind as a cause of ...

Case Study: Testing with Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Herreid, Clyde Freeman

2015-01-01

This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. This month's issue discusses using case studies to test for knowledge or lessons learned.

Threatened medicinal plants of South Africa: Case of the family ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Traditional medicine plays a major role in the primary health care of many people living in rural areas. South Africa is a home to over 30,000 species of higher plants and 3,000 of these species have been found to be used in traditional medicine across the country. South African medicinal plants are decreasing ...

Pedagogical Renewal in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Uganda

Science.gov (United States)

Altinyelken, Hulya K.

2010-01-01

There has been an unprecedented interest in reforming pedagogical practices in sub-Saharan Africa in the past two decades. The reform efforts are often characterised by a move away from teacher-centred instruction to child-centred pedagogy (CCP). Uganda has been no exception to this trend as the new curriculum adopted the principles of CCP and…

ICT and Stock Market Nexus in Africa: Evidence from Nigeria and South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andy Titus Okwu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Several studies have examined ICT in relation to stock market development, economic growth and development and other macroeconomic variables. Most of the studies have been on the developed and emerging economies. Studies have been relatively scanty for the developing economies, especially Sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, knowledge gap has been identified in the literature for the African Continent. Pooled data were used in this paper to spur further studies on financial markets in Africa. This paper employed data on functional models adapted from Gompertz curve model for technology diffusion to investigate the effects of ICT on market outcomes of two leading stock exchange markets in Africa during the 1995-2015 periods. Results showed mixed effects of most ICT metrics and moderating variables in the study. Specifically, the effect of mobile telephone on all market indicators was positive and significant. Further, aggregate effect of the ICT proxies and moderating variables on all market indices was statistically significant. The ICT proxies accounted for positive dynamics in market outcomes, market operations and, thus, sine quo non to growth and development of the markets and financial sectors in the Continent. Therefore, more investments in ICT wares and innovation by the stock exchanges and financial sectors in Africa were recommended.

Improving Unsustainable Environmental Governance in South Africa: the Case for Holistic Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LJ Kotze

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Environmental law in South Africa has developed in a rapid fashion since the inception of the new constitutional dispensation in 1994. This development is evident from, inter alia, the constitutionalisation of the environmental right in section 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Section 24 contains amongst other provisions, directive principles that impose duties on government to protect the environment for present and future generations through reasonable legislative and other measures. It is apparent from section 24 that these measures should ensure environmental governance practices that are aimed at the achievement of sustainable results. The South African environmental governance regime is, however, characterised by fragmentation that may negate the achievement of sustainable environmental governance. It is argued in this article that, for environmental governance to become sustainable, it is necessary to integrate environmental governance efforts, possibly by way of a holistic approach to environmental governance. In light of the above, this article: investigates the nature and extent of fragmentation; explores reasons for fragmentation; discusses disadvantages of fragmented governance efforts in South Africa; investigates the concept of integration and holistic governance as means to achieve sustainable environmental governance results; and makes recommendations regarding the eventual achievement of integrated, holistic and sustainable environmental governance.

AIDS in South Africa. Puppet power.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, G

1992-01-01

Blacks in South Africa see the government campaign promoting condom use to prevent AIDS as a political ruse to control population growth among Blacks. The City Health Department of Johannesburg does not use a government created poster targeted to Blacks because it implies that only Blacks have AIDS. Even though the number of AIDS cases in South Africa is lower (700 reported cases) than that of its neighbors, the number of HIV infected individuals is growing. So nongovernmental organizations are trying to overcome the division between the government and Blacks by finding alternative ways to stem the AIDS epidemic. The African Research and Educational Puppetry Programme uses Puppets Against AIDS to bridge racial, cultural, language, and educational barriers to thus educate Blacks about AIDS. It not only hopes to create and perform educational and socially valuable theater, but also to rediscover performing arts traditions in southern and central Africa. Since about 76% of the black population in rural South Africa is illiterate, the gray skinned puppets constitute an interactive and inoffensive way to communicate a serious message. Someone demonstrates how to put on a condom using a life size model which induces controversy among physicians and educated whites. Blacks in Johannesburg and surrounding townships are not offended, however. In fact, many have never seen condoms before the demonstration. The puppets emphasize that safe sex and having sex with only 1 partner can stop the spread of AIDS. Each performance also includes live African percussion and music. A narrator distributes free condoms and AIDS information brochures to the audience. Videotapes of each performance are used to evaluate audience reactions. Independent evaluation teams evaluate the impact of the performance. 1-4 day workshops on AIDS, puppet making, story development, and performing skills follow each performance.

South Africa: Overview of activities on Neutron Imaging (NI) and Cultural Heritage (CH) studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Beer, Frikkie

2012-01-01

South Africa has a rich cultural history with ample opportunities for Neutron Imaging to be applied in Archaeological and Palaeontological studies as depicted in the references. Through this collaboration the NI and CH communities are united to introduce neutron induced Autoradiography of paintings as new analytical technique to South Africa. The outcome is foreseen to be a database on NI techniques and applications in CH as well as and exhibition at a museum to showcase the scientific collaborations

Soft power and tourism: a study of Chinese outbound tourism to Africa

OpenAIRE

Chen, Yu-Wen; Duggan, Niall

2016-01-01

The increase of Sino-African interactions in trade, aid and investments has attracted Chinese tourists to Africa. The Beijing Action Plan of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) outlines China’s cultural diplomacy in Africa, delineating a number of areas of cultural cooperation: education; press, publishing and media; and tourism and people-to-people exchange programs in academia and think tanks among young people, women and athletes. Though scholars of International relations (IR) h...

Echinococcosis in sub-Saharan Africa: emerging complexity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Romig, T.; Omer, R. A.; Zeyhle, E.; Hüttner, M.; Dinkel, A.; Siefert, L.; Elmahdi, I. E.; Magambo, J.; Ocaido, M.; Menezes, C. N.; Ahmed, M. E.; Mbae, C.; Grobusch, M. P.; Kern, P.

2011-01-01

Cystic echinococcosis occurs in most regions of sub-Saharan Africa, but the frequency of this zoonosis differs considerably among and within countries. Especially human cases seem to be focally distributed. A number of environmental and behavioural factors partially explain this pattern, i.e.

Estimating the burden of paratyphoid a in Asia and Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael B Arndt

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Despite the increasing availability of typhoid vaccine in many regions, global estimates of mortality attributable to enteric fever appear stable. While both Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi and serovar Paratyphi (S. Paratyphi cause enteric fever, limited data exist estimating the burden of S. Paratyphi, particularly in Asia and Africa. We performed a systematic review of both English and Chinese-language databases to estimate the regional burden of paratyphoid within Africa and Asia. Distinct from previous reviews of the topic, we have presented two separate measures of burden; both incidence and proportion of enteric fever attributable to paratyphoid. Included articles reported laboratory-confirmed Salmonella serovar classification, provided clear methods on sampling strategy, defined the age range of participants, and specified the time period of the study. A total of 64 full-text articles satisfied inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. Paratyphoid A was commonly identified as a cause of enteric fever throughout Asia. The highest incidence estimates in Asia came from China; four studies estimated incidence rates of over 150 cases/100,000 person-years. Paratyphoid A burden estimates from Africa were extremely limited and with the exception of Nigeria, few population or hospital-based studies from Africa reported significant Paratyphoid A burden. While significant gaps exist in the existing population-level estimates of paratyphoid burden in Asia and Africa, available data suggest that paratyphoid A is a significant cause of enteric fever in Asia. The high variability in documented incidence and proportion estimates of paratyphoid suggest considerable geospatial variability in the burden of paratyphoid fever. Additional efforts to monitor enteric fever at the population level will be necessary in order to accurately quantify the public health threat posed by S. Paratyphi A, and to improve the prevention

Publishing and Alternative Licensing Model of Africa (PALM Africa ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Africa depends on learning materials published elsewhere, and has serious difficulty acquiring, producing and distributing them. In order to facilitate citizen access to these materials, the publishing sector in Africa needs to explore new business models and technologies. Publishing and Alternative Licensing Model of Africa ...

Determinants of Multilateral Official Development Assistance: Evidence from a Panel Study of Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

OpenAIRE

Hlavac, Marek

2007-01-01

Countries in sub-Saharan Africa are some of the poorest and least developed in the world, with deplorable health and education levels. One way intended to promote better living standards in this region has been through development aid. This study examines the determinants of multilateral aid inflows to sub-Saharan Africa to determine whether it is directed to the least developed countries. I use panel data about 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa from the 1995-2004 period to estimate a regres...

Typhoid Fever in South Africa in an Endemic HIV Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Keddy, Karen H; Sooka, Arvinda; Smith, Anthony M; Musekiwa, Alfred; Tau, Nomsa P; Klugman, Keith P; Angulo, Frederick J

2016-01-01

Typhoid fever remains an important disease in Africa, associated with outbreaks and the emerging multidrug resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (Salmonella Typhi) haplotype, H58. This study describes the incidence of, and factors associated with mortality due to, typhoid fever in South Africa, where HIV prevalence is high. Nationwide active laboratory-based surveillance for culture-confirmed typhoid fever was undertaken from 2003-2013. At selected institutions, additional clinical data from patients were collected including age, sex, HIV status, disease severity and outcome. HIV prevalence among typhoid fever patients was compared to national HIV seroprevalence estimates. The national reference laboratory tested Salmonella Typhi isolates for antimicrobial susceptibility and haplotype. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression analyses were conducted determining factors associated with typhoid fever mortality. We identified 855 typhoid fever cases: annual incidence ranged from 0.11 to 0.39 per 100,000 population. Additional clinical data were available for 369 (46.8%) cases presenting to the selected sites. Among typhoid fever patients with known HIV status, 19.3% (29/150) were HIV-infected. In adult females, HIV prevalence in typhoid fever patients was 43.2% (19/44) versus 15.7% national HIV seroprevalence (P Typhoid fever incidence in South Africa was largely unchanged from 2003-2013. Typhoid fever mortality was associated disease severity. HIV infection may be a contributing factor. Interventions mandate improved health care access, including to HIV management programmes as well as patient education. Further studies are necessary to clarify relationships between HIV infection and typhoid fever in adults.

Treating chancroid: summary of studies in southern Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballard, R C; Duncan, M O; Fehler, H G; Dangor, Y; Exposto, F L; Latif, A S

1989-01-01

Recent studies undertaken in southern Africa and elsewhere indicate that many short or single dose treatments are available to treat chancroid. Erythromycin 500 mg three times a day for five days, ciprofloxacin 500 mg, sulphamethopyrazine 800 mg and trimethoprim 1000 mg or sulphametrole 3200 mg and trimethoprim 640 mg as single oral doses, or ceftriaxone 250 mg as a single intramuscular injection are all effective in treating the disease. The widespread use of these regimens largely depends on the accuracy of diagnosis, susceptibilities of local Haemophilus ducreyi isolates to antimicrobials, and financial considerations. PMID:2629710

THE DYNAMICS OF AFRICA IN WORLD AFFAIRS: FROM AFRO-PESSIMISM TO AFRO-OPTIMISM?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharkdam Wapmuk

2018-02-01

Full Text Available African affairs contribute in shaping the world and Africa in turn is being shaped by by dynamics in international processes and structures. Africa’s position and role in world politics has been a subject of various interpretations between Afro-pessimists and Afro-optimists. The objective of this article is to examine, through a historical perspective, Africa in world affairs from slavery to colonialism; sovereignty, African states and world politics; Africa and the global political economy; Africa and international organizations, particularly the UN; African relations with the traditional and emerging economic powers, and the future of Africa in world politics. It made a strong case that studies on Africa affairs must take into full account historical realities of Africa’s emergence in the world system, its existence and elements of continuity and change in the relations between African states and with the rest of the world. Africa’s international relations have expanded beyond engagement with the great powers such as USA, Britain, France, to include emerging powers such as China and India. Accordingly, the narrative on Africa is gradually changing from a hopeless continent to an African rising. Given these developments, Africa must act in unity in addressing its many challenges, and seek to engage the international community as an equal player in world politics. The article recommends that the relationship between Africa and the international community must equally undergo a transformative change. It must be rooted in the principles of equality of nations and peoples; mutual collaboration for mutual interest and respect for the ability and right of Africans to lead their own change.

Gender and Transport in the Middle East and North Africa Region : Case Studies from the West Bank and Yemen

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2011-01-01

Mobility is a major factor of access to economic resources, education, health, and other key elements influencing women's empowerment. In the Middle East and North Africa's countries, like in many other developing economies, women's mobility is constrained not only by the limited, sometimes unaffordable transport supply but also by social and cultural factors that frame women's access to t...

Performance Evaluation Of Africa Elemi Melon And Africa Locust Bean Oil As Potential Quenchants For Medium Carbon Steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. S. Ibeh

2017-06-01

Full Text Available A qualitative and comparative study was carried out on some locally sourced oils melon oil Africa elemi oil and Africa locust bean oil to evaluate suitability as substitute quenching media to mineral-based oil. The cooling ability of the oils was investigated using AISI 1034 medium carbon steel. The effect of heat transfer coefficient on quench severity mechanical properties of the quenched specimens were investigated in the course of the study. Results showed that the peak rate of heat extraction of melon oil Africa locust bean and Africa elemi oil were higher than that of mineral oil. Higher heat transfer coefficient of 1463 1023 Wm2k were obtained for melon oil and Africa locust bean Africa elemi and SAE 40 oil have heat transfer coefficient of 982 and 469 Wm2k respectively. The selected oils can be used as quenchants for medium carbon steel since the oils exhibits better cooling properties and mechanical properties than mineral-based oil.

Improving Schools through Evaluation: The Experience of Catholic Schools in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Potterton, Mark; Northmore, Colin

2014-01-01

This article addresses the development of quality assurance approaches in South Africa, with particular reference to Catholic schools. It also addresses questions of why whole school evaluation in general has failed to play any meaningful role in improving the quality of schools in South Africa. Reference is also made to specific school cases. The…

Umtata. A clearing house for delinquents in South Africa

OpenAIRE

Osaghae, Eghosa E.

2013-01-01

Introduction This study focuses on street youth in South Africa, a disturbing phenomenon which could have serious consequences for the future of urban areas in particular and the social progress of the country in general. This study takes the case of Umtata, capital of the former ‘independent’ homeland of Transkei, and the hub of urbanization processes in the predominantly rural region. The background and situational factors which give rise to the problem of street youth, the nature of the pr...

Africa Insight

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Africa Insight is a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal of the Africa Institute of South Africa. It is accredited by the South African National Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and is indexed in the International Bibliography of Social Science (IBSS). It is a multi-disciplinary journal primarily focusing on African ...

Monitoring soil erosion features using a time series of airborne remote sensing data: a case study Wild Coast, South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Singh, RG

2014-10-01

Full Text Available (accessed October 2013). Lal R. 2003. Soil erosion and the global carbon budget. Environment International, 29, pp. 437-450. Le Roux J. J., 2011. Monitoring soil erosion in South Africa at a regional scale. ISCW Report No. GW/A/2011/23. ARC...

The Case for Using SMS Technologies to Support Distance Education Students in South Africa: Conversations

Science.gov (United States)

Viljoen, Jeanne-Marie; Du Preez, Carl; Cook, Antoinette

2005-01-01

The rate of adoption of mobile technologies in Africa's developing countries is amongst the highest in the world and by 2005 there may be almost 100 billion mobile users in Africa (Keegan, 2002; Brown, 2005). This is just one of the reasons why servicing distance students in this country through m-learning support tools should enjoy…

Potential public health impact of RTS,S malaria candidate vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa: a modelling study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sauboin, Christophe J; Van Bellinghen, Laure-Anne; Van De Velde, Nicolas; Van Vlaenderen, Ilse

2015-12-23

Adding malaria vaccination to existing interventions could help to reduce the health burden due to malaria. This study modelled the potential public health impact of the RTS,S candidate malaria vaccine in 42 malaria-endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa. An individual-based Markov cohort model was constructed with three categories of malaria transmission intensity and six successive malaria immunity levels. The cycle time was 5 days. Vaccination was assumed to reduce the risk of infection, with no other effects. Vaccine efficacy was assumed to wane exponentially over time. Malaria incidence and vaccine efficacy data were taken from a Phase III trial of the RTS,S vaccine with 18 months of follow-up (NCT00866619). The model was calibrated to reproduce the malaria incidence in the control arm of the trial in each transmission category and published age distribution data. Individual-level heterogeneity in malaria exposure and vaccine protection was accounted for. Parameter uncertainty and variability were captured by using stochastic model transitions. The model followed a cohort from birth to 10 years of age without malaria vaccination, or with RTS,S malaria vaccination administered at age 6, 10 and 14 weeks or at age 6, 7-and-a-half and 9 months. Median and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for the number of clinical malaria cases, severe cases, malaria hospitalizations and malaria deaths expected to be averted by each vaccination strategy. Univariate sensitivity analysis was conducted by varying the values of key input parameters. Vaccination assuming the coverage of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) at age 6, 10 and 14 weeks is estimated to avert over five million clinical malaria cases, 119,000 severe malaria cases, 98,600 malaria hospitalizations and 31,000 malaria deaths in the 42 countries over the 10-year period. Vaccination at age 6, 7-and-a-half and 9 months with 75% of DTP3 coverage is estimated to avert almost 12.5 million clinical malaria cases

Study of the genetic heterogeneity of SAT-2 foot-and-mouth disease virus in sub-Saharan Africa with specific focus on East Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Sahle

2007-09-01

Full Text Available The epidemiology of serotype SAT-2 foot-and-mouth disease was investigated in sub-Saharan Africa by phylogenetic analysis using the 1D gene encoding the major antigenic determinant. Fourteen genotypes were identified of which three are novel and belong to East Africa, bringing the total number of genotypes for that region to eight. The genotypes clustered into three lineages that demonstrated surprising links between East, southern and south-western Africa. One lineage was unique to West Africa. These results established numerous incursions across country borders in East Africa and long term conservation of sequences for periods up to 41 years. Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda have all experienced outbreaks from more than one unrelated strain, demonstrating the potential for new introductions. The amount of variation observed within this serotype nearly equalled that which was found between serotypes; this has severe implications for disease control using vaccination.

Nursing education reform in South Africa--lessons from a policy analysis study.

Science.gov (United States)

Blaauw, Duane; Ditlopo, Prudence; Rispel, Laetitia C

2014-01-01

Nursing education reform is identified as an important strategy for enhancing health workforce performance, and thereby improving the functioning of health systems. Globally, a predominant trend in such reform is towards greater professionalisation and university-based education. Related nursing education reform in South Africa culminated in a new Framework for Nursing Qualifications in 2013. We undertook a policy analysis study of the development of the new Nursing Qualifications Framework in South Africa. We used a policy analysis framework derived from Walt and Gilson that interrogated the context, content, actors, and processes of policy development and implementation. Following informed consent, in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 key informants from national and provincial government; the South African Nursing Council; the national nursing association; nursing academics, managers, and educators; and other nursing organisations. The interviews were complemented with a review of relevant legislation and policy documents. Documents and interview transcripts were coded thematically using Atlas-ti software. The revision of nursing qualifications was part of the post-apartheid transformation of nursing, but was also influenced by changes in the education sector. The policy process took more than 10 years to complete and the final Regulations were promulgated in 2013. The two most important changes are the requirement for a baccalaureate degree to qualify as a professional nurse and abolishing the enrolled nurse with 2 years training in favour of a staff nurse with a 3-year college diploma. Respondents criticised slow progress, weak governance by the Nursing Council and the Department of Health, limited planning for implementation, and the inappropriateness of the proposals for South Africa. The study found significant weaknesses in the policy capacity of the main institutions responsible for the leadership and governance of nursing in South Africa, which

China’s Outward FDI in Africa: Enterprises with Different Ownership Types

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hai-Tao Tsao

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to discuss the consequences of China’s outward direct investments in Africa in terms of enterprises with different ownership types. First, this paper contributes to the examination of a large number of Chinese enterprises’ investment projects in Africa. Second, in addition to the investment activities of central state-owned enterprises, investment activities initiated by local state-owned enterprises and private enterprises are also addressed in this paper. Third, this paper demonstrates the diversity ofChinese investment in Africa through the discussion of a large number of cases. We find that the motives of central state-owned enterprises comply with government policies. However, most private enterprises and non-central state-owned enterprises invest in Africa for profit considerations. This paper concludes that China’s investments in Africa are diverse and complex and cannot be explained using a single model of the extant theories.

Africa Insight - Vol 39, No 4 (2010)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Political expediency and the rule of law in Africa: A focus on selected cases · EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. F Ikome, D Kode. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ai.v39i4.54655 ...

Towards a ‘systems’ approach for guiding agricultural environmental management: a South African case study of a small-scale maize farming system

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Musvoto, Constansia D

2009-08-01

Full Text Available environmental management intervention points in an agricultural system, illustrated through a case study of a small-scale maize farming system in South Africa. A review of documented information on the ecological, socio-political and economic components...

Local disease-ecosystem-livelihood dynamics: reflections from comparative case studies in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Leach, Melissa; Bett, Bernard; Said, M; Bukachi, Salome; Sang, Rosemary; Anderson, Neil; Machila, Noreen; Kuleszo, Joanna; Schaten, Kathryn; Dzingirai, Vupenyu; Mangwanya, Lindiwe; Ntiamoa-Baidu, Yaa; Lawson, Elaine; Amponsah-Mensah, Kofi; Moses, Lina M; Wilkinson, Annie; Grant, Donald S; Koninga, James

2017-07-19

This article explores the implications for human health of local interactions between disease, ecosystems and livelihoods. Five interdisciplinary case studies addressed zoonotic diseases in African settings: Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Kenya, human African trypanosomiasis in Zambia and Zimbabwe, Lassa fever in Sierra Leone and henipaviruses in Ghana. Each explored how ecological changes and human-ecosystem interactions affect pathogen dynamics and hence the likelihood of zoonotic spillover and transmission, and how socially differentiated peoples' interactions with ecosystems and animals affect their exposure to disease. Cross-case analysis highlights how these dynamics vary by ecosystem type, across a range from humid forest to semi-arid savannah; the significance of interacting temporal and spatial scales; and the importance of mosaic and patch dynamics. Ecosystem interactions and services central to different people's livelihoods and well-being include pastoralism and agro-pastoralism, commercial and subsistence crop farming, hunting, collecting food, fuelwood and medicines, and cultural practices. There are synergies, but also tensions and trade-offs, between ecosystem changes that benefit livelihoods and affect disease. Understanding these can inform 'One Health' approaches towards managing ecosystems in ways that reduce disease risks and burdens.This article is part of the themed issue 'One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being'. © 2017 The Authors.

The cholera epidemic in South Africa, 1980 - 1987 Epidemiological ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

During the cholera epidemic in South Africa, 1980-1987, 25251 cases of cholera were bacteriologically proven. The case-fatality rate was 1,4%. Outbreaks occurred in the summer rainfall season. Age-specific aUack rates followed the pattern typically found during the 'epidemic phase' of the disease in most years. The vast ...

Studies in Gender and Development in Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SIGADA is a trans-disciplinary publication that prioritizes gender as a development issue. It is a forum for sharing research, resources, aesthetic expressions, lived realities and activisms that privilege and promote gender issues in development as well as contribute towards gender equality and social justice in Africa.

eGY-Africa: Addressing the Digital Divide for Science in Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barton, C.E.; /Australian Natl. U., Canberra; Amory-Mazaudier, C.; /Lab.Phys.Plasmas, Saint Maur des Fosses; Barry, B.; /Assoc.African Univ., Accra; Chukwuma; /Olabisi Onabanjo U.; Cottrell, R.L.; /SLAC; Kalim, U.; /Pakistan Natl. U.; Mebrahtu, A.; /Mekelle U.; Petitdidier, M.; /Lab. d' Atmos., Velizy; Rabiu, B.; /Federal Tech. U., Akure; Reeves, C.; /Earthworks bv, Delft

2010-06-16

Adoption of information and communication technologies and access to the Internet is expanding in Africa, but because of the rapid growth elsewhere, a Digital Divide between Africa and the rest of the world exists, and the gap is growing. In many sub-Saharan African countries, education and research sector suffers some of the worst deficiencies in access to the Internet, despite progress in development of NRENs - National Research and Education (cyber) Networks. By contrast, it is widely acknowledged in policy statements from the African Union, the UN, and others that strength in this very sector provides the key to meeting and sustaining Millennium Development Goals. Developed countries with effective cyber-capabilities proclaim the benefits to rich and poor alike arising from the Information Revolution. This is but a dream for many scientists in African institutions. As the world of science becomes increasingly Internet-dependent, so they become increasingly isolated. eGY-Africa is a bottom-up initiative by African scientists and their collaborators to try to reduce this Digital Divide by a campaign of advocacy for better institutional facilities. Four approaches are being taken. The present status of Internet services, problems, and plans are being mapped via a combination of direct measurement of Internet performance (the PingER Project) and a questionnaire-based survey. Information is being gathered on policy statements and initiatives aimed at reducing the Digital Divide, which can be used for arguing the case for better Internet facilities. Groups of concerned scientists are being formed at the national, regional levels in Africa, building on existing networks as much as possible. Opinion in the international science community is being mobilized. Finally, and perhaps most important of all, eGY-Africa is seeking to engage with the many other programs, initiatives, and bodies that share the goal of reducing the Digital Divide - either as a direct policy

Epidemiology and burden of bipolar disorder in Africa: a systematic review of data from Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Esan, Oluyomi; Esan, Arinola

2016-01-01

Bipolar disorder impacts negatively on the patient, the family, as well as the society. It taxes the health care services due to a combination of the illness with associated medical and psychiatric comorbidities. In Africa, unfortunately, knowledge of the epidemiology and burden of bipolar disorder is based mainly on studies from the USA and Europe. In this systematic review of literature from Africa, we highlight the epidemiology and burden of bipolar disorder. A systematic review of publications from Africa relating to the epidemiology and burden of bipolar disorder was conducted. Data from community surveys conducted in Nigeria and Ethiopia indicated a lifetime prevalence estimate of 0.1 % to 1.83 for bipolar disorder. Missed diagnosis rate of bipolar disorder was up to 36.2 %. In one study, 8.1 % of the males and 5.4 % of the females reported a previous suicide attempt. A study showed that up to 60 % of patients with bipolar disorder had at least one comorbidity. There were no reports on all-cause mortality and cost of illness. Bipolar disorder is a major mental health problem in Africa. Scientific findings on bipolar disorder from Africa are consistent with the existing literature from other parts of the world. There still exists a dearth of high quality studies addressing the epidemiological, clinical, social, and economic burden of the disorder.

Control and non-progression of HIV-1 infection in sub-Saharan Africa: A case and review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P Patel

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Elite and viraemic controllers represent unique subsets of HIV-infected patients who may also be long-term non-progressors (LTNPs. LNTPs constitute an estimated 1 - 15% of the total HIV-positive population in the USA and Europe, but less is known about their epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa. Though the exact mechanisms for long-term non-progression appear to be numerous and are still under investigation, research on elite controllers may hold the key to new therapeutics and vaccine development. The clinical management of such patients can be challenging, as there are no standard guidelines for treatment, particularly in resource-limited settings. We describe the case of an HIV-infected Botswanan man who is likely an elite or viraemic controller.

Emotionally intelligent learner leadership development: a case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CA Jansen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A case study was conducted with a student leadership body of a private multicultural international secondary school in North- West Province, South Africa, to indicate that the emotional intelligence leadership development challenges of student leaders can be identified through a questionnaire as a measuring instrument, which can then be utilized in promoting training and development of student leaders. The questionnaire results were used to construct emotional intelligence leadership profiles for the 12 participating student leaders, followed by semi-structured interviews with them to verify the results qualitatively. The results of the questionnaire and two of the interviews are reported. It was established that it was possible to develop a reliable instrument to measure the emotional intelligence leadership development challenges of student leaders, which can be used in promoting their training and development.

Multiple traumatic events and psychological distress: the South Africa stress and health study.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Stacey L; Williams, David R; Stein, Dan J; Seedat, Soraya; Jackson, Pamela B; Moomal, Hashim

2007-10-01

Using nationally representative data from South Africa, we examine lifetime prevalence of traumas and multiple traumas (number of events). Employing multiple regression analysis, the authors study the sociodemographic risk of trauma, and the association between trauma and distress. Results indicate most South Africans experience at least one traumatic event during their lives, with the majority reporting multiple. Consistent variation in risk is evident for gender and marital status, but not other sociodemographics. Trauma is positively related to high distress, and findings also support a cumulative effect of trauma exposure. Individuals with the most traumas (6+) appear at 5 times greater risk of high distress. This study highlights the importance of considering traumatic events in the context of other traumas in South Africa.

Taxonomic-linguistic study of plantain in Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rossel, G.

1998-01-01

Plantain is a cooking banana (Musa spp. AAB group (Musaceae)) that is grown as a major food crop in many parts of Africa, especially in the Central-African and West-African rain forest areas. The crop originated in Asia, but its greatest diversity is to be found in

Do India's activities in Africa liberate and strengthen Africa's position in the Euro-African relation?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schrijen, T.; Pennink, Barteld

2017-01-01

This research will analyze the economic relationship between India and Africa by analyzing trade, investments, aid and trade agreements. Moreover, this study will investigate whether there is substitution effect for the economic relationship between Europe and Africa and compare the results to

Characteristics of intercontinental transport of tropospheric ozone from Africa to Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Han; Liu, Jane; Yuan, Huiling; Zhuang, Bingliang; Zhu, Ye; Wu, Yue; Yan, Yuhan; Ding, Aijun

2018-03-01

In this study, we characterize the transport of ozone from Africa to Asia through the analysis of the simulations of a global chemical transport model, GEOS-Chem, from 1987 to 2006. The receptor region Asia is defined within 5-60° N and 60-145° E, while the source region Africa is within 35° S-15° N and 20° W-55° E and within 15-35° N and 20° W-30° E. The ozone generated in the African troposphere from both natural and anthropogenic sources is tracked through tagged ozone simulation. Combining this with analysis of trajectory simulations using the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, we find that the upper branch of the Hadley cell connects with the subtropical westerlies in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) to form a primary transport pathway from Africa to Asia in the middle and upper troposphere throughout the year. The Somali jet that runs from eastern Africa near the equator to the Indian subcontinent in the lower troposphere is the second pathway that appears only in NH summer. The influence of African ozone mainly appears over Asia south of 40° N. The influence shows strong seasonality, varying with latitude, longitude, and altitude. In the Asian upper troposphere, imported African ozone is largest from March to May around 30° N (12-16 ppbv) and lowest during July-October around 10° N ( ˜ 2 ppbv). In the Asian middle and lower troposphere, imported African ozone peaks in NH winter between 20 and 25° N. Over 5-40° N, the mean fractional contribution of imported African ozone to the overall ozone concentrations in Asia is largest during NH winter in the middle troposphere ( ˜ 18 %) and lowest in NH summer throughout the tropospheric column ( ˜ 6 %). This seasonality mainly results from the collective effects of the ozone precursor emissions in Africa and meteorology and chemistry in Africa, in Asia and along the transport pathways. The seasonal swing of the Hadley circulation and subtropical westerlies along the

Leisure motorhoming: the case of the motorhome club of South Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The MCSA management committee needs to address the needs of two very important market segments, namely those younger than 60 years of age, and those who have not attended any MCSA Club rallies since 2003. Keywords: Leisure motorhoming; Motorhome Club of South Africa; Club involvement; Tourism and travel ...

Energy issues in Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farhandi, M.

1991-01-01

The topic of the energy sector-and the petroleum sector in particular-in sub-Saharan Africa might well be considered an insignificant issue compared with many of the energy concerns which now command international attention. However, the World Bank believes that it is important for all those in international energy not to forget about the crucial problems facing Africa. They should become informed and concerned about these problems, and, hopefully, work together to bring about a satisfactory solution for an ongoing development dilemma. Simply put, the cost of imported energy to the African economy is exorbitantly high, sapping the resources needed to produce economic growth and social progress. This paper reports that, to address this issue, the World Bank is about to undertake a major initiative-two ground-breaking studies in the field of energy for sub-Saharan Africa. Both of these proposed studies are designed to find ways to reduce the burden of the cost of energy imports, mainly petroleum products, to this continent. One study will examine the design (and, subsequently, the implementation) of a rationalization scheme for the supply and distribution of petroleum products throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The other will consider the feasibility of transporting Nigeria's natural gas to neighbors to the west, all of which presently are importers of energy

Leverage of a sport mega-event branding : a case study of the 2010 FIFA World Cup

OpenAIRE

2014-01-01

D.Comm. (Sport Management) The primary objective of the study was to establish what brand leverage strategies could be implemented in sport mega-event branding based on the case study of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. The secondary objectives focused on discovering the dimensions of sport mega-event branding, investigating the areas of sport mega-event impacts and leverage, identifying sport mega-event brand leverage activation tools and understanding the role of mega-event brand le...

Effects of South Africa’s Economic Growth on Sub-Saharan Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kwon Sik Kim

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Major countries, such as the United States, Japan, and China have already recognized the potential of Africa’s markets. Korea has also taken notice of Africa's diverse export markets recently. However, Africa is comprised of 53 different countries and, as a result, entry into the region poses a formidable strategic challenge. Korean authorities and export groups have suggested a "3 plus 2 Country Strategy" in order to make inroads into the African region. This paper contributes to discussions of this strategy by comparing the effects of economic growth in South Africa and Nigeria on Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, because economic power in Africa is concentrated in a small number of countries, whose market characteristics are different from those of integrated unions, the determinants of economic growth in Africa as a whole and unions may be different. This paper investigates whether or not this is, in fact, the case. The empirical results can be summarized as follows: First, the effects of South Africa's economic growth on Sub-Saharan Africa and the SADC (a representative union of South Africa are much larger than the effects of Nigeria's growth on Sub-Saharan Africa and the ECOWAS (a representative union of Nigeria. These empirical results imply that the preferred country to pursue economic cooperation with is South Africa. Second, we confirm that determinants of economic growth are different for Africa and the unions. The main determinant of growth in African countries may be the population ratio, but in the SADC, growth appears to be determined by ratio trade volumes of GDP. Finally, we also find that the ratio investments of GDP have a positive influence on the economic growth of both Africa and SADC.

The challenge of AIDS-related malignancies in sub-Saharan Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annie J Sasco

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: With the lengthening of life expectancy among HIV-positive subjects related to the use of highly active antiretroviral treatments, an increased risk of cancer has been described in industrialized countries. The question is to determine what occurs now and will happen in the future in the low income countries and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where more than two-thirds of all HIV-positive people live in the world. The objective of our paper is to review the link between HIV and cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, putting it in perspective with what is already known in Western countries. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Studies for this review were identified from several bibliographical databases including Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane, Pascal, Web of Science and using keywords "HIV, neoplasia, epidemiology and Africa" and related MesH terms. A clear association was found between HIV infection and AIDS-classifying cancers. In case-referent studies, odds ratios (OR were ranging from 21.9 (95% Confidence Interval (CI 12.5-38.6 to 47.1 (31.9-69.8 for Kaposi sarcoma and from 5.0 (2.7-9.5 to 12.6 (2.2-54.4 for non Hodgkin lymphoma. The association was less strong for invasive cervical cancer with ORs ranging from 1.1 (0.7-1.2 to 1.6 (1.1-2.3, whereas ORs for squamous intraepithelial lesions were higher, from 4.4 (2.3-8.4 to 17.0 (2.2-134.1. For non AIDS-classifying cancers, squamous cell conjunctival carcinoma of the eye was associated with HIV in many case-referent studies with ORs from 2.6 (1.4-4.9 to 13.0 (4.5-39.4. A record-linkage study conducted in Uganda showed an association between Hodgkin lymphoma and HIV infection with a standardized incidence ratio of 5.7 (1.2-17 although OR in case-referent studies ranged from 1.4 (0.7-2.8 to 1.6 (1.0-2.7. Other cancer sites found positively associated with HIV include lung, liver, anus, penis, vulva, kidney, thyroid and uterus and a decreased risk of female breast cancer. These results so far based on a

Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Moyo, Dingani; Zungu, Muzimkhulu; Kgalamono, Spoponki; Mwila, Chimba D

2015-01-01

Globally, access to occupational health and safety (OHS) by workers has remained at very low levels. The organization and implementation of OHS in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana has remained at suboptimal levels. Inadequacy of human resource capital, training, and education in the field of OHS has had a major negative impact on the improvement of worker access to such services in expanding economies. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana have expanding economies with active mining and agricultural activities that pose health and safety risks to the working population. A literature review and country systems inquiry on the organization of OHS services in the 4 countries was carried out. Because of the infancy and underdevelopment of OHS in southern Africa, literature on the status of this topic is limited. In the 4 countries under review, OHS services are a function shared either wholly or partially by 3 ministries, namely Health, Labor, and Mining. Other ministries, such as Environment and Agriculture, carry small fragments of OHS function. The 4 countries are at different stages of OHS legislative frameworks that guide the practice of health and safety in the workplace. Inadequacies in human resource capital and expertise in occupational health and safety are noted major constraints in the implementation and compliance to health and safety initiatives in the work place. South Africa has a more mature system than Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. Lack of specialized training in occupational health services, such as occupational medicine specialization for physicians, has been a major drawback in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. The full adoption and success of OHS systems in Southern Africa remains constrained. Training and education in OHS, especially in occupational medicine, will enhance the development and maturation of occupational health in southern Africa. Capacitating primary health services with basic occupational health knowledge would

Systems development in agricultural mechanization with special reference to soil tillage and weed control : a case study for West Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Curfs, H.P.F.

1976-01-01

Introduction

Mechanization in West Africa has been of limited importance and influence for farming and manual labour is the dominant power input. At present only about 0.07 kW per ha is applied, while at least about 0.37 kW is desirable to obtain high yield

the case of Theewaterskloof Dam

African Journals Online (AJOL)

EEUSER

It presents a case study methodology for the development and testing of a web ... In South Africa, the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) is the custodian for ...... R 2005, 'Web-based GIS and spatial decision support system for watershed.

Shakespeare in Southern Africa: Submissions

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Shakespeare in Southern Africa publishes articles, commentary and reviews on all aspects of Shakespearean studies and performance, with a particular emphasis on responses to Shakespeare in southern Africa. Submissions are reviewed by at least two referees. The practice of 'blind' reviewing is adhered to. The Journal ...

Electricity access. Southern Africa sub-regional study: South Africa and Zimbabwe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davidson, O.R.; Mwakasonda, S.A.

2004-07-01

This study focuses on the accessibility of electricity to the poor in South Africa and Zimbabwe as a means to improve understanding of the various factors that affect the provision of modern energy to the poor in these countries. The study examines the impact on the poor of power sector reforms. Specifically, it makes an assessment of the impact of the electrification programmes in the two countries. The situation in the two countries is discussed separately, followed by a comparative analysis. South Africa is the most industrialised country in Africa and it is endowed with a wide variety of natural resources. It is currently going through major changes in many spheres of its economy, including energy, following the democratic elections in 1994. An important consideration that is directing all aspects of government policy is the need to address the enormous disparities in income levels and living conditions betaveen the different racial groups, a result of apartheid. The rural areas are even more impoverished than urban ones. Alter the 1994 democratic elections, the South African Government launched the first phase of the National Electrification Programme (1994-99), aimed at increasing electrification from 36 per cent to about 66 per cent nationally by 2001 - 46 per cent rural and 80 per cent urban. By the end of 2001, 66.1 per cent of households were electrified, with more than 3.4 million connections made since 1994. Since then, several polities have been introduced in the electricity sector that are of direct relevance to this work. The most important of these concern the restructuring of the electricity supply industry and direct subsidies for the poor and disadvantaged. The South African Government established a National Electrification Fund to subsidise a portion of the capital costs of new electricity connections under the National Electrifcation Programme. The Fund derives its income not only from the electricity industry, but also from fiscal allocations

Viewshed and sense of place as conservation features: A case study and research agenda for South Africa's national parks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaco Barendse

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Sense of place (SoP refers to the meanings and values that people attach to places. The concept can be used to frame how people engage or form a connection with the natural environment. At a sensory level, SoP is influenced by people’s visual experiences, which in turn can be linked to the concept of viewsheds. Viewsheds can be transformed, either abruptly (e.g. by infrastructure development such as wind turbines or more gradually (e.g. by non-native trees invading a landscape. In this study, we focus on the Garden Route National Park to explore the potential importance of viewsheds as a conservation feature, specifically in the context of non-native (especially invasive tree species. Using mixed information sources, we explore the potential role of invasive trees on experiences of visitors to this protected area and speculate on how viewsheds may shape SoP associations and how such associations may inform protected area management. Our investigation shows that people’s experiences regarding natural and modified viewsheds are varied and intricate. Both SoP and viewsheds have the potential to inform conservation action, and these concepts should form an integral part of objective hierarchies and management plans for national parks. However, while legislation and park management plans make provision for the use of these concepts, associated research in South Africa is virtually non-existent. We conclude by proposing a conceptual model and research agenda to promote the use of viewsheds and SoP in the management of national parks in South Africa. Conservation implications: Viewshed and sense of place can be used as boundary concepts to (1 facilitate interdisciplinary research between social and natural scientists, (2 help understand the connectedness and feedbacks between people and nature and (3 promote communication between science, management and stakeholders regarding desired conditions of landscapes in and around parks.

Small-scale bioenergy initiatives: brief description and preliminary lessons on livelihood impacts from case studies in Asia, Latin America and Afica. Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2009-01-15

Fifteen case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America were undertaken to assess the impacts that different types of local-level bioenergy initiatives can have on rural livelihoods. The report concludes with preliminary lessons and recommendations for further work.

Re-positioning Renaissance Studies in South Africa: | Wright ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Shakespeare in Southern Africa. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 18 (2006) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

Innovations in technology and the online learning environment: A case study of inter-university collaboration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jansen ZANETTA

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a case study of online learning. It is based on the researcher’s participation in an inter-university collaborative module at two higher education institutions in South Africa and the United States from August to December 2001. The paper addresses the advantages and disadvantages of the online learning environment and learning in a Virtual Classroom. It provides a critical interpretation of the virtual classroom experienced in this collaboration between institutions. It finds that there are benefits from applying this technology in educational practices and programs particularly in the African context where a large majority of school-leaving learners have little or no access to higher education. However, it also expounds the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development initiative to produce ICT in schools throughout Africa to fulfil the Millennium Development Goals on education in developing countries.

Dietary trends in the Middle East and North Africa: an ecological study (1961 to 2007).

Science.gov (United States)

Golzarand, Mahdieh; Mirmiran, Parvin; Jessri, Mahsa; Toolabi, Karamollah; Mojarrad, Mehdi; Azizi, Fereidoun

2012-10-01

Middle Eastern and North African countries are undergoing nutrition transition, a transition which is associated with an increased burden of non-communicable diseases. This necessitates the evaluation of dietary patterns in these regions. The present study aimed to assess changes in dietary patterns in Middle Eastern and North African countries between 1961 and 2007. Availability of energy and fifteen main food items during 1961-2007 was examined using FAO food balance sheets from the FAOSTAT database. Fifteen countries including nine in the Middle East and six in North Africa were selected and the average availability of total energy and different food items in these regions were compared. Over the 47 years studied, energy and food availability (apart from animal fats and alcoholic beverages) has increased in the Middle East and North Africa. In both regions the proportion of energy derived from meat and vegetable oils has increased significantly while that from cereals decreased significantly. In addition, the proportion of energy from milk and dairy products and vegetables has shown an ascending trend in North Africa while the proportion of energy from fruits has shown a descending trend in the Middle East. The study results reveal an unfavourable trend towards a Westernized diet in the Middle East and, to a certain extent, in North Africa. Tailored nutritional education encouraging healthy eating for prevention of the burden of chronic diseases in these countries seems essential.

Sub Saharan Africa Food Value Chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Butler, Ivan Harry

2016-01-01

Study of food value chains in East Africa as a preliminary study. The paper wishes to underline a few under-researched assumptions about esepcially protein deficiencies, allergies etc. to establish what enablers and constraints exist when trying to supply food from e.g. Europe to e.g. East Africa....

El Niño, Rainfall, and the Shifting Geography of Cholera in Africa

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Moore, S.; Azman, A. S.; Zaitchik, B. F.; McKay, H.; Lessler, J.

2017-12-01

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and other climate patterns can have profound impacts on the occurrence of infectious diseases. Because of the key role of water supplies in cholera transmission, a relationship between El Niño events and cholera incidence is highly plausible, and previous research has shown a link between El Niño patterns and cholera in Bangladesh. However, there is little systematic evidence for this link in Africa where many cholera cases and deaths are reported. To understand how ENSO affects the geographic distribution of cholera incidence in Africa, we used a hierarchical Bayesian approach to integrate over 17,000 annual observations of cholera incidence from 2000-2014 in over 3,000 unique locations of varying spatial extent, ranging from entire countries to neighborhoods. The resulting maps reflect modeled cholera incidence at a fine spatial resolution using reported counts of cholera cases, key explanatory variables, and a spatially-dependent covariance term. We then examined the potential mechanistic association between ENSO-related changes in cholera incidence and several environmental variables including rainfall. El Niño profoundly changed the annual geographic distribution of cholera in Africa from 2000-2014, shifting the burden to continental East Africa, where almost 50,000 additional cases occur during El Niño years. Cholera incidence during El Niño years was higher in regions of East Africa with increased rainfall, but incidence was also higher in some areas with decreased rainfall suggesting a complex relationship between rainfall and cholera incidence. Here we show clear evidence for a shift in the distribution of cholera incidence throughout Africa in El Niño and non-El Niño years, likely mediated by El Niño's impact on local climatic factors. Knowledge of this relationship between cholera and climate patterns coupled with El Niño forecasting could be used to notify countries in Africa when they are likely to see

Diabetic retinopathy in sub-Saharan Africa: meeting the challenges of an emerging epidemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgess, Philip I; Msukwa, Gerald; Beare, Nicholas A V

2013-07-02

Sub-Saharan Africa faces an epidemic of diabetes. Diabetes causes significant morbidity including visual loss from diabetic retinopathy, which is largely preventable. In this resource-poor setting, health systems are poorly organized to deliver chronic care with multiple system involvement. The specific skills and resources needed to manage diabetic retinopathy are scarce. The costs of inaction for individuals, communities and countries are likely to be high. Screening for and treatment of diabetic retinopathy have been shown to be effective, and cost-effective, in resource-rich settings. In sub-Saharan Africa, clinical services for diabetes need to be expanded with the provision of effective, integrated care, including case-finding and management of diabetic retinopathy. This should be underpinned by a high quality evidence base accounting for differences in diabetes types, resources, patients and society in Africa. Research must address the epidemiology of diabetic retinopathy in Africa, strategies for disease detection and management with laser treatment, and include health economic analyses. Models of care tailored to the local geographic and social context are most likely to be cost effective, and should draw on experience and expertise from other continents. Research into diabetic retinopathy in Africa can drive the political agenda for service development and enable informed prioritization of available health funding at a national level. Effective interventions need to be implemented in the near future to avert a large burden of visual loss from diabetic retinopathy in the continent. An increase in visual loss from diabetic retinopathy is inevitable as the diabetes epidemic emerges in sub-Saharan Africa. This could be minimized by the provision of case-finding and laser treatment, but how to do this most effectively in the regional context is not known. Research into the epidemiology, case-finding and laser treatment of diabetic retinopathy in sub

Book Reviews | Wilson | Italian Studies in Southern Africa/Studi d ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

M. Grazia Sumeli Weinberg, Invito alla lettura di Dacia Maraini, Pretoria: University of South Africa, 1993. pp. xvi & 273. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians ...

Characterising the water use and hydraulic properties of riparian tree invasions: A case study of Populus canescens in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ntshidi, Zanele

2018-04-01

Full Text Available catchment of South Africa. Whole tree hydraulic resistance ranged from ~ 1.4 MPa·h·g(sup)-1 for large trees to ~14.3 MPa·h·g(sup)-1 for the small ones. These resistances are higher than those found for poplars in temperate climates, suggesting substantial...

Great Apes and Biodiversity Offset Projects in Africa: The Case for National Offset Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Kormos, Rebecca; Kormos, Cyril F.; Humle, Tatyana; Lanjouw, Annette; Rainer, Helga; Victurine, Ray; Mittermeier, Russell A.; Diallo, Mamadou S.; Rylands, Anthony B.; Williamson, Elizabeth A.

2014-01-01

The development and private sectors are increasingly considering “biodiversity offsets” as a strategy to compensate for their negative impacts on biodiversity, including impacts on great apes and their habitats in Africa. In the absence of national offset policies in sub-Saharan Africa, offset design and implementation are guided by company internal standards, lending bank standards or international best practice principles. We examine four projects in Africa that are seeking to compensate for their negative impacts on great ape populations. Our assessment of these projects reveals that not all apply or implement best practices, and that there is little standardization in the methods used to measure losses and gains in species numbers. Even if they were to follow currently accepted best-practice principles, we find that these actions may still fail to contribute to conservation objectives over the long term. We advocate for an alternative approach in which biodiversity offset and compensation projects are designed and implemented as part of a National Offset Strategy that (1) takes into account the cumulative impacts of development in individual countries, (2) identifies priority offset sites, (3) promotes aggregated offsets, and (4) integrates biodiversity offset and compensation projects with national biodiversity conservation objectives. We also propose supplementary principles necessary for biodiversity offsets to contribute to great ape conservation in Africa. Caution should still be exercised, however, with regard to offsets until further field-based evidence of their effectiveness is available. PMID:25372894

Teaching Gender Studies via Open and Distance Learning in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Jessica; Byrne, Deirdre; Koenig-Visagie, Leandra

2013-01-01

The University of South Africa (UNISA) has recently redesigned its honors degree in Gender Studies. The course design team members have been mindful of three key factors while redesigning this degree. First, we are aligning our course design with the demands of open and distance learning (ODL) and UNISA's institutional move to online delivery of…

Specific features of medicines safety and pharmacovigilance in Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Pal, Shanthi N.; Olsson, Sten; Dodoo, Alexander; Bencheikh, Rachida Soulayami

2012-01-01

The thalidomide tragedy in the late 1950s and early 1960s served as a wakeup call and raised questions about the safety of medicinal products. The developed countries rose to the challenge putting in place systems to ensure the safety of medicines. However, this was not the case for low-resource settings because of prevailing factors inherent in them. This paper reviews some of these features and the current status of pharmacovigilance in Africa. The health systems in most of the 54 countries of Africa are essentially weak, lacking in basic infrastructure, personnel, equipment and facilities. The recent mass deployment of medicines to address diseases of public health significance in Africa poses additional challenges to the health system with notable safety concerns. Other safety issues of note include substandard and counterfeit medicines, medication errors and quality of medicinal products. The first national pharmacovigilance centres established in Africa with membership of the World Health Organization (WHO) international drug monitoring programme were in Morocco and South Africa in 1992. Of the 104 full member countries in the programme, there are now 24 African countries with a further nine countries as associate members. The pharmacovigilance systems operational in African countries are based essentially on spontaneous reporting facilitated by the introduction of the new tool Vigiflow. The individual case safety reports committed to the WHO global database (Vigibase) attest to the growth of pharmacovigilance in Africa with the number of reports rising from 2695 in 2000 to over 25,000 in 2010. There is need to engage the various identified challenges of the weak pharmacovigilance systems in the African setting and to focus efforts on how to provide resources, infrastructure and expertise. Raising the level of awareness among healthcare providers, developing training curricula for healthcare professionals, provisions for paediatric and geriatric

Awareness, treatment, and control of dyslipidemia in rural South Africa: The HAALSI (Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Reiger, Sheridan; Jardim, Thiago Veiga; Abrahams-Gessel, Shafika; Crowther, Nigel J; Wade, Alisha; Gomez-Olive, F Xavier; Salomon, Joshua; Tollman, Stephen; Gaziano, Thomas A

2017-01-01

Dyslipidemia is a primary driver for chronic cardiovascular conditions and there is no comprehensive literature about its management in South Africa. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of dyslipidemia in rural South Africa and how they are impacted by different behaviors and non-modifiable factors. To fulfill this objective we recruited for this cohort study adults aged ≥40 years residing in the Agincourt sub-district of Mpumalanga Province. Data collection included socioeconomic and clinical data, anthropometric measures, blood pressure (BP), HIV-status, point-of-care glucose and lipid levels. Framingham CVD Risk Score was ascribed to patients based upon categories for 10 year cardiovascular risk of low (dyslipidemia and awareness of dyslipidemia From 5,059 respondents a total of 4247 subjects (83.9%) had their cholesterol levels measured and were included in our analysis. Overall, 67.3% (2860) of these met criteria for dyslipidemia, only 30 (1.05%) were aware of their condition, and only 21 subjects (0.73%) were on treatment. The majority have abnormalities in triglycerides (59.3%). As cardiovascular risk increased the rates of lipid control according to LDL level dropped. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that being overweight was predictive of dyslipidemia (OR 1.76; 95%CI 1.51-2.05, pdyslipidemia awareness (OR 2.58; 95%CI 1.19-5.58; p = 0.017). In conclusion, the very low awareness and treatment of dyslipidemia in this cohort indicate a greater need for systematic screening and education within the population and demonstrate that there are multiple opportunities to allay this burden.

Tropical Africa: Land use, biomass, and carbon estimates for 1980

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, S. [Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR (United States). Western Ecology Division; Gaston, G. [Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR (United States). National Research Council; Daniels, R.C. [ed.] [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1996-06-01

This document describes the contents of a digital database containing maximum potential aboveground biomass, land use, and estimated biomass and carbon data for 1980 and describes a methodology that may be used to extend this data set to 1990 and beyond based on population and land cover data. The biomass data and carbon estimates are for woody vegetation in Tropical Africa. These data were collected to reduce the uncertainty associated with the possible magnitude of historical releases of carbon from land use change. Tropical Africa is defined here as encompassing 22.7 x 10{sup 6} km{sup 2} of the earth`s land surface and includes those countries that for the most part are located in Tropical Africa. Countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and in southern Africa (i.e., Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Western Sahara) have maximum potential biomass and land cover information but do not have biomass or carbon estimate. The database was developed using the GRID module in the ARC/INFO{sup TM} geographic information system. Source data were obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the U.S. National Geophysical Data Center, and a limited number of biomass-carbon density case studies. These data were used to derive the maximum potential and actual (ca. 1980) aboveground biomass-carbon values at regional and country levels. The land-use data provided were derived from a vegetation map originally produced for the FAO by the International Institute of Vegetation Mapping, Toulouse, France.

Students' Engagement with Engagement: The Case of Teacher Education Students in Higher Education in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Osman, Ruksana; Petersen, Nadine

2010-01-01

Public engagement is one of the three legs which support and underpin a restructured and transformed post-apartheid higher education system in South Africa (along with teaching and research). This third sector role of higher education is widely implemented in South Africa and is described differently by different institutions and entails a diverse…

Population specific genetic heterogeneity of familial hypercholesterolemia in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Smyth, Natalie; Ramsay, Michèle; Raal, Frederick J

2018-04-01

To describe the prevalence and population-specific genetic heterogeneity of familial hypercholesterolemia in South Africa. This review highlights the paucity of data on familial hypercholesterolemia in South Africa, and the urgent need to uncover the mutation profiles in lipid-associated genes, causing an increase in LDL-cholesterol in the different ethnic groups. Case reports and small studies have shown that familial hypercholesterolemia, although apparently uncommon, is present in black Africans. Local founder effects have led to an increased prevalence of familial hypercholesterolemia in several South African populations: Afrikaner founder mutations (c.681 C>G, c.1285 G>A, c.523 G>A), Ashkenazi founder mutation (c.654_656del) and possible Indian founder mutation (c.2054 C>T). Preliminary data in black Africans with elevated LDL-cholesterol identified a possible common mutation, c.137_142del. The South African multiethnic society and well described founder effects emphasize the need for differential approaches to diagnosis and management of familial hypercholesterolemia. Studies involving larger cohorts and inclusive of different ethnicities are paramount to establishing an accurate prevalence of familial hypercholesterolemia in black Africans, not only in South Africa but in the Sub-Saharan African region. It is clear that the estimated world prevalence of one in 250 cannot be generally applied across African populations.

Climate change, security risks and conflict reduction in Africa. A case study of farmer-herder conflicts over natural resources in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Burkina Faso 1960-2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabot, Charlene

2017-01-01

Millions of people are already affected by weather-related shocks every year in West Africa and climate change is highly likely to increase these threats. In the wake of climate change, rising temperatures, increasingly irregular rainfall and more frequent natural hazards will endanger the ways of life of vulnerable population groups in this region and destabilize their human security. A surge in violence and conflicts could take place. One of the conflict constellations could be between farmers and herders. These groups are highly vulnerable to climate change due to their dependence on natural resources Millions of people are already affected by weather-related shocks every year in West Africa and climate change is highly likely to increase these threats. In the wake of climate change, rising temperatures, increasingly irregular rainfall and more frequent natural hazards will endanger the ways of life of vulnerable population groups in this region and destabilize their human security. A surge in violence and conflicts could take place. One of the conflict constellations could be between farmers and herders. These groups are highly vulnerable to climate change due to their dependence on natural resources for their subsistence. Furthermore, they are historically prone to enter into conflict over issues of access to natural resources. However, social, economic and political circumstances fundamentally influence environmental conflicts. There might thus be opportunities to face the societal challenges of climate change in a peaceful way and the political and institutional framework could play an important role in reducing conflict and violence. In order to explore such a path, this study analyses the potential of political factors (policies and institutions) for the reduction of climate-change-induced or aggravated conflicts between farmers and herders. After a theoretical demonstration, a case study of agro-pastoral conflicts in Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, and Ghana

Regional responses: Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wereko-Brobby, C.Y.

1992-01-01

In this paper, the author presents the theory that for Africa to work towards reduction of global warming, it must first address its environmental problems; i.e. land use, deforestation, desertification, poverty and hunger. He argues that Africa should aim for growth in the productivity and quantity of energy use. The following suggestions were made: Africa must shift from low-quantity biomass to secondary sources in the short term; developed countries must avoid pushing experimental and frontier technologies on Africa; with financial and technical help, Africa could develop its largely untapped reserves of hydropower. Nuclear power should not be an option because reliable production is not possible at present

Optics development in Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buah-Bassuah, Paul K.

2002-11-01

The case study of the Office of External Activities in Cape Coast, Ghana has turned out to be a successful story in promoting research and capacity building of young scientists. The total involvement of many organizations show how laudable the idea has been. This centre has come to serve as a place to solve scientific problems as well as problems of national interest. It is foreseen that its activities can be a means to congregate African scientists to solve common problems. I think the bold step taken by OEA and some organs of ICTP, Trieste, Italy, Lund Institute of Technology, Sweden and Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata, Firenze, Italy has helped up and coming African scientists to come face to face with the challenges of Laser research. Such projects seem feasible and sustainable since experts in these areas can serve as contact persons in Africa to undertake common research using optical techniques. This project has made it possible to explore various areas in optics that can be used to solve problems peculiar to the continent. This ICAC programme in Cape Coast has been successful thanks to the cooperation of the organs of ICTP as well as various international organizations. It is hoped that scientists elsewhere will have the interest to collaborate with us in order to uplift the image of optics in the continent - Africa. (author)

Options for suitable biofuel farming: Experience from Southern Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Von Maltitz, Graham P

2017-04-01

Full Text Available sugarcane-based ethanol project that has been operational since 1982. Furthermore, sugarcane for sugar production is a well established crop in the region, with projects operational in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Biofuel... in the sugar industry where sugarcane is grown was also investigated. Data were obtained from detailed case studies undertaken previously by the author. Further data were gathered from a wide selection of Southern African sugar projects using key informant...

Dermatological manifestations in onchocerciasis: A retrospective study of 400 imported cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Puente, Sabino; Ramirez-Olivencia, German; Lago, Mar; Subirats, Mercedes; Perez-Blazquez, Eugenio; Bru, Fernando; Garate, Teresa; Vicente, Belén; Belhassen-Garcia, Moncef; Muro, Antonio

2017-12-20

Onchocerciasis is caused by Onchocerca volvulus and mainly leads to pruritus and skin and visual disorders, including blindness. Seventeen million people are infected in 38 countries; 31 of these are in sub-Saharan Africa, six in Latin America and one on the Arabian Peninsula. More than 99% of cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa where 120 million people are at risk of infection. Eye disorders have been well-documented; however, skin disorders have not been described accurately. The objective of our study was to describe the epidemiology, main skin manifestations and treatment of imported onchocerciasis. A retrospective study was thus conducted by analysing the main demographic, clinical and treatment data regarding a cohort of 400 patients attending a reference clinical unit over a 17-year period. Most patients were female (55%) with mean age 37.5±16.7 years. All the migrants came from sub-Saharan countries. The most frequently occurring dermatological symptom was pruritus. Ivermectin had been used as first-line therapy and adverse reactions had been described in 11 patients (3.2%). The results indicate the fact that there should be a clinical suspicion of onchocerciasis regarding immigrants from endemic areas having skin lesions compatible with the disease's profile or asymptomatic patients having eosinophilia or unexplained high IgE. Moreover, skin snips from the buttocks region were very fruitful and treatment with ivermectin was seen to be safe. This is the largest case series regarding imported onchocerciasis described up to the present time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Public Policies for Career Development. Case Studies And Emerging Issues For Designing Career Information And Guidance Systems In Developing And Transition Economies

Science.gov (United States)

Watts, A. G.; Fretwell, David H.

2004-01-01

The following pages summarize the findings of seven case-studies of public policy in career guidance carried out in Chile, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa and Turkey. The objectives of this World Bank study were: to identify and describe the distinctive issues faced by developing and transition economies in forming effective…

Perceptions on reducing constraints for smalholder entrepreneurship in Africa: the case of soil fertility in Northern Ghana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Becx, G.A.; Mol, G.; Eenhoorn, J.W.; Kamp, van der J.; Vliet, van J.M.

2012-01-01

Effective poverty reduction in Africa requires enabling more smallholder farmers to move from subsistence farming to a more entrepreneurial fashion of farming. Earlier studies showed that smallholders are constrained in doing so because of lack of incentives, high risks, production problems and lack

The Impact of International Teacher Migration on Schooling in Developing Countries--The Case of Southern Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Appleton, Simon; Sives, Amanda; Morgan, W. John

2006-01-01

Whilst the migration of teachers has been a phenomenon for hundreds of years, the advent of "globalisation" has seen such migration return to prominence. This article focuses on the experiences of two developing countries in Southern Africa which have been on different ends of the process: South Africa as a net sender of teachers and…

The ‘trickle down’ of IWRM: A case study of local-level realities in the Inkomati Water Management Area, South Africa

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Kristi Denby

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The historical legacy in South Africa of apartheid and the resulting discriminatory policies and power imbalances are critical to understanding how water is managed and allocated, and how people participate in designated water governance structures. The progressive post-apartheid National Water Act (NWA is the principal legal instrument related to water governance which has broadly embraced the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM. This translation of IWRM into the South African context and, in particular, the integration of institutions related to land and water have faced many challenges due to the political nature of water and land reforms, and the tendency of governmental departments to work in silos. The paper explores the dynamics surrounding the implementation of IWRM in the Inkomati Water Management Area, and the degree of integration between the parallel land and water reform processes. It also looks at what these reforms mean to black farmers’ access to water for their sugar cane crops at the regional (basin and local levels. The empirical material highlights the discrepancies between a progressive IWRM-influenced policy on paper and the actual realities on the ground. The paper argues that the decentralisation and integration aspects of IWRM in South Africa have somewhat failed to take off in the country and what 'integrated' actually entails is unclear. Furthermore, efforts to implement the NWA and IWRM in South Africa have been fraught with challenges in practice, because the progressive policy did not fully recognise the complex historical context, and the underlying inequalities in knowledge, power and resource access.

Epilepsy: Asia versus Africa.

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Bhalla, Devender; Tchalla, Achille Edem; Marin, Benoît; Ngoungou, Edgard Brice; Tan, Chong Tin; Preux, Pierre-Marie

2014-09-01

Is epilepsy truly an "African ailment"? We aimed to determine this, since international health agencies often refer to epilepsy as an African disease and the scientific literature has spoken the same tone. Various published materials, mainly reports, articles, were used to gather Asian and African evidence on various aspects of epilepsy and many of its risk and associated factors. Our results suggest that in no way can epilepsy be considered as an African ailment and such characterization is most likely based on popular beliefs rather than scientific evidence. In comparison to Africa, Asia has a 5.0% greater burden from all diseases, and is 17.0% more affected from neuropsychiatric disorders (that include epilepsy). Given that more countries in Asia are transitioning, there may be large demographic and lifestyle changes in the near future. However these changes are nowhere close to those expected in Africa. Moreover, 23 million Asians have epilepsy in comparison to 3.3 million Africans and 1.2 million sub-Saharan Africans. In comparison to Africa, Asia has more untreated patients, 55.0% more additional epilepsy cases every year, because of its larger population, with greater treatment cost and possibly higher premature mortality. Of several associated factors discussed herein, many have more importance for Asia than Africa. The current state of epilepsy in Asia is far less than ideal and there is an urgent need to recognize and accept the importance of epilepsy in Asia. In no way can epilepsy be considered as an African ailment. This is most likely based on popular beliefs rather than scientific evidence. A PowerPoint slide summarizing this article is available for download in the Supporting Information section here. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2014 International League Against Epilepsy.

FIP Symposium 1997 (South Africa); FIP Symposium 1997 (Minami Africa) ni sankashite

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Niwano, T. [Oriental Construction Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Shinagawa, K.; Takahashi, T.

1997-07-31

FIP (Federation Internationale de la Precontrainte) Symposium was held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Ikeda and others were sent by the Japan Prestressed Concrete Engineering Association to participate the symposium and visit some bridges in Hong Kong and South Africa. As the keynote addresses, the trends of PC in South Africa, Europe, America, East Asia and Australia was reported. Japanese papers among 105 presented papers are as follows: Iwasaki`s `Construction method of the railway PC skew slab bridge, Natori-Gawa bridge`, Toda`s `Construction of the suspended slab bridge longest in the world, Yume Tsuri-bashi`, Iizuka`s `Experiment on earthquake characteristics of precast concrete columns` and Sugita`s `Study on concrete using high-activity rice hull ash`. The group visited Kap Shui Mun bridge (Hong Kong) of 750m long constructed by Japanese JV which is the 5-span continuous complex cable stayed bridge, and featured by PC box girder structure of side spans. The group also visited Gouritz River PC bridge in South Africa. 5 refs., 10 figs.

Climate change mitigation by carbon stock - the case of semi-arid West Africa

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Lykke, A. M.; Barfod, A. S.; Tinggaard Svendsen, G.; Greve, M.; Svenning, J.-C.

2009-11-01

Semi-arid West Africa has not been integrated into the afforestation/reforestation (AR) carbon market. Most projects implemented under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) have focused on carbon emission reductions from industry and energy consumption, whereas only few (only one in West Africa) have been certified for AR carbon sequestration. A proposed mechanism, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) to be discussed under COP15 aims to reduce emissions by conserving already existing forests. REDD has high potential for carbon stocking at low costs, but focuses primarily on rain forest countries and excludes semi-arid West Africa from the preliminary setup. African savannas have potential to store carbon in the present situation with degrading ecosystems and relatively low revenues from crops and cattle, especially if it is possible to combine carbon stocking with promotion of secondary crops such as food resources and traditional medicines harvested on a sustainable basis. Methods for modelling and mapping of potential carbon biomass are being developed, but are still in a preliminary state. Although economic benefits from the sale of carbon credits are likely to be limited, carbon stocking is an interesting option if additional benefits are considered such as improved food security and protection of biodiversity.

Climate change mitigation by carbon stock - the case of semi-arid West Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lykke, A M; Barfod, A S; Greve, M; Svenning, J-C; Svendsen, G Tinggaard

2009-01-01

Semi-arid West Africa has not been integrated into the afforestation/reforestation (AR) carbon market. Most projects implemented under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) have focused on carbon emission reductions from industry and energy consumption, whereas only few (only one in West Africa) have been certified for AR carbon sequestration. A proposed mechanism, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) to be discussed under COP15 aims to reduce emissions by conserving already existing forests. REDD has high potential for carbon stocking at low costs, but focuses primarily on rain forest countries and excludes semi-arid West Africa from the preliminary setup. African savannas have potential to store carbon in the present situation with degrading ecosystems and relatively low revenues from crops and cattle, especially if it is possible to combine carbon stocking with promotion of secondary crops such as food resources and traditional medicines harvested on a sustainable basis. Methods for modelling and mapping of potential carbon biomass are being developed, but are still in a preliminary state. Although economic benefits from the sale of carbon credits are likely to be limited, carbon stocking is an interesting option if additional benefits are considered such as improved food security and protection of biodiversity.

Small-scale Fisheries Governance and Understanding the Snoek (Thyrsites atun Supply Chain in the Ocean View Fishing Community, Western Cape, South Africa

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Moenieba Isaacs

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Postapartheid fisheries reform in South Africa, through the Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA 18 of 1998, used individual transferable quotas (ITQs to broaden resource access through allocating quotas to new entrants, even though the system has been created to reduce capacity through a reduction in the number of active fishers. The formal action space created through fisheries reform in South Africa left many artisanal fishers to operate in the informal action spaces, selling Thyrsites atun (snoek to poor communities to sustain their livelihoods. Artisanal fishers were not recognized by MLRA of 1998 and through class action case brought against the ITQ system, and in out of court settlement with the claimants in 2007, 1000 interim relief permits will be allocated to artisanal fishes and the development of a new small-scale fisheries policy for South Africa. In this case study of a fishing community in Ocean View, Cape Town I examine a snoek fishery that operates differently, through a community supply chain and informal markets, than that of the high value ITQ regulated species, yet plays a significant role in the livelihoods of artisanal fishers and in the food security of poor households. The findings of this case study show the failures of existing policy frameworks and the implications for the implementation of the new small-scale fisheries policy in South Africa.

Regional Dimensions of South Africa's CAADP Process: Lessons from West Africa

OpenAIRE

Haggblade, Steven; Staaz, John; Boughton, Duncan; Diallo, Boubacar; Meyer, Ferdinand; Minde, Issac Joseph; Traub, Lulama Ndibongo; Tschirley, David

2015-01-01

Regional spillovers offer prospects for accelerating Africa’s agricultural productivity growth, market development and food security. West Africa has recognised and embraced the importance of regional technology transfers, agricultural commodity trade, food security monitoring and agricultural planning. In order for the Southern African region to follow suit, South Africa’s country Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) plan will need to recognise the country’s c...

The value of play for conflict management: a case study

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Lyn Snodgrass

2009-02-01

Full Text Available This is a case study of a conflict management intervention in two secondary schools in post-apartheid South Africa. The feature of the intervention that we examine is the use of play as an educational strategy. The literature attests that play can facilitate change by allowing learners freedom to change their behaviour and opportunities to explore their new identities. The context of the case revealed that conflicts had become deeply entrenched over time. The literature on conflict management suggests that such situations can change if approached in the right way. In the article we describe the intervention and evaluate it with the help of feedback received from participants and facilitators. In the evaluation we found that the participants were able to overcome prejudices and develop democratic approaches to conflict. The evaluation was repeated several months later, when it was found that the benefits of the workshop had been maintained, with the result that the participants were engaging in healthier relationships.

Antenatal depression case finding by community health workers in South Africa: feasibility of a mobile phone application.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Alexander C; Tomlinson, Mark; Dewing, Sarah; le Roux, Ingrid M; Harwood, Jessica M; Chopra, Mickey; Rotheram-Borus, Mary Jane