WorldWideScience

Sample records for sub saharan africa

  1. Sub-Saharan Africa Report

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1985-01-01

    .... This report from Sub-Saharan Africa, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa...

  2. Sub-Saharan Africa Report

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1985-01-01

    .... This report on Sub-Saharan Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burkina, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, and Swaziland, contains...

  3. Sub-Saharan Africa Report

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1985-01-01

    .... This report from Sub-Saharan Africa, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Ghana, Lesoto, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, contains articles...

  4. Sub-Saharan Africa Report

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1986-01-01

    .... This report contains articles from Sub-Saharan Africa, Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Zambia, and South Africa, the articles deal mainly with Politics, Sociology...

  5. Sub-Saharan Africa Report

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1987-01-01

    Partial Contents: Sub Saharan Africa, Military Exercise, Radio Commentary, Stock Exchange, Prime Minister, Economic, Domestic Service, Armed Forces, Health, Organizations, Death, International Service, Foreign Policy...

  6. Sub-Saharan Africa Report

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1985-01-01

    This is Sub Saharan Africa Report. It contains the issues with different topics on Inter African Affairs, Angola, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, madagascar, Mozambique...

  7. Selected socioeconomic barriers of education in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Tillová, Petra

    2015-01-01

    Selected socioeconomic barriers of education in Sub-Saharan Africa Abstract The aim of bachelor thesis is to describe and understand the process of education in Sub-Saharan Africa and analyze components that cause limited access to education. The first part of the thesis describes the process of education in Sub-Saharan Africa using selected indicators. The second main part focuses on the description and possible relations between selected socioeconomic barriers and literacy. Selected barrier...

  8. Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa | IDRC ...

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

    ... the increasingly important role of these councils in national science systems. ... that will contribute to economic and social development in Sub-Saharan Africa. ... Initiative for Sub-Saharan Africa's website to learn more about the initiative.

  9. On the pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Shapiro

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: This descriptive finding examines the comparative pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, relative to Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa. Objective: We seek to determine if fertility decline has been slower in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere in the developing world. Methods: United Nations 2017 estimates of national fertility are used in assessing the comparative pace of fertility decline, and the four regions are compared in terms of how far they are into their fertility transition. Results: The data shows clearly that fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, still at a comparatively early stage, has been considerably slower than the earlier declines in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa at comparable stages of the transition, and displays less within-region heterogeneity than the transitions in these other regions. Conclusions: The slower pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, in conjunction with the high current fertility levels in the region, means that in the absence of policies seeking to accelerate fertility decline, sub-Saharan Africa will continue to experience rapid population growth that in turn will constrain its development. Contribution: Presentation of data in a novel way (Figures 2‒4, and associated calculations unambiguously demonstrates the slow pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa compared with other regions of the world.

  10. Sub-Saharan Africa: A Paradoxial Conundrum

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Dunn, Gracus

    2002-01-01

    .... In reassessing United States interests and security policy in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Post Cold War era, it is important to understand modern Africa's past and the peculiar relationship of politics...

  11. Energy Security and Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Meierding

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Published by Palgrave MacmillanOver the last decade the topic of energy security has reappeared on global policy agendas. Most analyses of international energy geopolitics examine the interests and behaviour of powerful energy-importing countries like the US and China. This chapter begins by examining foreign powers’ expanded exploitation of oil and uranium resources in Sub-Saharan Africa. It goes on to examine how energy importers’ efforts to enhance their energy security through Africa are impacting energy security within Africa. It assesses Sub-Saharan states’ attempts to increase consumption of local oil and uranium reserves. Observing the constraints on these efforts, it then outlines some alternative strategies that have been employed to enhance African energy security. It concludes that, while local community-based development projects have improved the well-being of many households, they are not a sufficient guarantor of energy security. Inadequate petroleum access, in particular, remains a development challenge. Foreign powers’ efforts to increase their oil security are undermining the energy security of Sub-Saharan African citizens.

  12. Impact of human schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adenowo, Abiola Fatimah; Oyinloye, Babatunji Emmanuel; Ogunyinka, Bolajoko Idiat; Kappo, Abidemi Paul

    2015-01-01

    Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease of poverty ranks second among the most widespread parasitic disease in various nations in sub-Saharan Africa. Neglected tropical diseases are causes of about 534,000 deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa and an estimated 57 million disability-adjusted life-years are lost annually due to the neglected tropical diseases. The neglected tropical diseases exert great health, social and financial burden on economies of households and governments. Schistosomiasis has profound negative effects on child development, outcome of pregnancy, and agricultural productivity, thus a key reason why the "bottom 500 million" inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa continue to live in poverty. In 2008, 17.5 million people were treated globally for schistosomiasis, 11.7 million of those treated were from sub-Saharan Africa. This enervating disease has been successfully eradicated in Japan, as well as in Tunisia. Morocco and some Caribbean Island countries have made significant progress on control and management of this disease. Brazil, China and Egypt are taking steps towards elimination of the disease, while most sub-Saharan countries are still groaning under the burden of the disease. Various factors are responsible for the continuous and persistent transmission of schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. These include climatic changes and global warming, proximity to water bodies, irrigation and dam construction as well as socio-economic factors such as occupational activities and poverty. The morbidity and mortality caused by this disease cannot be overemphasized. This review is an exposition of human schistosomiasis as it affects the inhabitants of various communities in sub-Sahara African countries. It is hoped this will bring a re-awakening towards efforts to combat this impoverishing disease in terms of vaccines development, alternative drug design, as well as new point-of-care diagnostics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights

  13. Impact of human schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abiola Fatimah Adenowo

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease of poverty ranks second among the most widespread parasitic disease in various nations in sub-Saharan Africa. Neglected tropical diseases are causes of about 534,000 deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa and an estimated 57 million disability-adjusted life-years are lost annually due to the neglected tropical diseases. The neglected tropical diseases exert great health, social and financial burden on economies of households and governments. Schistosomiasis has profound negative effects on child development, outcome of pregnancy, and agricultural productivity, thus a key reason why the “bottom 500 million” inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa continue to live in poverty. In 2008, 17.5 million people were treated globally for schistosomiasis, 11.7 million of those treated were from sub-Saharan Africa. This enervating disease has been successfully eradicated in Japan, as well as in Tunisia. Morocco and some Caribbean Island countries have made significant progress on control and management of this disease. Brazil, China and Egypt are taking steps towards elimination of the disease, while most sub-Saharan countries are still groaning under the burden of the disease. Various factors are responsible for the continuous and persistent transmission of schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. These include climatic changes and global warming, proximity to water bodies, irrigation and dam construction as well as socio-economic factors such as occupational activities and poverty. The morbidity and mortality caused by this disease cannot be overemphasized. This review is an exposition of human schistosomiasis as it affects the inhabitants of various communities in sub-Sahara African countries. It is hoped this will bring a re-awakening towards efforts to combat this impoverishing disease in terms of vaccines development, alternative drug design, as well as new point-of-care diagnostics.

  14. Greenhouse gas emissions in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Graham, R.L.; Perlack, R.D.; Prasad, A.M.G.; Ranney, J.W.; Waddle, D.B.

    1990-11-01

    Current and future carbon emissions from land-use change and energy consumption were analyzed for Sub-Saharan Africa. The energy sector analysis was based on UN energy data tapes while the land-use analysis was based on a spatially-explicit land-use model developed specifically for this project. The impacts of different energy and land-use strategies on future carbon emissions were considered. (A review of anthropogenic emissions of methane, nitrous oxides, and chlorofluorocarbons in Sub-Saharan Africa indicated that they were probably minor in both a global and a regional context. The study therefore was focused on emissions of carbon dioxide.) The land-use model predicts carbon emissions from land use change and the amount of carbon stored in vegetation (carbon inventory) on a yearly basis between 1985 and 2001. Emissions and inventory are modeled at 9000 regularly-spaced point locations in Sub-Saharan Africa using location-specific information on vegetation type, soils, climate and deforestation. Vegetation, soils, and climate information were derived from continental-scale maps while relative deforestation rates(% of forest land lost each year) were developed from country-specific forest and deforestation statistics (FAO Tropical Forest Resources Assessment for Africa, 1980). The carbon emissions under different land use strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa were analyzed by modifying deforestation rates and altering the amount of carbon stored under different land uses. The considered strategies were: preservation of existing forests, implementation of agroforestry, and establishment of industrial tree plantations. 82 refs., 16 figs., 25 tabs.

  15. 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...

  16. 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.

  17. Sub-Saharan Africa's media and neocolonialism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domatob, J K

    1988-01-01

    Given the heavy Western metropolitan bias of the media in sub-Saharan Africa, the ideology of neocolonialism continues to exert a dominant influence on economic, social, political, and cultural life. This neocolonial influence is further reinforced by advertising that champions a consumerist culture centered around Western goods. The capital of multinational firms plays a crucial role in the strategy of media imperialism. The dramatic growth of monopolies and the creation of military-industrial-information conglomerates in the 1970s and 1980s have been reflected in the international exchange of information and the interlinkage of mass communication systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Another media strategy that reinforces neocolonialism is the use of satellite communication. If cultural autonomy is defined as sub-Saharan Africa's capacity to decide on the allocation of its environmental resources, then cultural synchronization is a massive threat to that autonomy. Few African nations have the resources or expertise necessary to design, establish, or maintain communication systems that could accurately reflect their own culture. Nonetheless, there are some policy options. Personnel can be trained to respect African values and to recognize the dangers of neocolonial domination. The production of indigenous programs could reduce the media's foreign content. The incorporation of traditional drama and dance in the media could enhance this process. Above all, a high degree of planning is necessary if sub-Saharan African states intend to tackle the media and its domination by neocolonialist ideology.

  18. Determinants of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

    OpenAIRE

    Yakubu, Ibrahim; Salisu, Waliu Jawula

    2018-01-01

    Background Adolescent pregnancy has been persistently high in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this review is to identify factors influencing adolescent pregnancies in sub-Saharan Africa in order to design appropriate intervention program. Methods A search in MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of science, and Google Scholar databases with the following keywords: determinants, factors, reasons, sociocultural factors, adolescent pregnancy, unintended pregnancies, and sub- Saharan Africa. Qualitative and ...

  19. 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.

  20. Bibliometric trends of health economic evaluation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez-Villafuerte, Karla; Li, Ryan; Hofman, Karen J

    2016-08-24

    Collaboration between Sub-Saharan African researchers is important for the generation and transfer of health technology assessment (HTA) evidence, in order to support priority-setting in health. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate collaboration patterns between countries. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment that included a random sample of health economic evaluations carried out in 20 countries (Angola, Botswana, Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda). We conducted bibliometric network analysis based on all first authors with a Sub-Saharan African academic affiliation and their co-authored publications ("network-articles"). Then we produced a connection map of collaboration patterns among Sub-Saharan African researchers, reflecting the number of network-articles and the country of affiliation of the main co-authors. The sample of 119 economic evaluations mostly related to treatments of communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS (42/119, 35.29 %) and malaria (26/119, 21.85 %). The 39 first authors from Sub-Saharan African institutions together co-authored 729 network-articles. The network analysis showed weak collaboration between health economic researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa, with researchers being more likely to collaborate with Europe and North America than with other African countries. South Africa stood out as producing the highest number of health economic evaluations and collaborations. The development and evaluation of HTA research networks in Sub-Saharan Africa should be supported, with South Africa central to any such efforts. Organizations and institutions from high income countries interested in supporting priority setting in Sub-Saharan Africa should include promoting collaboration as part of their agendas, in order to take advantage of the potential transferability of results and methods of the

  1. Leptospirosis in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vries, Sophia G; Visser, Benjamin J; Nagel, Ingeborg M; Goris, Marga G A; Hartskeerl, Rudy A; Grobusch, Martin P

    2014-11-01

    Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonotic infection worldwide, possibly due to climate change and demographic shifts. It is regarded as endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa; however, for most countries scarce epidemiological data, if any, exist. The primary objectives were to describe the prevalence of leptospirosis in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, and to develop options for prevention and control in the future. A systematic review was conducted to determine the prevalence of leptospirosis in Sub-Saharan Africa; the PRISMA guidelines were followed. Medline/PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, BIOSIS Previews, the African Index Medicus, AJOL, and Google Scholar were searched. Information about the prevalence and incidence of leptospirosis in humans is available, but remains scarce for many countries. Data are unavailable or outdated for many countries, particularly those in Central Africa. Most data are available from animals, probably due to the economic losses caused by leptospirosis in livestock. In humans, leptospirosis is an important cause of febrile illness in Sub-Saharan Africa. It concerns numerous serogroups, harboured by many different animal carriers. A wide variety of data was identified. Prevalence rates vary throughout the continent and more research, especially in humans, is needed to reliably gauge the extent of the problem. Preventive measures need to be reconsidered to control outbreaks in the future.

  2. Geographic distribution and ecological niche of plague in sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Neerinckx, Simon B; Peterson, Andrew T; Gulinck, Hubert

    2008-01-01

    Background Plague is a rapidly progressing, serious illness in humans that is likely to be fatal if not treated. It remains a public health threat, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In spite of plague's highly focal nature, a thorough ecological understanding of the general distribution pattern...... of plague across sub-Saharan Africa has not been established to date. In this study, we used human plague data from sub-Saharan Africa for 1970-2007 in an ecological niche modeling framework to explore the potential geographic distribution of plague and its ecological requirements across Africa. Results We...... predict a broad potential distributional area of plague occurrences across sub-Saharan Africa. General tests of model's transferability suggest that our model can anticipate the potential distribution of plague occurrences in Madagascar and northern Africa. However, generality and predictive ability tests...

  3. 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 ...

  4. Impact of human schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Adenowo, Abiola Fatimah; Oyinloye, Babatunji Emmanuel; Ogunyinka, Bolajoko Idiat; Kappo, Abidemi Paul

    2015-01-01

    Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease of poverty ranks second among the most widespread parasitic disease in various nations in sub-Saharan Africa. Neglected tropical diseases are causes of about 534,000 deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa and an estimated 57 million disability-adjusted life-years are lost annually due to the neglected tropical diseases. The neglected tropical diseases exert great health, social and financial burden on economies of households and governments. ...

  5. Pediatric HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa: emerging issues and way ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Conclusion: HIV infected children and their families in sub-Saharan Africa face myriad of complex medical and psychosocial issues. A holistic health promotional approach is being advocated as the required step for eradication of pediatric HIV in Africa. Keywords: Pediatric HIV, sub-Saharan Africa, Challenges.

  6. Plants as antimalarial agents in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinsembu, Kazhila C

    2015-12-01

    Although the burden of malaria is decreasing, parasite resistance to current antimalarial drugs and resistance to insecticides by vector mosquitoes threaten the prospects of malaria elimination in endemic areas. Corollary, there is a scientific departure to discover new antimalarial agents from nature. Because the two antimalarial drugs quinine and artemisinin were discovered through improved understanding of the indigenous knowledge of plants, bioprospecting Sub-Saharan Africa's enormous plant biodiversity may be a source of new and better drugs to treat malaria. This review analyses the medicinal plants used to manage malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa. Chemical compounds with antiplasmodial activity are described. In the Sub-Saharan African countries cited in this review, hundreds of plants are used as antimalarial remedies. While the number of plant species is not exhaustive, plants used in more than one country probably indicate better antimalarial efficacy and safety. The antiplasmodial data suggest an opportunity for inventing new antimalarial drugs from Sub-Saharan-African flora. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. The impact of asthma and COPD in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Gemert, Frederik; van der Molen, Thys; Jones, Rupert; Chavannes, Niels

    Background: Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa have the highest risk of developing chronic diseases and are the least able to cope with them. Aims: To assess the current knowledge of the prevalence and impact of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in sub-Saharan Africa.

  8. The Ethics of Introducing GMOs into sub-Saharan Africa: Considerations from the sub-Saharan African Theory of Ubuntu.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komparic, Ana

    2015-11-01

    A growing number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa are considering legalizing the growth of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Furthermore, several projects are underway to develop transgenic crops tailored to the region. Given the contentious nature of GMOs and prevalent anti-GMO sentiments in Africa, a robust ethical analysis examining the concerns arising from the development, adoption, and regulation of GMOs in sub-Saharan Africa is warranted. To date, ethical analyses of GMOs in the global context have drawn predominantly on Western philosophy, dealing with Africa primarily on a material level. Yet, a growing number of scholars are articulating and engaging with ethical theories that draw upon sub-Saharan African value systems. One such theory, Ubuntu, is a well-studied sub-Saharan African communitarian morality. I propose that a robust ethical analysis of Africa's agricultural future necessitates engaging with African moral theory. I articulate how Ubuntu may lead to a novel and constructive understanding of the ethical considerations for introducing GMOs into sub-Saharan Africa. However, rather than reaching a definitive prescription, which would require significant engagement with local communities, I consider some of Ubuntu's broader implications for conceptualizing risk and engaging with local communities when evaluating GMOs. I conclude by reflecting on the implications of using local moral theory in bioethics by considering how one might negotiate between universalism and particularism in the global context. Rather than advocating for a form of ethical relativism, I suggest that local moral theories shed light on salient ethical considerations that are otherwise overlooked. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. EPA Collaboration with Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    EPA’s environmental program in Sub-Saharan Africa is focused on addressing Africa’s growing urban and industrial pollution issues, such as air quality, water quality, electronics waste and indoor air from cookstoves.

  10. The Perplex of Deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    A.W Yalew

    2015-01-01

    Deforestation has been a complex phenomenon to study in sub-Saharan Africa. The average annual deforestation rate in the region is by far higher than the world average. What causes and drives deforestation in the region are debated to date. The present paper is motivated by this debate. It attempts to test whether the maintained hypotheses on the causes of deforestation can give answer to the problem in sub-Saharan Africa. It used average cross-national data of forty eight countries in the re...

  11. Bridging the Atlantic : Brazil and Sub-Saharan Africa, South–South Partnering for Growth

    OpenAIRE

    World Bank

    2012-01-01

    Bridging the Atlantic is a descriptive study of Brazil's involvement with counterparts in Sub-Saharan Africa through knowledge exchange, trade, and investments. The objective of the study is to understand these relations better with the intent to forge concrete and mutually beneficial partnerships between Brazil and Sub-Saharan Africa. Brazil and Sub-Saharan Africa are natural partners, wi...

  12. Poverty and Inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa: Literature Survey and Empirical Assessment

    OpenAIRE

    Delfin Go; Denis Nikitin; Xiongjian Wang; Heng-fu Zou

    2011-01-01

    This paper surveys the literature and assesses the magnitude, persistence, and depth of poverty and inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa using empirical analysis. Our analysis explores linkages between three key facts about development in Sub-Saharan Africa: poor economic growth, poor performance in terms of public health indicators, and resilient high-income inequality. Most of the differential between growth rates in Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing countries can be explained by two meas...

  13. Sub-Saharan Africa: Sustainability Risk Discussion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria Bakhtina

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Africa is a rising star - one of the most desirable investment destinations in the world. Nonetheless, economic growth is uneven among African countries, and many obstacles must be overcome in order to realize the full potential of opportunity. To achieve long-term sustainable investment results, and ultimately progress towards Sustainable Development goals, many risks must be isolated, analyzed, and mitigated. This paper introduces the concept of Sustainability Risk, identifying a set of major risk components for Sub-Saharan Africa and building an integral measure to quantify the degree of remoteness of the forty-six Sub-Saharan Africa countries from the total set of threats considered. The countries are separated into distinct groups with similar characteristics in terms of Sustainability Risk, and an analysis for potential decision-making, based on the visualization of the countries' position in relation to the major sustainability threats, is performed for each group. The research identifies risks with maximum impacts.

  14. Temperature effects on future energy demand in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shivakumar, Abhishek

    2016-04-01

    Climate change is projected to adversely impact different parts of the world to varying extents. Preliminary studies show that Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including changes to precipitation levels and temperatures. This work will analyse the effect of changes in temperature on critical systems such as energy supply and demand. Factors that determine energy demand include income, population, temperature (represented by cooling and heating degree days), and household structures. With many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa projected to experience rapid growth in both income and population levels, this study aims to quantify the amplified effects of these factors - coupled with temperature changes - on energy demand. The temperature effects will be studied across a range of scenarios for each of the factors mentioned above, and identify which of the factors is likely to have the most significant impact on energy demand in Sub-Saharan Africa. Results of this study can help set priorities for decision-makers to enhance the climate resilience of critical infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa.

  15. Growth and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Arndt, Channing; McKay, Andrew; Tarp, Finn

    2016-01-01

    While the economic growth renaissance in sub-Saharan Africa is widely recognized, much less is known about progress in living conditions. This book comprehensively evaluates trends in living conditions in 16 major sub-Saharan African countries, corresponding to nearly 75% of the total population. A striking diversity of experience emerges. While monetary indicators improved in many countries, others are yet to succeed in channeling the benefits of economic growth into the pockets of the poor....

  16. Aids prevention in sub-Saharan Africa: as easy as ABC? | Bertrand ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: The failure to stem HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and the unique epidemiological modes of infection within this region have demonstrated that unique strategies for combatting the virus are required. This review article discusses why international AIDS campaigns in sub- Saharan Africa have largely been ...

  17. On the pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    David Shapiro; Andrew Hinde

    2017-01-01

    Background: This descriptive finding examines the comparative pace of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, relative to Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern Africa.Objective: We seek to determine if fertility decline has been slower in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere in the developing world.Methods: United Nations 2017 estimates of national fertility are used in assessing the comparative pace of fertility decline, and the four regions are compared in terms of how far they ...

  18. Economywide impacts of climate change on agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Calzadilla, Alvaro; Zhu, Tingju; Rehdanz, Katrin; Tol, Richard S J; Ringler, Claudia

    2013-01-01

    Two possible adaptation scenarios to climate change for Sub-Saharan Africa are analyzed under the SRES B2 scenario. The first scenario doubles the irrigated area in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2050, compared to the baseline, but keeps total crop area constant. The second scenario increases both rainfed

  19. Power sector reform and distributed generation in sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Turkson, J.K.; Wohlgemuth, N.

    2001-01-01

    As part of the current liberalisation process sweeping sub-Saharan Africa, power sectors across the region are being scrutinised and restructured. A critical aspect of the reform is improving access to electricity by large segments of the population. Many in the continent are, therefore,looking a......As part of the current liberalisation process sweeping sub-Saharan Africa, power sectors across the region are being scrutinised and restructured. A critical aspect of the reform is improving access to electricity by large segments of the population. Many in the continent are, therefore......, on average, 30-40 per cent of the region's population, the authors discuss the issues involved, drawing on the experiences of other countries whether there are any apparent 'preconditions' for success. Second, the role renewable energy can play in this process and the extent to which lessons from other parts...... of the world might be transferable to the countries of sub-Saharan Africa is assessed. The paper concludes by investigating the prospects for distributed generation in power sector reform in sub-Saharan Africa, arguing that though lessons from other parts of the world will be helpful, they cannot be all...

  20. Social entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rivera-Santos, M.; Holt, D.; Littlewood, D.; Kolk, A.

    Responding to calls for a better understanding of the relationship between social enterprises and their environments, this article focuses on contextual influences on social entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa. We identify four predominantly African contextual dimensions, i.e., acute poverty,

  1. Editorial: Childhood Cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkin, Donald Maxwell; Stefan, Cristina

    2017-01-01

    Measurement of incidence rates of childhood cancer in Africa is difficult. The study 'Cancer of Childhood in sub Saharan Africa' [Stefan C, Bray F, Ferlay J, Parkin DM and Liu B (2017) Cancer of Childhood in sub-Saharan Africa ecancer 11 (755)] brings together results from 16 population-based registries which, as members of the African Cancer Registry Network (AFCRN), have been evaluated as achieving adequate coverage of their target population. The cancers are classified according to the third revision of the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC-3) and recorded rates in Africa are compared with those in childhood populations in the UK, France, and the USA. It is clear that, in many centres, lack of adequate diagnostic and treatment facilities, leads to under-diagnosis (and enumeration) of leukaemias and brain cancers. However, for several childhood cancers, incidence rates in Africa are higher than those in high income countries. This applies to infection-related cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma, Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, and also to two common embryonal cancers-retinoblastoma and nephroblastoma. These (and other) observations are unlikely to be artefact, and are of considerable interest when considering possible aetiological factors, including ethnic differences in risk (and hence genetic/familial antecedents). The data reported are the most extensive so far available on the incidence of cancer in sub Saharan Africa, and clearly indicate the need for more resources to be devoted to cancer registration, especially in the childhood age range, as part of an overall programme to improve the availability of diagnosis and treatment of this group of cancers, many of which have-potentially-an excellent prognosis.

  2. A brief history of medical education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monekosso, G L

    2014-08-01

    Developments in medical education in Sub-Saharan Africa over the past 100 years have been characterized by the continent's unique history. During the first half of the 20th century, the Europeans effectively installed medical education in their African colonies. The years 1950 to 1960 were distinguished by successful movements for independence, with new governments giving priority to medical education. By 1980, there were 51 medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. The period from 1975 to 1990 was problematic both politically and economically for Sub-Saharan Africa, and medical schools did not escape the general difficulties. War, corruption, mounting national debts, and political instability were characteristics of this period. In many countries, maintaining medical school assets--faculty members, buildings, laboratories, libraries--became difficult, and emigration became the goal of many health professionals. In contrast, the past 20 years have seen rapid growth in the number of medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. Economic growth and political stability in most Sub-Saharan African countries augur well for investment in health systems strengthening and in medical education. There are, nonetheless, major problem areas, including inadequate funding, challenges of sustainability, and the continuing brain drain. The 20th century was a time of colonialism and the struggle for independence during which medical education did not advance as quickly or broadly as it did in other regions of the world. The 21st century promises a different history, one of rapid growth in medical education, leading to better care and better health for the people of Africa.

  3. Youth in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blum, Robert W

    2007-09-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa is going through rapid social, political, and economic transformations that have a profound impact on youth. The present review explores trends and outcomes as they relate to education, family formation and sexual and reproductive health and the interrelationships among these areas. It is based on both published and unpublished reports. Over the past 20 years, school enrollment has increased for much of the subcontinent; although the gender gap has narrowed, females remain educationally disadvantaged. Likewise, marriage is occurring later today than a generation ago, posing new challenges of out-of-wedlock births, clandestine abortions, and an increased likelihood of engaging in premarital sex. So, too, although there has been a slowing of the population growth in much of the region, in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the population is doubling every 30 years. Although acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is the predominant cause of death among youth, maternal mortality remains a major risk of death for youth--in some countries 600 times greater than that of peers in the industrialized world.

  4. Burns in sub-Saharan Africa: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nthumba, Peter M

    2016-03-01

    Burns are important preventable causes of morbidity and mortality, with a disproportionate incidence in sub-Saharan Africa. The management of these injuries in sub-Saharan Africa is a challenge because of multiple other competing problems such as infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria), terrorist acts and political instability. There is little investment in preventive measures, pre-hospital, in-hospital and post-discharge care of burns, resulting in high numbers of burns, high morbidity and mortality. Lack of data that can be used in legislation and policy formulation is a major hindrance in highlighting the problem of burns in this sub-region. An online search of publications on burns from sub-Saharan countries was performed. A total of 54 publications with 32,862 patients from 14 countries qualified for inclusion in the study. The average age was 15.3 years. Children aged 10 years and below represented over 80% of the burn patient population. Males constituted 55% of those who suffered burns. Scalds were the commonest cause of thermal injuries, accounting for 59% of all burns, while flame burns accounted for 33%. The burn mortality averaged 17%, or the death of one of every five burn victims. These statistics indicate the need for an urgent review of burn policies and related legislation across the sub-Saharan region to help reduce burns, and provide a safe environment for children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  5. Future of Family Medicine Faculty Development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Paul R; Chege, Patrick; Dahlman, Bruce; Gibson, Christine; Evensen, Ann; Colon-Gonzalez, Maria C; Onguka, Stephanie; Lamptey, Roberta; Cayley, William E; Nguyen, Bich-May; Johnson, Brian; Getnet, Sawra; Hasnain, Memoona

    2017-03-01

    High-quality family medicine education is needed in sub-Saharan Africa to facilitate the future growth of primary care health systems. Current faculty educators recognize the value of dedicated teacher training and ongoing faculty development. However, they are constrained by inadequate faculty development program availability and institutional support. A cross-sectional study design was used to conduct a qualitative needs assessment comprised of 37 in-depth, semi-structured interviews of individual faculty trainers from postgraduate family medicine training programs in eight sub-Saharan African countries. Data were analyzed according to qualitative description. Informants described desired qualities for a family medicine educator in sub-Saharan Africa: (1) pedagogical expertise in topics and perspectives unique to family medicine, (2) engagement in self-directed, lifelong learning, and (3) exemplary character and behavior that inspires others. Informant recommendations to guide the development of faculty development programs include: (1) sustainability, partnership, and responsiveness to the needs of the institution, (2) intentional faculty development must begin early and be supported with high-quality mentorship, (3) presumptions of teaching competence based on clinical training must be overcome, and (4) evaluation and feedback are critical components of faculty development. High-quality faculty development in family medicine is critically important to the primary care workforce in sub-Saharan Africa. Our study describes specific needs and recommendations for family medicine faculty development in sub-Saharan Africa. Next steps include piloting and evaluating innovative models of faculty development that respond to specific institutional or regional needs.

  6. Vaccination for typhoid fever in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slayton, Rachel B; Date, Kashmira A; Mintz, Eric D

    2013-04-01

    Emerging data on the epidemiologic, clinical and microbiologic aspects of typhoid fever in sub-Saharan Africa call for new strategies and new resources to bring the regional epidemic under control. Areas with endemic disease at rates approaching those in south Asia have been identified; large, prolonged and severe outbreaks are occurring more frequently; and resistance to antimicrobial agents, including fluoroquinolones is increasing. Surveillance for typhoid fever is hampered by the lack of laboratory resources for rapid diagnosis, culture confirmation and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Nonetheless, in 2010, typhoid fever was estimated to cause 725 incident cases and 7 deaths per 100,000 person years in sub-Saharan Africa. Efforts for prevention and outbreak control are challenged by limited access to safe drinking water and sanitation and by a lack of resources to initiate typhoid immunization. A comprehensive approach to typhoid fever prevention including laboratory and epidemiologic capacity building, investments in water, sanitation and hygiene and reconsideration of the role of currently available vaccines could significantly reduce the disease burden. Targeted vaccination using currently available typhoid vaccines should be considered as a short- to intermediate-term risk reduction strategy for high-risk groups across sub-Saharan Africa.

  7. 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.

  8. Scarification in sub-Saharan Africa: social skin, remedy and medical import.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garve, Roland; Garve, Miriam; Türp, Jens C; Fobil, Julius N; Meyer, Christian G

    2017-06-01

    Various forms of body modification may be observed in sub-Saharan Africa. Hypotheses and theories of scarification and tribal marking in sub-Saharan Africa are described, plus the procedure of scarification, examples from several African countries, assumed effects in prevention and treatment of diseases, and the medical risks resulting from unsterile manipulation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. A Comparative Analysis of United States and Chinese Economic Engagement in Sub Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-03-01

    education opportunities for aspiring sub-Saharan Africa leaders, improve drinking water , and protect forests—all of which is an interesting foreign...ANALYSIS OF UNITED STATES AND CHINESE ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA by James Housley Furman, Jr. March 2016 Thesis Advisor...ENGAGEMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) James Housley Furman, Jr. 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES

  10. Maternity health care: The experiences of Sub-Saharan African women in Sub-Saharan Africa and Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohale, Hlengiwe; Sweet, Linda; Graham, Kristen

    2017-08-01

    Increasing global migration is resulting in a culturally diverse population in the receiving countries. In Australia, it is estimated that at least four thousand Sub-Saharan African women give birth each year. To respond appropriately to the needs of these women, it is important to understand their experiences of maternity care. The study aimed to examine the maternity experiences of Sub-Saharan African women who had given birth in both Sub-Saharan Africa and in Australia. Using a qualitative approach, 14 semi-structured interviews with Sub-Saharan African women now living in Australia were conducted. Data was analysed using Braun and Clark's approach to thematic analysis. Four themes were identified; access to services including health education; birth environment and support; pain management; and perceptions of care. The participants experienced issues with access to maternity care whether they were located in Sub-Saharan Africa or Australia. The study draws on an existing conceptual framework on access to care to discuss the findings on how these women experienced maternity care. The study provides an understanding of Sub-Saharan African women's experiences of maternity care across countries. The findings indicate that these women have maternity health needs shaped by their sociocultural norms and beliefs related to pregnancy and childbirth. It is therefore arguable that enhancing maternity care can be achieved by improving women's health literacy through health education, having an affordable health care system, providing respectful and high quality midwifery care, using effective communication, and showing cultural sensitivity including family support for labouring women. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Health economics of blood transfusion safety--focus on sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Hulst, Marinus; Smit Sibinga, Cees Th; Postma, Maarten J

    2010-01-01

    Health economics provides a standardised methodology for valid comparisons of interventions in different fields of health care. This review discusses the health economic evaluations of strategies to enhance blood product safety in sub-Saharan Africa. We reviewed health economic methodology with special reference to cost-effectiveness analysis. We searched the literature for cost-effectiveness in blood product safety in sub-Saharan Africa. HIV-antibody screening in different settings in sub-Saharan Africa showed health gains and saved costs. Except for adding HIV-p24 screening, adding other tests such as nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) to HIV-antibody screening displayed incremental cost-effectiveness ratios greater than the WHO/World Bank specified threshold for cost-effectiveness. The addition of HIV-p24 in combination with HCV antibody/antigen screening and multiplex (HBV, HCV and HIV) NAT in pools of 24 may also be cost-effective options for Ghana. From a health economic viewpoint, HIV-antibody screening should always be implemented in sub-Saharan Africa. The addition of HIV-p24 antigen screening, in combination with HCV antibody/antigen screening and multiplex (HBV, HCV and HIV) NAT in pools of 24 may be feasible options for Ghana. Suggestions for future health economic evaluations of blood transfusion safety interventions in sub-Saharan Africa are: mis-transfusion, laboratory quality and donor management. Copyright 2009 The International Association for Biologicals. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Financial Permeation and Economic Growth: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Inoue, Takeshi; Hamori, Shigeyuki

    2013-01-01

    This article empirically analyzes the role of finance in economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa from the perspective of what is termed herein “financial permeation”. By estimating panel data on 37 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa between 2004 and 2010, we examine whether financial permeation through improved convenience and access to financial services has contributed to economic growth in this region. Empirical results clearly indicate that financial permeation has a statistically significant ...

  13. Agriculture and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia

    OpenAIRE

    Massoud Karshenas

    2000-01-01

    This paper is a comparative study of the role of agriculture in economic development in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Popular notions of economic duality and agricultural squeeze in sub-Saharan Africa are re-examined, and new explanations in terms of agrarian structures and resource availabilities are put forward to account for the apparent economic duality in that continent. Comparison with surplus labour economies of Asia highlights the constraints posed by the prevailing agrarian structures...

  14. Patterns of Manufacturing Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Austin, G.; Frankema, E.H.P.; Jerven, M.

    2017-01-01

    This chapter reviews the ‘long twentieth-century’ development of ‘modern’ manufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa from colonization to the present. It argues that classifying Africa generically as a ‘late industrializer’ is inaccurate. To understand the distinctively African pattern of manufacturing

  15. Sub-specialization in plastic surgery in Sub-saharan Africa: capacities, gaps and opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Abdulrasheed

    2014-01-01

    The skill set of a plastic surgeon, which addresses a broad range of soft tissue conditions that are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, remains relevant in the unmet need for surgical care. Recently, there has being a major paradigm shift from discipline-based to disease-based care, resulting in an emerging component of patient-centered care; adequate access to subspecialty care in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Given the need for an evolution in sub-specialization, this article focuses on the benefits and future role of differentiation of plastic surgeons into sub-specialty training pathways in sub-Saharan Africa. PMID:25584125

  16. Current Status of Family Medicine Faculty Development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Paul R; Chege, Patrick; Dahlman, Bruce; Gibson, Christine; Evensen, Ann; Colon-Gonzalez, Maria C; Onguka, Stephanie; Lamptey, Roberta; Cayley, William E; Nguyen, Bich-May; Johnson, Brian; Getnet, Sawra; Hasnain, Memoona

    2017-03-01

    Reducing the shortage of primary care physicians in sub-Saharan Africa requires expansion of training programs in family medicine. Challenges remain in preparing, recruiting, and retaining faculty qualified to teach in these pioneering programs. Little is known about the unique faculty development needs of family medicine faculty within the sub-Saharan African context. The purpose of this study was to assess the current status and future needs for developing robust family medicine faculty in sub-Saharan Africa. The results are reported in two companion articles. A cross-sectional study design was used to conduct a qualitative needs assessment comprising 37 in-depth, semi-structured interviews of individual faculty trainers from postgraduate family medicine training programs in eight sub-Saharan African countries. Data were analyzed according to qualitative description. While faculty development opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa were identified, current faculty note many barriers to faculty development and limited participation in available programs. Faculty value teaching competency, but institutional structures do not provide adequate support. Sub-Saharan African family physicians and postgraduate trainee physicians value good teachers and recognize that clinical training alone does not provide all of the skills needed by educators. The current status of limited resources of institutions and individuals constrain faculty development efforts. Where faculty development opportunities do exist, they are too infrequent or otherwise inaccessible to provide trainers the necessary skills to help them succeed as educators.

  17. Trauma in sub-Saharan Africa: review of cost, estimation methods, and interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smigelsky, Melissa A; Aten, Jamie D; Gerberich, Stacy; Sanders, Mark; Post, Rachael; Hook, Kimberly; Ku, Angie; Boan, David M; Monroe, Phil

    2014-01-01

    Trauma is a widely acknowledged problem facing individuals and communities in developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa-a region that is home to some of the world's worst human rights violations, ethnic and civil conflicts, disease epidemics, and conditions of poverty-trauma is an all-too-common experience in citizens' daily lives. In order to address these conditions effectively, the impact of trauma must be understood. The authors reviewed recent literature on the cost and consequences of psychological trauma in sub-Saharan Africa to provide a substantive perspective on how trauma affects individuals, communities, and organizations and to inform the effort to determine a method for measuring the impact of trauma in sub-Saharan Africa and the efficacy of trauma interventions in the region. Several recommendations are offered to help broaden and deepen the current approaches to conceptualizing trauma, evaluating its cost, and intervening on behalf of those impacted by trauma in sub-Saharan Africa.

  18. Sub-Saharan Africa | IDRC - International Development Research ...

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

    In addition, sub-Saharan Africa suffers the most impact from the HIV ... Our work in Benin has resulted in agricultural improvements and stronger local leadership. ... has stimulated better agriculture, health care, and anti-poverty programs.

  19. Sub-Saharan Africa at a Glance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Social Education, 1997

    1997-01-01

    Presents a wealth of statistical, geographic, and economic information on Sub-Saharan Africa arranged and displayed for easy and immediate access. Lists all of the countries of the region along with pertinent information including religious affiliation, capital, Gross National Product, main exports, population growth, education, and literacy. (MJP)

  20. Cystic echinococcosis in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wahlers, Kerstin; Menezes, Colin N.; Wong, Michelle L.; Zeyhle, Eberhard; Ahmed, Mohammed E.; Ocaido, Michael; Stijnis, Cornelis; Romig, Thomas; Kern, Peter; Grobusch, Martin P.

    2012-01-01

    Cystic echinococcosis is regarded as endemic in sub-Saharan Africa; however, for most countries only scarce data, if any, exist. For most of the continent, information about burden of disease is not available; neither are data for the animal hosts involved in the lifecycle of the parasite, thus

  1. Key determinants of AIDS impact in Southern sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shandera, Wayne Xavier

    2007-11-01

    To investigate why Southern sub-Saharan Africa is more severely impacted by HIV and AIDS than other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, I conducted a review of the literature that assessed viral, host and transmission (societal) factors. This narrative review evaluates: 1) viral factors, in particular the aggregation of subtype-C HIV infections in Southern sub-Saharan Africa; 2) host factors, including unique behaviour patterns, concomitant high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases, circumcision patterns, average age at first marriage and immunogenetic determinants; and, 3) transmission and societal factors, including levels of poverty, degrees of literacy, migrations of people, extent of political corruption, and the usage of contaminated injecting needles in community settings. HIV prevalence data and published indices on wealth, fertility, and governmental corruption were correlated using statistical software. The high prevalence of HIV in Southern sub-Saharan Africa is not explained by the unusual prevalence of subtype-C HIV infection. Many host factors contribute to HIV prevalence, including frequency of genital ulcerating sexually transmitted infections, absence of circumcision (compiled odds ratios suggest a protective effect of between 40% and 60% from circumcision), and immunogenetic loci, but no factor alone explains the high prevalence of HIV in the region. Among transmission and societal factors, the wealthiest, most literate and most educated, but also the most income-disparate, nations of sub-Saharan Africa show the highest HIV prevalence. HIV prevalence is also highest within societies experiencing significant migration and conflict as well as in those with government systems experiencing a high degree of corruption. The interactions between poverty and HIV transmission are complex. Epidemiologic studies currently do not suggest a strong role for the community usage of contaminated injecting needles. Areas meriting additional study include clade type

  2. Quality Assurance in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Materu, Peter; Righetti, Petra

    2010-01-01

    This article assesses the status and practice of higher education quality assurance in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on degree-granting tertiary institutions. A main finding is that structured national-level quality assurance processes in African higher education are a very recent phenomenon and that most countries face major capacity constraints.…

  3. External financial aid to blood transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ala, Fereydoun; Allain, Jean-Pierre; Bates, Imelda

    2012-01-01

    Jean-Pierre Allain and colleagues argue that, while unintended, the foreign aid provided for blood transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in serious negative outcomes, which requires reflection and rethinking.......Jean-Pierre Allain and colleagues argue that, while unintended, the foreign aid provided for blood transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in serious negative outcomes, which requires reflection and rethinking....

  4. National Interests and Strategy: Sub-Saharan Africa

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Joel, Peter

    1996-01-01

    The end of the Cold War and dissolution of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact caused the United States and its allies to reevaluate its national interests and strategy in and toward the countries of sub-Saharan Africa...

  5. Determinants of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yakubu, Ibrahim; Salisu, Waliu Jawula

    2018-01-27

    Adolescent pregnancy has been persistently high in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this review is to identify factors influencing adolescent pregnancies in sub-Saharan Africa in order to design appropriate intervention program. A search in MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of science, and Google Scholar databases with the following keywords: determinants, factors, reasons, sociocultural factors, adolescent pregnancy, unintended pregnancies, and sub- Saharan Africa. Qualitative and cross-sectional studies intended to assess factors influencing adolescent pregnancies as the primary outcome variable in sub- Saharan Africa were included. Our search was limited to, articles published from the year 2000 to 2017 in English. Twenty-four (24) original articles met the inclusion criteria. The study identified Sociocultural, environmental and Economic factors (Peer influence, unwanted sexual advances from adult males, coercive sexual relations, unequal gender power relations, poverty, religion, early marriage, lack of parental counseling and guidance, parental neglect, absence of affordable or free education, lack of comprehensive sexuality education, non-use of contraceptives, male's responsibility to buy condoms, early sexual debut and inappropriate forms of recreation). Individual factors (excessive use of alcohol, substance abuse, educational status, low self-esteem, and inability to resist sexual temptation, curiosity, and cell phone usage). Health service-related factors (cost of contraceptives, Inadequate and unskilled health workers, long waiting time and lack of privacy at clinics, lack of comprehensive sexuality education, misconceptions about contraceptives, and non-friendly adolescent reproductive services,) as influencing adolescent pregnancies in Sub-Saharan Africa CONCLUSION: High levels of adolescent pregnancies in Sub-Saharan Africa is attributable to multiple factors. Our study, however, categorized these factors into three major themes; sociocultural and economic

  6. Natural Resources, Oil and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Janda, Karel; Quarshie, Gregory

    2017-01-01

    This paper takes a critical look at the natural resource curse in countries in sub-Saharan Africa and it highlights the role of institutionalised authority. The paper first provides a comprehensive literature review of natural resource curse, Dutch disease and the role of oil resources in resource curse. This is follow by the description of the relevant economic factors in sub-Saharan Africa, which is taken as prime example of the region with both important oil and other natural resources and...

  7. Determinants of Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nekky Umera

    sub-region one of the poorest in the world with 46.4 percent of its people living on ... variables on the level of poverty as observed in Sub-Saharan Africa, using a ... Studies by UNDP also advocate the use of Human Development Index (HDI) and .... Gdisi = gender discrimination proxy by low women status relative to men.

  8. Selected aspects of GDP value and structure development in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luboš Smutka

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Africa belongs to the poorest regions of the world. This statement may be applied especially to its sub-Saharan part. The paper analyses some basic structural characteristics related to the economic development of sub-Saharan region. The article reveals existing differences between countries and regions of sub-Saharan Africa and analyses key problems which influence economic development of individual states. An emphasis is placed on analysing an unsuitable GDP structure and on external economic relations which affect this structure. Results of an investigation show that the GDP of sub-Saharan countries is to a large extend generated by the primary sector of their economies, which is dominant in the total GDP value and its position is continuously strengthening due to a high dynamics of its growth. Having regard to the external environment, there can be stated that the foreign trade has contributed to the GDP growth of the whole region only to a limited degree (this does not apply to all countries seen as individuals. The integration process in sub-Saharan Africa may be characterized as questionable. Many integration groupings are operating in the region, but their influence on economic growth is limited due a low potential for mutual cooperation based on specialisation and use of comparative advantages. The economies of sub-Saharan countries are very sensitive to changes in their external economic environment. In this regard, there is important to highlight the very strong sensitivity of the GDP in the sub-Saharan region in relation to the World GDP (mainly to European and US GDP because both regions belong to the most important trading partners of Africa as a whole.

  9. 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.

  10. people who inject drugs, HIV risk, and HIV testing uptake in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asher, Alice K; Hahn, Judith A; Couture, Marie-Claude; Maher, Kelsey; Page, Kimberly

    2013-01-01

    Dramatic rises in injection drug use (IDU) in sub-Saharan Africa account for increasingly more infections in a region already overwhelmed by the HIV epidemic. There is no known estimate of the number of people who inject drugs (PWID) in the region, or the associated HIV prevalence in PWID. We reviewed literature with the goal of describing high-risk practices and exposures in PWID in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as current HIV prevention activities aimed at drug use. The literature search looked for articles related to HIV risk, injection drug users, stigma, and HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa. This review found evidence demonstrating high rates of HIV in IDU populations in sub-Saharan Africa, high-risk behaviors of the populations, lack of knowledge regarding HIV, and low HIV testing uptake. There is an urgent need for action to address IDU in order to maintain recent decreases in the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2013 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Sub-Saharan Africa and the Paperless Society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olden, Anthony

    1987-01-01

    Considers the relevance for sub-Saharan Africa of electronic information systems in terms of the segments of the population that would benefit from such services, as opposed to a broader library role of advancing literacy to the general population. (Author/CLB)

  12. Epidemiology and treatment of relative anemia in children with sickle cell disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bello-Manga, Halima; DeBaun, Michael R; Kassim, Adetola A

    2016-11-01

    Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited hemoglobinopathy in the world, with the majority of cases in sub-Saharan Africa. Concomitant nutritional deficiencies, infections or exposure to environmental toxins exacerbate chronic anemia in children with SCD. The resulting relative anemia is associated with increased risk of strokes, poor cognitive function and impaired growth. It may also attenuate optimal response to hydroxyurea therapy, the only effective and practical treatment option for SCD in sub-Saharan Africa. This review will focus on the epidemiology, clinical sequelae, and treatment of relative anemia in children with SCD living in low and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Areas covered: The causes and treatment of relative anemia in children with SCD in sub-Saharan Africa. The MEDLINE database was searched using medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords for articles regarding relative anemia in children with SCD in sub-Saharan Africa. Expert commentary: Anemia due to nutritional deficiencies and infectious diseases such as helminthiasis and malaria are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Their co-existence in children with SCD increases morbidity and mortality. Therefore, preventing, diagnosing and treating the underlying cause of this relative anemia will improve SCD-related outcomes in children in sub-Saharan Africa.

  13. Population growth and food supply in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meerman, J; Cochrane, S H

    1982-09-01

    It is argued in this article that sub-Saharan Africa, given its present institutions and endowments of capital and technology, is already dangerously close to overpopulation. The rapid growth of its population projected for the next decades will greatly increase human misery and depress economic development. Specifically, rapid population growth will have disastrous effects on the region's ability to increase exports and provide people with food. There must be a search for new ways in which these effects could be mitigated. In sub-Saharan Africa fertility either continues to be very high or is increasing, in part due to some decline in traditional practices that reduce fertility, such as prolonged breastfeeding. This situation and the expectation of declining mortality imply that African population growth may increase further. Currently, population in sub-Saharan Africa is about half that of India and a third of China. There are 2 main reasons why reduced fertility in the next few decades is unlikely in sub-Saharan Africa as a whole: Africa has low literacy, high infant and child mortality, and low urbanization; and average African fertility rates may even increase for the next 20 years or so. The question that arises is what are the implications of continuing and rapid population growth for the African food supply. The region's cereal production is largely restricted to 4 grains, i.e., millet, sorghum, maize, and rice. The volume of grain production is less, by weight, than 60% of the production of roots and tubers. There are 2 main differences between the output of these crops in sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world: yields/hectare are lower in Africa than in elsewhere; and yields have generally been decreasing or largely constant in Africa. The low productivity has several causes. Today, population pressure has brought diminishing returns to traditional agriculture in much of the Sahel and the savanna, in parts of East Africa, Southern Africa, and parts

  14. 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.

  15. Health disparities in liver disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spearman, C Wendy; Sonderup, Mark W

    2015-09-01

    Disparities in health reflect the differences in the incidence, prevalence, burden of disease and access to care determined by socio-economic and environmental factors. With liver disease, these disparities are exacerbated by a combination of limited awareness and preventable causes of morbidity and mortality in addition to the diagnostic and management costs. Sub-Saharan Africa, comprising 11% of the world's population, disproportionately has 24% of the global disease burden, yet allocates health. It has 3% of the global healthcare workforce with a mean of 0.8 healthcare workers per 1000 population. Barriers to healthcare access are many and compounded by limited civil registration data, socio-economic inequalities, discrepancies in private and public healthcare services and geopolitical strife. The UN 2014 report on the Millennium Development Goals suggest that sub-Saharan Africa will probably not meet several goals, however with HIV/AIDS and Malaria (goal 6), many successes have been achieved. A 2010 Global Burden of Disease study demonstrated that cirrhosis mortality in sub-Saharan Africa doubled between 1980 and 2010. Aetiologies included hepatitis B (34%), hepatitis C (17%), alcohol (18%) and unknown in 31%. Hepatitis B, C and alcohol accounted for 47, 23 and 20% of hepatocellular carcinoma respectively. In 10%, the underlying aetiology was not known. Liver disease reflects the broader disparities in healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa. However, many of these challenges are not insurmountable as vaccines and new therapies could comprehensively deal with the burden of viral hepatitis. Access to and affordability of therapeutics remains the major barrier. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Increasing sustainable cataract services in sub-Saharan Africa: an experimental initiative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sasipriya M Karumanchi

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available To begin to meet the need for cataract surgery in sub-Saharan Africa, the cataract surgical rate (CSR should be at least 2,000 to 3,000; i.e. there should be 2,000-3,000 cataract operations per million population, per year. The current levels are below 1,000 (and often much lower. Sub-Saharan Africa poses a unique set of challenges: low population density; inadequate transportation systems that inhibit access; big differences in wealth; and a shortage of eye care resources (which are usually concentrated in larger cities. Additional issues relate to productivity, the supply chain and the quality of outcomes, all of which contribute to the low cataract surgical rates. It is in this context that the Hilton Foundation sought to enhance cataract surgical services in sub-Saharan Africa, through the Hilton Cataract Initiative.

  17. CDM in sub-Saharan Africa and the prospects of the Nairobi Framework Initiative

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Byigero, Alfred D.; Clancy, Joy S.; Skutsch, Margaret

    2010-01-01

    To what extent can capacity-building activities under the Nairobi Framework (NF) Initiative overcome barriers to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in sub-Saharan Africa and, in particular, the East African region? The level of CDM penetration into sub-Saharan Africa is compared with CDM market

  18. Nursing education challenges and solutions in Sub Saharan Africa: an integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bvumbwe, Thokozani; Mtshali, Ntombifikile

    2018-01-01

    The Lancet Commission and the Global Health Workforce Alliance reported that professional education has generally not kept up the pace of health care challenges. Sub Saharan Africa needs an effective and efficient nursing education system to build an adequate, competent and relevant nursing workforce necessary for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. The Plan of Action for Scaling up Quality Nursing and Midwifery Education and Practice for the African Region 2012 - 2022 provided a framework for scale up of nurses and midwives. This integrative review examined literature on nursing education challenges and solutions in Sub Saharan Africa to inform development of a model for improving the quality, quantity and relevance of nursing education at local level. A search of PubMed, Medline on EBCSOhost and Google Scholar was conducted using key words: nursing education, challenges, solutions and/ or Africa. Published works from 2012 to 2016 were reviewed to explore reports about challenges and solution in nursing education in Sub Saharan Africa. Full texts of relevant studies were retrieved after reading the tittles and abstracts. Critical appraisal was undertaken and the findings of the relevant studies were analysed using thematic analysis. Twenty articles and five grey sources were included. Findings of the review generally supports World Health Organisation framework for transformative and scale up of health professions education. Six themes emerged; curriculum reforms, profession regulation, transformative teaching strategies, collaboration and partnership, capacity building and infrastructure and resources. Challenges and solutions in nursing education are common within countries. The review shows that massive investment by development partners is resulting in positive development of nursing education in Sub Saharan Africa. However, strategic leadership, networking and partnership to share expertise and best practices are critical. Sub Saharan Africa

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  20. Healthcare-associated infections in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothe, C; Schlaich, C; Thompson, S

    2013-12-01

    Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are the most frequent adverse consequences of healthcare worldwide, threatening the health of both patients and healthcare workers (HCWs). The impact of HCAI is particularly felt in resource-poor countries, with an already overstretched health workforce and a high burden of community-acquired infection. To provide an overview of the current situation in sub-Saharan Africa with regards to the spectrum of HCAI, antimicrobial resistance, occupational exposure and infection prevention. We reviewed the literature published between 1995 and 2013 and from other sources such as national and international agencies. Sparse data suggest that HCAIs are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, with surgical site being the dominant focus of infection. Nosocomial transmission of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is a considerable concern, as is the prevalence of meticillin-resistant S. aureus and resistant Enterobacteriaceae. In HCWs, vaccination rates against vaccine-preventable occupational hazards are low, as is reporting and subsequent human immunodeficiency virus-testing after occupational exposure. HCWs have an increased risk of tuberculosis relative to the general population. Compliance with hand hygiene is highly variable within the region. Injection safety in immunization programmes has improved over the past decade, mainly due to the introduction of autodestruct syringes. Despite the scarcity of data, the burden of HCAI in sub-Saharan Africa appears to be high. There is evidence of some improvement in infection prevention and control, though widespread surveillance data are lacking. Overall, measures of infection prevention and occupational safety are scarce. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. All rights reserved.

  1. Hepatitis C in sub-Saharan Africa: the current status and recommendations for achieving elimination by 2030.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonderup, Mark W; Afihene, Mary; Ally, Reidwaan; Apica, Betty; Awuku, Yaw; Cunha, Lina; Dusheiko, Geoffrey; Gogela, Neliswa; Lohouès-Kouacou, Marie-Jeanne; Lam, Phillip; Lesi, Olufunmilayo; Mbaye, Papa Saliou; Musabeyezu, Emmanuel; Musau, Betty; Ojo, Olesegun; Rwegasha, John; Scholz, Barbara; Shewaye, Abate B; Tzeuton, Christian; Kassianides, Chris; Spearman, C Wendy

    2017-12-01

    In 2016, WHO adopted a strategy for the elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030. Africa, and more specifically, sub-Saharan Africa, carries a substantial portion of the global burden of viral hepatitis, especially chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections. The task that lies ahead for sub-Saharan Africa to achieve elimination is substantial, but not insurmountable. Major developments in the management of hepatitis C have put elimination within reach, but several difficulties will need to be navigated on the path to elimination. Many of the challenges faced are unique to sub-Saharan Africa and the development of strategies is complicated by a scarcity of good data from countries and regions within sub-Saharan Africa. However, this hindrance should not act as a barrier to delay interventions in screening, detection, and linkage to care. Moreover, by sharing experiences from across sub-Saharan Africa, countries can create supranational synergies to develop their programmes and work together in a more cohesive manner to tackle the burden of hepatitis C in sub-Saharan Africa. In this Series paper, several issues related to hepatitis C in sub-Saharan Africa are addressed, including prevalence, risk factors, and fibrosis assessment, and recommendations are given by experts from across the region. Simplified diagnostic algorithms and treatment regimens for both HIV co-infected and hepatitis C mono-infected patients are suggested. The recommendations are consensus based and provided to guide the development of programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. Political will and appropriate funding will be required to provide impetus to implement these recommendations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Climate change impacts in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Serdeczny, Olivia; Adams, Sophie; Baarsch, Florent; Coumou, Dim; Robinson, Alexander; Hare, William; Schaeffer, Michiel; Perrette, Mahé; Reinhardt, Julia

    2017-01-01

    The repercussions of climate change will be felt in various ways throughout both natural and human systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Climate change projections for this region point to a warming trend, particularly in the inland subtropics; frequent occurrence of extreme heat events; increasing

  3. Export and Innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Barasa, L.; Kinyanjui, B.; Knoben, Joris; Kimuyu, P.; Vermeulen, P.A.M.

    2016-01-01

    Our study seeks to examine the bi-directional relationship between innovation and exporting in four countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. We hypothesize that there is a positive relationship between innovation and subsequent exporting, and that this relationship is mediated by market creation. We also

  4. Sub-Saharan Africa: A Focused Strategy for U.S. Policy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Remington, Jeff; Henderson, Ron

    1998-01-01

    ... a challenge to the United States that appears almost insurmountable. Huge problems in Africa, especially Sub-Saharan Africa, can lead to huge threats to the national security of the United States...

  5. Traditional herbal medicine use among hypertensive patients in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liwa, Anthony C; Smart, Luke R; Frumkin, Amara; Epstein, Helen-Ann B; Fitzgerald, Daniel W; Peck, Robert N

    2014-06-01

    Hypertension is increasingly common in sub-Saharan Africa, and rates of hypertension control are low. Use of traditional herbal medicines (THM) is common among adults in sub-Saharan Africa and may affect hypertension therapy. We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, and Web of Knowledge in June 2013 to find studies about THM use among hypertensive patients living in sub-Saharan Africa. Two independent reviewers evaluated titles and abstracts. Qualifying references were reviewed in full text. Data were extracted using a standardized questionnaire. Four hundred and eighty-one references were retrieved, and four articles from two countries met criteria for inclusion. The prevalence of THM use was 25-65% (average 38.6%). THM was the most common type of complementary and alternative medicines used by patients (86.7-96.6%). Among THM users, 47.5% concomitantly used both allopathic medicine and THM. Increased age (psupernatural cause of hypertension (RR 2.11), and family history of hypertension (OR 1.78) were positively associated with THM use, while belief that hypertension is preventable was negatively associated with THM use (OR 0.57). More than one-third of adults with hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa use THM. Half of these patients use THM concurrently with allopathic medicine. Healthcare workers in sub-Saharan Africa must discuss THM use with their hypertensive patients. More research is urgently needed to define the impact of THM use on hypertension control and outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa.

  6. Private Enterprise-Led Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kuada, John Ernest

    Private Enterprise-Led Development in Sub-Saharan Africa provides a novel theoretical and conceptual model to guide research into Africa's economic development. It endorses the view that private enterprise-led growth will help reduce poverty since it strengthens individuals' capacity to care...

  7. Sub-Saharan Africa at the global education market: role of South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramil Ravilevich Asmyatullin

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This article is dedicated to the development of the higher education in Sub-Saharan countries, particularly to the topic of internationalization of education. Most African countries have underdeveloped education systems. The quality and availability of higher education is a formidable obstacle for economic and social development. There is a growing demand for higher education in the SSA, but national education systems can’t cope fully with it. Hence many students go abroad, mostly in other African countries. The article focuses on the position of South Africa in the global and regional education market. As it’s a regional leader in this field South Africa attracts more than a half of international students within the Sub-Saharan Africa. The main reasons why African students choose South Africa are geographic proximity, familiar culture, lack of wanted higher education programs in their countries. However, there are as well disadvantages like xenophobia and race discrimination. South Africa has become a leader in Africa in the field of higher education, but it plays still small part at a global scale.

  8. Globalization, Financial Depth, and Inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Hisako KAI; Shigeyuki HAMORI

    2009-01-01

    This paper examines the relationship between globalization, financial deepening, and inequality in sub-Saharan Africa between 1980 and 2002. We provide the first detailed econometric analysis in this regard covering the entire sub-Saharan African region; such an analysis has hardly been conducted owing to the lack of relevant data. We find that while globalization deteriorates inequality, its disequalizing effect depends on the level of development of the country. Further, this paper confirms...

  9. Context Matters – Rethinking the Resource Curse in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Matthias Basedau

    2005-01-01

    Natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa suffer from a bad reputation. Oil and diamonds, particularly, have been blamed for a number of Africa’s illnesses such as poverty, corruption, dictatorship and war. This paper outlines the different areas and transmission channels of how this so-called “resource curse” is said to materialize. By assessing empirical evidence on sub-Saharan Africa it concludes that the resource curse theory fails to sufficiently explain why and how several countries have ...

  10. Fostering Growth through Tourism in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Fernández Ruiz

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, the rate of growth of tourism in Sub-Saharan Africa has continued apace at almost twice the rate of the rest of the globe. In this paper we examine some economic consequences of this growth focusing our attention on two Sub-Saharan countries with important tourist sectors: Cape Verde and Gambia. We examine the factors driving the growth of tourism in these countries and those affecting whether or not this increase can help promote broader economic development and increase the overall welfare of the citizens of these two countries.

  11. The population crisis in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meerman, J; Cochrane, S H

    1982-01-01

    The authors argue that sub-Saharan Africa, given its present institutions and endowments of capital and technology, is already dangerously close to overpopulation. Specifically, they suggest that projected rapid population growth will have disastrous effects on the region's ability to increase exports and provide people with goods.

  12. An Overview of Sub-Saharan Africa Today.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brook, Diane L.

    1997-01-01

    Articulates many reasons to teach about Sub-Saharan Africa in social studies classes. Although the region will become increasingly important because of global interdependence, it suffers widespread misunderstanding concerning its history and culture. Discusses the region's need for economic development and the quest for political democracy. (MJP)

  13. Constraints to Agricultural Mechanization in Sub-Saharan Africa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Adeyinka Odunsi

    Key words: food, constraints, mechanization, Sub-Saharan Africa, food security. Introduction ... ensure all-year-round food production. Agricultural .... her citizens to travel to the United States to ... downsize in the intake of students into these.

  14. The Science Granting Councils Initiative in sub-Saharan Africa wins ...

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

    2017-12-18

    Dec 18, 2017 ... Science Diplomacy Awards recognize outstanding achievements in South Africa's ... SGCI was recognized for its work with 15 public funding agencies in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as several science and ... Knowledge.

  15. 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.

  16. Human papillomavirus prevalence among men in sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Tina Bech; Munk, Christian; Christensen, Jane

    2014-01-01

    among men in sub-Saharan Africa, which could contribute to the high rates of penile and cervical cancer in this part of the world. Implementation of the prophylactic HPV vaccines could potentially help prevent this large burden of HPV and HPV-associated disease in sub-Saharan Africa. CLINICALTRIALS...... was 78.2% (95% CI 54.2 to 91.6) among HIV-positive and 49.4% (95% CI 30.4 to 68.6) among HIV-negative men (p=0.0632). When restricting the analyses to PCR-based studies, the pooled prevalence of any HPV was 84.5% (95% CI 74.2 to 91.2) among HIV-positive and 56.4% (95% CI 49.7 to 62.9) among HIV...

  17. Religion and politics in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ellis, S.D.K.; Haar, Gerrie ter

    1998-01-01

    In the considerable number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa in which political institutions have largely broken down, religious discourse can be seen as an attempted remedy by means of a reordering of power. The numerous popular texts on witchcraft and other perceived forms of evil reflect the

  18. Adult mortality in sub-saharan Africa, Zambia: Where do adults die?

    OpenAIRE

    Chisumpa, Vesper H.; Odimegwu, Clifford O.; De Wet, Nicole

    2017-01-01

    Place of death remains an issue of growing interest and debate among scholars as an indicator of quality of end-of-life care in developed countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, variations in place of death may suggest inequalities in access to and the utilization of health care services that should be addressed by public health interventions. Limited research exists on factors associated with place of death in sub-Saharan Africa. The study examines factors associated with the place of dea...

  19. Electoral Institutions and Electoral Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Fjelde, Hanne; Höglund, Kristine

    2016-01-01

    Political violence remains a pervasive feature of electoral dynamics in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, even where multiparty elections have become the dominant mode of regulating access to political power. With cross-national data on electoral violence in Sub-Saharan African elections between 1990 and 2010, this article develops and tests a theory that links the use of violent electoral tactics to the high stakes put in place by majoritarian electoral institutions. It is found that ele...

  20. Angola - an Oil Dependant Country in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baumgartner Boris

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The Sub-Saharan Africa belongs to the most underdeveloped regions in the world economy. This region consists of forty nine countries but it’s world GDP share is only a small percentage. There are some very resource rich countries in this region. One of them is Angola. This former Portuguese colony has one of the largest inventories of oil among all African countries. Angola recorded one of the highest growth of GDP between 2004-2008 from all countries in the world economy and nowadays is the third biggest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria and South Africa. The essential problem of Angola is the one-way oriented economy on oil and general on natural resources. Angola will be forced to change their one-way oriented economy to be more diversified and competitive in the future.

  1. Long-term effects of HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa: from access to quality

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boender, T.S.

    2016-01-01

    As HIV treatment programs in sub-Saharan Africa mature, there are rising concerns about the long-term sustainability and quality of these programs. Increasing levels of HIV drug resistance have been measured in sub-Saharan Africa, and could jeopardize long-term treatment success. This thesis

  2. A Positive Path for Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: Options and Challenges

    OpenAIRE

    Rosen, Stacey L.; Shapouri, Shahla

    2010-01-01

    African Governments and international donors are focused on improving the region’s ability to grow food to mitigate projected long-term deterioration in food security. An ERS study shows that improving grain yields is the key to reducing food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Investment and technology adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa will be a challenge.

  3. The effects of the financial crisis on Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franklin Allen

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyses the channels through which the economic and financial crisis of 2008–2009 was transmitted to Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on countries in situation of fragility. Trade stands out as the main direct channel, even though intra-Africa remittances play a relevant role, given that most migrants in Sub-Saharan Africa cannot afford the cost of migrating to Europe or to the United States and stay close, remaining in the continent. Whether reduced aid flows also act as a crisis transmission channel remains an open question, even though preliminary estimates suggest that, at least in the medium run, OECD countries are likely to lower aid, with potentially very damaging effects. The paper also shows that many African countries in a situation of fragility are characterised by very low resilience and capacity to cope with shocks. It concludes, by highlighting how Sub-Saharan Africa (fragile countries’ policymakers’ room for manoeuver is limited in periods of crisis because of low fiscal space and limited institutional capacity. It advocates that the right response to the crisis would be to mobilise domestic resources, although this will require functional institutions able to offset the potential trade-offs between adverse short-term shocks and a long-term perspective.

  4. The Nutrition Challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Jessica Fanzo

    2012-01-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa is home to some of the most nutritionally insecure people in the world. Poor infrastructure and limited resources compounded with conflict, HIV, and poor access to health services are factors that contribute to the staggering levels of malnutrition and food insecurity on the continent. Despite these enormous challenges, some countries in Africa are making progress towards food and nutrition security and there has never been a better time to work towards improved human devel...

  5. Prices of second-line antiretroviral treatment for middle-income countries inside versus outside sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, Bryony; Hill, Andrew; Ford, Nathan; Ruxrungtham, Kiat; Ananworanich, Jintanat

    2014-01-01

    Antiretrovirals are available at low prices in sub-Saharan Africa, but these prices may not be consistently available for middle-income countries in other regions with large HIV epidemics. Over 30% of HIV infected people live in countries outside sub-Saharan Africa. Several key antiretrovirals are still on patent, with generic production restricted. We assessed price variations for key antiretroviral drugs inside versus outside sub-Saharan Africa. HIV drug prices used in national programmes (2010-2014) were extracted from the WHO Global Price Reporting Mechanism database for all reporting middle-income countries as classified by the World Bank. Treatment costs (branded and generic) were compared for countries inside sub-Saharan Africa versus those outside. Five key second-line antiretrovirals were analysed: abacavir, atazanavir, darunavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, raltegravir. Prices of branded antiretrovirals were significantly higher outside sub-Saharan Africa (psub-Saharan Africa versus $4689 (IQR $4075-5717) in non-African middle-income countries, an increase of 541%. However, when supplied by generic companies, most antiretrovirals were similarly priced between countries in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions. Pharmaceutical companies are selling antiretrovirals to non-African middle-income countries at prices 74-541% higher than African countries with similar gross national incomes. However, generic companies are selling most of these drugs at similar prices across regions. Mechanisms to ensure fair pricing for patented antiretrovirals across both African and non-African middle-income countries need to be improved, to ensure sustainable treatment access.

  6. 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.

  7. 78 FR 24744 - Postponement Notice of Open Special Meeting of the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee of the...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-26

    ... EXPORT-IMPORT BANK Postponement Notice of Open Special Meeting of the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) SUMMARY: The Sub-Saharan Africa... of the Bank's financial commitments in Sub- Saharan Africa under the loan, guarantee, and insurance...

  8. Harnessing Open Educational Resources to the Challenges of Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakrar, Jayshree; Zinn, Denise; Wolfenden, Freda

    2009-01-01

    The challenges to teacher educators in sub-Saharan Africa are acute. This paper describes how the Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) consortium is working within institutional and national policy systems to support school-based teacher professional development. The TESSA consortium (13 African institutions and 5 international…

  9. The International Connections of Religious Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Rationales and Implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karram, Grace

    2011-01-01

    Over the past decade, the largest growth in Sub-Saharan Africa's private higher education has been among institutions with religious affiliations. This article examines the rise of private, religious higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa with international affiliations. Using an analysis of multiple stakeholders from the region and international…

  10. Boys are not exempt: Sexual exploitation of adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adjei, Jones K; Saewyc, Elizabeth M

    2017-03-01

    Research on youth sexual exploitation in Africa has largely neglected the experiences of exploited boys. To date, much of the research in sub-Saharan Africa continues to consider boys mainly as exploiters but not as exploited. Using the only publicly available population-based surveys from the National Survey of Adolescents, conducted in four sub-Saharan African countries - Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda-we assessed factors associated with transactional sexual behaviour among never-married adolescent boys and girls. We also examined whether boys' reported sexual exploitation was linked to similar risky sexual behaviours as has been noted among girls in sub-Saharan Africa. Results from our analyses indicated that even though adolescent girls have a somewhat higher likelihood of reporting sexual abuse and exploitation, the odds of trading sex were significantly elevated for previously traumatized boys (that is those with a history of sexual and physical abuse) but not for their female counterparts. Just like adolescent girls, transactional sexual behaviour was associated with the risk of having concurrent multiple sexual partners for boys. These findings support the reality of boys' sexual exploitation within the African context, and further highlight the importance of including males in general and boys in particular in population-based studies on sexual health, risk, and protective factors in the sub-Saharan African region. Understanding the factors linked to sexual exploitation for both boys and girls will help in developing policies and programs that could improve the overall sexual and reproductive health outcomes among adolescents and youth in sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Leptospirosis in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vries, Sophia G.; Visser, Benjamin J.; Nagel, Ingeborg M.; Goris, Marga G. A.; Hartskeerl, Rudy A.; Grobusch, Martin P.

    2014-01-01

    Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonotic infection worldwide, possibly due to climate change and demographic shifts. It is regarded as endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa; however, for most countries scarce epidemiological data, if any, exist. The primary objectives were to describe the prevalence of

  12. The Tourism–Development Nexus in sub-Saharan Africa: Progress ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The Tourism–Development Nexus in sub-Saharan Africa: Progress and Prospects. ... discussed concerning the impacts of differentiated kinds of tourism: tourism and ... finally, questions around tourism, climate change and the green economy.

  13. Primary care in the prevention, treatment and control of cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojji, Dike B; Ojji, Dike B Ojji; Lamont, Kim; Sliwa, Karen; Ojji, Olubunmi I; Egenti, Bibiana Nonye; Sliwa, Karen

    2017-01-01

    Summary Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the frontrunner in the disease spectrum of sub-Saharan Africa, with stroke and ischaemic heart disease ranked seventh and 14th as leading causes of death, respectively, on this sub-continent. Unfortunately, this region is also grappling with many communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional disorders. Limited resources and the high cost of CVD treatment necessitate that primary prevention should have a high priority for CVD control in sub- Saharan Africa. One major challenge of such an approach is how to equip primary care to respond promptly and effectively to this burden. We present a practical approach on how primary care in sub-Saharan Africa could effectively address the prevention, treatment and control of CVD on the subcontinent. For effective prevention, control and treatment of CVD in sub-Saharan Africa, there should be strategic plans to equip primary care clinics with well-trained allied healthcare workers who are supervised by physicians. PMID:28752890

  14. IPPs in Sub-Saharan Africa: Determinants of success

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eberhard, Anton; Gratwick, Katharine Nawaal

    2011-01-01

    This study analyses the outcomes of independent power projects (IPPs) across Sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 20 such projects have taken root to date, concentrated mainly in 8 countries. A suite of country level and project level factors play a critical role in determining project success, chief among them: the manner in which planning, procurement and contracting are coherently linked, the role of development finance institutions along with the development origins of firms and credit enhancements. - Highlights: → We analyse the outcomes of independent power projects (IPPs) across Sub-Saharan Africa. → Approximately 20 IPPs have taken root to date, concentrated mainly in 8 countries. → A suite of country level and project level factors play a critical role in determining project success. → Key success factors are the coherence of planning, procurement and contracting. → Also important is the role of DFIs, the development origins of firms, and credit enhancements.

  15. Maternal obesity and Caesarean delivery in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cresswell, Jenny A; Campbell, Oona M R; De Silva, Mary J; Slaymaker, Emma; Filippi, Veronique

    2016-07-01

    To quantify maternal obesity as a risk factor for Caesarean delivery in sub-Saharan Africa. Multivariable logistic regression analysis using 31 nationally representative cross-sectional data sets from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). Maternal obesity was a risk factor for Caesarean delivery in sub-Saharan Africa; a clear dose-response relationship (where the magnitude of the association increased with increasing BMI) was observable. Compared to women of optimal weight, overweight women (BMI 25-29 kg/m(2) ) were significantly more likely to deliver by Caesarean (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.33, 1.78), as were obese women (30-34.9 kg/m(2) (OR: 2.39; 95%CI: 1.96-2.90); 35-39.9 kg/m(2) (OR: 2.47 95%CI: 1.78-3.43)) and morbidly obese women (BMI ≥40 kg/m(2) OR: 3.85; 95% CI: 2.46-6.00). BMI is projected to rise substantially in sub-Saharan Africa over the next few decades and demand for Caesarean sections already exceeds available capacity. Overweight women should be advised to lose weight prior to pregnancy. Furthermore, culturally appropriate prevention strategies to discourage further population-level rises in BMI need to be designed and implemented. © 2016 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. A National Security Strategy of Cooperative Engagement for Sub-Saharan Africa

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Gunzinger, Mark A; Thomas, David L

    1996-01-01

    Extending from the urban centers of South Africa to the lesser-developed regions of the arid Sahel, Sub-Saharan Africa spans the post-Cold War spectrum of political, economic, and military challenges...

  17. The Changing Political Undercurrents in Health Services Delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichoku, H E; Ifelunini, A I

    2017-07-01

    This article reviews the changing political undercurrent in health service delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa, chronicling the ideological shift in orientation toward neoliberalism in the health sector, an ideology crafted and introduced into Sub-Saharan Africa by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The article examines the implication of this neoliberal reform on the efficiency in health care provision and on the quality and accessibility of health services by the poor and vulnerable. Drawing inference from countries like Nigeria, the authors argue that the ascendency of neoliberalism in the health systems of Sub-Saharan Africa has engendered unethical practices and introduced elements of moral hazard in the health sector, reducing the incentive for governments to develop effective service delivery over the long term. The authors therefore advocate for a rejection of neoliberal ideology in favor of a universal coverage principle if an inclusive health system is to be developed.

  18. HIV Infection and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa: Current Status, Challenges and Opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharsany, Ayesha B M; Karim, Quarraisha A

    2016-01-01

    Global trends in HIV infection demonstrate an overall increase in HIV prevalence and substantial declines in AIDS related deaths largely attributable to the survival benefits of antiretroviral treatment. Sub-Saharan Africa carries a disproportionate burden of HIV, accounting for more than 70% of the global burden of infection. Success in HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to impact on the global burden of HIV. Notwithstanding substantial progress in scaling up antiretroviral therapy (ART), sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 74% of the 1.5 million AIDS related deaths in 2013. Of the estimated 6000 new infections that occur globally each day, two out of three are in sub-Saharan Africa with young women continuing to bear a disproportionate burden. Adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 years have up to eight fold higher rates of HIV infection compared to their male peers. There remains a gap in women initiated HIV prevention technologies especially for women who are unable to negotiate the current HIV prevention options of abstinence, behavior change, condoms and medical male circumcision or early treatment initiation in their relationships. The possibility of an AIDS free generation cannot be realized unless we are able to prevent HIV infection in young women. This review will focus on the epidemiology of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa, key drivers of the continued high incidence, mortality rates and priorities for altering current epidemic trajectory in the region. Strategies for optimizing the use of existing and increasingly limited resources are included.

  19. HIV Infection and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa: Current Status, Challenges and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharsany, Ayesha B.M.; Karim, Quarraisha A.

    2016-01-01

    Global trends in HIV infection demonstrate an overall increase in HIV prevalence and substantial declines in AIDS related deaths largely attributable to the survival benefits of antiretroviral treatment. Sub-Saharan Africa carries a disproportionate burden of HIV, accounting for more than 70% of the global burden of infection. Success in HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to impact on the global burden of HIV. Notwithstanding substantial progress in scaling up antiretroviral therapy (ART), sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 74% of the 1.5 million AIDS related deaths in 2013. Of the estimated 6000 new infections that occur globally each day, two out of three are in sub-Saharan Africa with young women continuing to bear a disproportionate burden. Adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 years have up to eight fold higher rates of HIV infection compared to their male peers. There remains a gap in women initiated HIV prevention technologies especially for women who are unable to negotiate the current HIV prevention options of abstinence, behavior change, condoms and medical male circumcision or early treatment initiation in their relationships. The possibility of an AIDS free generation cannot be realized unless we are able to prevent HIV infection in young women. This review will focus on the epidemiology of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa, key drivers of the continued high incidence, mortality rates and priorities for altering current epidemic trajectory in the region. Strategies for optimizing the use of existing and increasingly limited resources are included. PMID:27347270

  20. Neonatal hypothermia in sub-Saharan Africa: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onalo, R

    2013-01-01

    Hypothermia is a major factor in neonatal morbidity and mortality in developing countries. High prevalence of hypothermia has been reported widely even from warmer tropical countries. In spite of the World Health Organization's recommendation of maintenance of warm chain in newborn care, hypothermia continues to be a common neonatal condition which has remained under-recognized, under-documented, and poorly-managed. This review aims at providing the incidence of and risk factors for neonatal hypothermia as well as provides a pathophysiological overview and management options for neonates with the condition in sub-Saharan Africa. All available published literature on neonatal hypothermia was searched electronically and manually. The principal electronic reference libraries and sites searched were PubMed, Embase, Ajol, Cochrane Reference Libraries and Google Scholar. The search terms used included 'neonatal hypothermia,' 'Cold stress in newborn' 'thermal care of the newborn,' 'neonatal thermogenesis,' 'neonatal cold injury,' among others. Pertinent books and monographs were accessed. Data in formats inaccessible to the reviewer were excluded. Neonatal hypothermia is a major condition of public health importance in countries of sub- Saharan Africa. Awareness of the burden of the disease is still low in some communities. Risk factors for neonatal hypothermia in the region include poverty, home delivery, low birthweight, early bathing of babies, delayed initiation of breastfeeding and inadequate knowledge among health workers. Low-tech facilities to prevent heat losses and provide warmth are available in sub-Saharan Africa and are thus recommended as well as continuous efforts at sensitizing caregivers on the thermal needs of newborns.

  1. Enduring Controversy: Small Reservoirs in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Venot, J.P.J.N.; Hirvonen, M.

    2013-01-01

    This article draws from the fields of anthropology of development and sociology of science to bring new light on the discourses and dynamics of agricultural water management in Sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, it investigates the persistence of a long-standing and apparently contradictory narrative

  2. Comparative Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Asongu, Simplice

    2017-01-01

    Motivated by sustainable development challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa, this study assesses the comparative persistence of environmental unsustainability in a sample of 44 countries in the sub-region for the period 2000 to 2012. The empirical evidence is based on Generalised Method of Moments. Of the six hypotheses tested, it is not feasible to assess the hypothesis on resource-wealth because of issues in degrees of freedom. As for the remaining hypotheses, the following findings are establis...

  3. Social determinants of tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismaila Adamu Saidu

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Ensuring an efficient and equitable delivery of quality assured diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB is the major drive of the TB control programme and the alternatives for incorporating preventative efforts have not yet been fully considered. The aim of the study was to examine the social determinants of TB transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. Four electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, and Web of Science were systematically searched to obtained relevant articles and critical appraisal skill programme tools were used to analyze data. Out 515 articles obtained from the electronic database search only 18 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the systematic review. The study shows that male sex, young age (25-34 years, low education, unemployment, low income, poverty, tobacco smoking, and alcohol abuse are the identified social determinants of tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, focus on social determinates of TB, adjunct to early diagnosis and successful treatment completion, can play a pivotal role in reducing the soaring levels to TB transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.

  4. Social determinants of tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismaila Adamu Saidu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Ensuring an efficient and equitable delivery of quality assured diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB is the major drive of the TB control programme and the alternatives for incorporating preventative efforts have not yet been fully considered. The aim of the study was to examine the social determinants of TB transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. Four electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, and Web of Science were systematically searched to obtained relevant articles and critical appraisal skill programme tools were used to analyze data. Out 515 articles obtained from the electronic database search only 18 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the systematic review. The study shows that male sex, young age (25-34 years, low education, unemployment, low income, poverty, tobacco smoking, and alcohol abuse are the identified social determinants of tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, focus on social determinates of TB, adjunct to early diagnosis and successful treatment completion, can play a pivotal role in reducing the soaring levels to TB transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.

  5. Consequences of Chinese Aid in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-12-01

    such as Angola, Sudan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria , and South Africa.83 Until 2005, Sudan was the top recipient of Chinese non- financial overseas...compared to standard reporting by the IMF and World Bank. This study dissects the market sector competition generated by China’s investment...corruption, and erode U.S. political relevance in sub-Saharan Africa. China has empowered private enterprises, which can monopolize African market sectors

  6. Effect of health development assistance on health status in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Negeri KG

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Keneni Gutema Negeri,1 Damen Halemariam,21School of Public and Environmental Health, Health Service Management Unit, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, 2College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Introduction: Data on the effect of health aid on the health status in developing countries are inconclusive. Moreover, studies on this issue in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effect of health development aid in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Using panel data analytic method, as well as infant mortality rate as a proxy for health status, this study examines the effect of health aid on infant mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa. The panel was constructed from data on 43 countries for the period 1990–2010. Fixed effect, random effect, and first difference generalized method of moments estimator were used for estimation. Results: Health development aid has a statistically significant positive effect. A 1% increase of health development assistance per capita saves the lives of two infants per 1,000 live births (P=0.000 in the region. Conclusion: Contrary to health aid pessimists’ view, this study observes the fact that health development assistance has strong favorable effect in improving health status in sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords: health aid, infant mortality, developing countries, panel data

  7. Industrialization in Sub-Saharan Africa and import substitution policy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Paula F. Mendes

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This article aims to contribute to the understanding of the process of import substitution in Sub-Saharan Africa. The process of industrialization in Sub-Saharan Africa occurred in two phases: a first step, even very early during the colonial regime began around the 1920s and ended in the late forties; a second phase of industrialization began in the late fifties and gained momentum in the sixties, when import substitution was implemented more widely. Although these countries were the last to embark on the strategy of import substitution, they followed the same steps of Latin American countries, and as the structural domestic and external constraints were too strong, the failure of the policy of import substitution arrived early and the negative impact on these economies had a greater magnitude.

  8. SME Adoption of Enterprise Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Adisa, Femi; Isabalija, Stephen R.

    This paper discusses the need for IS research with a focus on SME adoption of enterprise systems in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa. Previous IS research into general adoption in several developing countries have shown that local context play a significant role in the successful implementation...... of any information system. SMEs constitute a majority of all organizations in most Sub Saharan economies, thus their importance to the socioeconomic development and empowerment of the region cannot be overemphasized. However, the absence of literature and focused research into factors that influence...

  9. HIV and tuberculosis in prisons in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Telisinghe, Lilanganee; Charalambous, Salome; Topp, Stephanie M; Herce, Michael E; Hoffmann, Christopher J; Barron, Peter; Schouten, Erik J; Jahn, Andreas; Zachariah, Rony; Harries, Anthony D; Beyrer, Chris; Amon, Joseph J

    2016-09-17

    Given the dual epidemics of HIV and tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa and evidence suggesting a disproportionate burden of these diseases among detainees in the region, we aimed to investigate the epidemiology of HIV and tuberculosis in prison populations, describe services available and challenges to service delivery, and identify priority areas for programmatically relevant research in sub-Saharan African prisons. To this end, we reviewed literature on HIV and tuberculosis in sub-Saharan African prisons published between 2011 and 2015, and identified data from only 24 of the 49 countries in the region. Where data were available, they were frequently of poor quality and rarely nationally representative. Prevalence of HIV infection ranged from 2·3% to 34·9%, and of tuberculosis from 0·4 to 16·3%; detainees nearly always had a higher prevalence of both diseases than did the non-incarcerated population in the same country. We identified barriers to prevention, treatment, and care services in published work and through five case studies of prison health policies and services in Zambia, South Africa, Malawi, Nigeria, and Benin. These barriers included severe financial and human-resource limitations and fragmented referral systems that prevent continuity of care when detainees cycle into and out of prison, or move between prisons. These challenges are set against the backdrop of weak health and criminal-justice systems, high rates of pre-trial detention, and overcrowding. A few examples of promising practices exist, including routine voluntary testing for HIV and screening for tuberculosis upon entry to South African and the largest Zambian prisons, reforms to pre-trial detention in South Africa, integration of mental health services into a health package in selected Malawian prisons, and task sharing to include detainees in care provision through peer-educator programmes in Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa. However, substantial additional investments are

  10. 78 FR 26031 - Notice of Open Special Meeting of the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee of the Export-Import...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-03

    ... financial commitments in Sub- Saharan Africa under the loan, guarantee, and insurance programs of the Bank... EXPORT-IMPORT BANK Notice of Open Special Meeting of the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) SUMMARY: The Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory...

  11. Capabilities, innovation and entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kroesen, J.O.; Romijn, H.A.; Kroesen, J.O.

    2015-01-01

    This paper takes a capability approach to analyze the role of entrepreneurship in the socio-economic development of present-day sub-Saharan Africa. The paper zooms in on the nature of the capabilities that are built through the development of entrepreneurship; the key challenges to the development

  12. Capabilities, innovation and entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kroesen, J.O.; Romijn, H

    2015-01-01

    This paper takes a capability approach to analyze the role of entrepreneurship in the socio-economic development of present-day Sub Saharan Africa. The paper zooms in on the nature of the capabilities that are built through the development of entrepreneurship; the key challenges to the development

  13. Bibliography on Islam in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schrijver, P.

    2006-01-01

    This book has been nominated for the Conover-Porter Award 2008 - This bibliography on Islam in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa has been prepared as part of the African Studies Centre/Centre d'Etude d'Afrique Noire project entitled "Islam, the Disengagement of the State, and Globalization in

  14. Nutrition, health, and aging in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimokoti, Ruth W; Hamer, Davidson H

    2008-11-01

    The proportion of the population that is > or = 60 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is increasing rapidly and is likely to constrain healthcare systems in the future. Nevertheless, the elderly are not a health policy priority for African countries. This paper reviews the nutritional and health status of older adults in SSA and their determinants. Literature was abstracted through the Medline, Google Scholar, and Dogpile databases using the following search terms: sub-Saharan Africa, older adults, nutrition, health. Findings showed that up to half (6-48%) of elderly Africans in SSA are underweight and almost a quarter (2.5-21%) are overweight, while 56% of older South Africans are obese. Low-quality diets contribute to poor nutritional status. Poverty, HIV/AIDS, and complex humanitarian emergencies are major determinants of undernutrition. Effective interventions need to consider socioeconomic, health, and demographic factors; social pensions may be the most cost-effective option for improving the health and nutritional status of the elderly in SSA.

  15. Microwork and Virtual Production Networks in Sub-Saharan Africa ...

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

    Microwork and Virtual Production Networks in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia ... content posted to social media sites; -categorizing products in online shops; or, ... that have realized that entry-level workers can be efficient and effective.

  16. Not just minor wild edible forest products: consumption of pteridophytes in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maroyi, Alfred

    2014-12-22

    Gathering of wild edible plant resources by people in sub-Saharan Africa is discussed with reference to pteridophytes, which is an ancient plant group. Pteridophytes are crucial to food diversity and security in sub-Saharan Africa, although they are notably neglected as a result of inadequate research and agricultural development. Current research and agricultural development agenda still appear to focus on the popular and commonly used food crops, vegetables and fruits; ignoring minor and underutilized plant species such as pteridophytes which have shown significant potential as sources of macro and micro nutrients required to improve the diet of children and other vulnerable groups in sub-Saharan Africa. Documentation of edible pteridophytes is needed to reveal the importance of this plant group in the region and the associated indigenous knowledge about them; so that this knowledge can be preserved and utilized species used to combat dietary deficiencies as well as improve food security in the region. The aim of this study is to present an overview of food value of pteridophytes in sub-Saharan Africa using available literature and to highlight their potential in addressing dietary deficiencies in impoverished communities in the region. This study is based on review of the literature published in scientific journals, books, reports from national, regional and international organizations, theses, conference papers and other grey materials obtained from libraries and electronic search of Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science and Scopus. A total of 24 taxa belonging to 14 genera and 11 families are used in sub-Saharan Africa as fodder and human food. Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn is the most common edible pteridophyte in sub-Saharan Africa, used as human food in Angola, Cameroon, DRC, Gabon, Madagascar, Nigeria and South Africa, followed by Ophioglossum reticulatum L. (South Africa, Swaziland and Zanzibar), Ceratopteris thalictroides (L.) Brongn. (Madagascar and

  17. The 'Practical Approach to Lung Health' in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banda, H; Robinson, R; Thomson, R; Squire, S B; Mortimer, K

    2016-04-01

    There is a high burden of respiratory disease in sub-Saharan Africa. To address this problem, the World Health Organization launched the 'Practical approach to Lung Health' (PAL), i.e., locally applicable integrated syndromic algorithms, to improve primary care management of these diseases. To examine the evidence for the impact of PAL on the diagnosis and management of tuberculosis (TB) and other common respiratory problems in sub-Saharan Africa. A systematic review of MEDLINE (1998-2015), EMBASE (1998-2015) and CINAHL (1998-2015) was conducted to find trials evaluating PAL implementation in sub-Saharan Africa. Five studies were found, evaluating three PAL variations: PAL in South Africa (PALSA), PALSA with integrated human immunodeficiency virus treatment (PALSA PLUS) and PAL in Malawi using lay health workers (PALM/LHW). PALSA increased TB diagnosis (OR 1.72, 95%CI 1.04-2.85), as did PALSA PLUS (OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.01-1.55). Cure or completion rates in retreatment cases in PALSA and PALSA PLUS were significantly improved (OR 1.78, 95%CI 1.13-2.76). PALM/LHW, which examined TB treatment success, found no significant improvement (P = 0.578). The limited research performed shows that PAL can be effective in TB diagnosis and partial treatment success; however, more evidence is needed to assess its effects on other respiratory diseases, especially in wider sub-Saharan Africa.

  18. Economic Analysis of HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Nýdrle, Tomáš

    2009-01-01

    HIV/AIDS is a real threat for Sub-Saharan Countries. It increased adult mortality substantially. HIV/AIDS pandemic causes the death of the most productive part of affected population. Human capital passing on to future generations is limited. Low economic performance and income inequality induce higher HIV vulnerability. Contra wise HIV/AIDS has significant negative effect on the welfare of affected population. The sources of pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa are not only social and cultural. He...

  19. 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.

  20. Hepatitis B in sub-Saharan Africa: strategies to achieve the 2030 elimination targets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spearman, C Wendy; Afihene, Mary; Ally, Reidwaan; Apica, Betty; Awuku, Yaw; Cunha, Lina; Dusheiko, Geoffrey; Gogela, Neliswa; Kassianides, Chris; Kew, Michael; Lam, Philip; Lesi, Olufunmilayo; Lohouès-Kouacou, Marie-Jeanne; Mbaye, Papa Saliou; Musabeyezu, Emmanuel; Musau, Betty; Ojo, Olusegun; Rwegasha, John; Scholz, Barbara; Shewaye, Abate B; Tzeuton, Christian; Sonderup, Mark W

    2017-12-01

    The WHO global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis, created in May, 2016, aims to achieve a 90% reduction in new cases of chronic hepatitis B and C and a 65% reduction in mortality due to hepatitis B and C by 2030. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, and despite the introduction of universal hepatitis B vaccination and effective antiviral therapy, the estimated overall seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen remains high at 6·1% (95% uncertainty interval 4·6-8·5). In this Series paper, we have reviewed the literature to examine the epidemiology, burden of liver disease, and elimination strategies of hepatitis B in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper reflects a supranational perspective of sub-Saharan Africa, and recommends several priority elimination strategies that address the need both to prevent new infections and to diagnose and treat chronic infections. The key to achieving these elimination goals in sub-Saharan Africa is the effective prevention of new infections via universal implementation of the HBV birth-dose vaccine, full vaccine coverage, access to affordable diagnostics to identify HBV-infected individuals, and to enable linkage to care and antiviral therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Biofuel Development Initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick T. Sekoai

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, biofuels have emerged as a suitable alternative to hydrocarbon fuel due to their foreseen potential of being a future energy resource. Biofuel development initiatives have been successfully implemented in countries like Brazil, United States of America, European Union, Canada, Australia, and Japan. However, such programmes have been stagnant in Africa due to various constraints, such as financial barriers, technical expertise, land availability, and government policies. Nonetheless, some countries within the continent have realized the potential of biofuels and have started to introduce similar programmes and initiatives for their development. These include the bioethanol production initiatives and the plantation of jatropha oil seeds in most Sub-Saharan African countries for biodiesel production. Therefore, this paper examines the biofuel development initiatives that have been implemented in several countries across Sub-Saharan Africa over the past few years. It also discusses the opportunities and challenges of having biofuel industries in the continent. Finally, it proposes some recommendations that could be applied to accelerate their development in these Sub-Saharan African countries.

  2. Education and Primitive Accumulation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emoungu, Paul-Albert N.

    1992-01-01

    The 1988 World Bank report on education in sub-Saharan Africa overstates the regional "crisis" in educational quality and recommends unrealistic strategies, ignoring the fact that basic human needs such as education are unmet because political elites corruptly privatize much of the wealth generated by their nations' economies. (SV)

  3. Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa ...

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

    This initiative seeks to strengthen the capacities of science granting councils in East Africa and other selected sub-Saharan African countries. The goal is to contribute to economic and social development in the region through research and evidence-based policies. About the science granting councils initiative The Science ...

  4. Plantation Forestry in Sub Saharan Africa: Silvicultural, Ecological ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper discusses the potentials of meeting the wood demand and achieving SFM in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through the establishment of forest plantations. The paper reviews forest plantation ownership and distribution patterns in SSA and the factors –silvicultural, ecological, and economic that affect supply and ...

  5. Empowering Youth for Sub-Saharan Africa's Development | Betchoo ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This report identifies the strategic factors that should propel the African youth to benefit from the opportunities that lie ahead, in particular, economic growth, ... In addition, better focus on information and communications technology could bridge the digital divide between sub-Saharan Africa and the West while making the ...

  6. Bibliography on Islam in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schrijver, P.

    2006-01-01

    This book has been nominated for the Conover-Porter Award 2008 - This bibliography on Islam in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa has been prepared as part of the African Studies Centre/Centre d'Étude d'Afrique Noire project entitled "Islam, the Disengagement of the State, and Globalization in

  7. Implementing focussed antenatal care in sub-Saharan Africa: an ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A SWOT Analysis framework was used to assess the situational analysis of antenatal care programmes in sub-Saharan Africa while the Walt and Gilson policy analysis triangle was used to analyse the feasibility of introducing the new WHO ANC model into the sub-region. The content of the WHO model may need to be ...

  8. Partnership duration, concurrency, and HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawers, Larry; Isaac, Alan

    2017-07-01

    A widely accepted explanation for the exceptionally high HIV prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa is the practice of long-term overlapping heterosexual partnering. This article shows that long-duration concurrent partnering can be protective against HIV transmission rather than promoting it. Monogamous partnering prevents sexual transmission to anyone outside the partnership and, in an initially concordant-seronegative partnership, prevents sexual acquisition of HIV by either partner. Those protections against transmission and acquisition last as long as the partnership persists without new outside partnerships. Correspondingly, these two protective effects characterise polygynous partnerships, whether or not the polygyny is formal or informal, until a partner initiates a new partnership. Stable and exclusive unions of any size protect against HIV transmission, and more durable unions provide a longer protective effect. Survey research provides little information on partnership duration in sub-Saharan Africa and sheds no light on the interaction of duration, concurrency, and HIV. This article shows how assumptions about partnership duration in individual-based sexual-network models affect the contours of simulated HIV epidemics. Longer mean partnership duration slows the pace at which simulated epidemics grow. With plausible assumptions about partnership duration and at levels of concurrency found in the region, simulated HIV epidemics grow slowly or not at all. Those results are consistent with the hypothesis that long-duration partnering is protective against HIV and inconsistent with the hypothesis that long-term concurrency drives the HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa.

  9. HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa: Current status, challenges and prospects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nweze Justus Amuche

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The problem of HIV/AIDS was sort of a fairy tale and mere information till the immunological disorder was scientifically confirmed. Today, HIV/AIDS has continued to be a serious international health concern, and sub-Saharan Africa remains the most affected region. Over 25.6 million persons are currently living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. This accounts for two-thirds of the recent overall world HIV infections and more than 70 percent of all AIDSrelated deaths. In 2015, Eastern and Southern Africa had about 7.1% adult HIV prevalence rate (about 19 million HIV patients, while Western and Central Africa accounted for about 2.2% (about 6.5 million HIV patients. Few countries now boast of numerous signs of gradual to moderate declines in HIV occurrence. However, HIV prevalence rate has continued to increase in countries like Lesotho (22.7%, Botswana (22.2% and South Africa (19.2%. The nature, procedure and result of the scourge in this region have been fashioned by a mind-boggling interaction of traditional, behavioural, social and material factors. Even if there are notably strong prevention, treatment and care programmes, too many sexual partners are engaging in risky sexual practices. The aim of this article is to discuss the current trends of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, the factors that might have contributed to high prevalence of the virus in the region, the effect of the HIV/AIDS scourge, the prevention programmes and the way forward.

  10. Paediatric challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Robert Hilliard

    2016-01-01

    The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) project is coming to an end in 2015 and is being replaced by ambitious and aspirational Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although the MDGs have been nearly achieved, this is not true in Sub-Saharan Africa where there is still unnecessarily high infant and childhood mortality and where there are many challenges to providing modern child health care. To achieve the SDGs in the next fifteen years, in low-income countries, national minis...

  11. Population Health Science: A Core Element of Health Science Education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiatt, Robert A; Engmann, Natalie J; Ahmed, Mushtaq; Amarsi, Yasmin; Macharia, William M; Macfarlane, Sarah B; Ngugi, Anthony K; Rabbani, Fauziah; Walraven, Gijs; Armstrong, Robert W

    2017-04-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa suffers an inordinate burden of disease and does not have the numbers of suitably trained health care workers to address this challenge. New concepts in health sciences education are needed to offer alternatives to current training approaches.A perspective of integrated training in population health for undergraduate medical and nursing education is advanced, rather than continuing to take separate approaches for clinical and public health education. Population health science educates students in the social and environmental origins of disease, thus complementing disease-specific training and providing opportunities for learners to take the perspective of the community as a critical part of their education.Many of the recent initiatives in health science education in sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, and two case studies of innovative change in undergraduate medical education are presented that begin to incorporate such population health thinking. The focus is on East Africa, one of the most rapidly growing economies in sub-Saharan Africa where opportunities for change in health science education are opening. The authors conclude that a focus on population health is a timely and effective way for enhancing training of health care professionals to reduce the burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

  12. Explaining adherence success in sub-Saharan Africa: an ethnographic study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norma C Ware

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Individuals living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa generally take more than 90% of prescribed doses of antiretroviral therapy (ART. This number exceeds the levels of adherence observed in North America and dispels early scale-up concerns that adherence would be inadequate in settings of extreme poverty. This paper offers an explanation and theoretical model of ART adherence success based on the results of an ethnographic study in three sub-Saharan African countries.Determinants of ART adherence for HIV-infected persons in sub-Saharan Africa were examined with ethnographic research methods. 414 in-person interviews were carried out with 252 persons taking ART, their treatment partners, and health care professionals at HIV treatment sites in Jos, Nigeria; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Mbarara, Uganda. 136 field observations of clinic activities were also conducted. Data were examined using category construction and interpretive approaches to analysis. Findings indicate that individuals taking ART routinely overcome economic obstacles to ART adherence through a number of deliberate strategies aimed at prioritizing adherence: borrowing and "begging" transport funds, making "impossible choices" to allocate resources in favor of treatment, and "doing without." Prioritization of adherence is accomplished through resources and help made available by treatment partners, other family members and friends, and health care providers. Helpers expect adherence and make their expectations known, creating a responsibility on the part of patients to adhere. Patients adhere to promote good will on the part of helpers, thereby ensuring help will be available when future needs arise.Adherence success in sub-Saharan Africa can be explained as a means of fulfilling social responsibilities and thus preserving social capital in essential relationships.

  13. Overseas Training and National Development Objectives in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moock, Joyce Lewinger

    1984-01-01

    Focuses on the impact of overseas training on national development objectives in Sub-Saharan Africa. Reviews the current economic crisis in Africa and the need for high-level, skilled workers. Examines the advantages and disadvantages of foreign study as a means of developing competent indigenous professionals. Notes pertinent research issues. (SB)

  14. 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...

  15. An approach to rural distribution network design for sub-Saharan Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sebitosi, A.B.; Pillay, P.; Khan, M.A.

    2006-01-01

    The bulk of rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa have no access to electricity and are under-served by any other form of modern infrastructure. The cost of infrastructure to mainly scattered communities has been perennially cited as largely to blame. Quite often rural networks are overdesigned, resulting in under utilization and, therefore, costly overheads. One reason often cited for the overspecification is anticipation of load growth. In most sub-Sahara African rural areas, however, economic growth rates are low, and a designer has no justification in specifying an infrastructure capacity exceeding more than a few percent of existing consumer requirements. This paper proposes methods that critically look at the geometry of small grid network designs to address the construction challenges in rural sub-Saharan Africa

  16. Remittances and the Dutch disease in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Dynamic Panel Approach

    OpenAIRE

    Francis M. Kemegue; Reneé van Eyden; Emmanuel Owusu-Sekyere

    2011-01-01

    This paper investigates the effect of remittance inflows on real exchange rates in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using annual data from 1980 to 2008 for 34 countries, the method of moments estimator developed by Arellano and Bover (1995) and the feasible generalized least squares estimator developed by Parks (1967) and Kmenta (1986). We find that when cross-sectional dependence and individual effects are controlled for, remittances to sub-Saharan Africa as a whole increase the underlying real exch...

  17. The relationship between female genital mutilation and HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olaniran, Abimbola A

    2013-12-01

    Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an age-old practice that has since been linked with many health problems. This review aims to highlight some of the controversies trailing the relationship between FGM and HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. A literature search was conducted on the subject matter. This was done using articles published in English while limiting the geographical coverage to sub-Saharan Africa. Three themes were noted. These themes include: Direct causal link between FGM and HIV transmission; indirect causal link between FGM and HIV transmission and a negative or no association between FGM and HIV transmission. While many of the arguments are within scientific reasoning, the researches supporting the views seem to lack the necessary objectivity. This study underscored the need for a more objective lens in viewing and conducting research on the relationship between FGM and HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.

  18. LPG market in sub Saharan Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belguedj, M.

    1999-01-01

    This article provides an overview of the current state of the liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) market in sub Saharan Africa (SSA) and analyses the supply and demand patterns, the constraints on supply imposed by the insufficient output from refineries unable to meet the increasing demand, and institutional and regulatory issues. Details are given of the pricing policies, the economic benefits that could be obtained by increasing the scale of operations, the use of subsidies, private sector participation, and LPG activities in Angola, Cameroon, the Congo, and the Ivory Coast. The role of the World Bank in the Africa Gas Initiative to promote the use of natural gas reserves in SSA, and requirements for developing the LPG market are discussed

  19. Sub-Saharan Africa: population pressures on development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goliber, T J

    1985-02-01

    The population of sub-Saharan Africa, estimated at 434 million in 1984, is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2025. The birth rate, currently 48/1000 population, continues to increase, and the death rate, 17/1000, is declining. Rapid population growth has curtailed government efforts to provide adequate nutrition, preserve the land base essential for future development, meet the demand for jobs, education, and health services, and address overcrowding in urban areas. Low education, rural residence, and low incomes are key contributors to the area's high fertility. Other factors include women's restricted roles, early age at marriage, a need for children as a source of security and support in old age, and limited knowledge of and access to modern methods of contraception. Average desired family size, which is higher than actual family size in most countries, is 6-9 children. Although government leaders have expressed ambivalence toward development of population policies and family planning programs as a result of the identification of such programs with Western aid donors, the policy climat is gradually changing. By mid-1984, at least 13 of the 42 countries in the region had indicated that they consider current fertility rates too high and support government and/or private family planning programs to reduce fertility. In addition, 26 countries in the region provide some government family planning services, usually integrated with maternal and child health programs. However, 10 countries in the region do not support family planning services for any reason. Unfortunately, sub-Saharan Africa has not yet produced a family planning program with a measurable effect on fertility that could serve as a model for other countries in the region. Social and economic change is central to any hope of fertility reduction in sub-Saharan Africa. Lower infant and child mortality rates, rising incomes, higher education, greater economic and social opportunities for women, and increased

  20. Legal Frameworks for Higher Education Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saint, William

    2009-01-01

    This is a preliminary survey of the laws and statutes that determine governance arrangements for higher education systems as well as individual institutions in 24 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Following an overview of recent higher education governance trends within Africa, it describes the current range of practice and most common approaches…

  1. Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa: A practical-theological response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petria M. Theron

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available On the 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, 89.6%of Sub-Saharan African countries received scores below 50, where a score of zero signifies that the country is highly corrupt and a score of 100 declares a country free of corruption. From these results, it seems as if Sub-Saharan African countries are quite vulnerable to corruption. In this article, the question whether certain traits in the Sub-Saharan African culture such as communalism, gift giving and a shame culture could in some situations influence people’s perception of, and their possible openness towards, certain forms of corruption was investigated. The research showed that cultural traits do influence people’s behaviour and that there are certain traits in the Sub-Saharan African culture that might sanction corruption. In response to these findings, some preliminary suggestions were proposed as to how Christians living in Africa could evaluate their cultural practices in the light of God’s Word and from a reformed theological paradigm. Instead of succumbing to the pressure posed by their culture to participate in immoral or corrupt activities, they could contribute to a moral regeneration on the African continent.

  2. Economic Geography and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bosker, Maarten; Garretsen, Harry

    2012-01-01

    Sub-Saharan Africas (SSA) physical geography is often blamed for its poor economic performance. A countrys geographical location does, however, not only determine its agricultural conditions or disease environment. It also pins down a countrys relative position vis--vis other countries, affecting

  3. Information and Networks in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa ...

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

    Information and Networks in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa: Strengthening Research Capacity ... credible, high-quality evidence on the influence of digital initiatives in the areas of ... use of digital information networks and economic growth, democratic reform, and increased educational opportunities in developing countries.

  4. Genital Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections among women in sub-Saharan Africa: A structured review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubbink, Jan Henk; Verweij, Stephan P; Struthers, Helen E; Ouburg, Sander; McIntyre, James A; Morré, Servaas A; Peters, Remco Ph

    2018-01-01

    Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae constitute major public health problems among women, but the burden of infection in sub-Saharan Africa is poorly documented. We conducted a structured review of the prevalence and incidence of genital, oral and anal C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infection in women in sub-Saharan Africa. We searched Medline, EMBASE and Web of Science over a 10-year period for studies on epidemiology of genital, oral and anal chlamydial infection and gonorrhoea in women in all countries of sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed geographic and demographic differences in prevalence and incidence of infection; weighted mean prevalence estimates were calculated with a random-effect model. A total of 102 study results were included, with data available for 24/49 of sub-Saharan countries. The weighted prevalence of chlamydial infection was lower among women in community-based studies (3.9%; 95% CI: 2.9-5.1%) than for women recruited at primary healthcare facilities (6.0%; 95% CI: 4.2-8.4%, p sub-Saharan Africa. Better control strategies are warranted to reduce the burden of infection and to prevent long-term complications of these infections.

  5. The Africa Center for Biostatistical Excellence: a proposal for enhancing biostatistics capacity for sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machekano, Rhoderick; Young, Taryn; Rusakaniko, Simbarashe; Musonda, Patrick; Sartorius, Ben; Todd, Jim; Fegan, Greg; Thabane, Lehana; Chikte, Usuf

    2015-11-30

    Sub-Saharan Africa has a shortage of well-trained biomedical research methodologists, in particular, biostatisticians. In July 2014, a group of biostatisticians and researchers from the region attended a brainstorming workshop to identify ways in which to reduce the deficit in this critical skill. The workshop recognized that recommendations from previous workshops on building biostatistics capacity in sub-Saharan Africa had not been implemented. The discussions culminated with a proposal to setup an Africa Center for Biostatistical Excellence, a collaborative effort across academic and researcher institutions within the region, as a vehicle for promoting biostatistics capacity building through specialized academic masters programs as well as regular workshops targeting researchers. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Child malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A meta-analysis of demographic and health surveys (2006-2016).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akombi, Blessing J; Agho, Kingsley E; Merom, Dafna; Renzaho, Andre M; Hall, John J

    2017-01-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest levels of child malnutrition globally. Therefore, a critical look at the distribution of malnutrition within its sub-regions is required to identify the worst affected areas. This study provides a meta-analysis of the prevalence of malnutrition indicators (stunting, wasting and underweight) within four sub-regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Cross-sectional data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (2006-2016) of 32 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were used. The countries were grouped into four sub-regions (East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa and Central Africa), and a meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of each malnutrition indicator within each of the sub-regions. Significant heterogeneity was detected among the various surveys (I2 >50%), hence a random effect model was used, and sensitivity analysis was performed, to examine the effects of outliers. Stunting was defined as HAZAfrica; Niger (43.9%), Mali (38.3%), Sierra Leone (37.9%) and Nigeria (36.8%) in West Africa; Democratic Republic of Congo (42.7%) and Chad (39.9%) in Central Africa. Wasting was highest in Niger (18.0%), Burkina Faso (15.50%) and Mali (12.7%) in West Africa; Comoros (11.1%) and Ethiopia (8.70%) in East Africa; Namibia (6.2%) in Southern Africa; Chad (13.0%) and Sao Tome & Principle (10.5%) in Central Africa. Underweight was highest in Burundi (28.8%) and Ethiopia (25.2%) in East Africa; Niger (36.4%), Nigeria (28.7%), Burkina Faso (25.7%), Mali (25.0%) in West Africa; and Chad (28.8%) in Central Africa. The prevalence of malnutrition was highest within countries in East Africa and West Africa compared to the WHO Millennium development goals target for 2015. Appropriate nutrition interventions need to be prioritised in East Africa and West Africa if sub-Saharan Africa is to meet the WHO global nutrition target of improving maternal, infant and young child nutrition by 2025.

  7. People In Sub-Saharan Africa Rate Their Health And Health Care Among Lowest In World

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deaton, Angus S.; Tortora, Robert

    2017-01-01

    The health of people in sub-Saharan Africa is a major global concern. However, data are weak, and little is known about how people in the region perceive their health or their health care. We used data from the Gallup World Poll in 2012 to document sub-Saharan Africans’ perceived health status, their satisfaction with health care, their contact with medical professionals, and the priority they attach to health care. In comparison to other regions of the world, sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest ratings for well-being and the lowest satisfaction with health care. It also has the second lowest perception of personal health, after only the former Soviet Union and its satellites. HIV prevalence is positively correlated with perceived improvements in health care in countries with high prevalence. This is consistent with an improvement in at least some health care services as a result of the largely aid-funded rollout of antiretroviral treatment. Even so, sub-Saharan Africans do not prioritize health care as a matter of policy, although donors are increasingly shifting their aid efforts in sub-Saharan Africa toward health. PMID:25715657

  8. 78 FR 56702 - Notice of Open Special Meeting of the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee (SAAC) of the Export...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-13

    ...-Import Bank Transactions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Public Participation: The meeting will be open to public... EXPORT-IMPORT BANK Notice of Open Special Meeting of the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee (SAAC) of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Export-Import Bank). SUMMARY: The Sub-Saharan...

  9. Gender and Law Initiatives in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa : Gender and Law Workshop in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa (March 1998)

    OpenAIRE

    World Bank

    1999-01-01

    As a result of two years of constructive dialogue between the World Bank (WB), government agencies and grassroots' associations involved in the advancement of women, a workshop for the Promotion of the societal status of women in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa was organized in March 1998 in Cotonou by the Association of Women Jurists (AFJB) with WB technical and financial assistance. From ...

  10. Biofuels development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Are the policies conducive?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jumbe, Charles B.L.; Msiska, Frederick B.M.; Madjera, Michael

    2009-01-01

    This paper analyses national, regional and international biofuels policies and strategies to assess whether these policies promote or undermine the development of biofuels sector in Africa. Despite having a huge comparative advantage in land, labour and good climatic conditions favourable for the growing of energy crops, few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have included biofuels strategies in their energy or national development policies. Further results show that while developed countries commit huge financial resources for research, technology development and the provision of tax-incentives to both producers and consumers, there is little government support for promoting biofuels in Africa. Although the consequences of biofuels on food supply remain uncertain, the mandatory blending of biofuels with fossil fuels by industrialized countries will create demand for land in Africa for the growing of energy crops for biofuels. This paper urgently calls upon national governments in Sub-Saharan Africa to develop appropriate strategies and regulatory frameworks to harness the potential economic opportunities from biofuels sector development, while protecting the environment and rural communities from the adverse effects of land alienation from the mainstream agriculture towards the growing of energy crops for biofuels at the expense of traditional food crops.

  11. Biofuels development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Are the policies conducive?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jumbe, Charles B.L., E-mail: charlesjumbe@bunda.unima.m [University of Malawi, Centre for Agricultural Research and Development, Bunda College, P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe (Malawi); Msiska, Frederick B.M., E-mail: frederickmsiska@yahoo.co [Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, P.O. Box 30134, Lilongwe 3 (Malawi); Madjera, Michael, E-mail: michael.madjera@onlinehome.d [Evangelical Church in Middle Germany, P.O. Box 1424, 39004 Magdeburg (Germany)

    2009-11-15

    This paper analyses national, regional and international biofuels policies and strategies to assess whether these policies promote or undermine the development of biofuels sector in Africa. Despite having a huge comparative advantage in land, labour and good climatic conditions favourable for the growing of energy crops, few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have included biofuels strategies in their energy or national development policies. Further results show that while developed countries commit huge financial resources for research, technology development and the provision of tax-incentives to both producers and consumers, there is little government support for promoting biofuels in Africa. Although the consequences of biofuels on food supply remain uncertain, the mandatory blending of biofuels with fossil fuels by industrialized countries will create demand for land in Africa for the growing of energy crops for biofuels. This paper urgently calls upon national governments in Sub-Saharan Africa to develop appropriate strategies and regulatory frameworks to harness the potential economic opportunities from biofuels sector development, while protecting the environment and rural communities from the adverse effects of land alienation from the mainstream agriculture towards the growing of energy crops for biofuels at the expense of traditional food crops.

  12. Biofuels development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Are the policies conducive?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jumbe, Charles B.L. [University of Malawi, Centre for Agricultural Research and Development, Bunda College, P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe (Malawi); Msiska, Frederick B.M. [Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, P.O. Box 30134, Lilongwe 3 (Malawi); Madjera, Michael [Evangelical Church in Middle Germany, P.O. Box 1424, 39004 Magdeburg (Germany)

    2009-11-15

    This paper analyses national, regional and international biofuels policies and strategies to assess whether these policies promote or undermine the development of biofuels sector in Africa. Despite having a huge comparative advantage in land, labour and good climatic conditions favourable for the growing of energy crops, few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have included biofuels strategies in their energy or national development policies. Further results show that while developed countries commit huge financial resources for research, technology development and the provision of tax-incentives to both producers and consumers, there is little government support for promoting biofuels in Africa. Although the consequences of biofuels on food supply remain uncertain, the mandatory blending of biofuels with fossil fuels by industrialized countries will create demand for land in Africa for the growing of energy crops for biofuels. This paper urgently calls upon national governments in Sub-Saharan Africa to develop appropriate strategies and regulatory frameworks to harness the potential economic opportunities from biofuels sector development, while protecting the environment and rural communities from the adverse effects of land alienation from the mainstream agriculture towards the growing of energy crops for biofuels at the expense of traditional food crops. (author)

  13. Managing Forest Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa : Issues and Challenges

    OpenAIRE

    Narenda P. Sharma; Simon Reitbergen; Claude R. Heimo; Joti Patel

    1994-01-01

    The note summarizes the findings of the Africa Forest Strategy Paper, which responded to the problems confronting forest resources in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), providing a comprehensive overview, and analysis of the forest sector, and mapping a set of actions for consideration by African countries. The diagnosis highlights the nexus between rapid population growth, environmental degrad...

  14. Surgery for Peptic Ulcer Disease in sub-Saharan Africa: Systematic Review of Published Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rickard, Jennifer

    2016-04-01

    Peptic ulcer disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with a significant burden in low- and middle-income countries. However, there is limited information regarding management of peptic ulcer disease in these countries. This study describes surgical interventions for peptic ulcer disease in sub-Saharan Africa. A systematic review was performed using PubMed, EMBASE, and African Index Medicus for studies describing surgical management of peptic ulcer disease in sub-Saharan Africa. From 55 published reports, 6594 patients underwent surgery for peptic ulcer disease. Most ulcers (86%) were duodenal with the remainder gastric (14%). Thirty-five percent of operations were performed for perforation, 7% for bleeding, 30% for obstruction, and 28% for chronic disease. Common operations included vagotomy (60%) and primary repair (31%). The overall case fatality rate for peptic ulcer disease was 5.7% and varied with indication for operation: 13.6% for perforation, 11.5% for bleeding, 0.5% for obstruction, and 0.3% for chronic disease. Peptic ulcer disease remains a significant indication for surgery in sub-Saharan Africa. Recognizing the continued role of surgery for peptic ulcer disease in sub-Saharan Africa is important for strengthening surgical training programs and optimizing allocation of resources.

  15. Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Closer Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffin, Rosarii, Ed.

    2012-01-01

    In the drive to achieve universal primary education as one of the Millennium Development Goals, there is an increasing recognition of the urgency of focusing on teacher education to both meet the demand for more than one million qualified teachers required to achieve this goal within sub-Saharan Africa, as well as to combat the sometimes poor…

  16. Infrastructure and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Calderón, César; Servén, Luis

    2008-01-01

    An adequate supply of infrastructure services has long been viewed by both academics and policy makers as a key ingredient for economic development. Sub-Saharan Africa ranks consistently at the bottom of all developing regions in terms of infrastructure performance, and an increasing number of observers point to deficient infrastructure as a major obstacle for growth and poverty reduction ...

  17. Gender and Youth Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa : A Review of Constraints and Effective Interventions

    OpenAIRE

    Chakravarty, Shubha; Das, Smita; Vaillant, Julia

    2017-01-01

    Although the ratio of female to male labor force participation rates is higher in Sub-Saharan Africa than in any other region, these high rates of female labor force participation mask underlying challenges for women. A large majority of employed women work in vulnerable employment. In addition, youth unemployment rates in Sub-Saharan Africa are double those of adult unemployment, and unem...

  18. The Influence of Dams on Malaria Transmission in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kibret, Solomon; Wilson, G Glenn; Ryder, Darren; Tekie, Habte; Petros, Beyene

    2017-06-01

    The construction of dams in sub-Saharan Africa is pivotal for food security and alleviating poverty in the region. However, the unintended adverse public health implications of extending the spatial distribution of water infrastructure are poorly documented and may minimize the intended benefits of securing water supplies. This paper reviews existing studies on the influence of dams on the spatial distribution of malaria parasites and vectors in sub-Saharan Africa. Common themes emerging from the literature were that dams intensified malaria transmission in semi-arid and highland areas with unstable malaria transmission but had little or no impact in areas with perennial transmission. Differences in the impacts of dams resulted from the types and characteristics of malaria vectors and their breeding habitats in different settings of sub-Saharan Africa. A higher abundance of a less anthropophilic Anopheles arabiensis than a highly efficient vector A. gambiae explains why dams did not increase malaria in stable areas. In unstable areas where transmission is limited by availability of water bodies for vector breeding, dams generally increase malaria by providing breeding habitats for prominent malaria vector species. Integrated vector control measures that include reservoir management, coupled with conventional malaria control strategies, could optimize a reduction of the risk of malaria transmission around dams in the region.

  19. The epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases in sub-Saharan Africa: the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors 2010 Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moran, Andrew; Forouzanfar, Mohammad; Sampson, Uchechukwu; Chugh, Sumeet; Feigin, Valery; Mensah, George

    2013-01-01

    The epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases in sub-Saharan Africa is unique among world regions, with about half of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) due to causes other than atherosclerosis. CVD epidemiology data are sparse and of uneven quality in sub-Saharan Africa. Using the available data, the Global Burden of Diseases, Risk Factors, and Injuries (GBD) 2010 Study estimated CVD mortality and burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa in 1990 and 2010. The leading CVD cause of death and disability in 2010 in sub-Saharan Africa was stroke; the largest relative increases in CVD burden between 1990 and 2010 were in atrial fibrillation and peripheral arterial disease. CVD deaths constituted only 8.8% of all deaths and 3.5% of all disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in sub-Sahara Africa, less than a quarter of the proportion of deaths and burden attributed to CVD in high income regions. However, CVD deaths in sub-Saharan Africa occur at younger ages on average than in the rest of the world. It remains uncertain if increased urbanization and life expectancy in some parts of sub-Saharan African nations will transition the region to higher CVD burden in future years. © 2013.

  20. The Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors 2010 Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moran, Andrew; Forouzanfar, Mohammad; Sampson, Uchechukwu; Chugh, Sumeet; Feigin, Valery; Mensah, George

    2014-01-01

    The epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases in sub-Saharan Africa is unique among world regions, with about half of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) due to causes other than atherosclerosis. CVD epidemiology data are sparse and of uneven quality in sub-Saharan Africa. Using the available data, the Global Burden of Diseases, Risk Factors, and Injuries (GBD) 2010 Study estimated CVD mortality and burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa in 1990 and 2010. The leading CVD cause of death and disability in 2010 in sub-Saharan Africa was stroke; the largest relative increases in CVD burden between 1990 and 2010 were in atrial fibrillation and peripheral arterial disease. CVD deaths constituted only 8.8% of all deaths and 3.5% of all disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in sub-Sahara Africa, less than a quarter of the proportion of deaths and burden attributed to CVD in high income regions. However, CVD deaths in sub-Saharan Africa occur at younger ages on average than in the rest of the world. It remains uncertain if increased urbanization and life expectancy in some parts of sub-Saharan African nations will transition the region to higher CVD burden in future years. PMID:24267430

  1. U.S. Trade and Investment Relationship with Sub-Saharan Africa: The African Growth and Opportunity Act and Beyond

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Langton, Danielle

    2008-01-01

    .... Unlike the period from 1960 to 1973, when economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa was relatively strong, since 1973 the countries of sub-Saharan Africa have grown at rates well below other developing countries...

  2. The Perplex of Deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.W Yalew

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Deforestation has been a complex phenomenon to study in sub-Saharan Africa. The average annual deforestation rate in the region is by far higher than the world average. What causes and drives deforestation in the region are debated to date. The present paper is motivated by this debate. It attempts to test whether the maintained hypotheses on the causes of deforestation can give answer to the problem in sub-Saharan Africa. It used average cross-national data of forty eight countries in the region. The data are retrieved from international sources. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients between two deforestation indicators and five often-cited causes of deforestation were computed. The role of public forest ownership, share of forest and agricultural products in total exports, and the year of forest laws enacted are also discussed. However, it finds no clear, strong, and systematic pattern to argue that population density, rural population, rural poverty, industrial logging for exports, economic growth, late enactment of forest laws, and public ownership of forests are underlying causes of deforestation in the region. The trends of forestland in Rwanda and Zimbabwe vividly present the finding. Therefore, future studies related to the topic in the region shall focus on sub-national panel data.

  3. 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.

  4. Strong association between in-migration and HIV prevalence in urban sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voeten, Hélène A C M; Vissers, Debby C J; Gregson, Simon; Zaba, Basia; White, Richard G; de Vlas, Sake J; Habbema, J Dik F

    2010-04-01

    Enormous variation exists in HIV prevalence between countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The contribution of migration to the spread of HIV has long been recognized, but its effect at the population level has never been assessed. In this ecological analysis, we explore how much variation in HIV prevalence in urban sub-Saharan Africa is explained by in-migration. We performed a linear regression to analyze the association between the proportion of recent in-migrants and HIV prevalence for men and women in urban areas, using 60 data points from 28 sub-Saharan African countries between 1987 and 2005. We found a strong association between recent in-migration and HIV prevalence for women (Pearson R = 57%, P Africa (R = 50%, P = 0.003). For both genders, the association was strongest between 1985 and 1994, slightly weaker between 1995 and 1999, and nonexistent as from 2000. The overall association for both men and women was not confounded by the developmental indicators GNI per capita, income inequalities, or adult literacy. Migration explains much of the variation in HIV spread in urban areas of sub-Saharan Africa, especially before the year 2000, after which HIV prevalences started to level off in many countries. Our findings suggest that migration is an important factor in the spread of HIV, especially in rapidly increasing epidemics. This may be of relevance to the current HIV epidemics in China and India.

  5. Abortion and Contraceptive Use in Sub-Saharan Africa: How ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Based on available evidence, this review article posits that contemporary use of abortion in sub-Saharan Africa often substitutes for and sometimes surpasses modern contraceptive practice. Some studies and some data sets indicate that this occurs not only among adolescents but also within older age groups. In several ...

  6. Information and Networks in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa ...

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

    This project seeks to provide capacity-building support to develop and implement the Information and Networks in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (INASSA) research program. INASSA is focused on producing credible, high-quality evidence on the influence of digital initiatives in the areas of governance, science, learning, ...

  7. Child malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A meta-analysis of demographic and health surveys (2006-2016.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blessing J Akombi

    Full Text Available Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest levels of child malnutrition globally. Therefore, a critical look at the distribution of malnutrition within its sub-regions is required to identify the worst affected areas. This study provides a meta-analysis of the prevalence of malnutrition indicators (stunting, wasting and underweight within four sub-regions of sub-Saharan Africa.Cross-sectional data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (2006-2016 of 32 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were used. The countries were grouped into four sub-regions (East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa and Central Africa, and a meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of each malnutrition indicator within each of the sub-regions. Significant heterogeneity was detected among the various surveys (I2 >50%, hence a random effect model was used, and sensitivity analysis was performed, to examine the effects of outliers. Stunting was defined as HAZ<-2; wasting as WHZ<-2 and underweight as WAZ<-2.Stunting was highest in Burundi (57.7% and Malawi (47.1% in East Africa; Niger (43.9%, Mali (38.3%, Sierra Leone (37.9% and Nigeria (36.8% in West Africa; Democratic Republic of Congo (42.7% and Chad (39.9% in Central Africa. Wasting was highest in Niger (18.0%, Burkina Faso (15.50% and Mali (12.7% in West Africa; Comoros (11.1% and Ethiopia (8.70% in East Africa; Namibia (6.2% in Southern Africa; Chad (13.0% and Sao Tome & Principle (10.5% in Central Africa. Underweight was highest in Burundi (28.8% and Ethiopia (25.2% in East Africa; Niger (36.4%, Nigeria (28.7%, Burkina Faso (25.7%, Mali (25.0% in West Africa; and Chad (28.8% in Central Africa.The prevalence of malnutrition was highest within countries in East Africa and West Africa compared to the WHO Millennium development goals target for 2015. Appropriate nutrition interventions need to be prioritised in East Africa and West Africa if sub-Saharan Africa is to meet the WHO global nutrition target

  8. Nutritional Status and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    David E. Sahn; H. Alderman

    1998-01-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has had an aggregate malnutrition rate of nearly 30 percent for the last decade. While malnutrition prevalence has decreased significantly in most other developing countries in the last decade, it has been nearly static for SSA. This static trend in the percentage of malnourished children, however, does not fully reflect the rapidly rising numbers of malnourished c...

  9. Raising Growth and Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Ernesto Hernanadez-Cata

    2001-01-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa's long-term growth performance will need to improve significantly for the region to visibly reduce poverty and raise the standard of living to an acceptable level. Appropriate actions will also be needed to ensure that an adequate share of the growing income is devoted to reducing poverty. The key policy question for these countries and their development partners is how ...

  10. Treatments for people living with schizophrenia in Sub-Saharan Africa: an adapted realist review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chidarikire, S; Cross, M; Skinner, I; Cleary, M

    2018-03-01

    To identify the treatments and interventions available and their impact on people living with schizophrenia in Sub-Saharan Africa. Help-seeking behaviour and the choice of treatment are largely influenced by socio-cultural factors and beliefs about the causes of mental illness. This review addresses the gap in knowledge regarding the treatment options available to people living with schizophrenia in Sub-Saharan Africa. Adapted realist literature review. Electronic databases searched in June 2016 included PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ProQuest and CINAHL. The adapted realist review approach used to synthesize the published research involved identifying the review aim, searching and selecting relevant studies, extracting, iteratively analysing and synthesizing relevant data and reporting results. Forty studies from eight countries were reviewed. Most people were treated by both faith/traditional healers and modern psychiatry. Common treatments included antipsychotics, electroconvulsive therapy and psychosocial interventions. Few treatment options were available outside major centres, there was poor adherence to medication and families reported a high level of burden associated with caring for a relative. Major limitations of this review were the lack of studies, variable quality and low level of evidence available from most countries from Sub-Saharan Africa and lack of generalizability. People living with schizophrenia in Sub-Saharan Africa were treated by faith, traditional healers and modern psychiatry, if at all. Further research is needed to better understand the local situation and the implications for caring for people from this region. Mental health services in Sub-Saharan Africa are limited by fiscal shortages, lack of mental health services and qualified mental health professionals. This review provides evidence to inform nursing and healthcare policy, including recruiting and training mental health professionals and ensuring access to evidence-based, person

  11. A National Security Strategy of Cooperative Engagement for Sub-Saharan Africa

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Gunzinger, Mark A; Thomas, David L

    1996-01-01

    ... in a vicious cycle of conflict, deteriorating infrastructures and humanitarian disasters Despite this apparent gloomy prognosis, Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the richest regions in the world in human...

  12. Economic inequality as a source of interpersonal violence: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geoff Harris

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This article examines whether the close association of income inequality and violence identified for high income countries applies also to sub-Saharan Africa and, in particular, to South Africa. Cross sectional analysis across sub-Saharan countries provided no evidence of such an association. However, using homicide rates and several measures of inequality across South Africa’s 52 districts does provide evidence of a significant positive relationship between homicide rates and expenditure inequality. A one per cent increase in inequality is associated with an increase in the homicide rate of 2.3 to 2.5 per cent. This relationship remains significant after controlling for other characteristics of the district.

  13. Neonatal hypothermia in sub-Saharan Africa: A review | Onalo ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Result and Conclusion: Neonatal hypothermia is a major condition of public health importance in countries of sub- Saharan Africa. Awareness of the burden of the disease is still low in some communities. Risk factors for neonatal hypothermia in the region include poverty, home delivery, low birthweight, early bathing of ...

  14. Peculiarities of the Digital Divide in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutula, Stephen M.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: Seeks to argue that the peculiarities of sub-Saharan Africa, in terms of its socio-cultural diversity, low economic development, linguistic factors, HIV/AIDS pandemic, gender discrimination, low ICT awareness and so on, demand a new model of addressing the digital divide. Design/methodology/approach: Paper largely based on literature…

  15. The impact of solar ultraviolet radiation on human health in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caradee Y. Wright

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Photoprotection messages and ‘SunSmart’ programmes exist mainly to prevent skin cancers and, more recently, to encourage adequate personal sun exposure to elicit a vitamin D response for healthy bone and immune systems. Several developed countries maintain intensive research networks and monitor solar UV radiation to support awareness campaigns and intervention development. The situation is different in sub-Saharan Africa. Adequate empirical evidence of the impact of solar UV radiation on human health, even for melanomas and cataracts, is lacking, and is overshadowed by other factors such as communicable diseases, especially HIV, AIDS and tuberculosis. In addition, the established photoprotection messages used in developed countries have been adopted and implemented in a limited number of sub-Saharan countries but with minimal understanding of local conditions and behaviours. In this review, we consider the current evidence for sun-related effects on human health in sub-Saharan Africa, summarise published research and identify key issues. Data on the prevalence of human diseases affected by solar UV radiation in all subpopulations are not generally available, financial support is insufficient and the infrastructure to address these and other related topics is inadequate. Despite these limitations, considerable progress may be made regarding the management of solar UV radiation related health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa, provided researchers collaborate and resources are allocated appropriately.

  16. Unmet need and fertility decline: a comparative perspective on prospects in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casterline, John B; El-Zeini, Laila O

    2014-06-01

    This study assesses how changes in unmet need for family planning have contributed to contemporary fertility declines, and the implications of this historical record for further fertility decline, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We examine joint trends at the national level in fertility, unintended fertility, and unmet need. We bring unintended fertility into the analysis because the underlying rationale for reducing unmet need is to avert unintended pregnancies and births. The association over time between unmet need and fertility is investigated using survey data from 45 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean from the mid-1970s to the present. The empirical analysis finds that reduction in unmet need, especially unmet need for limiting, is strongly associated with fertility decline in Latin America and the Caribbean and in Asia and North Africa. Fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa is weakly associated with trends in unmet need (and satisfaction of demand). We propose that the stark regional difference is due to measurement problems and to the fundamentally different character of fertility decline in sub-Saharan Africa, itself reflective of basic differences in pretransition reproductive regimes. © 2013 The Population Council, Inc.

  17. A National Security Strategy of Cooperative Engagement for Sub-Saharan Africa

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Gunzinger, Mark A; Thomas, David L

    1996-01-01

    ... for the United States Generally viewed as lagging in the effort to develop stable governments and self-sustaining economies, Sub-Saharan Africa is, with the exception of a few bright spots, caught...

  18. 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...

  19. Emerging Early Actions to Bend the Curve in Sub-Saharan Africa's Nutrition Transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haggblade, Steven; Duodu, Kwaku G; Kabasa, John D; Minnaar, Amanda; Ojijo, Nelson K O; Taylor, John R N

    2016-06-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa is the last region to undergo a nutrition transition and can still avoid its adverse health outcomes. The article explores emerging responses to "bend the curve" in sub-Saharan Africa's nutrition transition to steer public health outcomes onto a healthier trajectory. Early responses in 3 countries at different stages of food system transformation are examined: South Africa-advanced, Ghana-intermediate, and Uganda-early. By comparing these with international experience, actions are proposed to influence nutrition and public health trajectories as Africa's food systems undergo rapid structural change. Arising from rapid urbanization and diet change, major public health problems associated with overweight are taking place, particularly in South Africa and among adult women. However, public health responses are generally tepid in sub-Saharan Africa. Only in South Africa have policy makers instituted extensive actions to combat overweight and associated noncommunicable diseases through regulation, education, and public health programs. Elsewhere, in countries in the early and middle stages of transition, public health systems continue to focus their limited resources primarily on undernutrition. Related pressures on the supply side of Africa's food systems are emerging that also need to be addressed. Three types of intervention appear most feasible: maternal and child health programs to simultaneously address short-term undernutrition problems while at the same time helping to reduce future tendencies toward overweigh; regulatory and fiscal actions to limit access to unhealthy foods; and modernization of Africa's agrifood food system through job skills training, marketing reforms, and food industry entrepreneurship. © The Author(s) 2016.

  20. Primary open-angle glaucoma in Sub-Saharan Africa | Mwanza ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, it is either the second or the third contributor to blindness. More data needs to be gathered in order to obtain a more complete understanding of its burden, and to allow better public health planning, public education, prevalence assessment and management strategies. The present ...

  1. Women's Early Labour Market Transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa ...

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

    GrOW is a five-year, multi-funder partnership of the United Kingdom's Department for International Development, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and IDRC. With a focus on low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, GrOW aims to support policies and interventions that improve women's ...

  2. 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..

  3. 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.

  4. Experiences of leadership in health care in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curry, Leslie; Taylor, Lauren; Chen, Peggy Guey-Chi; Bradley, Elizabeth

    2012-09-13

    Leadership is widely regarded as central to effective health-care systems, and resources are increasingly devoted to the cultivation of strong health-care leadership. Nevertheless, the literature regarding leadership capacity building has been developed primarily in the context of high-income settings. Less research has been done on leadership in low-income settings, including sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in health care, with attention to historical, political and sociocultural context. We sought to characterize the experiences of individuals in key health-care leadership roles in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a qualitative study using in-person interviews with individuals (n = 17) in health-care leadership roles in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa: the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Ghana, the Republic of Liberia and the Republic of Rwanda. Individuals were identified by their country's minister of health as key leaders in the health sector and were nominated to serve as delegates to a global health leadership conference in June 2010, at Yale University in the United States. Interviews were audio recorded and professionally transcribed. Data analysis was performed by a five-person multidisciplinary team using the constant comparative method, facilitated by ATLAS.ti 5.0 software. Five key themes emerged as important to participants in their leadership roles: having an aspirational, value-based vision for improving the future health of the country, being self-aware and having the ability to identify and use complementary skills of others, tending to relationships, using data in decision making, and sustaining a commitment to learning. Current models of leadership capacity building address the need for core technical and management competencies. While these competencies are important, skills relevant to managing relationships are also critical in the sub-Saharan African context. Developing such skills may require more time and

  5. Oral Health Challenges for Sub-Saharan Africa | Danfillo | Nigerian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Oral Health Challenges for Sub-Saharan Africa. IS Danfillo. Abstract. No Abstract. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More about AJOL · AJOL's ...

  6. 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-Saharan

  7. Factors associated with teen pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    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. Keywords: Teenage pregnancy, sub-Saharan Africa, multilevel ...

  8. Implications of Severe Economic Decline & Demographic Pressures on Youth Literacy in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okpala, Comfort O.

    2009-01-01

    Although literacy rates have improved somehow in recent years, there are still large numbers of people that are illiterates in developing countries. This paper examines the impact of severe economic decline and demographic pressures on youth literacy rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, a cross-sectional data of 39 Sub-Saharan African…

  9. A systematic review of essential obstetric and newborn care capacity building in rural sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni Bhuinneain, G M; McCarthy, F P

    2015-01-01

    Progress in maternal survival in sub-Saharan Africa has been poor since the Millennium Declaration. This systematic review aims to investigate the presence and rigour of evidence for effective capacity building for Essential Obstetric and Newborn Care (EONC) to reduce maternal mortality in rural, sub-Saharan Africa, where maternal mortality ratios are highest globally. MEDLINE (1990-January 2014), EMBASE (1990-January 2014), and the Cochrane Library were included in our search. Key developing world issues of The Lancet and the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, African Ministry of Health websites, and the WHO reproductive health library were searched by hand. Studies investigating essential obstetric and newborn care packages in basic and comprehensive care facilities, at community and institutional level, in rural sub-Saharan Africa were included. Studies were included if they reported on healthcare worker performance, access to care, community behavioural change, and emergency obstetric and newborn care. Data were extracted and all relevant studies independently appraised using structured abstraction and appraisal tools. There is moderate evidence to support the training of healthcare workers of differing cadres in the provision of emergency obstetric and newborn services to reduce institutional maternal mortality and case-fatality rates in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Community schemes that sensitise and enable access to maternal health services result in a modest rise in facility birth and skilled birth attendance in this rural setting. Essential Obstetric and Newborn Care has merit as an intervention package to reduce maternal mortality in rural sub-Saharan Africa. © 2014 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  10. How can the operating environment for nutrition research be improved in sub-Saharan Africa? The views of African researchers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kathleen Van Royen

    Full Text Available Optimal nutrition is critical for human development and economic growth. Sub-Saharan Africa is facing high levels of food insecurity and only few sub-Saharan African countries are on track to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2015. Effective research capacity is crucial for addressing emerging challenges and designing appropriate mitigation strategies in sub-Saharan Africa. A clear understanding of the operating environment for nutrition research in sub-Saharan Africa is a much needed prerequisite. We collected data on the barriers and requirements for conducting nutrition research in sub-Saharan Africa through semi-structured interviews with 144 participants involved in nutrition research in 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 133 interviews were retained for coding. The main barriers identified for effective nutrition research were the lack of funding due to poor recognition by policymakers of the importance of nutrition research and under-utilisation of research findings for developing policy, as well as an absence of research priority setting from within Africa. Current research topics were perceived to be mainly determined by funding bodies from outside Africa. Nutrition researchers argued for more commitment from policymakers at national level. The low capacity for nutrition research was mainly seen as a consequence of insufficient numbers of nutrition researchers, limited skills and a poor research infrastructure. In conclusion, African nutrition researchers argued how research priorities need to be identified by African stakeholders, accompanied by consensus building to enable creating a problem-driven national research agenda. In addition, it was considered necessary to promote interactions among researchers, and between researchers and policymakers. Multidisciplinary research and international and cross-African collaboration were seen as crucial to build capacity in sub-Saharan nutrition research.

  11. How can the operating environment for nutrition research be improved in sub-Saharan Africa? The views of African researchers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Royen, Kathleen; Lachat, Carl; Holdsworth, Michelle; Smit, Karlien; Kinabo, Joyce; Roberfroid, Dominique; Nago, Eunice; Garimoi Orach, Christopher; Kolsteren, Patrick

    2013-01-01

    Optimal nutrition is critical for human development and economic growth. Sub-Saharan Africa is facing high levels of food insecurity and only few sub-Saharan African countries are on track to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2015. Effective research capacity is crucial for addressing emerging challenges and designing appropriate mitigation strategies in sub-Saharan Africa. A clear understanding of the operating environment for nutrition research in sub-Saharan Africa is a much needed prerequisite. We collected data on the barriers and requirements for conducting nutrition research in sub-Saharan Africa through semi-structured interviews with 144 participants involved in nutrition research in 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 133 interviews were retained for coding. The main barriers identified for effective nutrition research were the lack of funding due to poor recognition by policymakers of the importance of nutrition research and under-utilisation of research findings for developing policy, as well as an absence of research priority setting from within Africa. Current research topics were perceived to be mainly determined by funding bodies from outside Africa. Nutrition researchers argued for more commitment from policymakers at national level. The low capacity for nutrition research was mainly seen as a consequence of insufficient numbers of nutrition researchers, limited skills and a poor research infrastructure. In conclusion, African nutrition researchers argued how research priorities need to be identified by African stakeholders, accompanied by consensus building to enable creating a problem-driven national research agenda. In addition, it was considered necessary to promote interactions among researchers, and between researchers and policymakers. Multidisciplinary research and international and cross-African collaboration were seen as crucial to build capacity in sub-Saharan nutrition research.

  12. How Can the Operating Environment for Nutrition Research Be Improved in Sub-Saharan Africa? The Views of African Researchers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Royen, Kathleen; Lachat, Carl; Holdsworth, Michelle; Smit, Karlien; Kinabo, Joyce; Roberfroid, Dominique; Nago, Eunice; Garimoi Orach, Christopher; Kolsteren, Patrick

    2013-01-01

    Optimal nutrition is critical for human development and economic growth. Sub-Saharan Africa is facing high levels of food insecurity and only few sub-Saharan African countries are on track to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2015. Effective research capacity is crucial for addressing emerging challenges and designing appropriate mitigation strategies in sub-Saharan Africa. A clear understanding of the operating environment for nutrition research in sub-Saharan Africa is a much needed prerequisite. We collected data on the barriers and requirements for conducting nutrition research in sub-Saharan Africa through semi-structured interviews with 144 participants involved in nutrition research in 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 133 interviews were retained for coding. The main barriers identified for effective nutrition research were the lack of funding due to poor recognition by policymakers of the importance of nutrition research and under-utilisation of research findings for developing policy, as well as an absence of research priority setting from within Africa. Current research topics were perceived to be mainly determined by funding bodies from outside Africa. Nutrition researchers argued for more commitment from policymakers at national level. The low capacity for nutrition research was mainly seen as a consequence of insufficient numbers of nutrition researchers, limited skills and a poor research infrastructure. In conclusion, African nutrition researchers argued how research priorities need to be identified by African stakeholders, accompanied by consensus building to enable creating a problem-driven national research agenda. In addition, it was considered necessary to promote interactions among researchers, and between researchers and policymakers. Multidisciplinary research and international and cross-African collaboration were seen as crucial to build capacity in sub-Saharan nutrition research. PMID:23776663

  13. Early Marriage and Motherhood in Sub-Saharan Africa | Locoh ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Early Marriage and Motherhood in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thérèse Locoh. Abstract. (African Environment: 3-4 (39-40): 31-42). Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors ...

  14. International commodity prices and civil war outbreak: new evidence for Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond

    OpenAIRE

    Ciccone, Antonio

    2018-01-01

    A new dataset by Bazzi and Blattman (2014) allows examining the effects of international commodity prices on the risk of civil war outbreak with more comprehensive data. I find that international commodity price downturns sparked civil wars in Sub-Saharan Africa. Another finding with the new dataset is that commodity price downturns also sparked civil wars beyond Sub-Saharan Africa since 1980. Effects are sizable relative to the baseline risk of civil war outbreak. My conclusions contrast wit...

  15. Gestational diabetes mellitus in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and metaregression on prevalence and risk factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mwanri, Akwilina W; Kinabo, Joyce; Ramaiya, Kaushik; Feskens, Edith J M

    2015-08-01

    We systematically reviewed publications on prevalence and risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the 47 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a systematic search in PUBMED and reviewed articles published until June 2014 and searched the references of retrieved articles. We explored sources of heterogeneity among prevalence proportions with metaregression analysis. Of 1069 articles retrieved 22 studies were included. Half were from West Africa, specifically Nigeria, five from South Africa and six from East and Central Africa. There were differences in screening methods and diagnosis criteria used, even between studies carried out in the same country and same time period. Metaregression analysis indicated high heterogeneity among the studies (I(2) = 100, P 30 years. There are few studies on prevalence and risk factors for GDM in Sub-Saharan Africa and heterogeneity is high. Prevalence was up to about 14% when high-risk women were studied. Preventive actions should be taken to reduce the short- and long-term complications related to GDM in Sub-Saharan Africa. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Efficiency of microfinance institutions in subSaharan Africa: a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigates the cost efficiency of MFIs operating in 10 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries over the period 2003-2013 and the factors that drive efficiency. The authors considered the Cobb-Douglas stochastic cost frontier model with truncated normal distribution and time variant inefficiency were estimated.

  17. Abortion and contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa: how women plan their families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lauro, Don

    2011-03-01

    Based on available evidence, this review article posits that contemporary use of abortion in sub-Saharan Africa often substitutes for and sometimes surpasses modern contraceptive practice. Some studies and some data sets indicate that this occurs not only among adolescents but also within older age groups. In several sub-Saharan cities, particularly where contraceptive use is low and access to clinical abortion is high (though largely illegal), abortion appears to be the method of choice for limiting or spacing births. Even in rural areas, women may regularly resort to abortion, often using extremely unsafe procedures, instead of contraception. Available data seem to indicate that relatively high levels of abortion correlate with low access to modern contraception, low status of women, strong sanctions against out-of-wedlock pregnancy, traditional tolerance of abortion, and availability of modern abortion practices. Abortion has been and will likely continue to be used to plan families within much of sub-Saharan Africa.

  18. Patterns of Manufacturing Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Colonization to the Present

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Austin, G.; Frankema, E.H.P.; Jerven, M.

    2016-01-01

    This paper reviews the 'long twentieth-century' development of 'modern' manufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa from colonization to the present. We argue that classifying Africa generically as a 'late industrializer' is inaccurate. To understand the distinctively African pattern of manufacturing

  19. The Effects of Armed Conflict on Schooling in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poirier, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    In the past decades, most of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have been affected by armed conflicts. By means of a time-series cross-sectional (TSCS) database, we attempt to measure the impact of war on a sample of 43 countries in Africa from 1950 to 2010. These conflicts, and especially civil wars, are shown to have a strong negative effect on…

  20. Key determinants of AIDS impact in Southern sub-Saharan Africa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HIV prevalence data and published indices on wealth, fertility, and governmental corruption were correlated using statistical software. The high prevalence of HIV in Southern sub-Saharan Africa is not explained by the unusual prevalence of subtype-C HIV infection. Many host factors contribute to HIV prevalence, including ...

  1. 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

  2. Population prospects for Sub-Saharan Africa: determinants, consequences and policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huth, M J

    1986-01-01

    Population projections for nine Sub-Saharan African countries (excluding southern Africa) are reviewed for the period to the year 2020. Consideration is given to the determinants of fertility and to the consequences of rapid population growth. Suggestions for population policies that will resolve population-related development problems are discussed.

  3. Dutch research on environment and development in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Haan, de L.J.; Ton, P.

    1994-01-01

    This review of Dutch research on environmental issues in sub-Saharan Africa is based on an inventory of some 80 research programmes carried out in the Netherlands during the 1990s. An analysis of the research themes indicates that most of the research concentrates on the exploitation of natural

  4. 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…

  5. Tourism and microcredit for sustainable community development in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoeve ten, Marieke

    2009-01-01

    Poverty reduction is one of the main Millennium Development Goals (United Nations, 2000). Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest prevalence of poverty. Almost half the population lives in extreme poverty (Chen & Ravillion, 2004; UN, 2005). Pove

  6. History of blood transfusion in sub-saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, William H

    2013-01-01

    The adequacy and safety of blood transfusion in sub-Saharan Africa is the subject of much concern, yet there have been very few studies of its history. An overview of that record finds that transfusions were first reported in Africa (sub-Saharan and excluding South Africa) in the early 1920s, and organized transfusion practices were established before the Second World War. Blood transfusion grew rapidly after 1945, along with the construction of new hospitals and expanded health services in Africa. Significant differences existed between colonial powers in the organization of transfusion services, but these converged after independence as their use continued to grow and decentralized and hospital-based practices were adopted. It was only after the oil crisis in the mid-1970s that health spending declined and the collection, testing, and transfusion of blood began to level off. Thus, when the AIDS crisis hit transfusion services, they were already struggling to meet the needs of patients. At this time, foreign assistance as well as the World Health Organization and the League of Red Cross Societies helped respond to both the immediate problem of testing blood, and for some countries, support existed for the broader reorganization of transfusion. Overall, the history shows that transfusion was adopted widely and quickly, limited mainly by the availability of knowledgeable doctors and hospital facilities. There was less resistance than expected by Africans to receive transfusions, and the record shows a remarkable flexibility in obtaining blood. The dangers of disease transmission were recognized from an early date but were balanced against the potential lifesaving benefits of transfusion. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Causes of corruption: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Joseph Ato Forson; Theresa Yaaba Baah-Ennumh; Ponlapat Buracom; Guojin Chen; Peng Zhen

    2016-01-01

    This study explores the causes of corruption in 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 1996 to 2013. The sources of corruption are grouped into three main thematic areas – historical roots, contemporary causes and institutional causes to make way for subjective and objective measures. The subjective measures allow for assessment of the effectiveness of anticorruption policies. Using pooled OLS, fixed-effect and instrumental-variable approaches, and focusing on the perceived level of corrupti...

  8. Patterns of Manufacturing Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Colonization to the Present

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Austin, G.; Frankema, E.H.P.; Jerven, M.

    2015-01-01

    This paper reviews the ‘long twentieth-century’ development of ‘modern’manufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa from colonization to the present. We argue thatclassifying Africa generically as a ‘late industrializer’ is inaccurate. To understand thedistinctively African pattern of manufacturing growth,

  9. Health economics of blood transfusion safety - focus on sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hulst, Marinus; Smit Sibinga, Cees Th. Smit; Postma, Maarten J.

    Background and objectives. Health economics provides a standardised methodology for valid comparisons of interventions in different fields of health care. This review discusses the health economic evaluations of strategies to enhance blood product safety in sub-Saharan Africa Methods. We reviewed

  10. The Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Sub-Saharan Africa : a database

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Robertson, I.A.D.

    2009-01-01

    Introduction The purpose of this database is to list all the taxonomic publications on this Superfamily in Sub-Saharan Africa until the year 2000. It is also intended to give an indication of the kind of information contained in each paper. No attempt has been made to change or criticise what

  11. Vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child in sub-Saharan Africa: modes of transmission and methods for prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santmyire, B R

    2001-05-01

    The impact of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa on future mortality rates of infants, children, and mothers, life expectancy, and economic growth is profound. Vertical transmission of HIV, transmission from mother to child, is a major factor in the increasing rates of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. Vertical transmission of HIV occurs in utero, intrapartum during labor and delivery, and postpartum during breast-feeding. Because of the large numbers of HIV-infected mothers in developing countries, the majority trials regarding prevention of vertical transmission of HIV have been conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, sub-Saharan Africa has become a human laboratory, which demonstrates both the successes and failures of preventative methods to reduce vertical transmission of HIV. This review summarizes the body of research dedicated to understanding the pathophysiology of vertical transmission of HIV and pharmacology of inhibition of vertical transmission of HIV. While many debate the ethics of conducting trials in developing countries where effective prevention modalities have been slow to be implemented for economic, social and political reasons, studies continue and researchers continue to discover therapies and preventative methods, which may reduce the future devastation of HIV both in sub-Saharan Africa and throughout the world.

  12. Electoral System Reform Attempts in Sub-Saharan Africa: South Africa, Lesotho, Kenya, and Zimbabwe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Elklit, Jørgen

    This paper provides a test of the generalizability of the barriers’ approach (Rahat and Hazan, 2011) to the study of electoral system reform attempts. It does so by examining a set of recent attempts of electoral system change in four Sub-Saharan countries (South Africa, Lesotho, Kenya...

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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

  14. The state, refugees and migration in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akokpari, J K

    1998-01-01

    Migration and refugee movements could significantly decline in sub-Saharan African countries. However, countries must redistribute meager resources equitably and engage in environmental protection. Refugee and migrant populations have increased in sub-Saharan Africa during 1969-95, from 700,000 to 6.8 million. This study examined the causes of migration and the implications for host countries. Doornbos (1990) identifies the root problem as the partisan nature of African politics and the incapacity to manage ecological degradation. The African state is wholly or partially responsible for the creation of conflicts. Examples abound in Zaire, South Africa, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Ethiopia, Liberia, Congo, and Chad. State partisanship is also evident in Angola, Mozambique, Uganda, and Sierra Leone. An estimated 10 million Africans, in 1985, left their homes due to wars, government repression, or the inability of land to support them. In 1994, USAID estimated that 11.6 million Africans in 10 countries were threatened by famine from drought. Environmental degradation has generated conflicts. Africa's marginalized economy results in recession, unemployment, inflation, and distributional conflicts. Democratization has brought conflicts between the state, civil society, and exiles. Refugees face homelessness, poverty, emotional distress, inadequate food, and disease. Host countries face security threats, pressure on limited resources, rebellions from refugees and their involvement with foreign mercenaries, local conflicts between native and refugee populations, and environmental degradation from refugees.

  15. Knowledge, attitudes and practices on Schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacolo, Hlengiwe; Chimbari, Moses; Kalinda, Chester

    2018-01-18

    Schistosomiasis remains a global health problem with an estimated 250 million people in 78 countries infected, of whom 85% live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Preventive chemotherapy remains the key public health strategy to combat schistosomiasis worldwide. Recently the WHO emphasized on the use of integrative approaches in the control and elimination of schistosomiasis. However, a detailed understanding of sociocultural factors that may influence the uptake of the intended health activities and services is vital. Thus, our study sought to understand the knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs and practices about schistosomiasis in various communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. A systematic search of literature for the period 2006-2016 was done on Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, Psych info and Google Scholar using the following key words "Schistosomiasis, S. mansoni, S. haematobium, knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs and practices in Sub-Saharan Africa" in combination with Bolean operators (OR, AND). In this context, we reviewed studies conducted among school children, community members and caregivers of preschool children. Thematic analysis was utilised for the overall synthesis of the selected studies. This was done after reading the articles in depth. Themes were identified and examined for similarities, differences and contradictions. Gaps in schistosomiasis related knowledge and sociocultural barriers towards the uptake of preventive and treatment services among communities in Sub-Saharan Africa were identified. In addition to limited knowledge and negative attitudes, risky water related practices among community members, school children and caregivers of preschool children were identified as key factors promoting transmission of the disease. The study concluded that a comprehensive health education programme using contextual and standardised training tools may improve peoples' knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to schistosomiasis prevention and control

  16. Opportunities and Challenges for Petroleum and LPG Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matthews, William G.

    2014-01-01

    Petroleum products are the lifeblood of the economies of all Sub-Saharan African countries. They are key fuels used in road transport and power generation. Households use kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for lighting and cooking. In this era of high oil prices, if the product is state-subsidized, the government budget bears the brunt of price increases. If the price changes are passed through to consumers, the household budgets are impacted directly. The countries most vulnerable to oil price shocks are the low-income oil importers which are disproportionately concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa. End user prices are affected by several factors: market size and economies of scale, mode of product transport, controlled pricing, protection of inefficient domestic suppliers, degree of competition, clear and stable legal framework, effective monitoring and disclosure of industry statistics. This paper is based on two recent studies of the oil sectors of several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa which posed the following questions: Is each stage in the supply chain, from import of crude oil or refined products to retail, efficiently run and are the efficiency gains passed on to end-users? If not, what are the potential causes and possible means of remedying the problems? - Highlights: • Examines comparative efficiencies of oil product supply chains in twelve sub-Saharan countries. • Identifies areas for improvement towards “best practice”. • Objective is to reduce differential between international reference prices and consumer prices

  17. Biomedical infertility care in Sub-Saharan Africa: what is going on?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gerrits, G.J.E.; Slager, E.

    2011-01-01

    Infertility treatments, including the use of advanced reproductive technologies (ARTs), are nowadays provided at several places in sub-Saharan Africa. This article, which is based on a review of (scarce) social science studies, gives insight into the way biomedical infertility care is provided,

  18. Poaching and Counterpoaching in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Strategy for Engagement, Development, and Protection

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Emmert, James

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this thesis is to define the poaching problem in sub-Saharan Africa, to provide for the development of solutions, and to illustrate the significance of the problem to both Africa and the United States...

  19. Drought and Civil War in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Mathieu Couttenier; Raphael Soubeyran

    2010-01-01

    We show that civil war is strongly related to drought in sub-Saharan Africa. We consider the e ect of variations in the Palmer Drought Severity Index (Palmer 1965) - a cumulative index that combines precipitation, temperature and the local characteristics of the soil - on the risk of civil war. While the recent, contentious debate on the link between climate and civil war has mainly focused on precipitation and temperature, without obtaining converging results, the Palmer index describes soci...

  20. Improving military expenditure decisionmaking in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Geoff Harris

    2010-01-01

    This article begins by emphasizing that the number and intensity of armed conflict has fallen substantially but that military expenditure levels in sub-Saharan Africa have nonetheless increased, largely as a result of South African expenditure. The article attempts to answer two questions. First, how can the budget of the security sector be allocated so as to result in effective and efficient security outcomes? Second, how can an appropriate level of military expenditure for a country be dete...

  1. Institutions and Agricultural Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Lilyan E. Fulginiti; Richard K. Perrin; Bingxin Yu

    2005-01-01

    Agricultural productivity in 41 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries from 1960 to 1999 is examined by estimating a semi-nonparametric Fourier production frontier. Over the four decades the estimated rate of productivity change was 0.83% per year, although the average rate from 1985-99 was a strong 1.90% per year. Former UK colonies exhibited significantly higher productivity gains than others, while Liberia and countries that had been colonies of Portugal or Belgium exhibited net reductions in ...

  2. Can biotechnology help meet the nutrition challenge in sub-Saharan Africa?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tagwireyi, Julia

    2002-12-01

    The successful efforts in the 1980s to redress nutrition problems in sub-Saharan Africa are being eroded. Countries in eastern and southern Africa are now facing serious food shortages because of recurrent droughts, floods, civil wars, and the concomitant growing poverty. The potential for biotechnology to alleviate hunger holds promise if the new technology can be adapted to the prevailing sociocultural context in Africa. Agronomists and biotechnologists need to work together to ensure that the biotechnology agenda for Africa is responsive to the food and nutrition needs of its people.

  3. Factors associated with maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa: an ecological study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hernández Valentín

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Maternal health is one of the major worldwide health challenges. Currently, the unacceptably high levels of maternal mortality are a common subject in global health and development discussions. Although some countries have made remarkable progress, half of the maternal deaths in the world still take place in Sub-Saharan Africa where little or no progress has been made. There is no single simple, straightforward intervention that will significantly decrease maternal mortality alone; however, there is a consensus on the importance of a strong health system, skilled delivery attendants, and women's rights for maternal health. Our objective was to describe and determine different factors associated with the maternal mortality ratio in Sub-Saharan countries. Methods An ecological multi-group study compared variables between many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa using data collected between 1997 and 2006. The dependent variable was the maternal mortality ratio, and Health care system-related, educational and economic indicators were the independent variables. Information sources included the WHO, World Bank, UNICEF and UNDP. Results Maternal mortality ratio values in Sub-Saharan Africa were demonstrated to be high and vary enormously among countries. A relationship between the maternal mortality ratio and some educational, sanitary and economic factors was observed. There was an inverse and significant correlation of the maternal mortality ratio with prenatal care coverage, births assisted by skilled health personnel, access to an improved water source, adult literacy rate, primary female enrolment rate, education index, the Gross National Income per capita and the per-capita government expenditure on health. Conclusions Education and an effective and efficient health system, especially during pregnancy and delivery, are strongly related to maternal death. Also, macro-economic factors are related and could be influencing the others.

  4. Is the Role of Physicians Really Evolving Due to Non-physician Clinicians Predominance in Staff Makeup in Sub-Saharan African Health Systems?; Comment on “Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians”

    OpenAIRE

    Mohsin M. Sidat

    2016-01-01

    Health workforce shortages in Sub-Saharan Africa are widely recognized, particularly of physicians, leading the training and deployment of Non-physician clinicians (NPCs). The paper by Eyal et al provides interesting and legitimate viewpoints on evolving role of physicians in context of decisive increase of NPCss in Sub-Saharan Africa. Certainly, in short or mid-term, NPCs will continue to be a proxy solution and a valuable alternative to overcome physicians’ shortages in sub-Saharan Africa. ...

  5. Identifying Effective Education Interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Meta-Analysis of Rigorous Impact Evaluations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conn, Katharine

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this dissertation is to identify effective educational interventions in Sub-Saharan African with an impact on student learning. This is the first meta-analysis in the field of education conducted for Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper takes an in-depth look at twelve different types of education interventions or programs and attempts to not…

  6. International Food Security: Insufficient Efforts by Host Governments and Donors Threaten Progress to Halve Hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2015

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Melito, Thomas; Thomas, Phillip J; Bray, Carol; Chen, Ming; Chung, Debbie; De Alteriis, Martin; DeWolf, Leah; Dowling, Mark; Finkler, Etana; Hudson Acknowledgments, Melinda

    2008-01-01

    .... The gap between the average grain yield in sub- Saharan Africa compared with the rest of the world's developing countries has widened over the years, and, by 2006, the yield in sub-Saharan Africa...

  7. Sustainable intensification through rotations with grain legumes in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Franke, A.C.; Brand, van den G.J.; Vanlauwe, B.; Giller, K.E.

    2018-01-01

    We conducted a systematic review of literature on the residual effects of grain legumes in cereal-based systems of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to quantify the magnitude and variability of rotational effects, to explore the importance of environmental and management factors in determining variability

  8. Is inflation a growth killer? Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper examines the impact of in ation on economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa in order to provide an empirical evidence whether in ation hinders or boost economic activities in the region. The paper found that in ation exhibits a reducing-growth effect in both short-term and long-term periods using Panel ...

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

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

    Impact of China on sub-Saharan Africa : Country Case Studies. China is emerging as a major power in the global economy. The broad-based nature of its industrial development has generated a sustained and high demand for oil and raw materials, a significant reason for the current strength of oil and other commodity ...

  10. [Particularities and management of arterial hypertension in sub-saharan Africa].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fourcade, Laurent; Touze, Jean-Etienne

    2011-06-01

    More than 25% of adults worldwide have high blood pressure, and this proportion is expected to rise in coming years. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that 150 million persons will be hypertensive by 2025. This increase appears to be related to the growth and aging of the population, as well as to the growing number of overweight and obese persons. The association with type-2 diabetes is frequent and deleterious. These trends are associated with urbanization and lifestyle westernization. Hypertension presents several etiopathogenic particularities in sub-Saharan Africa, especially with respect to sodium sensitivity and low renin activity. Target organ damage is more common, due to delayed and inadequate therapeutic management and to a likely genetic predisposition. Heart failure, stroke and renal failure often occur in young people. The mainstay of treatment is the use of thiazide diuretics and calcium channel blockers, combined with lifestyle and dietary measures (especially sodium restriction). Because of logistic and economic difficulties, recommendations issued by international societies may not be applicable at the community level.

  11. Water reform in Sub-Saharan Africa: what is the difference?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Koppen, Barbara

    Since the early 1990s African governments took an active part in the global movement of water reform towards Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). The first step consisted primarily of assimilating the generic principles of IWRM. At this generic level, water reform in Sub-Saharan Africa seems quite similar to water reform elsewhere in the developed and developing world. However, in taking the second step of operationalizing generic principles into concrete actions on the ground, at least three salient differences between Sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere emerged: (a) Africa’s relative abundance of water resources but its scarcity of economic means to harness available water resources; (b) the importance of agriculture and agricultural water development for economic growth and poverty eradication; and (c) the need for systems of water rights and financial resource mobilization that are separated and suit the African reality in which large water users are relatively few, while the bulk of water users are scattered smallholders. This paper discusses the early operationalization with regard to these three unique features and identifies lessons learnt.

  12. Reproductive health and family planning needs among HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarnquist, Clea C; Rahangdale, Lisa; Maldonado, Yvonne

    2013-03-01

    Review key topics and recent literature regarding reproductive health and family planning needs for HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Electronic searches performed in PubMed, JSTOR, and Web of Science; identified articles reviewed for inclusion. Most HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa bear children, and access to antiretroviral therapy may increase childbearing desires and/or fertility, resulting in greater need for contraception. Most contraceptive options can be safely and effectively used by HIV-infected women. Unmet need for contraception is high in this population, with 66- 92% of women reporting not wanting another child (now or ever), but only 20-43% using contraception. During pregnancy and delivery, HIV-infected women need access to prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services, a skilled birth attendant, and quality post-partum care to prevent HIV infection in the infant and maximize maternal health. Providers may lack resources as well as appropriate training and support to provide such services to women with HIV. Innovations in biomedical and behavioral interventions may improve reproductive healthcare for HIV-infected women, but in Sub-Saharan Africa, models of integrating HIV and PMTCT services with family planning and reproductive health services will be important to improve reproductive outcomes. HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa have myriad needs related to reproductive health, including access to high-quality family planning information and options, high-quality pregnancy care, and trained providers. Integrated services that help prevent unintended pregnancy and optimize maternal and infant health before, during and after pregnancy will both maximize limited resources as well as provide improved reproductive outcomes.

  13. HIV/AIDS mitigation strategies and the State in sub-Saharan Africa--the missing link?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohiddin, Abdu; Johnston, Deborah

    2006-01-17

    The HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa is widely recognised as a development disaster threatening poverty reduction, economic growth and not merely a health issue. Its mitigation includes the societal-wide adoption and implementation of specific health technologies, many of which depend on functional institutions and State. Donor and International Institutions' strategies to mitigate HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are premised on a single optimal model of the State, one which focuses on the decentralised delivery of public goods alone (such as healthcare) - the service delivery state. The empirical evidence, though sparse, of "successful" and "unsuccessful" sub-Saharan Africa states' performance in mitigating HIV/AIDS does not support this model. Rather, the evidence suggests an alternative model that takes a country context specific approach - encompassing political power, institutional structures and the level of health technology needed. This model draws on the historical experience of East Asian countries' rapid development. For international public health policies to be effective, they must consider a country tailored approach, one that advocates a coordinated strategy designed and led by the State with involvement of wider society specific to each country's particular history, culture, and level of development.

  14. The potential for political leadership in HIV/AIDS communication campaigns in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karan, Abraar; Hartford, Emily; Coates, Thomas J

    2017-01-01

    The HIV/AIDS epidemic has become a point of important political concern for governments especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Clinical and public health interventions to curb the epidemic can be greatly enhanced with the strategic support of political leaders. We analyzed the role of national political leadership in large-scale HIV/AIDS communications campaigns in 14 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. We primarily reviewed grey and white literature published from 2005-2014. We further triangulated data from in-person and phone interviews with key public health figures. A number of themes emerged supporting political leaders' efforts toward HIV/AIDS program improvement, including direct involvement of public officials in campaign spearheading, the acknowledgment of personal relationship to the HIV epidemic, and public testing and disclosure of HIV status. Areas for future improvement were also identified, including the need for more directed messaging, increased transparency both nationally and internationally and the reduction of stigmatizing messaging from leaders. The political system has a large role to play within the healthcare system, particularly for HIV/AIDS. This partnership between politics and the health must continue to strengthen and be leveraged to effect major change in behaviors and attitudes across Sub-Saharan Africa.

  15. Financing renewable energy in developing countries. Drivers and barriers for private finance in sub-Saharan Africa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-02-15

    The focus of this report is to identify and portray current barriers to the scaling up of private investment and finance for electricity generation from renewable energy sources in the sub-Saharan region. Best practice in tackling these barriers is identified, partly from a literature review but especially from the results of a survey conducted among 36 financial institutions that are UNEP Finance Initiative members and two non-member banks (all survey respondents have experience in the field of energy infrastructure finance). Promising avenues in the areas of local policy reform, incentive mechanisms and international de-risking instruments are highlighted. In particular, this report addresses the following questions: (a) Why are sub-Saharan Africa and developing countries elsewhere failing to expand electricity generation from renewable sources? What are the barriers to such expansion? What is keeping the risk-return profile of renewable energy investments in sub-Saharan Africa unattractive and projects commercially unviable?; (b) What have been the experiences of private sector lenders and investors in the area of renewable energy projects in developing countries? What barriers and drivers have they encountered, and how can these experiences be of use in sub-Saharan Africa?; (c) What can be learned from the modest but encouraging successes of a few sub-Saharan African countries? Can these results be replicated? What was done in these countries to improve the risk-return profile of renewable energy and unlock private finance?.

  16. External Debt and Public Investment in Education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilak, Jandhyala B. G.

    1990-01-01

    Worsening economic conditions, reflected in mounting external debt, debt service, and structural adjustment processes have forced governments to reveal their expenditure priorities, which are largely against human capital investment activities like education. This paper examines this phenomenon, using cross-country data for Sub-Saharan Africa.…

  17. The energy sector in sub-Saharan Africa: current status and prospects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Major, Rebecca; Ege, Ergen

    2015-01-01

    In Sub-Saharan Africa, the energy sector should theoretically enjoy the high economic growth rate that applies to the whole of the continent. But in reality prospects are affected by such obstacles as political and legal instability, as well as the drop in oil prices. (authors)

  18. Understanding Hydrological Processes in an Ungauged Catchment in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mul, M.L.

    2009-01-01

    Ungauged catchments can be found in many parts of the world, but particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Information collected in a gauged catchment and its regionalisation to ungauged areas is crucial for water resources assessment. Especially farmers in semi-arid areas are in need of such information.

  19. Fighting the Population/Agriculture/Environment Nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Cleaver, Kevin; Schreiber, Gotz

    1994-01-01

    Over the past thirty years, most of Sub-Saharan Africa has seen rapid population growth, poor agricultural performance, and increasing environmental degradation. Why do these problems seem so intractable? Are they connected? Do they reinforce each other? If so, what are the critical links? This book tests the hypothesis that these phenomena are strongly interrelated. The finding - that thi...

  20. 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…

  1. Why sub-Saharan Africa lags in electronic health record adoption and possible strategies to increase its adoption in this region

    OpenAIRE

    Odekunle, Florence Femi; Odekunle, Raphael Oluseun; Shankar, Srinivasan

    2017-01-01

    Poor health information system has been identified as a major challenge in the health-care system in many developing countries including sub-Saharan African countries. Electronic health record (EHR) has been shown as an important tool to improve access to patient information with attendance improved quality of care. However, EHR has not been widely implemented/adopted in sub-Saharan Africa. This study sought to identify factors that affect the adoption of an EHR in sub-Saharan Africa and stra...

  2. What would it take to prevent stunted growth in children in sub-Saharan Africa?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lartey, Anna

    2015-11-01

    There is increasing agreement among the nutrition community about the use of length/height-for-age as the indicator to monitor the long-term impact of chronic nutritional deficiencies. Stunting, an indicator of linear growth failure, has both long- and short-term consequences affecting growth and development and adult work potential. The number of stunted children in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to increase by 2025 if the current trends remain. Stunting among African children peaks during the complementary feeding period, which coincides with the period when children are no longer on exclusive breastfeeding and infections are frequent. Addressing stunting has become the focus of global efforts. The World Health Assembly in 2012 set a 40 % reduction in the number of stunted children by 2025. To effectively address the issues of stunting in sub-Saharan Africa is it appropriate to examine the issue of what it takes. The WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS) conducted in several regions of the world, including Africa has lessons on what it would take to prevent in African children. The children in the MGRS had good socioeconomic background characteristics reflected by years of maternal education and availability of basic amenities, such as potable water and sanitary conditions. The prescription of exclusive breastfeeding, high-quality diversified diets and attention to care were critical factors contributing to healthy growth for the African children. Preventing stunting in sub-Saharan Africa is possible. It requires governments to put in place policies that would create the conducive environment needed. The complex and multiple causes of stunting offer the opportunity to address stunting in a multisectoral and within a food systems approach. The global resolve to make food systems deliver on healthy diet requires all stakeholders to work together to achieve the global goal of reducing stunting. This review highlights the key elements contributing to adequate

  3. Institutional Differences and Agricultural Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Asgari, Mahdi; Nogueira, Lia

    2013-01-01

    Countries successful in achieving growth and equity throughout their development process could provide continuing gross flow of resources to agriculture in the form of technical, educational, and financial elements combined with proper institutions and policies to increase agricultural productivity. The main purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of institutional differences in governance, health and markets on the overall agricultural performance of Sub-Saharan Africa countries. Gove...

  4. Whole blood pathogen reduction technology and blood safety in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review with regional discussion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nkohkwo, Asa'ah; Agbor, Gabriel; Asongalem, Emmanuel; Tagny, Claude; Asonganyi, Tazoacha

    2016-01-01

    Despite vast improvements in transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade, there remain serious concerns on the safety and adequacy of the blood supply across the region. This review paper ascertains the role of pathogen reduction technology (PRT) in improving blood safety and supply adequacy in the region. The state of blood safety in sub-Saharan Africa was reviewed. Meetings, seminars and correspondence were undertaken with key clinicians, scientists and professional bodies in the region, including the World Health Organization's Regional Office for Africa, to examine the suitability of PRT for improving the safety of whole blood transfusion, a prevalent transfusion format in the region. Existing literature suggests that combining PRT with current blood safety measures (such as serology) would improve the safety and adequacy of the blood supply for transfusions in sub-Saharan Africa. This was echoed by the findings of the stakeholder meetings. Following a detailed appraisal of two leading PRT systems, the Mirasol ® PRT System and the Cerus S-303 System, we suggest that companies conduct comprehensive toxicological evaluation of the agents used for PRT and publish this in the scientific literature. We also recommend that the safety and efficacy of these technologies should be established in a randomised clinical trial conducted in sub-Saharan Africa.

  5. Association of HIV and ART with cardiometabolic traits in sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dillon, David G; Gurdasani, Deepti; Riha, Johanna

    2013-01-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the highest burden of HIV in the world and a rising prevalence of cardiometabolic disease; however, the interrelationship between HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ART) and cardiometabolic traits is not well described in SSA populations....

  6. The population debate in relation to development: the case of sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abou-stait, F

    1994-12-02

    A complex relationship exists between population growth and economic development. The historical quantitative evidence is also ambiguous. Many social scientists consider rapid population growth in developing countries to be a major obstacle to development. There are, however, many ways in which population growth can foster development. There are also several rational reasons why families in developing countries may decide to bear many children. Theories on population and development are discussed. Using sub-Saharan Africa as its reference region, the paper describes how rapid population growth can impede development. Current demographic and economic trends in sub-Saharan Africa and the consequences of rapid population growth in terms of economic, environmental, and sociopolitical change, capital widening, the labor force, and trade are presented.

  7. Cultural significance of termites in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Huis, Arnold

    2017-01-26

    The number of termite species in the world is more than 2500, and Africa with more than 1000 species has the richest intercontinental diversity. The family Termitidae contains builders of great mounds up to 5 m high. Colonies are composed of casts: a queen, a king, soldiers and workers. Some species of termite cultivate specialised fungi to digest cellulose. Termites constitute 10% of all animal biomass in the tropics. The purpose of the study was to make an overview of how termites are utilized, perceived and experienced in daily life across sub-Saharan Africa. Ethno-entomological information on termites (Isoptera) in sub-Saharan Africa was collected by: (1) interviews with more than 300 people from about 120 ethnic groups from 27 countries in the region; (2) library studies in Africa, London, Paris and Leiden. Vernacular names relate to mounds, insects as food, the swarming, and the behaviour of termites. Swarming reproductive, soldiers and queens are collected as food. There are many different ways to harvest them. Termites can also be used as feed for poultry or as bait to catch birds and fish. The mushrooms that grow each year from the fungus gardens on the termite mounds are eaten. The soldiers, the fungus gardens and the soil of termite mounds are used for multiple medicinal purposes. Mounds and soil of termites have numerous functions: for geochemical prospecting, making bricks, plastering houses, making pots, and for storage. Termite soil is often used as fertilizer. The act of eating soil (geophagy) among women, especially those that are pregnant, is practised all over Africa. The mounds can serve as burying places and are often associated with the spiritual world, especially containing the spirits of ancestors. Termites also play a role as oracle, in superstitious beliefs, in art and literature. The following characteristics make termites so appealing: the dominance in the landscape, the social organization, the destructive power, and the provision of

  8. Small pumps and poor farmers in Sub Saharan Africa: An assessment of current extent of use and the poverty outreach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Namara, R.E.; Gebregziabher, G.; Giordano, M.; Fraiture, de C.M.S.

    2013-01-01

    The expansion of irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa has been slow. In Asia, the rapid expansion of smallholder irrigation systems was attributed in part to the availability and affordability of motorized pumps. This paper appraises the current extent of pump-based irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa;

  9. Impacts of enhanced fertilizer applications on tropospheric ozone and crop damage over sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yaoxian; Hickman, Jonathan E.; Wu, Shiliang

    2018-05-01

    Fertilizer-induced nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in sub-Saharan Africa are expected to increase substantially in the coming decades, driven by increasing application of fertilizers to increase crop yields in an effort to attain food security across the continent. In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, surface ozone (O3) is sensitive to increasing atmospheric concentrations of NOx. In this study, we employ the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model to conduct a preliminary investigation of the impacts on O3 air quality and the consequential crop damage associated with increasing fertilizer-induced NOx emissions in sub-Saharan Africa. Our simulation results, constrained by field NO flux measurements for the years 2011 and 2012 in response to a variety of fertilizer application rates in western Kenya, show that the enhancements in NO flux with fertilizer application rate of 150 kg N ha-1 can increase surface NOx and O3 concentrations by up to 0.36 and 2.8 ppbv respectively during the growing season. At the same time, accumulated O3 exposure during the crop growing season (expressed as AOT40 values) could increase by up to 496 ppb h, leading to crop yield decline of about 0.8% for O3-sensitive crops. Our results suggest that, when accounting for the consequential impacts on surface O3 air quality and crop damage over sub-Saharan Africa, agricultural intensification is possible without substantial impacts on crop productivity because the relatively small decline of crop yield resulting from O3 damage appears unlikely to outweigh the gain in crop yield from fertilization.

  10. Primary care in the prevention, treatment and control of cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Ojji, Dike B; Ojji, Dike B Ojji; Lamont, Kim; Sliwa, Karen; Ojji, Olubunmi I; Egenti, Bibiana Nonye; Sliwa, Karen

    2017-01-01

    Summary Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the frontrunner in the disease spectrum of sub-Saharan Africa, with stroke and ischaemic heart disease ranked seventh and 14th as leading causes of death, respectively, on this sub-continent. Unfortunately, this region is also grappling with many communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional disorders. Limited resources and the high cost of CVD treatment necessitate that primary prevention should have a high priority for CVD control in sub- Saharan A...

  11. Improving Labour Market Outcomes for the Poor in Sub-Saharan Africa

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

    Improving Labour Market Outcomes for the Poor in Sub-Saharan Africa. African economies are finally experiencing a period of high economic growth, speeding up the slow transition from agriculture to manufacturing. Nonetheless, the share of agriculture in the region's economies continues to be higher than in any other ...

  12. Knowledge of HIV and AIDS in women in sub-Saharan Africa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    Knowledge of HIV and AIDS in women in sub-Saharan Africa. Amy D. Burgoyne and Peter D. Drummond. ABSTRACT. Although most African people have heard of HIV and AIDS, there is still widespread misunderstanding about how HIV is spread, the consequences of infection, and how to protect against infection.

  13. Exploring changes in open defecation prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa based on national level indices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galan, Deise I; Kim, Seung-Sup; Graham, Jay P

    2013-05-30

    In sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that 215 million people continue to engage in open defecation. This practice facilitates the transmission of diarrheal diseases - one of the leading causes of mortality in children under 5 in sub-Saharan Africa. The main purpose of this study is to: estimate changes in open defecation prevalence between 2005 and 2010 across countries in sub-Saharan Africa; examine the association between national level indices and changes in open defecation prevalence; and assess how many countries can achieve 'open defecation free status' by 2015. After applying selection criteria, this study analyzed country-level data for 34 sub-Saharan African countries. Seven country-level indices were collected: 1) presence of a national sanitation policy; 2) budget line for sanitation; 3) budget allocated to sanitation; 4) annual per capita GDP; 5) GDP growth; 6) implementation of total sanitation approaches; and 7) per capita aid disbursement for water supply and sanitation. The relationships between these country-level indices and the change in open defecation from 2005 to 2010 were investigated using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test and Spearman's rank correlation test. Only 3 countries (i.e. Ethiopia, Angola and Sao Tome and Principe) decreased open defecation by 10% or more between 2005 and 2010. No significant associations were observed between the change in open defecation prevalence and all of national level indices except per capita aid disbursement. Per capita aid disbursement for water and sanitation was positively associated with a reduction in open defecation (p-value = 0.02) for a subset of 29 low-income countries from 2005 to 2010. Only one country in our analysis, Angola, is on track to end open defecation by 2015 based on their performance between 2000 and 2010. Most of the national level indices, including a country's economic status, were not associated with the change in the open defecation prevalence. Based on current trends, the goal

  14. Sex Life Satisfaction in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Descriptive and Exploratory Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cranney, Stephen

    2017-10-01

    Nearly all of the sex life satisfaction literature has dealt with developed-country settings, and nothing has been published on sex life satisfaction in sub-Saharan Africa. Not only is sub-Saharan African a substantively relevant area in its own right, but it also provides a useful point of comparison for patterns and relations found in developed-world contexts. A brief descriptive and exploratory study of sex life satisfaction in sub-Saharan Africa was conducted using the World Gallup Poll, a dataset with representative sex life satisfaction data for 31 countries and 25,483 cases. In general, there was little variation in weighted averages across countries, and most of the samples surveyed were satisfied with their sex lives, with the modal score being a perfect 10. Furthermore, what variation did exist could not be attributed to level of economic development or gender inequality. Within countries, sociodemographic associations generally comported with patterns found in other contexts: income, education, and being partnered were generally associated with sex life satisfaction, and for two of the four UN subregions (West Africa and East Africa), males were significantly more satisfied with their sex lives than women. The relationship with age demonstrated a curvilinear relationship, with the peak age of sexual satisfaction in the late 20s to early 30s depending on the geographic region. The age pattern was not due to health differences, but combining estimators after a seemingly unrelated regression suggests that 4-12% of the effect of income on sex life satisfaction was attributable to better health. In general, religiosity and perceived gravity of the HIV/AIDS problem in one's country were not significantly related to sexual satisfaction.

  15. Did the Aid Boom Pacify Sub-Saharan Africa?

    OpenAIRE

    Azam, Jean-Paul; Thelen, Véronique

    2017-01-01

    The incidence of civil war in Sub-Saharan Africa since the turn of the century is less than half of what it was on average in the last quarter of the 20th century. This paper shows that the aid boom triggered by 9/11 played a key role in achieving purposefully this result using panel data for 46 African countries over four decades. It applies a nearidentification approach to test the aid-conflict tradeoff, taking due account of asymmetric information between the donors and the econometrician....

  16. Smallholder groundwater irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa: an interdisciplinary framework applied to the Usangu plains, Tanzania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villholth, Karen G.; Ganeshamoorthy, Jegan; Rundblad, Christian M.

    2013-01-01

    A simple but comprehensive framework for analysing the potential for and constraints to groundwater development for irrigated agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is proposed. The framework, based on food value chain principles, is applied to the sub-Saharan context and a specific catchment in Tanza......A simple but comprehensive framework for analysing the potential for and constraints to groundwater development for irrigated agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is proposed. The framework, based on food value chain principles, is applied to the sub-Saharan context and a specific catchment...... in Tanzania, the Usangu plains, where groundwater has been proposed as a strategic resource for augmenting food production and smallholder livelihoods and to alleviate seasonal water scarcity. The novel contribution of the work is the presentation of a tool that can be applied to support an interdisciplinary...... approach to systematically identify most significant barriers and most critical water management and development interventions for sustainable development of groundwater irrigation. The result of the case study shows that farmer economics, capacity, and pump and well drilling market constraints limit...

  17. Urban Transport Services in Sub-Saharan Africa : Improving Vehicle Operations

    OpenAIRE

    World Bank

    2003-01-01

    The report presents findings, and the way forward in respect of the Knowledge and Research (KAR) Project on vehicle operations in Sub-Saharan Africa, basically undertaken in Uganda and Ghana. In the first phase, the study identified problems faced by transport operators in both countries, and analyzed their impact on vehicle operating costs, as well as examining transport regulations, and ...

  18. Sino - nasal surgery in the sub-Saharan Africa: A critical appraisal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Sino - nasal surgery poses a great challenge to practicing ear, nose and throat surgeons in the sub- Saharan Africa where facilities are inadequate and most patients are distantly located from the few hospitals available in this region. Method: A retrospective study of 79 patients who had nasal and paranasal ...

  19. Determinants of age at first marriage in sub-Saharan Africa: A ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Marriage has traditionally been early and universal in sub-Saharan Africa and this has been blamed for high fertility and the failure to achieve most MDGs including the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achieving the goal of universal primary education, promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women, ...

  20. View Point: Economic growth and child health in Sub Saharan Africa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    View Point: Economic growth and child health in Sub Saharan Africa. BA O'Hare, N Bar-Zeev, L Chiwaula. Abstract. After independence most African countries witnessed growth in their economies and decreases in child mortality. However both economic growth and the gains in under 5 mortality slowed dramatically in the ...

  1. Problem Gambling among Young People in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Derrick Ssewanyana; Derrick Ssewanyana; Byron Bitanihirwe

    2018-01-01

    Gambling is a cross-cultural and global activity which typically involves the wagering of money or an item of monetary value on an outcome that is governed by chance. Although gambling is positioned as a legitimate recreational and leisure activity within sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there is widespread recognition among healthcare professionals and policy-makers that gambling has the capacity to become dysfunctional in a minority. Emerging knowledge suggests that problem gambling is rapidly evo...

  2. 78 FR 22260 - Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-15

    ... developments in Sub-Saharan Africa markets by Ex-Im Bank staff; an update on the Bank's on-going business... development and implementation of policies and programs designed to support the expansion of the Bank's financial commitments in Sub- Saharan Africa under the loan, guarantee, and insurance programs of the Bank...

  3. The financial cost of doctors emigrating from sub-Saharan Africa: human capital analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mills, Edward J; Kanters, Steve; Hagopian, Amy; Bansback, Nick; Nachega, Jean; Alberton, Mark; Au-Yeung, Christopher G; Mtambo, Andy; Bourgeault, Ivy L; Luboga, Samuel; Hogg, Robert S; Ford, Nathan

    2011-11-23

    To estimate the lost investment of domestically educated doctors migrating from sub-Saharan African countries to Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Human capital cost analysis using publicly accessible data. Sub-Saharan African countries. Nine sub-Saharan African countries with an HIV prevalence of 5% or greater or with more than one million people with HIV/AIDS and with at least one medical school (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe), and data available on the number of doctors practising in destination countries. The financial cost of educating a doctor (through primary, secondary, and medical school), assuming that migration occurred after graduation, using current country specific interest rates for savings converted to US dollars; cost according to the number of source country doctors currently working in the destination countries; and savings to destination countries of receiving trained doctors. In the nine source countries the estimated government subsidised cost of a doctor's education ranged from $21,000 (£13,000; €15,000) in Uganda to $58,700 in South Africa. The overall estimated loss of returns from investment for all doctors currently working in the destination countries was $2.17bn (95% confidence interval 2.13bn to 2.21bn), with costs for each country ranging from $2.16m (1.55m to 2.78m) for Malawi to $1.41bn (1.38bn to 1.44bn) for South Africa. The ratio of the estimated compounded lost investment over gross domestic product showed that Zimbabwe and South Africa had the largest losses. The benefit to destination countries of recruiting trained doctors was largest for the United Kingdom ($2.7bn) and United States ($846m). Among sub-Saharan African countries most affected by HIV/AIDS, lost investment from the emigration of doctors is considerable. Destination countries should consider investing in measurable training for source countries and strengthening of their

  4. Moving methodologies : learning about integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Defoer, T.

    2000-01-01

    Soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa is complex, diverse and dynamic. Farmers' investments are determined by a wide variety of factors, including bio-physical characteristics of the environment, access to resources and the institutional, and socio-economic context of farming and

  5. The Vulnerability of Rice Value Chains in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fanen Terdoo

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Rice is one of the most important food crops in sub-Saharan Africa. Climate change, variability, and economic globalization threatens to disrupt rice value chains across the subcontinent, undermining their important role in economic development, food security, and poverty reduction. This paper maps existing research on the vulnerability of rice value chains, synthesizes the evidence and the risks posed by climate change and economic globalization, and discusses agriculture and rural development policies and their relevance for the vulnerability of rice value chains in sub-Saharan Africa. Important avenues for future research are identified. These include the impacts of multiple, simultaneous pressures on rice value chains, the effects of climate change and variability on parts of the value chain other than production, and the forms and extent to which different development policies hinder or enhance the resilience of rice value chains in the face of climatic and other pressures.

  6. Capacity building for oncology programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: the Rwanda experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stulac, Sara; Binagwaho, Agnes; Tapela, Neo M; Wagner, Claire M; Muhimpundu, Marie Aimee; Ngabo, Fidele; Nsanzimana, Sabin; Kayonde, Leonard; Bigirimana, Jean Bosco; Lessard, Adam J; Lehmann, Leslie; Shulman, Lawrence N; Nutt, Cameron T; Drobac, Peter; Mpunga, Tharcisse; Farmer, Paul E

    2015-08-01

    Despite an estimated 456,000 deaths caused by cancer in sub-Saharan Africa in 2012 and a cancer burden that is predicted to double by 2030, the region accounts for only 0·3% of worldwide medical expenditure for cancer. Challenges to cancer care in sub-Saharan Africa include a shortage of clinicians and training programmes, weak healthcare infrastructure, and inadequate supplies. Since 2011, Rwanda has developed a national cancer programme by designing comprehensive, integrated frameworks of care, building local human resource capacity through partnerships, and delivering equitable, rights-based care. In the 2 years since the inauguration of Rwanda's first cancer centre, more than 2500 patients have been enrolled, including patients from every district in Rwanda. Based on Rwanda's national cancer programme development, we suggest principles that could guide other nations in the development of similar cancer programmes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Cardiovascular disease and hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa: burden, risk and interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cappuccio, Francesco Paolo; Miller, Michelle Avril

    2016-04-01

    Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart failure and kidney disease, has been common in sub-Saharan Africa for many years, and rapid urbanization is causing an upsurge of ischaemic heart disease and metabolic disorders. At least two-thirds of cardiovascular deaths now occur in low- and middle-income countries, bringing a double burden of disease to poor and developing world economies. High blood pressure (or hypertension) is by far the commonest underlying risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Its prevention, detection, treatment and control in sub-Saharan Africa are haphazard and suboptimal. This is due to a combination of lack of resources and health-care systems, non-existent effective preventive strategies at a population level, lack of sustainable drug therapy, and barriers to complete compliance with prescribed medications. The economic impact for loss of productive years of life and the need to divert scarce resources to tertiary care are substantial.

  8. [Incidence of surgical site infections in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngaroua; Ngah, Joseph Eloundou; Bénet, Thomas; Djibrilla, Yaouba

    2016-01-01

    Surgical Site Infections (SSI) cause morbi-mortality and additional healthcare expenditures. Developing countries are the most affected. The objective was to estimate the pooled incidence of SSI in Sub-Saharan Africa and describe its major risk factors. Systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using the databases of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, PubMed and standard search to select electronic articles published between 2006 and 2015. Only articles investigating SSI impact and risk factors in Sub-Saharan African countries were retained. Out of 95 articles found, 11 met the inclusion criteria. Only 9 countries out of 45 have contributed, with a huge amount of information coming from Nigeria (5 articles out of 11). The impact of SSI ranged from 6.8% to 26% with predominance in general surgery. The pooled incidence of SSI was 14.8% (95% CI: 15,5-16,2%) with significant heterogeneity according to the specialty and the method of monitoring. Most cited risk factors were long procedure length and categories 3 and 4 of Altemeier contamination class. Other factors included hospital environment, inadequate care practices and underlying pathologies. SSI incidence is high in Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies in this area could improve knowledge, prevention and control of these multiple risk factors.

  9. Foreign aid and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-country investigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GT Ijaiya

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available The continuous increase in the rate of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa can be linked to the inadequate management and use of international financial assistance such as foreign aid. Using a cross-country data, this paper examines the relationship between foreign aid and poverty reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA. The result obtained indicates that foreign aid has no significant influence on poverty reduction in SSA, because of the countries’ weak economic management evidenced by high levels of corruption, bad governance, and political and economic instability. To improve the performance of foreign aid directed at poverty reduction, the paper suggests the implementation of measures directed at good governance, macroeconomic and political stability.Incentives in Nigeria’s food manufacturing industries and their impact on output and prices

  10. Remittances and the Dutch Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Dynamic Panel Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emmanuel Owusu-Sekyere

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the effect of remittance inflows on real exchange rates in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA using annual data from 1980 to 2008 for 34 countries, the method of moments estimator developed by Arellano and Bover (1995 and the feasible generalized least squares estimator developed by Parks (1967 and Kmenta (1986. We find that when cross-sectional dependence and individual effects are controlled for, remittances to sub-Saharan Africa as a whole increase the underlying real exchange rates of recipient countries. However, this real exchange rate appreciation is mitigated by monetary policy interventions and the direction of fiscal expenditures towards tradable goods. Thus, the real exchange rate appreciation does not lead to the loss of export competitiveness or a worsening of the trade deficit in the countries in the panel.

  11. Energy consumption habits and human health nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanif, Imran

    2018-05-22

    This study explores the impact of fossil fuels consumption, solid fuels consumption for cooking purposes, economic growth, and carbon emissions on human health, with a key emphasis on the occurrence of tuberculosis and the high mortality rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. For its practical insights, the study develops a system Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) for a panel of 34 middle- and lower-middle-income countries from 1995 to 2015. The study adopts a flexible methodology to tackle endogeneity in the variables. The robust results report that the use of solid fuels (charcoal, peat, wood, wood pellets, crop residues) for cooking purposes and the consumption of fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) are significantly increasing the occurrence of tuberculosis. In addition, the results highlight that the consumption of both solid fuels and fossil fuels has adverse affects on life expectancy by increasing the mortality rate in Sub-Saharan African countries. Results report that renewable energy sources like sun, wind, and water (all with potential to prevent households from direct exposure to particulate matters and harmful gases) as well as a rise in economic growth serve as helping factors to control the occurrence of tuberculosis and to decrease the mortality rate. Moreover, the use of renewable energy sources is serving to lessen emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxides, and particulate matters, which can ultimately decrease the mortality rate and extend the life expectancy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

  12. A biobank to support HIV malignancy research for sub-Saharan Africa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest incidences of infection with HIV globally, but more people in this region are living longer owing to increased access to antiretroviral therapy. However, along with increased care and treatment, this population is expected to have an increase in HIV-associated cancers, as is being ...

  13. A meta-analysis of Drug resistant Tuberculosis in Sub-Saharan Africa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, the fight against tuberculosis (TB) has encountered a great challenge because of the emergence of drug resistant TB strains and the high prevalence of HIV infection. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the association of drug-resistant TB with anti-TB drug treatment history ...

  14. What We Are Learning about Early Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gove, Amber

    2017-01-01

    This commentary discusses the three articles in this (2017) issue. The articles expand the published research base on the effectiveness of early education in the sub-Saharan Africa countries of Zambia, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Each of the three articles employs rigorous methods to better understand the impact of…

  15. ON THE VALIDITY OF PURCHASING POWER PARITY: EVIDENCEFROM ENERGY EXPORTING SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA COUNTRIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ntokozo Patrick Nzimande

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Substantial amount of studies have examined the validity of mean-reversion onthe real exchange rate. However very limited studies of this nature have beenconducted in Sub-Saharan Africa countries, particularly energy exportingcountries, hence this study endeavors to find evidence for or against the mean-reversion of the real exchange rate. There is, however inadequate data requiredfor the statistical significance for Sub-Saharan African currencies. Hence thisstudy uses a panel of 5 energy exporting countries, i.e. South Africa,Mozambique, Congo Republic, Nigeria and Angola, to examine the validity of thepurchasing power parity. Relying on the Im, Pesaran and Shin and the Fisher ADFproposed panel unit root tests the study fails to reject the null hypothesis of a unitroot when small sample size is employed however by extending sample size andemploying different price index, i.e. traded goods prices instead of GDP deflatorsthe study reject the null hypothesis of a unit root and hence concludes thepurchasing power parity holds in Sub-Saharan African energy exporting countriesconsidered in the study.

  16. Meeting the challenge of hematologic malignancies in sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, William A.; Lee, Stephanie J.; Shea, Thomas C.; Naresh, Kikkeri N.; Kazembe, Peter N.; Casper, Corey; Hesseling, Peter B.; Mitsuyasu, Ronald T.

    2012-01-01

    Cancer is a leading cause of death and disability in sub-Saharan Africa and will eclipse infectious diseases within the next several decades if current trends continue. Hematologic malignancies, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, account for nearly 10% of the overall cancer burden in the region, and the incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma is rapidly increasing as a result of HIV. Despite an increasing burden, mechanisms for diagnosing, treating, and palliating malignant hematologic disorders are inadequate. In this review, we describe the scope of the problem, including the impact of endemic infections, such as HIV, Epstein-Barr virus, malaria, and Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus. We additionally describe current limitations in hematopathology, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and supportive care and palliation. We review contemporary treatment and outcomes of hematologic malignancies in the region and outline a clinical service and research agenda, which builds on recent global health successes combating HIV and other infectious diseases. Achieving similar progress against hematologic cancers in sub-Saharan Africa will require the sustained collaboration and advocacy of the entire global cancer community. PMID:22461494

  17. Harnessing poverty alleviation to reduce the stigma of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    OpenAIRE

    Alexander C Tsai; David R Bangsberg; Sheri D Weiser

    2013-01-01

    Alexander Tsai and colleagues highlight the complex relationship between poverty and HIV stigma in sub-Saharan Africa, and discuss possible ways to break the cycle. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

  18. Diabetes in Sub Saharan Africa 1999-2011: Epidemiology and public health implications. a systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Diabetes prevalence is increasing globally, and Sub-Saharan Africa is no exception. With diverse health challenges, health authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa and international donors need robust data on the epidemiology and impact of diabetes in order to plan and prioritise their health programmes. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the epidemiological trends and public health implications of diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review of papers published on diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa 1999-March 2011, providing data on diabetes prevalence, outcomes (chronic complications, infections, and mortality), access to diagnosis and care and economic impact. Results Type 2 diabetes accounts for well over 90% of diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa, and population prevalence proportions ranged from 1% in rural Uganda to 12% in urban Kenya. Reported type 1 diabetes prevalence was low and ranged from 4 per 100,000 in Mozambique to 12 per 100,000 in Zambia. Gestational diabetes prevalence varied from 0% in Tanzania to 9% in Ethiopia. Proportions of patients with diabetic complications ranged from 7-63% for retinopathy, 27-66% for neuropathy, and 10-83% for microalbuminuria. Diabetes is likely to increase the risk of several important infections in the region, including tuberculosis, pneumonia and sepsis. Meanwhile, antiviral treatment for HIV increases the risk of obesity and insulin resistance. Five-year mortality proportions of patients with diabetes varied from 4-57%. Screening studies identified high proportions (> 40%) with previously undiagnosed diabetes, and low levels of adequate glucose control among previously diagnosed diabetics. Barriers to accessing diagnosis and treatment included a lack of diagnostic tools and glucose monitoring equipment and high cost of diabetes treatment. The total annual cost of diabetes in the region was estimated at US$67.03 billion, or US$8836 per diabetic

  19. The economics of renewable energy expansion in rural Sub-Saharan Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deichmann, Uwe; Meisner, Craig; Murray, Siobhan; Wheeler, David

    2011-01-01

    Accelerating development in Sub-Saharan Africa will require massive expansion of access to electricity-currently reaching only about one third of households. This paper explores how essential economic development might be reconciled with the need to keep carbon emissions in check. We develop a geographically explicit framework and use spatial modeling and cost estimates from recent engineering studies to determine where stand-alone renewable energy generation is a cost effective alternative to centralized grid supply. Our results suggest that decentralized renewable energy will likely play an important role in expanding rural energy access. However, it will be the lowest cost option for a minority of households in Africa, even when likely cost reductions over the next 20 years are considered. Decentralized renewables are competitive mostly in remote and rural areas, while grid connected supply dominates denser areas where the majority of households reside. These findings underscore the need to decarbonize the fuel mix for centralized power generation as it expands in Africa. - Research highlights: → Expansion of electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa remains a development priority. → Low carbon options are important to reduce GHG emissions growth and avoid lock-ins. → Spatially explicit cost modeling guides choice of supply options. → Decentralized renewables are lowest cost for a significant minority of households. → Grid supply remains attractive, suggesting focus on decarbonizing centralized supply.

  20. Household structure, maternal characteristics and childhood mortality in rural sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akinyemi, Joshua O; Chisumpa, Vesper H; Odimegwu, Clifford O

    2016-01-01

    The household dynamics of childhood mortality in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa is less researched despite the fact that mortality rates are almost two times that of urban settings. This study aimed to investigate the influence of household structure on childhood mortality while controlling for household and maternal characteristics in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Eight countries with recent demographic and health survey data not earlier than the year 2010 were selected, two from each sub-region of sub-Saharan Africa. The outcome variables were risk of infant and child death while the main independent variables included sex of household head and household structure. Descriptive statistics were generated for all variables. Mortality rates disaggregated by sex of household head and household structure were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazard regression models were fitted to investigate the relationship between the outcome and explanatory variables in each country. The percentage of children living in female-headed households (FHHs) ranged from 5.2% in Burkina Faso to 49.1% in Namibia while those living in extended family households ranged from 27.4% in Rwanda to 59.9% in Namibia. Multivariate hazard regression showed that, in the majority of the countries, there was no significant relationship between living in FHHs and childhood mortality, but the direction and magnitude of effect varied across countries. A significant negative effect of FHHs on infant mortality was observed in Burkina Faso (HR=1.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-2.48) and Zambia (HR=1.49, 95%CI: 1.02-2.17). Likewise, children in extended family households had a higher risk of child mortality in Burkina Faso (HR=1.33, 95%CI: 1.04-1.69) and Zambia (HR=1.59, 95%CI: 1.02-2.49). There was not much difference in the effect of FHHs between infancy (0-11 months) and childhood (12-59 months) in the other countries. The pooled adjusted hazard ratio (HR) showed that the risk

  1. Productive Government Expenditure and Economic Performance in sub-Saharan Africa: An Empirical Investigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adefeso Hammed Adetola

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the effect of government expenditure on its disaggregated level on economic growth in a sample of 20 sub-Saharan African Countries over the period of 1980-2010 in a dynamic panel data model. The result from Generalised Method of Moments (GMM revealed an inverse relationship between productive government expenditure and economic growth in sub-Sahara Africa. Also, productive government expenditures were not actually productive most especially when financed by non-distortonary government tax revenue in sub-Saharan African countries. The study concluded that the productive government expenditure and its corresponding source of the mode of financing were counterproductive for economic performance in the African countries.

  2. Influence of Parasitic Worm Infections on Allergy Diagnosis in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Amoah, Abena S.; Boakye, Daniel A.; Yazdanbakhsh, Maria; van Ree, Ronald

    2017-01-01

    Epidemiological studies from Sub-Saharan Africa indicate that allergies are on the rise in this region especially in urban compared to rural areas. This increase has been linked to improved hygiene, lifestyle changes, and lower exposure to pathogens in childhood. Reduced exposure to parasitic worm

  3. Inland valley research in sub-Saharan Africa; priorities for a regional consortium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jamin, J.Y.; Andriesse, W.; Thiombiano, L.; Windmeijer, P.N.

    1996-01-01

    These proceedings are an account of an international workshop in support of research strategy development for the Inland Valley Consortium in sub-Saharan Africa. This consortium aims at concerted research planning for rice-based cropping systems in the lower parts of inland valleys. The Consortium

  4. The national determinants of deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Rudel, Thomas K.

    2013-01-01

    For decades, the dynamics of tropical deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have defied easy explanation. The rates of deforestation have been lower than elsewhere in the tropics, and the driving forces evident in other places, government new land settlement schemes and industrialized agriculture, have largely been absent in SSA. The context and causes for African deforestation become clearer through an analysis of new, national-level data on forest cover change for SSA countries for the ...

  5. Food aid for market development in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Abdulai, Awudu; Barrett, Christopher B.; Hazell, Peter

    2004-01-01

    "Food aid remains significant for food availability in many low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, helping to reduce the gap between food consumption needs and supply from domestic production and inventories and commercial imports. Food aid remains a contentious subject, however, and there have been many recent pleas for more effective use of the resource. This study explores how food aid might be used for domestic food market development to facilitate poverty alleviation and economic gr...

  6. What Role Do Masculine Norms Play in Men's HIV Testing in Sub-Saharan Africa?: A Scoping Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sileo, Katelyn M; Fielding-Miller, Rebecca; Dworkin, Shari L; Fleming, Paul J

    2018-05-18

    Men living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are less likely to test for HIV than women. We conducted a scoping review in May of 2016 to identify how masculine norms influence men's HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa. Our review yielded a total of 13 qualitative studies from 8 countries. Masculine norms create both barriers and facilitators to HIV testing. Barriers included emotional inexpression, gendered communication, social pressures to be strong and self-reliant, and the fear that an HIV positive result would threaten traditional social roles (i.e., husband, father, provider, worker) and reduce sexual success with women. Facilitators included perceptions that HIV testing could restore masculinity through regained physical strength and the ability to re-assume the provider role after accessing treatment. Across sub-Saharan Africa, masculinity appears to play an important role in men's decision to test for HIV and further research and interventions are needed to address this link.

  7. Poverty, Growth, and Inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa; Did the Walk Match the Talk under the PRSP Approach?

    OpenAIRE

    Daouda Sembene

    2015-01-01

    Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have shown strong signs of growth resilience in the aftermath of the recent global crisis. Yet, this paper finds evidence that growth has more than proportionately benefited the top quintile during PRSP implementation. It finds that PRSP implementation has neither reduced poverty headcount nor raised the income share of the poorest quintile in Sub-Saharan Africa. While countries in other regions have been more successful ...

  8. Whole blood pathogen reduction technology and blood safety in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review with regional discussion

    OpenAIRE

    Nkohkwo, Asa?ah; Agbor, Gabriel; Asongalem, Emmanuel; Tagny, Claude; Asonganyi, Tazoacha

    2016-01-01

    Background: Despite vast improvements in transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade, there remain serious concerns on the safety and adequacy of the blood supply across the region. Objective: This review paper ascertains the role of pathogen reduction technology (PRT) in improving blood safety and supply adequacy in the region. Method: The state of blood safety in sub-Saharan Africa was reviewed. Meetings, seminars and correspondence were undertaken with key clinic...

  9. Effects of temperature and precipitation variability on the risk of violence in sub-Saharan Africa, 1980–2012

    OpenAIRE

    O’Loughlin, John; Linke, Andrew M.; Witmer, Frank D. W.

    2014-01-01

    A robust debate about the effects of climate change on conflict occurrences has attained wide public and policy attention, with sub-Saharan Africa generally viewed as most susceptible to increased conflict risk. Using a new disaggregated dataset of violence and climate anomaly measures (temperature and precipitation variations from normal) for sub-Saharan Africa 1980–2012, we consider political, economic, and geographic factors, not only climate metrics, in assessing the chances of increased ...

  10. Adult mortality in sub-saharan Africa, Zambia: Where do adults die?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vesper H. Chisumpa

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Place of death remains an issue of growing interest and debate among scholars as an indicator of quality of end-of-life care in developed countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, variations in place of death may suggest inequalities in access to and the utilization of health care services that should be addressed by public health interventions. Limited research exists on factors associated with place of death in sub-Saharan Africa. The study examines factors associated with the place of death among Zambian adults aged 15–59 years using the 2010–2012 sample vital registration with verbal autopsy survey (SAVVY data, descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results show that more than half of the adult deaths occurred in a health facility and two-fifths died at home. Higher educational attainment, urban versus rural residence, and being of female gender were significant predictors of the place of death. Improvement in educational attainment and investment in rural health facilities and the health care system as a whole may improve access and utilization of health services among adults.

  11. Adult mortality in sub-saharan Africa, Zambia: Where do adults die?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chisumpa, Vesper H; Odimegwu, Clifford O; De Wet, Nicole

    2017-12-01

    Place of death remains an issue of growing interest and debate among scholars as an indicator of quality of end-of-life care in developed countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, variations in place of death may suggest inequalities in access to and the utilization of health care services that should be addressed by public health interventions. Limited research exists on factors associated with place of death in sub-Saharan Africa. The study examines factors associated with the place of death among Zambian adults aged 15-59 years using the 2010-2012 sample vital registration with verbal autopsy survey (SAVVY) data, descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results show that more than half of the adult deaths occurred in a health facility and two-fifths died at home. Higher educational attainment, urban versus rural residence, and being of female gender were significant predictors of the place of death. Improvement in educational attainment and investment in rural health facilities and the health care system as a whole may improve access and utilization of health services among adults.

  12. Returns to food and agricultural R&D investments in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1975–2014

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pardey, Philip G.; Andrade, Robert S.; Hurley, Terrance M.; Rao, Xudong; Liebenberg, Frikkie G.

    2016-01-01

    Research-enabled growth in agricultural productivity is pivotal to sub-Saharan Africa's overall economic growth prospects. Yet, investments in research and development (R&D) targeted to many national food and agricultural economies throughout Africa are fragile and faltering. To gain insight

  13. The need for integration of drought monitoring tools for proactive food security management in sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tadesse, T.; Haile, M.; Senay, G.; Wardlow, B.D.; Knutson, C.L.

    2008-01-01

    Reducing the impact of drought and famine remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa despite ongoing drought relief assistance in recent decades. This is because drought and famine are primarily addressed through a crisis management approach when a disaster occurs, rather than stressing preparedness and risk management. Moreover, drought planning and food security efforts have been hampered by a lack of integrated drought monitoring tools, inadequate early warning systems (EWS), and insufficient information flow within and between levels of government in many sub-Saharan countries. The integration of existing drought monitoring tools for sub-Saharan Africa is essential for improving food security systems to reduce the impacts of drought and famine on society in this region. A proactive approach emphasizing integration requires the collective use of multiple tools, which can be used to detect trends in food availability and provide early indicators at local, national, and regional scales on the likely occurrence of food crises. In addition, improving the ability to monitor and disseminate critical drought-related information using available modern technologies (e.g., satellites, computers, and modern communication techniques) may help trigger timely and appropriate preventive responses and, ultimately, contribute to food security and sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. ?? 2008 United Nations.

  14. How crude oil consumption impacts on economic growth of Sub-Saharan Africa?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bashiri Behmiri, Niaz; Pires Manso, José R.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates the causality relationship between crude oil consumption and economic growth in twenty three Sub-Saharan African countries. We applied a multivariate panel Granger causality framework during 1985–2011 and we included crude oil price as the control variable of the model. The results indicate that in the short-run, there is a bi-directional causality relationship between crude oil consumption and economic growth in oil importing region and there is a uni-directional causality relationship from crude oil consumption to GDP in oil exporting region. However, in the long-run there is a bi-directional causality relationship between them in both regions. Therefore, reducing crude oil consumption without employing appropriate policies adversely impacts on economic growth of Sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, in order to reduce crude oil dependency of the region policymakers should pay more attention to the issue of energy efficiency programs. - Highlights: ► We examined Granger causality among oil consumption and GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa. ► Crude oil price is the control variable of the model. ► There is short run bi-directional causality among oil and GDP (oil importing). ► There is short run uni-directional causality from oil to GDP (oil exporting). ► There is a long run bi-directional causality among oil and GDP in both regions

  15. Access to finance in sub-Saharan Africa : Is there a gender gap?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aterido, R.; Beck, T.H.L.; Lacovone, L.

    2013-01-01

    We show the existence of an unconditional gender gap in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, when key observable characteristics of the enterprises or individuals are taken into account the gender gap disappears. In the case of enterprises, we explain our finding with differences in key characteristics and

  16. Mobile phones and safety in developing countries : Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    James, M.J.

    2015-01-01

    This paper is concerned with the relationship between safety and mobile phones with particular reference to Sub-Saharan Africa; and looks at a range of geographical contexts: non-violent, conflict and post-conflict situations. The main part of the paper reports on recent findings of extensive

  17. Responding to the crisis in sub-Saharan Africa: the role of nutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chopra, Mickey; Darnton-Hill, Ian

    2006-08-01

    In the chapter dealing with education and health, the report of the influential Commission for Africa prioritises basic health systems, HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. In contrast, nutrition is given less than half a page and is reduced to parasite control and micronutrient support. Such neglect of nutrition is hard to understand in the context of increasing hunger and malnutrition across the continent. Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region in the world where the proportion of underweight children has stagnated and the absolute numbers have actually increased in the last decade. It has been pointed out that if current trends continue sub-Saharan Africa will achieve the Millennium Development Goal for child mortality around 2115 - one century after the target date. Quite clearly those concerned with nutrition need to more powerfully advocate the role of nutrition in lifting Africa out of the spiral of poverty. The present paper argues that to achieve this requires an understanding not just of the critical role of nutrition for health and development (both individual and national), but also of how recent global changes are interacting with changes in food production and supply, other determinants of maternal and child health, and the role and capacity of the state to tackle malnutrition in Africa. It concludes by suggesting some responses that nutritionists could now be making.

  18. Grandmother Coresidence, Maternal Orphans, and School Enrollment in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Erin M.; Short, Susan E.

    2009-01-01

    The HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa has brought renewed attention to the role of grandmothers as caregivers of children. Using 2004 Lesotho Demographic and Health Survey data, the authors examine the relationship between coresidence with a grandmother and child schooling in Lesotho, a country with one of the highest rates of HIV infection.…

  19. Road accidents: a third burden of 'disease' in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onywera, Vincent O; Blanchard, Claire

    2013-12-01

    Road traffic injuries (RTIs) continue to be a major cause of death and disability throughout low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this commentary is highlight some of the major causes of RTIs in sub-Saharan Africa and suggests strategies for better road safety as well as suggestions on how to reduce road accidents in LMICs.

  20. Why should Sub-Saharan Africa care about the Doha Development Round?

    OpenAIRE

    Draper, Peter; Freytag, Andreas; Doyaili, Sarah Al

    2013-01-01

    In recent years sub-Saharan Africa, notwithstanding the global financial crisis, has increased its share in global trade and investment flows. This has led to an appreciable improvement in development levels, albeit off a small base. However, these patterns are still dominated by commodity flows and investment, and remain marginal on the global stage. Increased trade and investment flows, particularly related to network services, would be of great benefit to the sub-continent. Yet many domest...

  1. Heart failure in sub-Saharan Africa: A literature review with emphasis on individuals with diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andre Pascal Kengne

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Andre Pascal Kengne1, Anastase Dzudie2, Eugene Sobngwi31The George Institute for International Health, University of Sydney, Australia; 2Heart failure and transplantation Unit, Louis Pradel’s Cardiovascular Hospital, Lyon, France; 3National Obesity Centre, Yaounde Central Hospital, CameroonPurpose: Heart failure is the ultimate complication of cardiac involvements in diabetes. The purpose of this review was to summarize current literature on heart failure among people with diabetes mellitus in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA.Method: Bibliographic search of published data on heart failure and diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa over the past 26 years.Results: Heart failure remains largely unexplored in general population and among people with diabetes in Africa. Heart failure accounts for over 30% of hospital admission in specialized cardiovascular units and 3%–7% in general internal medicine. Over 11% of adults with heart failure have diabetes. Risk factors for heart failure among those with diabetes include classical cardiovascular risk factors, without evidence of diabetes distinctiveness for other predictors common in Africa. Prevention, management, and outcomes of heart failure are less well known; recent data suggest improvement in the management of risk factors in clinical settings.Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus is growing in SSA. Related cardiovascular diseases are emerging as potential health problem. Heart failure as cardiovascular complication remains largely unexplored. Efforts are needed through research to improve our knowledge of heart failure at large in Africa. Multilevel preventive measures, building on evidences from other parts of the world must go along side.Keywords: diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, heart failure, sub-Saharan Africa

  2. Why sub-Saharan Africa lags in electronic health record adoption and possible strategies to increase its adoption in this region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odekunle, Florence Femi; Odekunle, Raphael Oluseun; Shankar, Srinivasan

    2017-01-01

    Poor health information system has been identified as a major challenge in the health-care system in many developing countries including sub-Saharan African countries. Electronic health record (EHR) has been shown as an important tool to improve access to patient information with attendance improved quality of care. However, EHR has not been widely implemented/adopted in sub-Saharan Africa. This study sought to identify factors that affect the adoption of an EHR in sub-Saharan Africa and strategies to improve its adoption in this region. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on three electronic databases: PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar. Articles of interest were those published in English that contained information on factors that limit the adoption of an EHR as well as strategies that improve its adoption in sub-Saharan African countries. The available evidence indicated that there were many factors that hindered the widespread adoption of an EHR in sub-Saharan Africa. These were high costs of procurement and maintenance of the EHR system, lack of financial incentives and priorities, poor electricity supply and internet connectivity, and primary user's limited computer skills. However, strategies such as implementation planning, financial supports, appropriate EHR system selection, training of primary users, and the adoption of the phased implementation process have been identified to facilitate the use of an EHR. Wide adoption of an EHR in sub-Saharan Africa region requires a lot more effort than what is assumed because of the current poor level of technological development, lack of required computer skills, and limited resources.

  3. Public health and research funding for childhood neurodevelopmental disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa: a time to balance priorities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muideen O. Bakare

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Sub-Saharan African (SSA population consists of about 45% children, while in Europe and North America children population is 10- 15%. Lately, attention has been directed at mitigating childhood infectious and communicable diseases to reduce under-five mortality. As the under-five mortality index in Sub-Saharan Africa has relatively improved over the last two decades, more Sub-Saharan African children are surviving beyond the age of five and, apparently, a sizeable percentage of this population would be living with one or more childhood neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD. The distribution of child mental health service resources across the world is unequal. This manifests in the treatment gap of major childhood onset mental health problems in SSA, with the gap being more pronounced for childhood NDD. It is important to balance the public health focus and research funding priorities in Sub-Saharan Africa. We urgently need to define the burden of childhood NDD in the region for healthcare planning and policy formulation.

  4. Mapping evidence on the distribution of human papillomavirus-related cancers in sub-Saharan Africa: scoping review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lekoane, Bridget K M; Mashamba-Thompson, Tivani P; Ginindza, Themba G

    2017-11-17

    Despite the introduction of HPV vaccines, the incidence of HPV-related cancers (cervical, penile, anal, vulvar, vagina, head, and neck) in sub-Saharan Africa has been rising. The increasing incidence of these HPV-related cancers has been attributed to changes in lifestyle-related risk factors, most notably sexual behavior. The main objective of this study is to map evidence on the distribution of HIV-related cancers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We will conduct a scoping review to explore, describe, and map literature on the distribution of HPV-related cancers in sub-Saharan Africa. The primary search will include peer-reviewed and review articles. The list of references from included studies will also be searched. The search will be performed using EBSCOhost platform by searching the following databases within the platform: Academic search complete, health source: nursing/academic edition, CINAHL with full text, PubMed, Science Direct, Google scholar and World Health Organization (WHO) library databases, and gray literature. The researcher will search the articles using keywords, from the included studies; abstract and full articles will be screened by two independent reviewers. The screening will be guided by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A thematic content analysis will be used to present the narrative account of the reviews, using NVivo version 10. We anticipate finding relevant literature on the distribution of HPV-related cancers in sub-Saharan Africa. The study findings will help reveal research gaps to guide future research. PROSPERO CRD42017062403.

  5. Research Ethics Capacity Building in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review of NIH Fogarty-Funded Programs 2000–2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ndebele, Paul; Wassenaar, Douglas; Benatar, Solomon; Fleischer, Theodore; Kruger, Mariana; Adebamowo, Clement; Kass, Nancy; Hyder, Adnan A.; Meslin, Eric M.

    2014-01-01

    The last fifteen years have witnessed a significant increase in investment in research ethics capacity development throughout the world. We examine nine research ethics training programs that are focused on Sub-Saharan Africa and supported by the US National Institutes of Health. We collected data from grants awards’ documents and annual reports supplemented by questionnaires completed by the training program directors. Together, these programs provided long-term training in research ethics to 275 African professionals, strengthened research ethics committees in 19 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, and created research ethics curricula at many institutions and bioethics centers within Africa. Trainees’ leadership resulted in new national systems and policies on research ethics, human tissue storage and export, and methods of monitoring compliance with research ethics guidelines. Training programs adapted to challenges that arose due to varied trainees’ background knowledge in ethics, duration of time available for training, spoken and written English language skills, administrative obstacles, and the need to sustain post-training research ethics activities. Our report showcases the development of awareness of research ethics and building/strengthening of basic research ethics infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nevertheless, the increasing amount and complexity of health research being conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa suggests the need for continued investment in research ethics capacity development in this region. This paper is part of a collection of papers analyzing the Fogarty International Center’s International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development program. PMID:24782070

  6. Research ethics capacity building in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of NIH Fogarty-funded programs 2000–2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ndebele, Paul; Wassenaar, Douglas; Benatar, Solomon; Fleischer, Theodore; Kruger, Mariana; Adebamowo, Clement; Kass, Nancy; Hyder, Adnan A; Meslin, Eric M

    2014-04-01

    The last fifteen years have witnessed a significant increase in investment in research ethics capacity development throughout the world. We examine nine research ethics training programs that are focused on Sub-Saharan Africa and supported by the US National Institutes of Health. We collected data from grants awards' documents and annual reports supplemented by questionnaires completed by the training program directors. Together, these programs provided long-term training in research ethics to 275 African professionals, strengthened research ethics committees in 19 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, and created research ethics curricula at many institutions and bioethics centers within Africa. Trainees' leadership resulted in new national systems and policies on research ethics, human tissue storage and export, and methods of monitoring compliance with research ethics guidelines. Training programs adapted to challenges that arose due to varied trainees' background knowledge in ethics, duration of time available for training, spoken and written English language skills, administrative obstacles, and the need to sustain post-training research ethics activities. Our report showcases the development of awareness of research ethics and building/strengthening of basic research ethics infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nevertheless, the increasing amount and complexity of health research being conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa suggests the need for continued investment in research ethics capacity development in this region. This paper is part of a collection of papers analyzing the Fogarty International Center's International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development program.

  7. Resources and Intimate Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Cools, Sara; Kotsadam, Andreas

    2017-01-01

    Combining DHS data for 580,000 women from 30 different countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, we analyze how both the incidence and the acceptance of intimate partner violence vary across time and space, in a region with record high levels of violence against women. We review the existing literature regarding the impact of resources on intimate partner violence, extracting testable and often conflicting hypotheses at the micro and macro level, and on the interaction across levels. We propose to ext...

  8. Sub-Saharan Africa thirty years hence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheeler, J

    1986-11-01

    By the year 2015, Sub-Saharan Africa's population will probably rise from a 1985 level of about 460 million to about 1.1 billion. Today Africa's population is growing at a rate of roughly 3% a year, with exceptionally high growth rates in some countries. The leaders of Africa, and those who wish to help Africa, confront difficult and urgent problems of drought, political and military conflict, accumulated debt, lower commodity prices, and other factors of immediate and important concern. Africa has given education a high priority and should be as well known for its success in increasing school enrollment as it is for its relative failures in other areas. A projected population of 1.1 billion people and a fertility rate down to 30/1000 by the year 2015 suggests that the number of children old enough to enter primary school will be of the order of 30 million a year at this time. The working-age population will grow from 235 million now to perhaps 600 million in 30 years. The urban population has been growing at about 6% a year--twice the pace of population increase. All of these situations will have an effect on environment, water, and health. Coping with Africa's burgeoning population in terms of children in school, the demand on health systems, the need for jobs, achieving an adequate diet, the provision of basic urban services, and all the rest, is an extraordinary challenge. While the government's role is critical, success at the sectoral level almost always means cost recovery, administration decentralized to the community or to the private sector, and program implementation that does not burden the budget.

  9. Mobile phones, Institutional Quality and Entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Asongu, Simplice; Nwachukwu, Jacinta

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the role of mobile phones in governance for doing business in Sub-Saharan Africa with data from the period 2000-2012 by employing the Generalised Method of Moments. Three broad concepts of governance are explored, namely: (i) political (comprising voice & accountability and political stability/no violence), (ii) economic (involving government effectiveness and regulation quality) and (iii) institutional (including corruption-control and rule of law). Ten dimensions of...

  10. Public health and research funding for childhood neurodevelopmental disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa: a time to balance priorities

    OpenAIRE

    Bakare, Muideen O.; Munir, Kerim M.; Bello-Mojeed, Mashudat A.

    2014-01-01

    Sub-Saharan African (SSA) population consists of about 45% children, while in Europe and North America children population is 10- 15%. Lately, attention has been directed at mitigating childhood infectious and communicable diseases to reduce under-five mortality. As the under-five mortality index in Sub-Saharan Africa has relatively improved over the last two decades, more Sub-Saharan African children are surviving beyond the age of five and, apparently, a sizeable percentage of this populati...

  11. Population and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolfson, M

    1985-01-01

    The intricate interrelationships between population and development in sub-Saharan Africa are examined and the prospects are considered for converting the abundant human resources into an effective development asset. The demographic trends that characterize the sub-Saharan region at this time differ markedly from what is happening in other parts of the developing world. In Africa, death rates have come down slightly (17/1000 in 1980-85 in contrast to 20/1000 in 1970-75); there has been practically no change in the birthrate. Consequently, population growth rates are on the rise throughout Africa although there are differences within the regions. The various factors responsible for high fertility in African societies and the consequences of the continuing high fertility often are mutually reinforcing. For example, low health and educational standards are likely to lead women to have large numbers of children, but these conditions are themselves the result of the population growth, which requires an expansion of health care and educational facilities that hard-pressed national budgets cannot provide. In Africa, the growth rate of the youth population is increasing even faster than that of the population as a whole -- from 3.1% in 1980-85 to an estimated 3.4% in 1990-95. The most critical problem posed by such growth rates is an increased demand for food. Countries which cannot adequately feed their growing populations are unlikely to be significantly more successful in satisfying their other basic needs. Whether educated or healthy or not, Africa's growing numbers of children represent major economic problems for countries with a low level of economic growth. There is little hope of effectively absorbing all the new entrants who swell the labor market each year, and the indirect consequences for the economy of rapid demographic growth are no less serious. Presently, Africa is the scene of major and particularly distressing movements of population as the drought has

  12. Echocardiographic reference ranges in older children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majonga, Edith D; Rehman, Andrea M; McHugh, Grace; Mujuru, Hilda A; Nathoo, Kusum; Patel, Mohammad S; Munyati, Shungu; Odland, Jon O; Kranzer, Katharina; Kaski, Juan P; Ferrand, Rashida A

    2017-12-01

    Echocardiographic reference ranges are important to identify abnormalities of cardiac dimensions. Reference ranges for children in sub-Saharan Africa have not been established. The aim of this study was to establish echocardiographic z-score references for Black children in sub-Saharan Africa. 282 healthy subjects aged 6-16years (143 [51%] males) with no known history of cardiac disease were enrolled in the study in Harare, Zimbabwe between 2014 and 2016. Standard M-mode echocardiography was performed and nine cardiac chamber dimensions were obtained. Two non-linear statistical models (gamma weighted model and cubic polynomial model) were tested on the data and the best fitting model was used to calculate z-scores of these cardiac chamber measures. The reference ranges are presented on scatter plots against BSA. Normative data for the following cardiac measures were obtained and z-scores calculated: right ventricular diameter at end diastole (RVEDD); left ventricular diameter at end diastole (LVEDD) and systole (LVESD); interventricular septal wall thickness at end diastole (IVSd) and systole (IVSs); left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end diastole (LVPWd) and systole (LVPWs); left atrium diameter at end systole (LA) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). Girls had higher values for BMI and heart rate than boys (p=0.048 and p=0.001, respectively). Mean interventricular septal and left ventricular posterior walls thickness was higher than published normal values in predominantly Caucasian populations. These are the first echocardiographic reference ranges for children from sub Saharan Africa and will allow accurate assessment of cardiac dimensions in clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Challenges in disclosure of adverse events and errors in surgery; perspectives from sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Abdulrasheed; Garba, Ekundayo Stephen; Asuku, Malachy Eneye

    2012-01-01

    Surgery in sub-Saharan Africa is widely known to be done against a background of poverty and illiteracy, late presentation with complicated pathologies, and a desperate lack of infrastructure. In addition, patient autonomy and self determination are highly flavored by cultural practices and religious beliefs. Any of these factors can influence the pattern and disclosure of adverse events and errors. The impact of these in the relationships between surgeons and patients, and between health institutions and patients must be considered as it may affect disclosure and response to errors. This article identifies the peculiar socioeconomic and cultural challenges that may hinder disclosure and proposes strategies for instituting disclosure of errors and adverse events services in Sub-Saharan Africa.

  14. Technology Transfer Strategies for Creating Growth Opportunities in Frontier Markets of Sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Ulrik B.

    In the past decade, Africa has developed from being an extremely impoverished continent with discouraging prospects to a more promising destination and home to some of the fastest growing Frontier Market economies. Approximately 75% of Africans rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, making...... to create growth opportunities in Frontier Markets of Sub-Saharan Africa....

  15. Priorities for Boosting Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jones, Edward Samuel; Tarp, Finn

    2015-01-01

    Should policy-makers, including foreign donors, focus employment strategies in sub-Saharan Africa on strengthening access to formal wage employment or on raising productivity in the informal sector? We examine the evidence in Mozambique and show that crude distinctions between formality...... and informality are not illuminating. The observed welfare advantage of formal sector workers essentially derives from differences in endowments and local conditions. Non-agricultural informal work can yield higher returns than formal work. The implication is that the informal sector must not be marginalized......; and raising productivity in agriculture must be accorded a central place in boosting employment....

  16. Is the Role of Physicians Really Evolving Due to Non-physician Clinicians Predominance in Staff Makeup in Sub-Saharan African Health Systems?; Comment on “Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsin M. Sidat

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Health workforce shortages in Sub-Saharan Africa are widely recognized, particularly of physicians, leading the training and deployment of Non-physician clinicians (NPCs. The paper by Eyal et al provides interesting and legitimate viewpoints on evolving role of physicians in context of decisive increase of NPCss in Sub-Saharan Africa. Certainly, in short or mid-term, NPCs will continue to be a proxy solution and a valuable alternative to overcome physicians’ shortages in sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed, NPCs have an important role at primary healthcare (PHC level. Physicians at PHC level can certainly have all different roles that were suggested by Eyal et al, including those not directly related to healthcare provision. However, at secondary and higher levels of healthcare, physicians would assume other roles that are mainly related to patient clinical care. Thus, attempting to generalize the role of physicians without taking into account the context where they will work would be not entirely appropriate. It is true that often physicians start the professional carriers at PHC level and progress to other levels of healthcare particularly after clinical post-graduation training. Nevertheless, the training programs offered by medical institutions in sub-Saharan Africa need to be periodically reviewed and take into account professional and occupational roles physicians would take in context of evolving health systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

  17. Heat Pump Drying of Fruits and Vegetables: Principles and Potentials for Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Folasayo Fayose

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Heat pump technology has been used for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning in domestic and industrial sectors in most developed countries of the world including South Africa. However, heat pump drying (HPD of fruits and vegetables has been largely unexploited in South Africa and by extension to the sub-Saharan African region. Although studies on heat pump drying started in South Africa several years ago, not much progress has been recorded to date. Many potential users view heat pump drying technology as fragile, slow, and high capital intensive when compared with conventional dryer. This paper tried to divulge the principles and potentials of heat pump drying technology and the conditions for its optimum use. Also, various methods of quantifying performances during heat pump drying as well as the quality of the dried products are highlighted. Necessary factors for maximizing the capacity and efficiency of a heat pump dryer were identified. Finally, the erroneous view that heat pump drying is not feasible economically in sub-Saharan Africa was clarified.

  18. HIV/AIDS drugs for Sub-Saharan Africa: how do brand and generic supply compare?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colleen V Chien

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Significant quantities of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs to treat HIV/AIDS have been procured for Sub-Saharan Africa for the first time in their 20-year history. This presents a novel opportunity to empirically study the roles of brand and generic suppliers in providing access to ARVs. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: An observational study of brand and generic supply based on a dataset of 2,162 orders of AIDS drugs for Sub-Saharan Africa reported to the Global Price Reporting Mechanism at the World Health Organization from January 2004-March 2006 was performed. Generic companies supplied 63% of the drugs studied, at prices that were on average about a third of the prices charged by brand companies. 96% of the procurement was of first line drugs, which were provided mostly by generic firms, while the remaining 4%, of second line drugs, was sourced primarily from brand companies. 85% of the generic drugs in the sample were manufactured in India, where the majority of the drugs procured were ineligible for patent protection. The remaining 15% was manufactured in South Africa, mostly under voluntary licenses provided by brand companies to a single generic company. In Sub-Saharan African countries, four first line drugs in the dataset were widely patented, however no general deterrent to generic purchasing based on a patent was detected. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Generic and brand companies have played distinct roles in increasing the availability of ARVs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Generic companies provided most of the drugs studied, at prices below those charged by brand companies, and until now, almost exclusively supplied several fixed-dose combination drugs. Brand companies have supplied almost all second line drugs, signed voluntary licenses with generic companies, and are not strictly enforcing patents in certain countries. Further investigation into how price reductions in second line drugs can be achieved and the cheapest drugs can

  19. Systematic review with meta-analysis: the risk of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus infection in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keane, E; Funk, A L; Shimakawa, Y

    2016-11-01

    The risk of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been quoted as 70-90% among women positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and e antigen (HBeAg), and 5-30% among HBsAg-positive HBeAg-negative women. These risks are derived from Asia; little is known about sub-Saharan Africa. To determine the risk of mother-to-child transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, according to maternal HBeAg and type of prophylaxis. We searched Medline, Global Health, Embase, African Journals Online and African Index Medicus. We included observational or interventional studies that enrolled infants of HBV-infected women, and that tested for HBsAg or HBV DNA between 3 and 12 months of age. Fifteen articles from 11 African countries were included. Among HBeAg-positive women, the pooled risk was 38.3% (95% CI: 7.0-74.4%) without prophylaxis, which was significantly lower than the lower bound of 70-90% risk in the literature (P = 0.007). Among HBeAg-negative women, the pooled risk was 4.8% (95% CI: 0.1-13.3%) without prophylaxis, which lays within the lower range of the 5-30% risk in Asia. By extrapolating the pooled transmission risks to the number of births to infectious mothers, an estimated 1% of newborns (n = 367 250) are annually infected with HBV at birth in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared to Asia, the risk of mother-to-child transmission is low in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the annual number of infants perinatally infected with HBV is twice the number of incident paediatric HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa (n = 190 000). This highlights the importance of preventing mother-to-child transmission of HBV in sub-Saharan Africa, which has been long neglected. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Currently important animal disease management issues in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomson, G R

    2009-03-01

    The present international approach to management of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) is based on the assumption that most can be eradicated; consequently, that is the usual objective adopted by international organizations concerned with animal health. However, for sub-Saharan Africa and southern Africa more particularly, eradication of most TADs is impossible for the foreseeable future for a variety of technical, financial and logistical reasons. Compounding this, the present basis for access to international markets for products derived from animals requires that the area of origin (country or zone) is free from trade-influencing TADs. The ongoing development of transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs), extending across huge areas of southern Africa, therefore presents a development conundrum because it makes creation of geographic areas free from TADs more difficult and brings development based on wildlife conservation on the one hand and that based on livestock production on the other into sharp conflict. Sub-Saharan Africa is consequently confronted by a complex problem that contributes significantly to retarded rural development which, in turn, impedes poverty alleviation. In southern Africa specifically, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) presents the greatest problem in relation to access to international markets for animal products. However, it is argued that this problem could be overcome by a combination between (1) implementation of a commodity-based approach to trade in products derived from animals and (2) amendment of the international standards for FMD specifically (i.e. the FMD chapter in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health [OIE]) so that occurrence of SAT serotype viruses in free-living African buffalo need not necessarily mean exclusion of areas where buffalo occur from international markets for animal products. This would overcome a presently intractable constraint to market access for southern African

  1. Diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa: health care perspectives, challenges, and the economic burden of disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Idemyor, Vincent

    2010-07-01

    The growing incidence of diabetes mellitus in the world is a widespread concern. While there has been improvement in the epidemiology and management of the disease in the developed world, the same cannot be said in sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is getting less attention as is the funding that it merits compared to communicable diseases. Type 2 diabetes is becoming more prevalent due to rising rates of obesity, physical inactivity, and urbanization. In contrast to the developed world, where the majority of the people with diabetes are over the age of 60 years, the sub-Saharan Africa diabetic population is in the economically productive age group of 30 to 45 years. The late diagnosis of diabetes in this region, coupled with inequalities in accessing care, leads to early presentations of diabetic complications. The health care delivery agenda is overwhelmed by poverty, as such diabetes management costs have to compete with other health issues such as antiretroviral drugs for HIV/ AIDS, tuberculosis treatment, and malarial control programs. There is an urgent need to place diabetes on the national health agenda in sub-Saharan Africa and ensure that this agenda is properly positioned and integrated into the health policies and strategies.

  2. HIV/AIDS mitigation strategies and the State in sub-Saharan Africa – the missing link?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johnston Deborah

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa is widely recognised as a development disaster threatening poverty reduction, economic growth and not merely a health issue. Its mitigation includes the societal-wide adoption and implementation of specific health technologies, many of which depend on functional institutions and State. Discussion Donor and International Institutions' strategies to mitigate HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are premised on a single optimal model of the State, one which focuses on the decentralised delivery of public goods alone (such as healthcare – the service delivery state. The empirical evidence, though sparse, of "successful" and "unsuccessful" sub-Saharan Africa states' performance in mitigating HIV/AIDS does not support this model. Rather, the evidence suggests an alternative model that takes a country context specific approach – encompassing political power, institutional structures and the level of health technology needed. This model draws on the historical experience of East Asian countries' rapid development. Summary For international public health policies to be effective, they must consider a country tailored approach, one that advocates a coordinated strategy designed and led by the State with involvement of wider society specific to each country's particular history, culture, and level of development.

  3. Barriers to family planning and contraception uptake in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haider, Taj L; Sharma, Manoj

    This review assessed barriers to uptake of family planning and contraceptive services among women in sub-Saharan Africa. Included were studies: (1) published in the English; (2) between the years January 2010 and July 2012; (3) that measure barriers to family planning/contraceptive methods; and (4) that use any quantitative or qualitative study design. Eleven studies fitting the inclusion criteria were reviewed. The major barriers found to prevent uptake of services included cultural and societal pressure on women, socioeconomic status, financial barriers, and regional barriers associated with lack of access to services. Due to the diversity of the populations in sub-Saharan Africa, it is clear that a one-size-fits-all approach will not be efficacious; rather, a strategy that takes into account cultural and societal norms for the population of interest is better.

  4. Taking the woman's perspective: Gender risks of regulatory reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Milagrosa, A.; Frickenstein, J.

    2008-01-01

    Despite acknowledgment of the significant role of women in economic growth, gender-biased development policies still persist worldwide. In this context, the paper reviews recent policy reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa that perpetuate gender inequality and female poverty for the already impoverished

  5. Unraveling the unsustainability spiral in sub-Saharan Africa: an agent based modeling approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hofwegen, van G.; Becx, G.A.; Broek, van den J.A.; Koning, N.B.J.

    2007-01-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa is trapped in a complex unsustainability spiral with demographic, biophysical, technical and socio-political dimensions. Unravelling the spiral is vital to perceive which policy actions are needed to reverse it and initiate sustainable pro-poor growth. The article presents an

  6. Access barriers to obstetric care at health facilities in sub-Saharan Africa-a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyei-Nimakoh, Minerva; Carolan-Olah, Mary; McCann, Terence V

    2017-06-06

    Since 2000, the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, which included a goal to improve maternal health by the end of 2015, has facilitated significant reductions in maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, despite more focused efforts made especially by low- and middle-income countries, targets were largely unmet in sub-Saharan Africa, where women are plagued by many challenges in seeking obstetric care. The aim of this review was to synthesise literature on barriers to obstetric care at health institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. This review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Scopus databases were electronically searched to identify studies on barriers to health facility-based obstetric care in sub-Saharan Africa, in English, and dated between 2000 and 2015. Combinations of search terms 'obstetric care', 'access', 'barriers', 'developing countries' and 'sub-Saharan Africa' were used to locate articles. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies were considered. A narrative synthesis approach was employed to synthesise the evidence and explore relationships between included studies. One hundred and sixty articles met the inclusion criteria. Currently, obstetric care access is hindered by several demand- and supply-side barriers. The principal demand-side barriers identified were limited household resources/income, non-availability of means of transportation, indirect transport costs, a lack of information on health care services/providers, issues related to stigma and women's self-esteem/assertiveness, a lack of birth preparation, cultural beliefs/practices and ignorance about required obstetric health services. On the supply-side, the most significant barriers were cost of services, physical distance between health facilities and service users' residence, long waiting times at health

  7. An Empirical Investigation of the Emergent Issues around OER Adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngimwa, Pauline; Wilson, Tina

    2012-01-01

    In the past few years, Africa has joined the rest of the world as an active participant in the Open Educational Resource (OER) movement with a number of home-grown and externally driven initiatives. These have the potential to make an immense contribution to teaching and learning in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, certain barriers prevent full…

  8. The complications of treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in low income countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Gemert, Frederik A; Kirenga, Bruce J; Gebremariam, Tewodros Haile; Nyale, George; de Jong, Corina; van der Molen, Thys

    2018-03-01

    In most low and middle-income countries, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is on the rise. Areas covered: Unfortunately, COPD is a neglected disease in these countries. Taking sub-Saharan Africa as an example, in rural areas, COPD is even unknown regarding public awareness and public health planning. Programs for the management of COPD are poorly developed, and the quality of care is often of a low standard. Inhaled medication is often not available or not affordable. Tobacco smoking is the most common encountered risk factor for COPD. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, household air pollution is another major risk factor for the development of COPD. Communities are also exposed to a variety of other risk factors, such as low birth weight, malnutrition, severe childhood respiratory infections, occupational exposures, outdoor pollution, human-immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis. All these factors contribute to the high burden of poor respiratory health in sub-Saharan Africa. Expert commentary: A silent growing epidemic of COPD seems to be unravelling. Therefore, prevention and intervention programs must involve all the stakeholders and start as early as possible. More research is needed to describe, define and inform treatment approaches, and natural history of biomass-related COPD.

  9. Digital Health in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa: Catching Up!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lepère, P; Tchounga, B; Ekouevi, D-K

    2017-11-01

    Digital health has the potential to strengthen health systems and empower patients to prevent ill health and manage their own care. To confirm this potential, however, it is urgent to shift from pilot studies to the implementation of programs at a sufficient scale, with interoperable solutions and integrated into the national health system, while respecting human rights. It is also important to plan for studies to demonstrate the impact and produce the necessary evidence. Francophone sub-Saharan Africa can catch up in this area.

  10. Rheumatic disorders in Sub-saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGill, P E; Oyoo, G O

    2002-04-01

    To review prevalence of rheumatic disorders in Sub-saharan Africa and in the context of current medical practice in the region assess the need for service and educational provision. Medline, (English, French). Pre-Medline literature review from the 1950's (Current contents). Various conference reports including attendance at all three AFLAR (African League Against Rheumatism) congresses in the 1990's. Author's personal database. All cited references read in full. The evidence shows rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus to be increasing in frequency in the indigenous populations of East, Central and South Africa but remaining rare in West Africans. Gout is now more prevalent than ever throughout the subcontinent. HIV has spawned a variety of previously rare spondyloarthropathies (reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, enthesopathy) and changed the epidemiology of pyomyositis and osteomyelitis. Osteoarthritis is a universal problem. Juvenile chronic arthritis is not rare and rheumatic fever is common. Acute and chronic locomotor problems associated with diverse entities such as leprosy, brucellosis, meningococcus, alpha viruses, parasites, fluorosis, rickets and haemoglobinopathies enhance diagnostic diversity and therapeutic and educational requirements. Suggestions made to address the challenge posed by the burden of rheumatic disorders.

  11. AID SELECTIVITY PRACTICE AND AID EFFECTIVENESS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

    OpenAIRE

    Adedokun, Adeniyi Jimmy; Abiodun O. Folawewo, Abiodun O.

    2017-01-01

    Foreign aid strategies have undergone restructuring as donors adopt aid selectivity practice to improve aid effectiveness. This study investigates the impact of aid selectivity practice on aid effectiveness (aid-growth relationship) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and several groups of countries within SSA from 1980 to 2012. Employing system generalized methods of moments (system GMM) technique; the study produces strong evidence that there is significant improvement in aid effectiveness due to a...

  12. Sub-Saharan Africa Report

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1985-01-01

    .... This report from Sub-Sahara Africa, Angola, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda...

  13. The social and gender context of HIV disclosure in sub-Saharan Africa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper reviews the legal and policy context of HIV disclosure in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as what is known about rates, consequences and social context of disclosure, with special attention to gender issues and the role of health services. Persistent rates of nondisclosure by those diagnosed with HIV raise difficult ...

  14. Challenging Educational Injustice: "Grassroots" Privatisation in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tooley, James

    2013-01-01

    The phenomenon of low-cost private schools "mushrooming" in poor areas of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, and elsewhere, is now well-documented. Findings from research by the author's teams and others show that these schools are serving a majority (urban and peri-urban) or significant minority (rural) of the poor, including…

  15. The Position of Sub-Saharan Countries in the World Economy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baumgartner Boris

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Most of the countries of sub-Saharan Africa belong to the most underdeveloped and poorest countries in the world economy. This region consists of forty-nine countries but at world GDP, world export, world import and inflow of foreign direct investment share only by small percent. There are some positive facts in the recent history of sub- Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa has grown faster than the world economy in the past ten years. The predictions are also positive. There is an expectation of another growth till the 2020. If the sub-Saharan countries want to keep the growth in the future they have to invest to infrastructure, in educational system, in research and science to make their economies more competitive.

  16. For or against gender equality? Evaluating the post-cold war 'Rule of Law' reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Nyamu-Musembi, Celestine

    2005-01-01

    The central question explored in this paper is: has the post-Cold-War rule of law (ROL) reform agenda in sub-Saharan Africa enhanced or impeded gender equality? Rule of law (ROL) reforms are seen as indispensable to establishing a market economy and democratic rule, the two prongs of the neo-liberal project. In sub-Saharan Africa, legal and institutional reforms that originated with the 'second wave' of political reform in the immediate post-Cold-War era have been justified in terms of these ...

  17. The status of HIV-1 resistance to antiretroviral drugs in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hamers, Raph L.; Derdelinckx, Inge; van Vugt, Michèle; Stevens, Wendy; Rinke de Wit, Tobias F.; Schuurman, Rob

    2008-01-01

    Access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for persons infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa has greatly improved over the past few years. However, data on long-term clinical outcomes of Africans receiving HAART, patterns of HIV resistance to antiretroviral drugs and implications of

  18. Mapping evidence on the distribution of human papillomavirus-related cancers in sub-Saharan Africa: scoping review protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bridget K. M. Lekoane

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the introduction of HPV vaccines, the incidence of HPV-related cancers (cervical, penile, anal, vulvar, vagina, head, and neck in sub-Saharan Africa has been rising. The increasing incidence of these HPV-related cancers has been attributed to changes in lifestyle-related risk factors, most notably sexual behavior. The main objective of this study is to map evidence on the distribution of HIV-related cancers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA. Methods and analysis We will conduct a scoping review to explore, describe, and map literature on the distribution of HPV-related cancers in sub-Saharan Africa. The primary search will include peer-reviewed and review articles. The list of references from included studies will also be searched. The search will be performed using EBSCOhost platform by searching the following databases within the platform: Academic search complete, health source: nursing/academic edition, CINAHL with full text, PubMed, Science Direct, Google scholar and World Health Organization (WHO library databases, and gray literature. The researcher will search the articles using keywords, from the included studies; abstract and full articles will be screened by two independent reviewers. The screening will be guided by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A thematic content analysis will be used to present the narrative account of the reviews, using NVivo version 10. Discussion We anticipate finding relevant literature on the distribution of HPV-related cancers in sub-Saharan Africa. The study findings will help reveal research gaps to guide future research. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42017062403.

  19. The Bioethanol Industry in Sub-Saharan Africa: History, Challenges, and Prospects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evanie Devi Deenanath

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Recently, interest in using bioethanol as an alternative to petroleum fuel has been escalating due to decrease in the availability of crude oil. The application of bioethanol in the motor-fuel industry can contribute to reduction in the use of fossil fuels and in turn to decreased carbon emissions and stress of the rapid decline in crude oil availability. Bioethanol production methods are numerous and vary with the types of feedstock used. Feedstocks can be cereal grains (first generation feedstock, lignocellulose (second generation feedstock, or algae (third generation feedstock feedstocks. To date, USA and Brazil are the leading contributors to global bioethanol production. In sub-Saharan Africa, bioethanol production is stagnant. During the 1980s, bioethanol production has been successful in several countries including Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Kenya. However, because of numerous challenges such as food security, land availability, and government policies, achieving sustainability was a major hurdle. This paper examines the history and challenges of bioethanol production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA and demonstrates the bioethanol production potential in SSA with a focus on using bitter sorghum and cashew apple juice as unconventional feedstocks for bioethanol production.

  20. The bioethanol industry in sub-Saharan Africa: history, challenges, and prospects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deenanath, Evanie Devi; Iyuke, Sunny; Rumbold, Karl

    2012-01-01

    Recently, interest in using bioethanol as an alternative to petroleum fuel has been escalating due to decrease in the availability of crude oil. The application of bioethanol in the motor-fuel industry can contribute to reduction in the use of fossil fuels and in turn to decreased carbon emissions and stress of the rapid decline in crude oil availability. Bioethanol production methods are numerous and vary with the types of feedstock used. Feedstocks can be cereal grains (first generation feedstock), lignocellulose (second generation feedstock), or algae (third generation feedstock) feedstocks. To date, USA and Brazil are the leading contributors to global bioethanol production. In sub-Saharan Africa, bioethanol production is stagnant. During the 1980s, bioethanol production has been successful in several countries including Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Kenya. However, because of numerous challenges such as food security, land availability, and government policies, achieving sustainability was a major hurdle. This paper examines the history and challenges of bioethanol production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and demonstrates the bioethanol production potential in SSA with a focus on using bitter sorghum and cashew apple juice as unconventional feedstocks for bioethanol production.

  1. Y-chromosomal variation in Sub-Saharan Africa: insights into the history of Niger-Congo groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Filippo, Cesare; Barbieri, Chiara; Whitten, Mark; Mpoloka, Sununguko Wata; Gunnarsdóttir, Ellen Drofn; Bostoen, Koen; Nyambe, Terry; Beyer, Klaus; Schreiber, Henning; de Knijff, Peter; Luiselli, Donata; Stoneking, Mark; Pakendorf, Brigitte

    2013-01-01

    Technological and cultural innovations, as well as climate changes, are thought to have influenced the diffusion of major language phyla in sub-Saharan Africa. The most widespread and the richest in diversity is the Niger-Congo phylum, thought to have originated in West Africa ~10,000 years ago. The expansion of Bantu languages (a family within the Niger-Congo phylum) ~5,000 years ago represents a major event in the past demography of the continent. Many previous studies on Y chromosomal variation in Africa associated the Bantu expansion with haplogroup E1b1a (and sometimes its sub-lineage E1b1a7). However, the distribution of these two lineages extends far beyond the area occupied nowadays by Bantu speaking people, raising questions on the actual genetic structure behind this expansion. To address these issues, we directly genotyped 31 biallelic markers and 12 microsatellites on the Y chromosome in 1195 individuals of African ancestry focusing on areas that were previously poorly characterized (Botswana, Burkina Faso, D.R.C, and Zambia). With the inclusion of published data, we analyzed 2736 individuals from 26 groups representing all linguistic phyla and covering a large portion of Sub-Saharan Africa. Within the Niger-Congo phylum, we ascertain for the first time differences in haplogroup composition between Bantu and non-Bantu groups via two markers (U174 and U175) on the background of haplogroup E1b1a (and E1b1a7), which were directly genotyped in our samples and for which genotypes were inferred from published data using Linear Discriminant Analysis on STR haplotypes. No reduction in STR diversity levels was found across the Bantu groups, suggesting the absence of serial founder effects. In addition, the homogeneity of haplogroup composition and pattern of haplotype sharing between Western and Eastern Bantu groups suggest that their expansion throughout Sub-Saharan Africa reflects a rapid spread followed by backward and forward migrations. Overall, we found

  2. Deployment of community health workers across rural sub-Saharan Africa: financial considerations and operational assumptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCord, Gordon C; Liu, Anne; Singh, Prabhjot

    2013-04-01

    To provide cost guidance for developing a locally adaptable and nationally scalable community health worker (CHW) system within primary-health-care systems in sub-Saharan Africa. The yearly costs of training, equipping and deploying CHWs throughout rural sub-Saharan Africa were calculated using data from the literature and from the Millennium Villages Project. Model assumptions were such as to allow national governments to adapt the CHW subsystem to national needs and to deploy an average of 1 CHW per 650 rural inhabitants by 2015. The CHW subsystem described was costed by employing geographic information system (GIS) data on population, urban extents, national and subnational disease prevalence, and unit costs (from the field for wages and commodities). The model is easily replicable and configurable. Countries can adapt it to local prices, wages, population density and disease burdens in different geographic areas. The average annual cost of deploying CHWs to service the entire sub-Saharan African rural population by 2015 would be approximately 2.6 billion (i.e. 2600 million) United States dollars (US$). This sum, to be covered both by national governments and by donor partners, translates into US$ 6.86 per year per inhabitant covered by the CHW subsystem and into US$ 2.72 per year per inhabitant. Alternatively, it would take an annual average of US$ 3750 to train, equip and support each CHW. Comprehensive CHW subsystems can be deployed across sub-Saharan Africa at cost that is modest compared with the projected costs of the primary-health-care system. Given their documented successes, they offer a strong complement to facility-based care in rural African settings.

  3. Contemporary issues on the epidemiology and antiretroviral adherence of HIV-infected adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: a narrative review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adejumo, Olurotimi A; Malee, Kathleen M; Ryscavage, Patrick; Hunter, Scott J; Taiwo, Babafemi O

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Adolescents are a unique and sometimes neglected group in the planning of healthcare services. This is the case in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where more than eight out of ten of the world's HIV-infected adolescents live. Although the last decade has seen a reduction in AIDS-related mortality worldwide, largely due to improved access to effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), AIDS remains a significant contributor to adolescent mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Although inadequate access to ART in parts of the subcontinent may be implicated, research among youth with HIV elsewhere in the world suggests that suboptimal adherence to ART may play a significant role. In this article, we summarize the epidemiology of HIV among sub-Saharan African adolescents and review their adherence to ART, emphasizing the unique challenges and factors associated with adherence behaviour. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of online databases for articles, relevant abstracts, and conference reports from meetings held between 2010 and 2014. Our search terms included “adherence,” “compliance,” “antiretroviral use” and “antiretroviral adherence,” in combination with “adolescents,” “youth,” “HIV,” “Africa,” “interventions” and the MeSH term “Africa South of the Sahara.” Of 19,537 articles and abstracts identified, 215 met inclusion criteria, and 148 were reviewed. Discussion Adolescents comprise a substantial portion of the population in many sub-Saharan African countries. They are at particular risk of HIV and may experience worse outcomes. Although demonstrated to have unique challenges, there is a dearth of comprehensive health services for adolescents, especially for those with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. ART adherence is poorer among older adolescents than other age groups, and psychosocial, socio-economic, individual, and treatment-related factors influence adherence behaviour among adolescents in this region. With

  4. Contemporary issues on the epidemiology and antiretroviral adherence of HIV-infected adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: a narrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adejumo, Olurotimi A; Malee, Kathleen M; Ryscavage, Patrick; Hunter, Scott J; Taiwo, Babafemi O

    2015-01-01

    Adolescents are a unique and sometimes neglected group in the planning of healthcare services. This is the case in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where more than eight out of ten of the world's HIV-infected adolescents live. Although the last decade has seen a reduction in AIDS-related mortality worldwide, largely due to improved access to effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), AIDS remains a significant contributor to adolescent mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Although inadequate access to ART in parts of the subcontinent may be implicated, research among youth with HIV elsewhere in the world suggests that suboptimal adherence to ART may play a significant role. In this article, we summarize the epidemiology of HIV among sub-Saharan African adolescents and review their adherence to ART, emphasizing the unique challenges and factors associated with adherence behaviour. We conducted a comprehensive search of online databases for articles, relevant abstracts, and conference reports from meetings held between 2010 and 2014. Our search terms included "adherence," "compliance," "antiretroviral use" and "antiretroviral adherence," in combination with "adolescents," "youth," "HIV," "Africa," "interventions" and the MeSH term "Africa South of the Sahara." Of 19,537 articles and abstracts identified, 215 met inclusion criteria, and 148 were reviewed. Adolescents comprise a substantial portion of the population in many sub-Saharan African countries. They are at particular risk of HIV and may experience worse outcomes. Although demonstrated to have unique challenges, there is a dearth of comprehensive health services for adolescents, especially for those with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. ART adherence is poorer among older adolescents than other age groups, and psychosocial, socio-economic, individual, and treatment-related factors influence adherence behaviour among adolescents in this region. With the exception of a few examples based on affective, cognitive, and

  5. Assessing Engineering Education in Sub-Saharan Africa. World Bank Technical Paper Number 197, Africa Technical Department Series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zymelman, Manuel, Ed.

    This guide to assessing engineering education in Sub-Saharan Africa consists of three sections, covering: (1) assessment of qualitative and quantitative needs; (2) assessment of the engineering education institution in developing countries; and (3) methods of forecasting demand for engineers; assessment of the efficiency of engineering training…

  6. End of life care in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the qualitative literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pool Robert

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background End of life (EoL care in sub-Saharan Africa still lacks the sound evidence-base needed for the development of effective, appropriate service provision. It is essential to make evidence from all types of research available alongside clinical and health service data, to ensure that EoL care is ethical and culturally appropriate. This article aims to synthesize qualitative research on EoL care in sub-Saharan Africa to inform policy, practice and further research. It seeks to identify areas of existing research; describe findings specifically relevant to the African context; and, identify areas lacking evidence. Methods Relevant literature was identified through eight electronic databases: AMED, British Nursing Index & Archive, CINAHL, EMBASE, IBSS, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and the Social Sciences Citation Index; and hand searches. Inclusion criteria were: published qualitative or mixed-method studies in sub-Saharan Africa, about EoL care. Study quality was assessed using a standard grading scale. Relevant data including findings and practice recommendations were extracted and compared in tabular format. Results Of the 407 articles initially identified, 51 were included in the qualitative synthesis. Nineteen came from South Africa and the majority (38 focused on HIV/AIDS. Nine dealt with multiple or unspecified conditions and four were about cancer. Study respondents included health professionals, informal carers, patients, community members and bereaved relatives. Informal carers were typically women, the elderly and children, providing total care in the home, and lacking support from professionals or the extended family. Twenty studies focused on home-based care, describing how programmes function in practice and what is needed to make them effective. Patients and carers were reported to prefer institutional care but this needs to be understood in context. Studies focusing on culture discussed good and bad death, culture

  7. Where Lies the Risk? An Ecological Approach to Understanding Child Mental Health Risk and Vulnerabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Atilola, Olayinka

    2014-01-01

    Efforts at improving child-health and development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa had focused on the physical health of children due to the neglect of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) policy initiatives. A thorough and broad-based understanding of the prevalent child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors is needed to successfully articulate CAMH policies. In this discourse, we present a narrative on the child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors in sub-Saharan Africa...

  8. Contemporary issues on the epidemiology and antiretroviral adherence of HIV-infected adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: a narrative review

    OpenAIRE

    Adejumo, Olurotimi A; Malee, Kathleen M; Ryscavage, Patrick; Hunter, Scott J; Taiwo, Babafemi O

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Adolescents are a unique and sometimes neglected group in the planning of healthcare services. This is the case in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where more than eight out of ten of the world's HIV-infected adolescents live. Although the last decade has seen a reduction in AIDS-related mortality worldwide, largely due to improved access to effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), AIDS remains a significant contributor to adolescent mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Although ina...

  9. People in sub-Saharan Africa rate their health and health care among the lowest in the world.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deaton, Angus S; Tortora, Robert

    2015-03-01

    The health of people in sub-Saharan Africa is a major global concern. However, data are weak, and little is known about how people in the region perceive their health or their health care. We used data from the Gallup World Poll in 2012 to document sub-Saharan Africans' perceived health status, their satisfaction with health care, their contact with medical professionals, and the priority they attach to health care. In comparison to other regions of the world, sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest ratings for well-being and the lowest satisfaction with health care. It also has the second-lowest perception of personal health, after only the former Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellites. HIV prevalence is positively correlated with perceived improvements in health care in countries with high prevalence. This is consistent with an improvement in at least some health care services as a result of the largely aid-funded rollout of antiretroviral treatment. Even so, sub-Saharan Africans do not prioritize health care as a matter of policy, although donors are increasingly shifting their aid efforts in the region toward health. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  10. Inequality of child mortality among ethnic groups in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brockerhoff, M; Hewett, P

    2000-01-01

    Accounts by journalists of wars in several countries of sub-Saharan Africa in the 1990s have raised concern that ethnic cleavages and overlapping religious and racial affiliations may widen the inequalities in health and survival among ethnic groups throughout the region, particularly among children. Paradoxically, there has been no systematic examination of ethnic inequality in child survival chances across countries in the region. This paper uses survey data collected in the 1990s in 11 countries (Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia) to examine whether ethnic inequality in child mortality has been present and spreading in sub-Saharan Africa since the 1980s. The focus was on one or two groups in each country which may have experienced distinct child health and survival chances, compared to the rest of the national population, as a result of their geographical location. The factors examined to explain potential child survival inequalities among ethnic groups included residence in the largest city, household economic conditions, educational attainment and nutritional status of the mothers, use of modern maternal and child health services including immunization, and patterns of fertility and migration. The results show remarkable consistency. In all 11 countries there were significant differentials between ethnic groups in the odds of dying during infancy or before the age of 5 years. Multivariate analysis shows that ethnic child mortality differences are closely linked with economic inequality in many countries, and perhaps with differential use of child health services in countries of the Sahel region. Strong and consistent results in this study support placing the notion of ethnicity at the forefront of theories and analyses of child mortality in Africa which incorporate social, and not purely epidemiological, considerations. Moreover, the typical advantage of relatively small, clearly

  11. Prevalence of hepatitis D virus infection in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stockdale, Alexander J; Chaponda, Mas; Beloukas, Apostolos; Phillips, Richard Odame; Matthews, Philippa C; Papadimitropoulos, Athanasios; King, Simon; Bonnett, Laura; Geretti, Anna Maria

    2017-10-01

    Hepatitis D virus (also known as hepatitis delta virus) can establish a persistent infection in people with chronic hepatitis B, leading to accelerated progression of liver disease. In sub-Saharan Africa, where HBsAg prevalence is higher than 8%, hepatitis D virus might represent an important additive cause of chronic liver disease. We aimed to establish the prevalence of hepatitis D virus among HBsAg-positive populations in sub-Saharan Africa. We systematically reviewed studies of hepatitis D virus prevalence among HBsAg-positive populations in sub-Saharan Africa. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Scopus for papers published between Jan 1, 1995, and Aug 30, 2016, in which patient selection criteria and geographical setting were described. Search strings included sub-Saharan Africa, the countries therein, and permutations of hepatitis D virus. Cohort data were also added from HIV-positive populations in Malawi and Ghana. Populations undergoing assessment in liver disease clinics and those sampled from other populations (defined as general populations) were analysed. We did a meta-analysis with a DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model to calculate a pooled estimate of hepatitis D virus seroprevalence. Of 374 studies identified by our search, 30 were included in our study, only eight of which included detection of hepatitis D virus RNA among anti-hepatitis D virus seropositive participants. In west Africa, the pooled seroprevalence of hepatitis D virus was 7·33% (95% CI 3·55-12·20) in general populations and 9·57% (2·31-20·43) in liver-disease populations. In central Africa, seroprevalence was 25·64% (12·09-42·00) in general populations and 37·77% (12·13-67·54) in liver-disease populations. In east and southern Africa, seroprevalence was 0·05% (0·00-1·78) in general populations. The odds ratio for anti-hepatitis D virus detection among HBsAg-positive patients with liver fibrosis or hepatocellular carcinoma was 5·24 (95% CI 2·74-10·01; psub-Saharan

  12. Dissecting the African Digital Divide: Diffusing E-Learning in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaudoin, Michael F.

    2007-01-01

    Many countries identified with the developing world, such as those in sub-Saharan Africa, have been recipients of aid programs over the past five decades totaling billions of dollars and aimed at fostering social and economic development to achieve global parity with the industrialized world. Much of this activity has been focused on building…

  13. Hydroxyurea Therapy for Children With Sickle Cell Anemia in Sub-Saharan Africa: Rationale and Design of the REACH Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGann, Patrick T; Tshilolo, Léon; Santos, Brigida; Tomlinson, George A; Stuber, Susan; Latham, Teresa; Aygun, Banu; Obaro, Stephen K; Olupot-Olupot, Peter; Williams, Thomas N; Odame, Isaac; Ware, Russell E

    2016-01-01

    Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is an inherited hematological disorder that causes a large but neglected global health burden, particularly in Africa. Hydroxyurea represents the only available disease-modifying therapy for SCA, and has proven safety and efficacy in high-resource countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, there is minimal use of hydroxyurea, due to lack of data, absence of evidence-based guidelines, and inexperience among healthcare providers. A partnership was established between investigators in North America and sub-Saharan Africa, to develop a prospective multicenter research protocol designed to provide data on the safety, feasibility, and benefits of hydroxyurea for children with SCA. The Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea (REACH, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01966731) trial is a prospective, phase I/II open-label dose escalation study of hydroxyurea that will treat a total of 600 children age 1-10 years with SCA: 150 at each of four different clinical sites within sub-Saharan Africa (Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Uganda). The primary study endpoint will be severe hematological toxicities that occur during the fixed-dose treatment phase. REACH has an adaptive statistical design that allows for careful assessment of toxicities to accurately identify a safe hydroxyurea dose. REACH will provide data that address critical gaps in knowledge for the treatment of SCA in sub-Saharan Africa. By developing local expertise with the use of hydroxyurea and helping to establish treatment guidelines, the REACH trial results will have the potential to transform care for children with SCA in Africa. © 2015 The Authors. Pediatric Blood & Cancer Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Experiences and perceptions of online continuing professional development among clinicians in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldacker, Caryl; Jacob, Sheena; Chung, Michael H; Nartker, Anya; Kim, H Nina

    2017-12-29

    Limitations in healthcare worker (HCW) capacity compound the burden of dual TB and HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. To fill gaps in knowledge and skills, effective continuing profession development (CPD) initiatives are needed to support practicing HCWs reach high standards of care. e-learning opportunities can bring expert knowledge to HCWs in the field and provide a flexible learning option adaptable to local settings. Few studies provide insight into HCW experiences with online CPD in the developing country context. An online survey using both close-ended and free response was conducted to HCWs in sub-Saharan Africa who completed the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine online graduate course, "Clinical Management of HIV." Associations between respondent characteristics (age, gender, rural/urban, job title) and learning preferences, course barriers, and facilitators with an emphasis on online courses were examined using chi-square. Covariates significant at the p online course from work, noting that slow (55%) or limited (41%) internet as well as lack of time (53%) were barriers to course completion. Women (p online courses by noting the knowledge gains, the flexibility of format, a desire for recognition of course completion, and a request for additional online coursework. Online CPD opportunities were accepted across a diverse group of HCWs from sub-Saharan Africa and should be expanded to provide more flexible opportunities for self-initiated learning; however, these need to be responsive to the limited resources of those who seek these courses.

  15. Vibrio Pathogens: A Public Health Concern in Rural Water Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles A. Osunla

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Members of the Vibrio genus are autochthonous inhabitants of aquatic environments and play vital roles in sustaining the aquatic milieu. The genus comprises about 100 species, which are mostly of marine or freshwater origin, and their classification is frequently updated due to the continuous discovery of novel species. The main route of transmission of Vibrio pathogens to man is through drinking of contaminated water and consumption inadequately cooked aquatic food products. In sub-Saharan Africa and much of the developing world, some rural dwellers use freshwater resources such as rivers for domestic activities, bathing, and cultural and religious purposes. This review describes the impact of inadequately treated sewage effluents on the receiving freshwater resources and the associated risk to the rural dwellers that depends on the water. Vibrio infections remain a threat to public health. In the last decade, Vibrio disease outbreaks have created alertness on the personal, economic, and public health uncertainties associated with the impact of contaminated water in the aquatic environment of sub-Saharan Africa. In this review, we carried out an overview of Vibrio pathogens in rural water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa and the implication of Vibrio pathogens on public health. Continuous monitoring of Vibrio pathogens among environmental freshwater and treated effluents is expected to help reduce the risk associated with the early detection of sources of infection, and also aid our understanding of the natural ecology and evolution of Vibrio pathogens.

  16. Vibrio Pathogens: A Public Health Concern in Rural Water Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osunla, Charles A; Okoh, Anthony I

    2017-10-07

    Members of the Vibrio genus are autochthonous inhabitants of aquatic environments and play vital roles in sustaining the aquatic milieu. The genus comprises about 100 species, which are mostly of marine or freshwater origin, and their classification is frequently updated due to the continuous discovery of novel species. The main route of transmission of Vibrio pathogens to man is through drinking of contaminated water and consumption inadequately cooked aquatic food products. In sub-Saharan Africa and much of the developing world, some rural dwellers use freshwater resources such as rivers for domestic activities, bathing, and cultural and religious purposes. This review describes the impact of inadequately treated sewage effluents on the receiving freshwater resources and the associated risk to the rural dwellers that depends on the water. Vibrio infections remain a threat to public health. In the last decade, Vibrio disease outbreaks have created alertness on the personal, economic, and public health uncertainties associated with the impact of contaminated water in the aquatic environment of sub-Saharan Africa. In this review, we carried out an overview of Vibrio pathogens in rural water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa and the implication of Vibrio pathogens on public health. Continuous monitoring of Vibrio pathogens among environmental freshwater and treated effluents is expected to help reduce the risk associated with the early detection of sources of infection, and also aid our understanding of the natural ecology and evolution of Vibrio pathogens.

  17. Vibrio Pathogens: A Public Health Concern in Rural Water Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osunla, Charles A.

    2017-01-01

    Members of the Vibrio genus are autochthonous inhabitants of aquatic environments and play vital roles in sustaining the aquatic milieu. The genus comprises about 100 species, which are mostly of marine or freshwater origin, and their classification is frequently updated due to the continuous discovery of novel species. The main route of transmission of Vibrio pathogens to man is through drinking of contaminated water and consumption inadequately cooked aquatic food products. In sub-Saharan Africa and much of the developing world, some rural dwellers use freshwater resources such as rivers for domestic activities, bathing, and cultural and religious purposes. This review describes the impact of inadequately treated sewage effluents on the receiving freshwater resources and the associated risk to the rural dwellers that depends on the water. Vibrio infections remain a threat to public health. In the last decade, Vibrio disease outbreaks have created alertness on the personal, economic, and public health uncertainties associated with the impact of contaminated water in the aquatic environment of sub-Saharan Africa. In this review, we carried out an overview of Vibrio pathogens in rural water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa and the implication of Vibrio pathogens on public health. Continuous monitoring of Vibrio pathogens among environmental freshwater and treated effluents is expected to help reduce the risk associated with the early detection of sources of infection, and also aid our understanding of the natural ecology and evolution of Vibrio pathogens. PMID:28991153

  18. AgMIP: New Results from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia Regional Integrated Assessments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenzweig, C.

    2014-12-01

    AgMIP conducted the first set of comprehensive regional integrated assessments of climate change impacts on smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia led by researchers from the regions themselves. The project developed new methods integrating climate, crop, livestock and economic models to conduct climate change impact assessments that characterize impacts on smallholder groups. AgMIP projections of climate change impacts on agriculture are more realistic than previous assessments because they take agricultural development into account. Using the best available data and models, the assessments directly evaluated yield, income, and poverty outcomes including the effects of adaptation packages and development pathways. Results show that even with agricultural development, climate change generally will exert negative pressure on yields of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Without adaptation, climate change leads to increased poverty in some locations in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia compared to a future in which climate change does not occur. Adaptation can significantly improve smallholder farmer responses to climate change. AgMIP expert teams identified improved varieties, sowing practices, fertilizer application, and irrigation applications as prioritized adaptation strategies. These targeted adaptation packages were able to overcome a portion of detrimental impacts but could not compensate completely in many locations. Even in cases where average impact is near zero, vulnerability (i.e., those at risk of loss) can be substantial even when mean impacts are positive.

  19. Performance and management of draught animals in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, R A; Vall, E

    1998-10-01

    Use of animal power generally enables farmers in sub-Saharan Africa to increase agricultural production and improve the quality of life. Effective use of working animals depends on an understanding of the capabilities of the animals for work, their husbandry requirements and the factors which can influence their performance. These issues are reviewed in this paper in the context of the use of animal power in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. The type of animal used for work determines power available to the farmer. The performance of donkeys, horses and cattle have been compared in work tests. Equids are more suited to rapid low draught activities where their faster speed can be used to advantage. At higher draught forces, where speed is less important, the additional weight and power of cattle are an advantage. Use of heart rate recovery after work gives a reasonable indication of fatigue and fitness of equids, when test conditions are standardized. Although feed requirements for work are generally low, feed quality can be so poor that animals are unable to eat enough to meet energy needs for work, and so lose weight during the work season. However, improvements in work performance are not always seen following supplementary feeding in the dry season and the economics need to be considered in each case. Food availability, diseases and heat stress, the major constraints to performance of draught cattle and donkeys working in sub-Saharan Africa, are discussed.

  20. Drug-resistant HIV-1 in sub-Saharan Africa: clinical and public health studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hamers, R.L.

    2013-01-01

    The past decade has witnessed an unparalleled expansion of access to antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. This historic public health achievement has saved the lives and improved the well-being of millions of people. Concern has been raised about rising

  1. Gender and growth in sub-Saharan Africa: Issues and evidence

    OpenAIRE

    Blackden, M.; Canagarajah, S.; Klasen, S.; Lawson, D.

    2006-01-01

    The study suggests that gender inequality acts as a significant constraint to growth in sub-Saharan Africa, and that removing gender-based barriers to growth will make a substantial contribution to realizing Africa’s economic potential. In particular we highlight gender gaps in education, related high fertility levels, gender gaps in formal sector employment, and gender gaps in access to assets and inputs in agricultural production as particular barriers reducing the ability of women to contr...

  2. AID SELECTIVITY PRACTICE AND AID EFFECTIVENESS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adeniyi Jimmy Adedokun

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Foreign aid strategies have undergone restructuring as donors adopt aid selectivity practice to improve aid effectiveness. This study investigates the impact of aid selectivity practice on aid effectiveness (aid-growth relationship in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA and several groups of countries within SSA from 1980 to 2012. Employing system generalized methods of moments (system GMM technique; the study produces strong evidence that there is significant improvement in aid effectiveness due to aid selectivity practice.

  3. Why is control of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa poor?

    OpenAIRE

    Seedat, YK

    2015-01-01

    In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 2010, hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure ? 115 mmHg) was the leading cause of death, increasing 67% since 1990. It was also the sixth leading cause of disability, contributing more than 11 million adjusted life years. In SSA, stroke was the main outcome of uncontrolled hypertension. Poverty is the major underlying factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. This article analyses the causes of poor compliance in the treatment of hypertension...

  4. Lack of focus on cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Mocumbi, Ana Olga

    2012-01-01

    Research into cardiovascular disease in Sub-Saharan Africa has been hampered by lack of funding and expertise. However, hospital- and community-based data reveal high economic and social costs of these diseases to the national health services and the communities, with the region facing a mixed burden of diseases related to poverty and infections, emergence of risk factors and diseases of affluence, as well as new cardiovascular problems caused by the HIV/AIDS epidemics. The availability of ec...

  5. The historical determinants of language status in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Katalin Buzasi

    2015-01-01

    Languages are one of the most naturally evolving human institutions. Although the status of languages is closely associated with the well-being of their speakers in multilingual societies, this issue gains only a marginal attention in economics and development studies. This paper aims to reveal the long-term determinants of the status of languages in Sub-Saharan Africa, one of the most linguistically fragmented areas of the world. Based on economic, anthropological and historical studies, we ...

  6. Dutch research on environment and development in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Haan, de, L.J.; Ton, P.

    1994-01-01

    This review of Dutch research on environmental issues in sub-Saharan Africa is based on an inventory of some 80 research programmes carried out in the Netherlands during the 1990s. An analysis of the research themes indicates that most of the research concentrates on the exploitation of natural resources, analysed either from the angle of production systems in conjunction with the development of sustainable technologies, or within the wider context of livelihood strategies, at both household ...

  7. Facilitating the financing of bioenergy projects in sub-Saharan Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hofmann, Michael; Khatun, Kaysara

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to identify and develop potential solutions on how to facilitate the financing of bioenergy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. We focus on four main areas that have been identified from empirical research in achieving this objective; these are: (i) financing, (ii) markets; (iii) trade and (iv) policy. The sources utilised consist of primary and secondary data compilation and analysis. Of particular relevance are the results of a market survey undertaken on funding opportunities, where the perspectives of both, project developers as well as project financiers are taken into account. Results indicate that the four areas cannot be treated autonomously, as they not only overlap but impact each other. There are a number of difficulties for biofuel ventures, not least the nature of the projects themselves, but also around the financing and political landscape of these enterprises. Common solutions which cross cut the four areas are the need to raise awareness and the skillsets, in areas including, financing opportunities, markets, policy, technical aspects among a range of stakeholders involved in biofuel ventures. There is also a necessity to create a supporting framework for the emerging carbon trading-related activities in Africa. - Highlights: ► We identify and develop potential solutions towards facilitating the financing of bioenergy projects in sub-Saharan Africa. ► We focus on four areas to achieve this objective; these are: (i) financing, (ii) markets; (iii) trade and (iv) policy. ► Common solutions which cross cut the four areas are the need to raise awareness and develop skillsets of stakeholders involved.

  8. Factoring quality laboratory diagnosis into the malaria control agenda for sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aidoo, Michael

    2013-09-01

    Recent progress in malaria control in sub-Saharan Africa has been achieved primarily through provision of insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, and antimalarial drugs. Although these interventions are important, proper case identification and accurate measurement of their impact depend on quality diagnostic testing. Current availability of diagnostic testing for malaria in sub-Saharan Africa is inadequate to support disease management, prevention programs, and surveillance needs. Challenges faced include a dearth of skilled workforce, inadequate health systems infrastructure, and lack of political will. A coordinated approach to providing pre-service clinical and laboratory training together with systems that support a scale-up of laboratory services could provide means not only for effective malaria case management but also, management of non-malaria febrile illnesses, disease surveillance, and accurate control program evaluation. A synthesis of the challenges faced in ensuring quality malaria testing and how to include this information in the malaria control and elimination agenda are presented.

  9. Challenges and perspectives of compliance with pediatric antiretroviral therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahourou, D L; Leroy, V

    2017-12-01

    More than 3 million children aged less than 15years are infected with HIV worldwide, mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The survival of HIV-infected children depends on their access to antiretroviral therapy whose success mainly depends on a good life-long compliance with antiretroviral therapy. Given its complexity and specificity, assessment and monitoring of pediatric compliance with antiretroviral therapy is a major challenge. There is no consensus on a gold standard for monitoring compliance with antiretroviral therapy. Compliance is also influenced by many factors related to the child, the caregiver, the healthcare staff, the healthcare system, and antiretroviral drugs. This review aimed to assess scientific knowledge on pediatric compliance with antiretroviral therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa, and to identify areas for future interventions to improve compliance. Good compliance is essential to achieve the "90% coverage of children on antiretroviral therapy" gold standard of the World Health Organization, and to eliminate HIV infection by 2030. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier SAS.

  10. The strategic importance of identifying knowledge-based and intangible assets for generating value, competitiveness and innovation in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicoline Ondari-Okemwa

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses the strategic importance of identifying intangible assets for creating value and enhancing competitiveness and innovation in science and technology in a knowledge economy with particular reference to the sub- Saharan Africa region. It has always been difficult to gather the prerequisite information to manage such assets and create value from them. The paper discusses the nature of intangible assets, the characteristics of a knowledge economy and the role of knowledge workers in a knowledge economy. The paper also discusses the importance of identifying intangible assets in relation to capturing the value of such assets, the transfer of intangible assets to other owners and the challenges of managing organizational intangible assets. Objectives of the article include: underscoring the strategic importance of identifying intangible assets in sub-Saharan Africa; examining the performance of intangible assets in a knowledge economy; how intangible assets may generate competitiveness, economic growth and innovation; and assess how knowledge workers are becoming a dominant factor in the knowledge economy. An extensive literature review was employed to collect data for this article. It is concluded in the article that organizations and governments in sub-Saharan Africa should look at knowledge-based assets as strategic resources, even though the traditional accounting systems may still be having problems in determining the exact book value of such assets. It is recommended that organizations and government departments in sub-Saharan Africa should implement a system of the reporting of the value of intangible organizational assets just like the reporting of the value of tangible assets; and that organizations in sub-Saharan Africa should use knowledge to produce “smart products and services” which command premium prices.

  11. External Financial Aid to Blood Transfusion Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Need for Reflection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ala, Fereydoun; Allain, Jean-Pierre; Bates, Imelda; Boukef, Kamel; Boulton, Frank; Brandful, James; Dax, Elizabeth M.; El Ekiaby, Magdy; Farrugia, Albert; Gorlin, Jed; Hassall, Oliver; Lee, Helen; Loua, André; Maitland, Kathryn; Mbanya, Dora; Mukhtar, Zainab; Murphy, William; Opare-Sem, Ohene; Owusu-Ofori, Shirley; Reesink, Henk; Roberts, David; Torres, Oscar; Totoe, Grace; Ullum, Henrik; Wendel, Silvano

    2012-01-01

    Jean-Pierre Allain and colleagues argue that, while unintended, the foreign aid provided for blood transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in serious negative outcomes, which requires reflection and rethinking

  12. External Financial Aid to Blood Transfusion Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Need for Reflection

    OpenAIRE

    Ala, Fereydoun; Allain, Jean-Pierre; Bates, Imelda; Boukef, Kamel; Boulton, Frank; Brandful, James; Dax, Elizabeth M.; El Ekiaby, Magdy; Farrugia, Albert; Gorlin, Jed; Hassall, Oliver; Lee, Helen; Loua, André; Maitland, Kathryn; Mbanya, Dora

    2012-01-01

    Jean-Pierre Allain and colleagues argue that, while unintended, the foreign aid provided for blood transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in serious negative outcomes, which requires reflection and rethinking.

  13. Understanding the gender disparity in HIV infection across countries in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from the Demographic and Health Surveys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magadi, Monica Akinyi

    2011-01-01

    Women in sub-Saharan Africa bear a disproportionate burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, which is exacerbated by their role in society and biological vulnerability. The specific objectives of this article are to (i) determine the extent of gender disparity in HIV infection; (ii) examine the role of HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) awareness and sexual behaviour factors on the gender disparity and (iii) establish how the gender disparity varies between individuals of different characteristics and across countries. The analysis involves multilevel logistic regression analysis applied to pooled Demographic and Health Surveys data from 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa conducted during 2003–2008. The findings suggest that women in sub-Saharan Africa have on average a 60% higher risk of HIV infection than their male counterparts. The risk for women is 70% higher than their male counterparts of similar sexual behaviour, suggesting that the observed gender disparity cannot be attributed to sexual behaviour. The results suggest that the risk of HIV infection among women (compared to men) across countries in sub-Saharan Africa is further aggravated among those who are younger, in female-headed households, not in stable unions or marital partnerships or had an earlier sexual debut. PMID:21545443

  14. Diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa – from policy to practice to progress: targeting the existing gaps for future care for diabetes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pastakia, Sonak D; Pekny, Chelsea R; Manyara, Simon M; Fischer, Lydia

    2017-01-01

    The global prevalence and impact of diabetes has increased dramatically, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This region faces unique challenges in combating the disease including lack of funding for noncommunicable diseases, lack of availability of studies and guidelines specific to the population, lack of availability of medications, differences in urban and rural patients, and inequity between public and private sector health care. Because of these challenges, diabetes has a greater impact on morbidity and mortality related to the disease in sub-Saharan Africa than any other region in the world. In order to address these unacceptably poor trends, contextualized strategies for the prevention, identification, management, and financing of diabetes care within this population must be developed. This narrative review provides insights into the policy landscape, epidemiology, pathophysiology, care protocols, medication availability, and health care systems to give readers a comprehensive summary of many factors in these domains as they pertain to diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to providing a review of the current evidence available in these domains, potential solutions to address the major gaps in care will be proposed to reverse the negative trends seen with diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa. PMID:28790858

  15. ONSET OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN HIV/AIDS-AFFECTED HOUSEHOLDS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magadi, Monica A; Uchudi, Joseph

    2015-03-01

    This paper examines the effect of orphanhood and HIV status of adults in a household on onset of sexual activity among adolescent girls and boys aged 15-17 years in sub-Saharan Africa. Multilevel logistic regression models were applied to pooled Demographic and Health Surveys data from nineteen countries of sub-Saharan Africa where HIV test data were collected during 2003-2008 from nationally representative samples of men and women of reproductive age. The results highlight increased vulnerability among adolescent boys and girls living in households where an adult is infected with HIV, and adolescent boys who are paternal orphans. On average, adolescent boys and girls living in households where at least one adult is HIV-positive have about 25% higher odds of having initiated sexual activity compared with their counterparts of similar characteristics in households where no adult is HIV-positive. Furthermore, adolescent boys who are paternal orphans have about 25% higher odds of having initiated sexual activity than their non-orphan counterparts of similar individual characteristics. Further analysis reveals that household circumstances relating to living arrangements and poverty are important pathways through which household HIV/AIDS status is linked to adolescent sexual debut. The findings underscore the importance of international efforts in the sub-Saharan Africa region to address the plight of other children in HIV/AIDS-affected households, beyond orphans.

  16. From Theory to Practice: Exploring the Organised Crime-Terror Nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annette Hübschle

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available  A growing body of scholarly literature suggests confluence or even convergence of organized crime and terrorism in various parts of the world. However, links remain somewhat nebulous at this stage and vary considerably, based on region and context. Africa has come under the spotlight due to perceived weaknesses in the criminal justice sector, limited law enforcement capacity, political and systemic corruption, poor border patrol and weak anti-terror and organized crime laws which are believed to provide an ideal environment for the terror-crime nexus to flourish. This article provides an African perspective on the links between organized crime and terror networks in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on Southern Africa. The discussion begins with an overview of the theoretical discourse on the subject – relying on African definitions of the contested concepts of ‘terrorism’ and ‘organized crime’ – and will then narrow the analysis on the sub-Saharan case. It relies on an extensive literature review and concludes with empirical findings of a research project on organized crime in Southern Africa, which found no strong empirical links between criminal and terrorist organizations.

  17. The role of decentralized systems in providing universal electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa – A model-based approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dagnachew, Anteneh G.; Lucas, Paul L.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/272607444; Hof, Andries F.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/240412397; Gernaat, David E.H.J.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/372664636; de Boer, Harmen Sytze; van Vuuren, Detlef P.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/11522016X

    2017-01-01

    Poverty and lack of access to electricity are highly correlated. In Sub-Saharan Africa, one of the poorest regions in the world, two in every three people have no access to electricity. This paper describes a purpose designed model to explore and project the development in the Sub-Saharan African

  18. Strengthening accountability for improved maternal and newborn health: A mapping of studies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin Hilber, Adriane; Blake, Carolyn; Bohle, Leah F; Bandali, Sarah; Agbon, Esther; Hulton, Louise

    2016-12-01

    To describe the types of maternal and newborn health program accountability mechanisms implemented and evaluated in recent years in Sub-Saharan Africa, how these have been implemented, their effectiveness, and future prospects to improve governance and MNH outcomes. A structured review selected 38 peer-reviewed papers between 2006 and 2016 in Sub-Saharan Africa to include in the analysis. Performance accountability in MNH through maternal and perinatal death surveillance was the most common accountability mechanism used. Political and democratic accountability through advocacy, human rights, and global tracking of progress on indicators achieved greatest results when multiple stakeholders were involved. Financial accountability can be effective but depend on external support. Overall, this review shows that accountability is more effective when clear expectations are backed by social and political advocacy and multistakeholder engagement, and supported by incentives for positive action. There are few accountability mechanisms in MNH in Sub-Saharan Africa between decision-makers and those affected by those decisions with both the power and the will to enforce answerability. Increasing accountability depends not only on how mechanisms are enforced but also, on how providers and managers understand accountability. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Toward the sustainability of health interventions implemented in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and conceptual framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwelunmor, Juliet; Blackstone, Sarah; Veira, Dorice; Nwaozuru, Ucheoma; Airhihenbuwa, Collins; Munodawafa, Davison; Kalipeni, Ezekiel; Jutal, Antar; Shelley, Donna; Ogedegebe, Gbenga

    2016-03-23

    Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is facing a double burden of disease with a rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) while the burden of communicable diseases (CDs) remains high. Despite these challenges, there remains a significant need to understand how or under what conditions health interventions implemented in sub-Saharan Africa are sustained. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of empirical literature to explore how health interventions implemented in SSA are sustained. We searched MEDLINE, Biological Abstracts, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, SCIELO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for available research investigating the sustainability of health interventions implemented in sub-Saharan Africa. We also used narrative synthesis to examine factors whether positive or negative that may influence the sustainability of health interventions in the region. The search identified 1819 citations, and following removal of duplicates and our inclusion/exclusion criteria, only 41 papers were eligible for inclusion in the review. Twenty-six countries were represented in this review, with Kenya and Nigeria having the most representation of available studies examining sustainability. Study dates ranged from 1996 to 2015. Of note, majority of these studies (30 %) were published in 2014. The most common framework utilized was the sustainability framework, which was discussed in four of the studies. Nineteen out of 41 studies (46 %) reported sustainability outcomes focused on communicable diseases, with HIV and AIDS represented in majority of the studies, followed by malaria. Only 21 out of 41 studies had clear definitions of sustainability. Community ownership and mobilization were recognized by many of the reviewed studies as crucial facilitators for intervention sustainability, both early on and after intervention implementation, while social and ecological conditions as well as societal upheavals were barriers that influenced the sustainment

  20. Red blood cell alloimmunization in transfused patients in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngoma, Alain M; Mutombo, Paulin B; Ikeda, Kazuhiko; Nollet, Kenneth E; Natukunda, Bernard; Ohto, Hitoshi

    2016-04-01

    Previous studies of Sub-Saharan Africans show significant alloimmunization to red blood cell (RBC) antigens, but country-specific data are limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate, by meta-analysis, the overall proportion of red blood cell alloantibodies among transfused patients. We systematically searched Medline, Embase, and the Africa-Wide Information database to identify relevant studies in any language. Case reports, comments, letters, conference abstracts, editorials, and review articles were excluded. Of the 269 potentially relevant articles, 11 studies fulfilled our selection criteria. Overall proportions of alloimmunization were 6.7 (95% CI: 5.7, 7.8) per 100 transfused patients. With regard to antibody specificity, among clinically significant antibodies, anti-E ranked as the most common, followed by anti-K, anti-C and anti-D. Meta-analysis of available literature quantifies and qualifies the clinical challenge of RBC alloimmunization among transfused patients in Sub-Saharan Africa. These results should drive policy decisions in favour of routine testing of RBC antigens and irregular antibodies for transfused patients as a standard of care throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Condoms in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maticka-Tyndale, Eleanor

    2012-03-01

    Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the region with the world's highest rates of HIV and other sexually transmissible infections (STIs), yet numerous studies show that condom use is generally rare. This suggests a need for a better understanding of how condoms fit within sexual practices and relationships in SSA. This paper seeks to address this need by reviewing research published between the late 1980s and 2011 on use and factors influencing use of male condoms in SSA. What is evident from this research is that condom use involves complex social and interpersonal dynamics, with structural and cultural conditions exerting an influence through framing social cognitions and setting boundaries on autonomy that make the apparently irrational choice of eschewing condoms a rational decision. The influences of poverty; relationships with parents, peers and partners; limited, insufficient or absent information especially in rural areas and among men who have sex with men; gender and sexual norms, and the dynamics of gendered power; and beliefs and attitudes about HIV, condoms and sexuality all have been shown to work against condom use for a large proportion of Africa's people. However, promising results are shown in trends towards increased condom use among single women in numerous countries, increasing acceptance and use of condoms among some university students, successes in producing potentially sustainable condom use resulting from select interventions, and resistance to succumbing to the dominant gender-power dynamics and structural-cultural impediments that women in groups have mobilised.

  2. Y-chromosomal variation in sub-Saharan Africa: insights into the history of Niger-Congo groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Filippo, Cesare; Barbieri, Chiara; Whitten, Mark; Mpoloka, Sununguko Wata; Gunnarsdóttir, Ellen Drofn; Bostoen, Koen; Nyambe, Terry; Beyer, Klaus; Schreiber, Henning; de Knijff, Peter; Luiselli, Donata; Stoneking, Mark; Pakendorf, Brigitte

    2011-03-01

    Technological and cultural innovations as well as climate changes are thought to have influenced the diffusion of major language phyla in sub-Saharan Africa. The most widespread and the richest in diversity is the Niger-Congo phylum, thought to have originated in West Africa ∼ 10,000 years ago (ya). The expansion of Bantu languages (a family within the Niger-Congo phylum) ∼ 5,000 ya represents a major event in the past demography of the continent. Many previous studies on Y chromosomal variation in Africa associated the Bantu expansion with haplogroup E1b1a (and sometimes its sublineage E1b1a7). However, the distribution of these two lineages extends far beyond the area occupied nowadays by Bantu-speaking people, raising questions on the actual genetic structure behind this expansion. To address these issues, we directly genotyped 31 biallelic markers and 12 microsatellites on the Y chromosome in 1,195 individuals of African ancestry focusing on areas that were previously poorly characterized (Botswana, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia). With the inclusion of published data, we analyzed 2,736 individuals from 26 groups representing all linguistic phyla and covering a large portion of sub-Saharan Africa. Within the Niger-Congo phylum, we ascertain for the first time differences in haplogroup composition between Bantu and non-Bantu groups via two markers (U174 and U175) on the background of haplogroup E1b1a (and E1b1a7), which were directly genotyped in our samples and for which genotypes were inferred from published data using linear discriminant analysis on short tandem repeat (STR) haplotypes. No reduction in STR diversity levels was found across the Bantu groups, suggesting the absence of serial founder effects. In addition, the homogeneity of haplogroup composition and pattern of haplotype sharing between Western and Eastern Bantu groups suggests that their expansion throughout sub-Saharan Africa reflects a rapid spread followed by

  3. Molecular breeding for developing drought tolerant and disease resistant maize in sub Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), in collaboration with public and private partners, is working on developing and disseminating drought tolerant maize for sub Saharan Africa (SSA) using pedigree selection and molecular breeding. In this paper, we provide an overview of ...

  4. Students' and junior doctors' preparedness for the reality of practice in sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frambach, J.M.; Manuel, B.A.; Fumo, A.M.; Vleuten, C.P.M. van der; Driessen, E.W.

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Evidence tailored to sub-Saharan Africa on outcomes of innovations in medical education is needed to encourage and advance their implementation in this region. AIM: To investigate preparedness for practice of students and graduates from an innovative and a conventional medical curriculum

  5. Rainwater harvesting and management in rainfed agricultural systems in Sub-Saharan Africa - A review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Biazin, B.; Sterk, G.; Temesgen, M.; Abdulkedir, A.; Stroosnijder, L.

    2012-01-01

    Agricultural water scarcity in the predominantly rainfed agricultural system of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is more related to the variability of rainfall and excessive non-productive losses, than the total annual precipitation in the growing season. Less than 15% of the terrestrial precipitation

  6. Review: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in sub-Saharan ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Aim Review the literature from 1990 to 2013 to determine known anatomic sites, risk factors, treatments, and outcomes of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Using a systematic search strategy, literature pertaining to HNSCC in sub-Saharan Africa was reviewed and patient ...

  7. External financial aid to blood transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa: a need for reflection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fereydoun Ala

    Full Text Available Jean-Pierre Allain and colleagues argue that, while unintended, the foreign aid provided for blood transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in serious negative outcomes, which requires reflection and rethinking.

  8. Epidemiology of canine gastrointestinal helminths in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nozyechi Ngulube Chidumayo

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Dogs have a close association with humans providing companionship, security and a source of dietary protein. However, dogs are also potential carriers of zoonotic pathogens. Dogs, therefore, pose a public health risk and a good understanding of canine diseases is important for planning and implementing control measures. The aim of this study was to characterise canine helminthiasis in sub-Saharan Africa using a systematic approach. Methods Pubmed and Google Scholar were searched for relevant primary studies published from 2000. Forty-one eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled prevalences were estimated using the quality effects model. Results and conclusions Twenty-six genera of enteric helminths were reported and the pooled estimate of canine helminthiasis was 71% (95% CI: 63–79%. Species of Ancylostoma and Toxocara, causative agents of larva migrans in humans, were the most frequently reported helminths with pooled estimated prevalences of 41% (95% CI: 32–50% and 22% (95% CI: 16–29%, respectively. Dipylidium caninum and Taenia spp. were the most frequently reported cestodes with pooled estimated prevalences of 20% (95% CI: 12–29% and 9% (95% CI: 5–15%, respectively. Trematodes were rarely reported. There was a high level of heterogeneity in most pooled estimates (I2 ˃ 80%. The results of this study show that canine helminthiasis is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and there is need for regular deworming programmes to improve the health status of the dogs and minimise the potential health risk to humans.

  9. World Bank agricultural policies, poverty and income inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa 1

    OpenAIRE

    Howard Stein

    2010-01-01

    The original logic underlying the World Bank's structural adjustment policies in Africa was that the removal of state-created distortions would not only improve efficiency in the operation of markets but also enhance income equality and reduce poverty. The paper explores the linkage between adjustment and the deteriorating income distribution and rising poverty in sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on the rural sector where most of the population earns its livelihoods. The pattern observed is a ...

  10. Is the Role of Physicians Really Evolving Due to Non-physician Clinicians Predominance in Staff Makeup in Sub-Saharan African Health Systems? Comment on "Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidat, Mohsin M

    2016-07-02

    Health workforce shortages in Sub-Saharan Africa are widely recognized, particularly of physicians, leading the training and deployment of Non-physician clinicians (NPCs). The paper by Eyal et al provides interesting and legitimate viewpoints on evolving role of physicians in context of decisive increase of NPCss in Sub-Saharan Africa. Certainly, in short or mid-term, NPCs will continue to be a proxy solution and a valuable alternative to overcome physicians' shortages in sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed, NPCs have an important role at primary healthcare (PHC) level. Physicians at PHC level can certainly have all different roles that were suggested by Eyal et al, including those not directly related to healthcare provision. However, at secondary and higher levels of healthcare, physicians would assume other roles that are mainly related to patient clinical care. Thus, attempting to generalize the role of physicians without taking into account the context where they will work would be not entirely appropriate. It is true that often physicians start the professional carriers at PHC level and progress to other levels of healthcare particularly after clinical post-graduation training. Nevertheless, the training programs offered by medical institutions in sub-Saharan Africa need to be periodically reviewed and take into account professional and occupational roles physicians would take in context of evolving health systems in sub-Saharan Africa. © 2016 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

  11. Two cases of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oluleye, Tunji S; Rotimi-Samuel, Adekunle O; Adenekan, Adetunji; Ilo, Olubanke T; Akinsola, Folashade B; Onakoya, Adeola O; Aribaba, Olufisayo T; Adefule-Ositelu, Adebukunola; Musa, Kareem O; Oyefeso, Yele

    2016-01-01

    Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's (VKH) disease has been reported to be rare in sub-Saharan Africa. Two Nigerians with the disease are presented in this report. The first patient, a 32-year-old pregnant Nigerian woman presented with a 1-month history of bilateral blurring of vision, persistent headache, and alopecia. Presenting visual acuity was 1 m counting fingers in both eyes. Examination revealed vitiligo and poliosis with bilateral panuveitis as well as bilateral exudative retinal detachment. A clinical assessment of complete VKH disease was made. The patient commenced systemic and topical steroids that resulted in remarkable recovery of vision and control of inflammation. The second patient, a 56-year-old Nigerian woman presented with severe headache, tinnitus, and visual loss in both eyes of 2 weeks duration. There was associated redness of both eyes and photophobia. Examination showed visual acuity of Hand motion (HM) and counting fingers at 1 meter (CF). in the right and left eye, respectively, with bilateral panuveitis and bilateral exudative retinal detachment. Subsequent follow-up showed poliosis, vitiligo, and sunsetting fundus appearance. The patient improved with systemic and topical corticosteroids. Developing a high index of suspicion is necessary in diagnosing VKH disease, even in sub-Saharan Africa. Prompt institution of appropriate treatment prevents blindness.

  12. Pregnancy and childbirth after repair of obstetric fistula in sub-Saharan Africa: Scoping Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delamou, Alexandre; Utz, Bettina; Delvaux, Therese; Beavogui, Abdoul Habib; Shahabuddin, Asm; Koivogui, Akoi; Levêque, Alain; Zhang, Wei-Hong; De Brouwere, Vincent

    2016-11-01

    To synthesise the evidence on pregnancy and childbirth after repair of obstetric fistula in sub-Saharan Africa and to identify the existing knowledge gaps. A scoping review of studies reporting on pregnancy and childbirth in women who underwent repair for obstetric fistula in sub-Saharan Africa was conducted. We searched relevant articles published between 1 January 1970 and 31 March 2016, without methodological or language restrictions, in electronic databases, general Internet sources and grey literature. A total of 16 studies were included in the narrative synthesis. The findings indicate that many women in sub-Saharan Africa still desire to become pregnant after the repair of their obstetric fistula. The overall proportion of pregnancies after repair estimated in 11 studies was 17.4% (ranging from 2.5% to 40%). Among the 459 deliveries for which the mode of delivery was reported, 208 women (45.3%) delivered by elective caesarean section (CS), 176 women (38.4%) by emergency CS and 75 women (16.3%) by vaginal delivery. Recurrence of fistula was a common maternal complication in included studies while abortions/miscarriage, stillbirths and neonatal deaths were frequent foetal consequences. Vaginal delivery and emergency C-section were associated with increased risk of stillbirth, recurrence of the fistula or even maternal death. Women who get pregnant after repair of obstetric fistula carry a high risk for pregnancy complications. However, the current evidence does not provide precise estimates of the incidence of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes post-repair. Therefore, studies clearly assessing these outcomes with the appropriate study designs are needed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Urban-Rural Literacy Gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Roles of Socioeconomic Status and School Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yanhong

    2006-01-01

    In this article, the author documents the learning disadvantage of rural primary school students in sub-Saharan Africa and attempts to identify the factors underlying such disadvantages. Analyzing data from 14 school systems participating in the second study of the Southern and Western Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ…

  14. Paediatric challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Hilliard

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs project is coming to an end in 2015 and is being replaced by ambitious and aspirational Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs. Although the MDGs have been nearly achieved, this is not true in Sub-Saharan Africa where there is still unnecessarily high infant and childhood mortality and where there are many challenges to providing modern child health care. To achieve the SDGs in the next fifteen years, in low-income countries, national ministries of health and community health leaders will need to set reasonable goals and quality improvement projects. Attention needs to paid to economical, evidence-based effective health care; to education of children and youth and of health professional; health promotion and prevention of illness; a balance between expensive health care in large urban hospitals and community health projects; and most importantly to the social determinants of health. But the SDGs are achievable with coordinated and sustained national commitments and increased financial commitments from Western countries.

  15. Library Automation in Sub Saharan Africa: Case Study of the University of Botswana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutula, Stephen Mudogo

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: This article aims to present experiences and the lessons learned from the University of Botswana (UB) library automation project. The implications of the project for similar libraries planning automation in sub Saharan Africa and beyond are adduced. Design/methodology/approach: The article is a case study of library automation at the…

  16. FIFA 11 for Health Programme: Implementation in Five Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuller, Colin W.; Junge, Astrid; Amaning, Jacob; Kaijage, Rogasian R.; Kaputa, John; Magwende, George; Pambo, Prince; Dvorak, Jiri

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To assess the effectiveness of the FIFA 11 for Health programme in increasing children's knowledge about communicable and non-communicable diseases in five countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Method: A prospective five-cohort study was implemented in schools in Ghana (17), Malawi (12), Namibia (11), Tanzania (18) and Zambia (11). The…

  17. 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

  18. Neoliberalism and University Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James R. Ochwa-Echel

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available This article reviews the history of university development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA and discusses the impact of neoliberal policies. This will be followed by an examination of the problems facing universities in the region. The following questions will be explored: (a Are the existing universities in SSA serving the development needs of the region? (b Are these universities up to the task of moving SSA out of the predicaments it faces such as famine, HIV/AIDS, poverty, diseases, debt, and human rights abuses? Finally, the article argues that for universities to play a role in the development of the region, a new paradigm that makes university education a public good should be established.

  19. The environmental, socioeconomic, and health impacts of woodfuel value chains in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sola, Phosiso; Cerutti, Paolo Omar; Zhou, Wen; Gautier, Denis; Iiyama, Miyuki; Schure, Jolien; Chenevoy, Audrey; Yila, Jummai; Dufe, Vanessa; Nasi, Robert; Petrokofsky, Gillian; Shepherd, Gill

    2017-01-01

    Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the production and use of woodfuel remains an important socio-economic activity with more than 70% of the population relying on woodfuel as their primary household energy source. Despite their socio-economic significance, woodfuel value chains are often

  20. Climate change impacts in Sub-Saharan Africa : from physical changes to their social repercussions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Serdeczny, Olivia; Adams, Sophie; Baarsch, Florent; Coumou, Dim; Robinson, Alexander; Hare, William; Schaeffer, Michiel; Perrette, Mahé; Reinhardt, Julia

    2017-01-01

    The repercussions of climate change will be felt in various ways throughout both natural and human systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Climate change projections for this region point to a warming trend, particularly in the inland subtropics; frequent occurrence of extreme heat events; increasing

  1. Fisheries in the drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa “Fish come with the Rains”

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kolding, Jeppe; Zwieten, van P.A.M.; Marttin, Felix; Poulain, Florence

    2016-01-01

    Dryland areas cover more than half of sub-Saharan Africa and are home to nearly 50 percent of
    its populations, who depend on agriculture (including livestock, crops and fisheries) as their main
    livelihood strategy. Sporadic and irregular rainfall patterns are the most important

  2. Climate Change and Agricultural Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Spatial Sample Selection Model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ward, P.S.; Florax, R.J.G.M.; Flores-Lagunes, A.

    2014-01-01

    Using spatially explicit data, we estimate a cereal yield response function using a recently developed estimator for spatial error models when endogenous sample selection is of concern. Our results suggest that yields across Sub-Saharan Africa will decline with projected climatic changes, and that

  3. Analysis of the paralysis of government leadership in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Dibie

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the nature of the paralysis of public governance, leadership, conflict and economic development in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It argues that ineffective political leadership and conflict will serve as a lever to poor economic growth and social development. Servant leadership and democratic representation are the continuous process of development that could be accomplished through the participation of the citizens in their own development. The dynamics of development and participation at both national and grassroots levels must involve the exposure of government change agents to peace, participatory learning and action models. The article uses data derived from primary and secondary sources to analyse the problem of political conflict, peace, leadership and economic growth. The conceptual framework is based on the structural conflict theory, negative and positive peace theories, frustration-aggression theory, physiological theories, human needs theory and economic theories. The findings show that there is a negative correlation between authoritarian political leadership and economic growth in Africa. In addition, there is a positive relationship between authoritarian political leadership and conflict in several countries in Africa. The article recommends internal and external mediation and peace education mechanisms to prevent conflict from escalating or degenerating into avoidable crises. Thus, government, private sector and nongovernmental organisations should collaborate to restore justice and equality by liberating citizens from cultural, and ethnic elements that subjugate them. The nations in sub-Saharan Africa need to establish capacity-building initiatives that could help to nurture changes in behaviour, attitudes, peace and humanist paradigm, as well as offer not only the basis for self-reliance, participatory sustainable development, but also a means to peaceful shared governance and inclusive

  4. Mobile health for non-communicable diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the literature and strategic framework for research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloomfield, Gerald S; Vedanthan, Rajesh; Vasudevan, Lavanya; Kithei, Anne; Were, Martin; Velazquez, Eric J

    2014-06-13

    Mobile health (mHealth) approaches for non-communicable disease (NCD) care seem particularly applicable to sub-Saharan Africa given the penetration of mobile phones in the region. The evidence to support its implementation has not been critically reviewed. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials, a number of other databases, and grey literature for studies reported between 1992 and 2012 published in English or with an English abstract available. We extracted data using a standard form in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Our search yielded 475 citations of which eleven were reviewed in full after applying exclusion criteria. Five of those studies met the inclusion criteria of using a mobile phone for non-communicable disease care in sub-Saharan Africa. Most studies lacked comparator arms, clinical endpoints, or were of short duration. mHealth for NCDs in sub-Saharan Africa appears feasible for follow-up and retention of patients, can support peer support networks, and uses a variety of mHealth modalities. Whether mHealth is associated with any adverse effect has not been systematically studied. Only a small number of mHealth strategies for NCDs have been studied in sub-Saharan Africa. There is insufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of mHealth for NCD care in sub-Saharan Africa. We present a framework for cataloging evidence on mHealth strategies that incorporates health system challenges and stages of NCD care. This framework can guide approaches to fill evidence gaps in this area. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42014007527.

  5. 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

  6. Breast Cancer and HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Complex Relationship

    OpenAIRE

    Surbhi Grover; Yehoda M. Martei; Priya Puri; Pooja Prabhakar; Miriam Mutebi; Onyinye D. Balogun; Aryeh J. Price; Alexandra H. Freeman; Mohan Narasimhamurthy; Danielle Rodin; Sarah Rayne; Nicola M. Zetola

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: The number and lifespan of individuals living with HIV have increased significantly with the scale-up of antiretroviral therapy. Furthermore, the incidence of breast cancer in women with HIV is growing, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the association between HIV infection and breast cancer is not well understood. Methods: A literature search was performed to identify articles published in journals pertaining to breast cancer and HIV, with an emphasis on SSA. Sel...

  7. Analysis of the paralysis of government leadership in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Robert Dibie; Josephine Dibie

    2017-01-01

    This article examines the nature of the paralysis of public governance, leadership, conflict and economic development in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It argues that ineffective political leadership and conflict will serve as a lever to poor economic growth and social development. Servant leadership and democratic representation are the continuous process of development that could be accomplished through the participation of the citizens in their own development. The dynamics of d...

  8. A Concept for a Flexible Rehabilitation Tool for sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Henrik Hautop

    2012-01-01

    to address many diverse patient groups (e.g. disabled children, cardiac, and stroke patients), to be used in both urban and rural areas, to be easily used in community based rehabilitation (e.g. by community rehabilitation workers), to motivate the users, and to be robust to failure (e.g. power failure......) in remote areas. The concept leads to the implementation of modular interactive tiles for rehabilitation, and suggestions for future use in sub-Saharan Africa....

  9. Origin, extent and health impacts of air pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, S.; Im, U.; Mezuman, K.

    2017-12-01

    Southern Africa produces about a third of the Earth's biomass burning aerosol particles, yet the fate of these particles, their origin, chemical composition and their influence on regional and global climate is poorly understood. These research questions motivated the NASA field campaign ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS). ORACLES is a five year investigation with three Intensive Observation Periods (IOP) designed to study key processes that determine the climate impacts of African biomass burning aerosols. The first IOP has been carried out in 2016. The main focus of the field campaign are aerosol-cloud interactions, however in our first study related to this area we will investigate the aerosol plume itself, its origin, extend and its resulting health impacts. Here we will discuss results using the global mesoscale model NASA GEOS-5 in conjunction with the NASA GISS-E2 climate model to investigate climate and health impacts that are directly related to the anthropogenic fire activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Focus will be on the SH winter seasons biomass burning events, its contribution to Sub-Saharan air pollution in relationship to other air-pollution sources and its resulting premature mortality.

  10. Origin, extend and health impacts of air pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, Susanne E.; Mezuman, Keren; Longo, Karla; da Silva, Arlindo

    2017-04-01

    Southern Africa produces about a third of the Earth's biomass burning aerosol particles, yet the fate of these particles, their origin, chemical composition and their influence on regional and global climate is poorly understood. These research questions motivated the NASA field campaign ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS). ORACLES is a five year investigation with three Intensive Observation Periods (IOP) designed to study key processes that determine the climate impacts of African biomass burning aerosols. The first IOP has been carried out in 2016. The main focus of the field campaign are aerosol-cloud interactions, however in our first study related to this area we will investigate the aerosol plume itself, its origin, extend and its resulting health impacts. Here we will discuss results using the global mesoscale model NASA GEOS-5 in conjunction with the NASA GISS-E2 climate model to investigate climate and health impacts that are directly related to the anthropogenic fire activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Focus will be on the SH winter seasons biomass burning events, its contribution to Sub-Saharan air pollution in relationship to other air-pollution sources and its resulting premature mortality.

  11. Access to Electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons Learned and Innovative Approaches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shanker, Anjali; Clement, Patrick; Tapin, Daniel; Buchsenschutz, Martin; Reboud, Valerie

    2012-04-01

    This study was conducted with the aim of developing new approaches and a methodological capitalization on the topic of access to electricity services for all in Sub-Saharan Africa. The first section of the study analyzes the challenges involved. The low level of access rates in Sub-Saharan Africa must be put into perspective with the need for equipment design and territorial development. This, in turn, must consider the dynamics of economic and social development, as well as the impact of past programs and sector reforms. The second section focuses on operational proposals, based on a review of the various technical options for power generation, especially for renewable energy, whose recent advances certainly have strong potential but also difficulties. The key challenge for distribution is addressed in its multiple dimensions. The third and last section concerns the financial challenges: there is a need to mobilize national financing, which reflects a strong political commitment, and to make the best possible use of the scarce grants available, which is a major challenge. An in-depth analysis of how the project risks and quality of the promoter are perceived may provide insight into possible future directions for high-impact financial engineering. (authors)

  12. Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs in sub-Saharan Africa from 2004 to 2010: need, the process, and prospects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nsubuga, Peter; Johnson, Kenneth; Tetteh, Christopher; Oundo, Joseph; Weathers, Andrew; Vaughan, James; Elbon, Suzanne; Tshimanga, Mufuta; Ndugulile, Faustine; Ohuabunwo, Chima; Evering-Watley, Michele; Mosha, Fausta; Oleribe, Obinna; Nguku, Patrick; Davis, Lora; Preacely, Nykiconia; Luce, Richard; Antara, Simon; Imara, Hiari; Ndjakani, Yassa; Doyle, Timothy; Espinosa, Yescenia; Kazambu, Ditu; Delissaint, Dieula; Ngulefac, John; Njenga, Kariuki

    2011-01-01

    As of 2010 sub-Saharan Africa had approximately 865 million inhabitants living with numerous public health challenges. Several public health initiatives [e.g., the United States (US) President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the US President's Malaria Initiative] have been very successful at reducing mortality from priority diseases. A competently trained public health workforce that can operate multi-disease surveillance and response systems is necessary to build upon and sustain these successes and to address other public health problems. Sub-Saharan Africa appears to have weathered the recent global economic downturn remarkably well and its increasing middle class may soon demand stronger public health systems to protect communities. The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) program of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been the backbone of public health surveillance and response in the US during its 60 years of existence. EIS has been adapted internationally to create the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) in several countries. In the 1990s CDC and the Rockefeller Foundation collaborated with the Uganda and Zimbabwe ministries of health and local universities to create 2-year Public Health Schools Without Walls (PHSWOWs) which were based on the FETP model. In 2004 the FETP model was further adapted to create the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP) in Kenya to conduct joint competency-based training for field epidemiologists and public health laboratory scientists providing a master's degree to participants upon completion. The FELTP model has been implemented in several additional countries in sub-Saharan Africa. By the end of 2010 these 10 FELTPs and two PHSWOWs covered 613 million of the 865 million people in sub-Saharan Africa and had enrolled 743 public health professionals. We describe the process that we used to develop 10 FELTPs covering 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 2004 to 2010 as a

  13. Towards 2015: post-partum haemorrhage in sub-Saharan Africa still on the rise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mpemba, Faraja; Kampo, Sylvanus; Zhang, Xinyu

    2014-03-01

    To review literature from 1996-2012 relating to factors associating with the persistent maternal mortality rate (MMR) caused by post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) in sub-Saharan Africa. One woman dies every seven minutes, at the same time, one-quarter of all maternal death worldwide is being caused by PPH. The aim of United Nations Fifth Millennium Development Goal 5 is to lower MMR by three quarters between 1990-2015. Narrative literature review. Study articles from 1996-2012 were searched in electronic databases MEDLINE, Cochrane, PubMED, Google's scholar and manual searches. Combinations of the following search words were used: post-partum haemorrhage/bleeding, sub-Saharan Africa/rural areas, antenatal/obstetric care/maternal mortality/skilled care at birth/maternity care/health survey. 125 article abstracts were read, and 50 full articles used in this review. Every day about 800 women died due to birth complications in 2010: of the 800 maternal deaths worldwide, 440 occurred in sub-Saharan Africa with PPH being the main cause. Common causes of PPH are related to failure of the healthcare system, inaccurate estimation of blood loss after delivery and lack of skills to prevent and manage PPH. Special attention is needed with emphasis on regular attendance of antenatal clinic, proper information concerning pregnancy and delivery, skills to accurate estimate blood loss, and prevention and management of PPH. PPH is the leading cause of MMR in areas where essential care and skilled health attendants are limited. Basic Emergency Obstetric Care and arrangements for timely referral to the big hospital with facilities must be practiced everywhere. This review may help to remind health workers and the government that maternal mortality due to PPH is still higher and more interventions are needed. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. Higher Education Strategic Planning in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study of Cameroon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngwana, Terfot Augustine

    This paper argues that a framework for strategic planning in universities in Sub-Saharan Africa can be developed with the background of global, regional, and institutional realities. Using the specific case of the University of Buea in Cameroon, the paper attempts to expose the global trends of polarization in knowledge production capacity as an…

  15. Health service delivery models for the provision of antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lazarus, Jeffrey V; Safreed-Harmon, Kelly; Nicholson, Joey

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: In response to the lack of evidence-based guidance for how to continue scaling up antiretroviral therapy (ART) in ways that make optimal use of limited resources, to assess comparative studies of ART service delivery models implemented in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: A systematic lite...

  16. Oculocutaneous albinism in sub-Saharan Africa: adverse sun-associated health effects and photoprotection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Caradee Y; Norval, Mary; Hertle, Richard W

    2015-01-01

    Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a genetically inherited autosomal recessive condition. Individuals with OCA lack melanin and therefore are susceptible to the harmful effects of solar ultraviolet radiation, including extreme sun sensitivity, photophobia and skin cancer. OCA is a grave public health issue in sub-Saharan Africa with a prevalence as high as 1 in 1000 in some tribes. This article considers the characteristics and prevalence of OCA in sub-Saharan African countries. Sun-induced adverse health effects in the skin and eyes of OCA individuals are reviewed. Sun exposure behavior and the use of photoprotection for the skin and eyes are discussed to highlight the major challenges experienced by these at-risk individuals and how these might be best resolved. © 2014 The American Society of Photobiology.

  17. Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nir Eyal

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Responding to critical shortages of physicians, most sub-Saharan countries have scaled up training of nonphysician clinicians (NPCs, resulting in a gradual but decisive shift to NPCs as the cornerstone of healthcare delivery. This development should unfold in parallel with strategic rethinking about the role of physicians and with innovations in physician education and in-service training. In important ways, a growing number of NPCs only renders physicians more necessary – for example, as specialized healthcare providers and as leaders, managers, mentors, and public health administrators. Physicians in sub-Saharan Africa ought to be trained in all of these capacities. This evolution in the role of physicians may also help address known challenges to the successful integration of NPCs in the health system.

  18. Diabetic ketoacidosis: risk factors, mechanisms and management strategies in sub-Saharan Africa: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otieno, C F; Kayima, J K; Omonge, E O; Oyoo, G O

    2005-12-01

    Diabetic ketoacidosis is the most common hyperglycaemic emergency in patients with diabetes mellitus, especially type 1 diabetes. It carries very high mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, both in the treated patients and those who are presenting to hospital with diabetes for the first time. To review the risk factors, mechanisms and management approaches in diabetes ketoacidosis in published literature and to discuss them in the context of why a significant proportion of patients who develop diabetic ketoacidosis in sub-Saharan Africa still have high mortality. Literature review of relevant published literature from both Africa and the rest of the world. The main causes or precipitants of DKA in patients in SSA are newly diagnosed diabetes, missed insulin doses and infections. The major underlying mechanism is insulin deficiency. Treated patients miss insulin doses for various reasons, for example, inaccessibility occasioned by; unavailability and unaffordability of insulin, missed clinics, perceived ill-health and alternative therapies like herbs, prayers and rituals. Infections also occur quite often, but are not overt, like urinary tract, tuberculosis and pneumonia. Due to widespread poverty of individuals and nations alike, the healthcare systems are scarce and the few available centres are unable to adequately maintain a reliable system of insulin supply and exhaustively investigate their hospitalised patients. Consequently, there is little guarantee of successful outcomes. Poor people may also have sub-optimal nutrition, caused or worsened by diabetes, more so, at first presentation to hospital. Intensive insulin therapy in such individuals mimics 're-feeding syndrome', an acute anabolic state whose outcome may be unfavourable during the period of treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis. Although mortality and morbidity from diabetic ketoacidosis remains high in sub-Saharan Africa, improved healthcare systems and reliable insulin supply can reverse the trend, at least

  19. Nutritional status and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, 1950-1980.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moradi, Alexander

    2010-03-01

    How did nutritional status develop in sub-Saharan Africa during the second half of the 20th century, and what role did economic development play in nutrition and health? Aggregating data from more than 200,000 women in 28 sub-Saharan African countries, we use mean height as an indicator of net nutritional status and find that the nutritional status of 1960 birth cohorts was relatively high. This situation, however, was not sustained. In almost all countries examined, mean heights were stagnating or decreasing after the 1970 cohorts. Using regression analysis we model human growth from birth to maturity, and find that economic growth had a significant and robust influence on final adult height at two distinct periods of the life cycle: (1) in the first years of life and (2) at puberty. We conclude that the economic difficulties of the late 1970s and 1980s contributed to the decline or stagnation in heights. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Adaptation of the WHO maternal near miss tool for use in sub-Saharan Africa: an International Delphi study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tura, Abera K; Stekelenburg, Jelle; Scherjon, Sicco A; Zwart, Joost; van den Akker, Thomas; van Roosmalen, Jos; Gordijn, Sanne J

    2017-12-29

    Assessments of maternal near miss (MNM) are increasingly used in addition to those of maternal mortality measures. The World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced an MNM tool in 2009, but this tool was previously found to be of limited applicability in several low-resource settings. The aim of this study was to identify adaptations to enhance applicability of the WHO MNM tool in sub-Saharan Africa. Using a Delphi consensus methodology, existing MNM tools were rated for applicability in sub-Saharan Africa over a series of three rounds. Maternal health experts from sub-Saharan Africa or with considerable knowledge of the context first rated importance of WHO MNM parameters using Likert scales, and were asked to suggest additional parameters. This was followed by two confirmation rounds. Parameters accepted by at least 70% of the panel members were accepted for use in the region. Of 58 experts who participated from study onset, 47 (81%) completed all three rounds. Out of the 25 WHO MNM parameters, all 11 clinical, four out of eight laboratory, and four out of six management-based parameters were accepted, while six parameters (PaO2/FiO2 100 μmol/l or >6.0 mg/dl, pH 5 μmol/l, dialysis for acute renal failure and use of continuous vasoactive drugs) were deemed to not be applicable. An additional eight parameters (uterine rupture, sepsis/severe systemic infection, eclampsia, laparotomy other than caesarean section, pulmonary edema, severe malaria, severe complications of abortions and severe pre-eclampsia with ICU admission) were suggested for inclusion into an adapted sub-Saharan African MNM tool. All WHO clinical criteria were accepted for use in the region. Only few of the laboratory- and management based were rated applicable. This study brought forward important suggestions for adaptations in the WHO MNM criteria to enhance its applicability in sub-Saharan Africa and possibly other low-resource settings.

  1. Financial Reforms and Determinants of FDI: Evidence from Landlocked Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Husam Rjoub

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The recognition of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI as a source of funding to foster economic development in both developed and developing countries has been in ascendancy. The prime purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the determinants of FDI for the “landlocked countries” in Sub-Saharan Africa over the period 1995–2013. By employing panel data analysis, the result of the study revealed that domestic investment, trade (openness, human capital, political constraint, natural resource endowment and the market size (with the GDP growth as proxy as having positive impact on determining FDI flow into the sample countries with only the countries’ tax policies seen otherwise. Our study not only contributes to existing literature on FDI determinants by investigating landlocked countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA for the first time but also includes natural resources that the landlocked countries are endowed with, tax policies and political constraints in such countries for the stipulated period.

  2. Private sector provision of oral rehydration therapy for child diarrhea in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sood, Neeraj; Wagner, Zachary

    2014-05-01

    Although diarrheal mortality is cheaply preventable with oral rehydration therapy (ORT), over 700,000 children die of diarrhea annually and many health providers fail to treat diarrheal cases with ORT. Provision of ORT may differ between for-profit and public providers. This study used Demographic and Health Survey data from 19,059 children across 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 2003 to 2011 to measure differences in child diarrhea treatment between private for-profit and public health providers. Differences in treatment provision were estimated using probit regression models controlling for key confounders. For-profit providers were 15% points less likely to provide ORT (95% confidence interval [CI] 13-17) than public providers and 12% points more likely to provide other treatments (95% CI 10-15). These disparities in ORT provision were more pronounced for poorer children in rural areas. As private healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa continues to expand, interventions to increase private sector provision of ORT should be explored.

  3. The health and wellbeing of young people in sub-Saharan Africa: an under-researched area?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kabiru, Caroline W; Izugbara, Chimaraoke O; Beguy, Donatien

    2013-02-13

    A third of sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) population comprises persons aged 10-24 years. These youth are growing up in a context marked by pervasive poverty, limited educational opportunities, high HIV/AIDS prevalence, widespread conflict, and weak social controls. Published research on the broad issues that affect youth health and wellbeing in SSA is limited and centers heavily on sexual and reproductive health. In this commentary, we provide a broad overview of sub-Saharan African youth, highlight research gaps with respect to youth health and wellbeing, and describe potential avenues to develop the region's research capacity on youth health and wellbeing.

  4. The environmental and social influences of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa: a focus on rural communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oramasionwu, Christine U; Daniels, Kelly R; Labreche, Matthew J; Frei, Christopher R

    2011-07-01

    The Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic has caused far-reaching effects in sub-Saharan Africa. The pandemic has effectively diminished the workforce, increased poverty rates, reduced agricultural productivity, and transformed the structure of many rural households. HIV/AIDS further strains the already fragile relationship between livelihood and the natural and social environments of these regions. Therefore, the objective of this review is to characterize the impact of HIV/AIDS on the environment and the social infrastructure of rural sub-Saharan Africa. There are many aspects of rural life that contribute to disease transmission of HIV/AIDS and that pose unique challenges to the population dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa. Widespread AIDS-related mortality has caused a decrease in population growth for many African countries. In turn, these alterations in population dynamics have resulted in a decrease in the percentage of prime-age working adults, as well as a gender disparity, whereby, females carry a growing burden of household responsibilities. There is a rising proportion of older adults, often females, who assume the role of provider and caretaker for other dependent family members. These changing dynamics have caused many to exploit their natural surroundings, adopting less sustainable land use practices and utilizing protected resources as a primary means of generating revenue.

  5. Publishing and the Book Trade in Sub-Saharan Africa: Trends and Issues and Their Implications for American Libraries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bischof, Phyllis B.

    1991-01-01

    Discusses developments in publishing in Sub-Saharan Africa and suggests implications for American libraries. Highlights include economic constraints; state-sponsored publishing; African authors; publishing in Nigeria and South Africa; publishing for children; religious publishing houses; multinational firms; cooperative efforts that offer…

  6. Nonformal Education and Informal Economies in Sub-Saharan Africa: Finding the Right Match

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minnis, John R.

    2006-01-01

    Education policy in sub-Saharan Africa is predicated on human capital assumptions and therefore promotes the expansion of formal education as a way to promote economic growth. As a result, formal education is valued primarily as a private consumer good, a form of cultural capital that allows some to get ahead and stay ahead, rather than as a…

  7. Outcomes of acute kidney injury in children and adults in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olowu, Wasiu A; Niang, Abdou; Osafo, Charlotte; Ashuntantang, Gloria; Arogundade, Fatiu A; Porter, John; Naicker, Saraladevi; Luyckx, Valerie A

    2016-04-01

    Access to diagnosis and dialysis for acute kidney injury can be life-saving, but can be prohibitively expensive in low-income settings. The burden of acute kidney injury in sub-Saharan Africa is presumably high but remains unknown. We did a systematic review to assess outcomes of acute kidney injury in sub-Saharan Africa and identify barriers to care. We searched PubMed, African Journals Online, WHO Global Health Library, and Web of Science for articles published between Jan 1, 1990, and Nov 30, 2014. We scored studies, and all were of medium-to-low quality. We made a pragmatic decision to include all studies to best reflect reality, and did a descriptive analysis of extracted data. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42015015690. We identified 3881 records, of which 41 met inclusion criteria, including 1403 adult patients and 1937 paediatric patients. Acute kidney injury in sub-Saharan Africa is severe, with 1042 (66%) of 1572 children and 178 (70%) 253 of adults needing dialysis in studies reporting dialysis need. Only 666 (64%) of 1042 children (across 11 studies) and 58 (33%) of 178 adults (across four studies) received dialysis when needed. Overall mortality was 34% in children and 32% in adults, but rose to 73% in children and 86% in adults when dialysis was needed but not received. Major barriers to access to care were out-of-pocket costs, erratic hospital resources, late presentation, and female sex. Patients in these studies are those with resources to access care. In view of overall study quality, data interpretation should be cautious, but high mortality and poor access to dialysis are concerning. The global scarcity of resources among patients and health centres highlights the need for a health-system-wide approach to prevention and management of acute kidney injury in sub-Saharan Africa. None. Copyright © 2016 Olowu et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. Utilization of preventive maternal and child public health interventions in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel analysis of individual and small-area socioeconomic disadvantage

    OpenAIRE

    Aremu, Olatunde

    2011-01-01

    Background: Uptake of programmatic maternal and childhood preventive interventions continue to be sub-optimal in sub-Saharan Africa with wide variations within and across the countries. There is evidence suggestive of socioeconomic inequities in access to and coverage of preventive health intervention. In the context of maternal and child health (MCH) in sub-Saharan Africa, women and children among the poor are more disadvantaged in terms of access to life saving preven...

  9. Why is control of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa poor?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seedat, Y K

    2015-01-01

    In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 2010, hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 115 mmHg) was the leading cause of death, increasing 67% since 1990. It was also the sixth leading cause of disability, contributing more than 11 million adjusted life years. In SSA, stroke was the main outcome of uncontrolled hypertension. Poverty is the major underlying factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. This article analyses the causes of poor compliance in the treatment of hypertension in SSA and provides suggestions on the treatment of hypertension in a poverty-stricken continent.

  10. Risk factors for vaginal fistula symptoms in Sub-Saharan Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Maheu-Giroux, Mathieu; Filippi, Véronique; Maulet, Nathalie

    2016-01-01

    Background Vaginal fistula (VF) is one of the most severe maternal morbidities with the immediate consequence of chronic urinary and/or fecal incontinence. The epidemiological evidence regarding risk factors for VF is dominated by facility-based studies. Our aim is to estimate the effect size...... of selected risk factors for VF using population-based survey data.  Methods We pooled all available Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicators Cluster Surveys carried out in sub-Saharan Africa that collected information on VF symptoms. Bayesian matched logistic regression models that accounted...

  11. A Demographic Dividend for Sub-Saharan Africa: Source, Magnitude, and Realization

    OpenAIRE

    Bloom, David E.; Humair, Salal; Rosenberg, Larry; Sevilla, J.P.; Trussell, James

    2013-01-01

    Managing rapid population growth and spurring economic growth are among the most pressing policy challenges for Sub-Saharan Africa. We discuss the links between them and investigate the potential of family planning programs to address these challenges. Specifically, we estimate the impact of family planning programs on income per capita that can arise via the demographic dividend (DD), a boost to per capita income that operates through a chain of causality related to declining fertility. We d...

  12. Economic and ethical challenges of "land grabs" in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Kleemann, Linda; Lay, Jann; Nolte, Kerstin; Ott, Konrad; Thiele, Rainer; Voget-Kleschin, Lieske

    2013-01-01

    For local people in sub-Saharan Africa, large land investment projects currently imply many risks and few benefits. Drawing on own ethical and economic research and using evidence from the authors' case studies in Kenya, Mali and Zambia and a new database of large-scale land acquisitions worldwide, this brief offers policy recommendations for host governments, investors and the international community so as to achieve a more favourable balance of risks and benefits in land investment projects...

  13. Gender difference in support for democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa: Do social institutions matter?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Konte, M.

    2014-01-01

    Little investigation has been made to explain why women are less likely than are men to support democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa. This gender difference in politics has been found in numerous studies and may hinder the much needed legitimation of democracy in this region. This paper addresses the

  14. Language of Instruction: Unlocking Effectiveness of Education and Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Truong, Natasha

    2012-01-01

    The choice of the language of instruction in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a fundamental educational issue with ramifications for educational access and effectiveness and ultimately national development. Indigenous SSA languages have suffered devaluation in colonial and post-colonial SSA education, and this devaluation alienates the majority of SSA…

  15. Modern Biotechnology—Potential Contribution and Challenges for Sustainable Food Production in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Jane Morris

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Modern biotechnology, including the application of transgenic techniques to produce Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs, can play a significant role in increasing agricultural production in a sustainable way, but its products need to be tailored for the developing world. In sub-Saharan Africa, the capacity to develop GMOs and ensure they meet stringent regulatory requirements is somewhat limited. Most African governments contribute little to science and technology either financially or through strong policies. This leaves the determination of research and development priorities in the hands of international funding agencies. Whereas funding from the United States is generally supportive of GM technology, the opposite is true of funding from European sources. African countries are thus pulled in two different directions. One alternative to this dilemma might be for countries in the sub-Saharan Africa region to develop stronger South-South collaborations, but these need to be supported with adequate funding. African governments as well as external funding agencies are urged to consider the important role that biotechnology, including GM technology, can play in contributing to sustainable development in Africa, and to provide adequate support to the development of capacity to research, develop and commercialize GMOs in the region.

  16. Viral pneumonia in adults in sub-Saharan Africa – epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonia Ho

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Community-acquired pneumonia causes substantial morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 131 million new cases each year. Viruses – such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza virus – are now recognised as important causes of respiratory disease in older children and adults in the developed world following the emergence of sensitive molecular diagnostic tests, recent severe viral epidemics, and the discovery of novel viruses. Few studies have comprehensively evaluated the viral aetiology of adult pneumonia in Africa, but it is likely to differ from Western settings due to varying seasonality and the high proportion of patients with immunosuppression and co-morbidities. Emerging data suggest a high prevalence of viral pathogens, as well as multiple viral and viral/bacterial infections in African adults with pneumonia. However, the interpretation of positive results from highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction tests can be challenging. Therapeutic and preventative options against viral respiratory infections are currently limited in the African setting. This review summarises the current state of the epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management of viral pneumonia in sub-Saharan Africa.

  17. 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.

  18. Rubber seed oil: A potential renewable source of biodiesel for sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Onoji, Samuel E.; Iyuke, Sunny E.; Igbafe, Anselm I.; Nkazi, Diakanua B.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Sub-Saharan Africa countries have about 251 million rubber trees with the capacity to produce over 16 kilo ton of biodiesel. • Rubber seed oil has wider industrial applications and its biodiesel properties compete favorably with other non-edible oils. • Rubber seed oil is a sustainable and affordable source of biodiesel for sub-Saharan Africa development. • Plantain peels that are in abundance in sub-Saharan Africa is a source of base catalyst for the transesterification of rubber seed oil. • This is no regulatory framework and bioenergy policy in sub-Saharan Africa on the use of waste rubber seeds. - Abstract: The global energy demand is currently met by the use of non-renewable fossil fuels. The challenges of non-availability of these fuels in the future, instability in prices of crude oil and its negative environmental impacts, stimulated researchers in the global community in search of renewable energies for replacement of fossil fuels in future. Biodiesel has been identified as a good complement and plausible replacement of fossil diesel because of the overwhelming characteristic properties similar to fossil diesel in addition to its good lubricity, biodegradability, non-toxicity and eco-friendliness when used in diesel engines. The production of biodiesel from edible vegetable oils competes with food consumption and consequently high cost of food and biodiesel. Studies have shown that rubber seed contains 35–45 wt.% oil which portrays a better competitor to other non-edible oil bearing plants in biodiesel production. Biodiesel produced from non-edible rubber seed oil (RSO) is an attractive option for the sustainable development of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries that depend heavily on fossil diesel. The application of abundant plantain (Musa paradisiacal) peels considered as waste in SSA countries as heterogeneous base catalyst in RSO biodiesel production will further reduce the cost of biodiesel. Rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis

  19. Barriers to obstetric care at health facilities in sub-Saharan Africa--a systematic review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyei-Nimakoh, Minerva; Carolan-Olah, Mary; McCann, Terence V

    2015-04-23

    Since the launch of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the United Nations in 2000, the global community has intensified efforts to reduce adverse maternal health outcomes, especially, in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite these efforts, there is an increasing concern that the decline in maternal deaths has been less than optimal, even for women who receive birthing care in health facilities. High maternal deaths have been attributed to a variety of issues such as poor quality of care, inadequate resources, poor infrastructure, and inaccessibility to healthcare services. In other words, even in settings where they are available, many women do not receive life-saving obstetric care, when needed, despite the fact that basic and comprehensive obstetric care is widely recognized as a key to meeting maternal health goals. It is important to understand the common challenges that this developing region is facing in order to ensure a more rapid decline in adverse maternal health outcomes. The aim of this review is to synthesize literature on barriers to obstetric care at health institutions which focuses on sub-Saharan Africa, the region that is most affected by severe maternal morbidity and mortality. This review follows guidelines by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) checklist. An electronic search of published literature will be conducted to identify studies which examined barriers to health facility-based obstetric care in sub-Saharan Africa. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Scopus databases will be searched. Published articles in English, dated between 2000 and 2014, will be included. Combinations of search terms such as obstetric care, access, barriers, developing countries, and sub-Saharan Africa will be used to locate related articles, and eligible ones retained for data abstraction. A narrative synthesis approach will be employed to synthesize the evidence and explore

  20. The potential impact of male circumcision on HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian G Williams

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available A randomized controlled trial (RCT has shown that male circumcision (MC reduces sexual transmission of HIV from women to men by 60% (32%-76%; 95% CI offering an intervention of proven efficacy for reducing the sexual spread of HIV. We explore the implications of this finding for the promotion of MC as a public health intervention to control HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.Using dynamical simulation models we consider the impact of MC on the relative prevalence of HIV in men and women and in circumcised and uncircumcised men. Using country level data on HIV prevalence and MC, we estimate the impact of increasing MC coverage on HIV incidence, HIV prevalence, and HIV-related deaths over the next ten, twenty, and thirty years in sub-Saharan Africa. Assuming that full coverage of MC is achieved over the next ten years, we consider three scenarios in which the reduction in transmission is given by the best estimate and the upper and lower 95% confidence limits of the reduction in transmission observed in the RCT. MC could avert 2.0 (1.1-3.8 million new HIV infections and 0.3 (0.1-0.5 million deaths over the next ten years in sub-Saharan Africa. In the ten years after that, it could avert a further 3.7 (1.9-7.5 million new HIV infections and 2.7 (1.5-5.3 million deaths, with about one quarter of all the incident cases prevented and the deaths averted occurring in South Africa. We show that a MC will increase the proportion of infected people who are women from about 52% to 58%; b where there is homogenous mixing but not all men are circumcised, the prevalence of infection in circumcised men is likely to be about 80% of that in uncircumcised men; c MC is equivalent to an intervention, such as a vaccine or increased condom use, that reduces transmission in both directions by 37%.This analysis is based on the result of just one RCT, but if the results of that trial are confirmed we suggest that MC could substantially reduce the burden of HIV in Africa

  1. Emerging Threats and the War on Terrorism: The Formation of Radical Islamist Movements in Sub-Saharan Africa

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Calabrese, Maurizio D

    2005-01-01

    Determining the conditions that lead to the formation of radical Islamist groups will help analysts and policymakers prioritize countries within sub-Saharan Africa that may need monitoring to prevent...

  2. m-Health Policy Readiness and Enabling Factors: Comparisons of Sub-Saharan Africa and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seohyun; Begley, Charles E; Morgan, Robert; Chan, Wenyaw; Kim, Sun-Young

    2018-02-12

    As an innovative solution to poor access to care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), m-health has gained wide attention in the past decade. Despite enthusiasm from the global health community, LMICs have not demonstrated high uptake of m-health promoting policies or public investment. To benchmark the current status, this study compared m-health policy readiness scores between sub-Saharan Africa and high-income Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries using an independent two-sample t test. In addition, the enabling factors associated with m-health policy readiness were investigated using an ordinal logistic regression model. The study was based on the m-health policy readiness scores of 112 countries obtained from the World Health Organization Third Global Survey on e-Health. The mean m-health policy readiness score for sub-Saharan Africa was statistically significantly lower than that for OECD countries (p = 0.02). The enabling factors significantly associated with m-health policy readiness included information and communication technology development index (odds ratio [OR] 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-2.2), e-health education for health professionals (OR 4.43; 95% CI 1.60-12.27), and the location in sub-Saharan Africa (OR 3.47; 95% CI 1.06-11.34). The findings of our study suggest dual policy goals for m-health in sub-Saharan Africa. First, enhance technological and educational support for m-health. Second, pursue global collaboration for building m-health capacity led by sub-Saharan African countries with hands-on experience and knowledge. Globally, countries should take a systematic and collaborative approach in pursuing m-health policy with the focus on technological and educational support.

  3. Aging, Health, and Quality of Life for Older People Living With HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review and Proposed Conceptual Framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siedner, Mark J

    2017-08-01

    The number of people living with HIV (PLWH) over 50 years old in sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to triple in the coming decades, to 6-10 million. Yet, there is a paucity of data on the determinants of health and quality of life for older PLWH in the region. A review was undertaken to describe the impact of HIV infection on aging for PLWH in sub-Saharan Africa. We (a) summarize the pathophysiology and epidemiology of aging with HIV in resource-rich settings, and (b) describe how these relationships might differ in sub-Saharan Africa, (c) propose a conceptual framework to describe determinants of quality of life for older PLWH, and (d) suggest priority research areas needed to ensure long-term gains in quality of life for PLWH in the region. Differences in traditional, lifestyle, and envirnomental risk factors, as well as unique features of HIV epidemiology and care delivery appear to substantially alter the contribution of HIV to aging in sub-Saharan Africa. Meanwhile, unique preferences and conceptualizations of quality of life will require novel measurement and intervention tools. An expanded research and public health infrastructure is needed to ensure that gains made in HIV prevention and treamtent are translated into long-term benefits in this region.

  4. Household Composition among Elders in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of HIV/AIDS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmer, Zachary

    2009-01-01

    Cross-sectional and repeated surveys from household components of Demographic and Health Surveys in sub-Saharan Africa were examined to determine whether household composition indicators for older adults (N = 52,573), involving offspring and grandchildren, correlated with national levels of AIDS mortality. One in 4 was living with a grandchild…

  5. Climate variability, food production shocks, and violent conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Buhaug, Halvard; Benjaminsen, Tor A; Sjaastad, Espen Olav; Theisen, Ole Magnus

    2015-01-01

    Earlier research that reports a correlational pattern between climate anomalies and violent conflict routinely refers to drought-induced agricultural shocks and adverse economic spillover effects as a key causal mechanism linking the two phenomena. Comparing half a century of statistics on climate variability, food production, and political violence across Sub-Saharan Africa, this study offers the most precise and theoretically consistent empirical assessment to date of the purported indirect...

  6. Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eyal, Nir; Cancedda, Corrado; Kyamanywa, Patrick; Hurst, Samia A

    2015-12-30

    Responding to critical shortages of physicians, most sub-Saharan countries have scaled up training of non-physician clinicians (NPCs), resulting in a gradual but decisive shift to NPCs as the cornerstone of healthcare delivery. This development should unfold in parallel with strategic rethinking about the role of physicians and with innovations in physician education and in-service training. In important ways, a growing number of NPCs only renders physicians more necessary - for example, as specialized healthcare providers and as leaders, managers, mentors, and public health administrators. Physicians in sub-Saharan Africa ought to be trained in all of these capacities. This evolution in the role of physicians may also help address known challenges to the successful integration of NPCs in the health system. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

  7. A multilevel analysis of the determinants of high-risk sexual behaviour in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchudi, Joseph; Magadi, Monica; Mostazir, Mohammod

    2012-05-01

    A number of authors have identified multiple concurrent sexual partnerships by both men and women to lie at the root of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. This study applies multilevel models to Demographic and Health Survey data collected during 2003-2008 in 20 sub-Saharan African countries to examine the influence of social and cultural context on involvement with multiple sexual partnerships in the region, above and beyond the effects of individual characteristics. The findings provide support for the ecological argument that health behaviours are shaped and determined by societal conditions, in addition to the effects of individual and household characteristics. Involvement with multiple sex partners is most prevalent in societies in which sexual norms are widely permissive and where polygyny is common. Individual autonomy is substantial and attitudes towards sexuality are more liberal among men and women who live in communities in which sexual norms are widely permissive. Men and women who are most likely to have multiple sex partners in the sub-Saharan region are those who initiated sexual activity earlier and those who have the individual attributes (e.g. young age, urban residence, education, media exposure and working for cash and away from home) that bring to them more rights and/or decision-making autonomy, but not necessarily more financial resources and economic security (mostly among women). On the other hand, involvement with multiple partners is determined by cultural norms (i.e. permissive sexual norms) and social change (i.e. mass education, expansion of cash employment). The findings suggest a number of opportunities for more effective policy and programmatic responses to curb the prevalence of multiple partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa.

  8. Agricultural Commodity Price Shocks and their Effect on Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Addison, Tony; Ghoshray, Atanu

    2014-01-01

    Commodity price shocks are an important type of external shock and are often cited as a problem for economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper quantifies the impact of agricultural commodity price shocks using a near vector autoregressive model. The novel aspect of this model is that we define an auxiliary variable that can potentially capture the definition of a price shock that allows us to determine whether the response of per capita Gross domestic product (GDP) growth in sub-Sahara...

  9. Sub-Saharan Africa’s Lagging Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katja Vintar Mally

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Sub-Saharan Africa is a very diverse region with extensive natural wealth, great human potential, and a rich history. However, the majority of its countries are among the poorest in the world and about half of its 800 million inhabitants live in extreme poverty. Sub-Saharan Africa produces only 1.5% of the world’s GDP and its share in world trade has fallen from 6% in 1980 to 2% today. The region’s exports remain dominated by primary goods (fuels, ores, and agricultural products. The roots of the region’s economic weakness lie variously in the past colonial relationships with European countries and in unjust global trade patterns as well as in misuse of power by ruling political elites in the post-independence era. Numerous civil wars and other conflicts have fragmented the sub-Saharan countries into many factions and parties fighting for domination. The region is lagging behind developed countries because of corruption, lack of infrastructure, weakness of its institutions, heavy indebtedness, lack of education and health services, and unfavorable natural conditions, among other factors. Subsistence agriculture is the source of livelihood for most Africans. Nevertheless, average yields per hectare are low and heavily dependent on climatic conditions. Compared to urban areas (except for slums, people living in rural areas have worse infrastructure and are further from achieving the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. The recent increase in food prices is threatening the limited progress in reducing hunger and malnutrition (28% of children under age five are underweight and particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases. Little progress has been made in reducing child and maternal mortality; mortality rates remain the highest in the world. In the previous decade, life expectancy in sub-Saharan countries has fallen due to the spread of HIV/AIDS and it still remains below fifty. In addition, many negative socioeconomic effects are the result

  10. Genetic consequences of war and social strife in sub-Saharan Africa : the case of Uganda's large mammals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muwanika, Vincent B.; Nyakaana, Silvester; Siegismund, Hans Redlef

    2005-01-01

    data that are relevant to understanding of the genetic effects of war and social strife on Africa's wildlife. Uganda was probably one of the worst affected countries. Before 1972, Uganda had large herds and a variety of mammals. However, following the breakdown of law and order, some large mammals were......The spectacular diversity of sub-Saharan Africa's large mammals was hit by constant social strife and civil war over three decades (1970s-1990s) leading to localized extinctions and drastic reductions in population sizes for many species. These localized extinctions and reduction in population...... sizes undermine the ability of species to evolve and adapt to changing environments as a result of genetic erosion. The genetic consequences of the widespread reduction of population sizes as a result of social strife in sub-Saharan Africa are not well documented. Here we review past molecular genetic...

  11. The epidemiology of noncommunicable respiratory disease in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and North Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Rana; Robinson, Ryan; Mortimer, Kevin

    2017-06-01

    Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are a major and increasing global health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that NCDs represent 63% of all global deaths of which 3.9 million are due to chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in particular. COPD is now the third most common cause of death globally; 90% of these deaths occur in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). COPD affects 329 million people, almost 5% of the world's population. In addition, asthma affects 334 million people, again representing almost 5% of the world's population. There is limited literature published on the epidemiology of COPD and Asthma from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Both diseases are under-diagnosed and underestimated in both SSA and MENA regions. The burden of COPD in sub-Saharan Africa is disputed and reports offer variable prevalence estimates, ranging from 4.1% to almost 22.2%. SSA and MENA countries report similar mortality rates from COPD of 18 per 100,000 population (2001 data). Asthma is a less common cause of death than COPD but is a major cause of morbidity; WHO estimates that there are 250,000 deaths per year from asthma, mainly in LMICs and it remains in the top twenty causes of disability in children globally. Risk factors for CRD are genetic and environmental; the latter dominated by air pollution exposures including tobacco smoke, household air pollution, outdoor air pollution and occupational exposures.

  12. 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

  13. The cost-effectiveness of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in infants in Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Conteh, Lesong; Sicuri, Elisa; Manzi, Fatuma; Hutton, Guy; Obonyo, Benson; Tediosi, Fabrizio; Biao, Prosper; Masika, Paul; Matovu, Fred; Otieno, Peter; Gosling, Roly D.; Hamel, Mary; Odhiambo, Frank O.; Grobusch, Martin P.; Kremsner, Peter G.; Chandramohan, Daniel; Aponte, John J.; Egan, Andrea; Schellenberg, David; Macete, Eusebio; Slutsker, Laurence; Newman, Robert D.; Alonso, Pedro; Menéndez, Clara; Tanner, Marcel

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Intermittent preventive treatment in infants (IPTi) has been shown to decrease clinical malaria by approximately 30% in the first year of life and is a promising malaria control strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa which can be delivered alongside the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

  14. Civil Society as a Postcolonial Project : Challenging Normative Notions in Post-conflict Sub-Saharan Africa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Datzberger, S.; Dhawan, N.; Fink, E.; Leinius, J.; Mageza-Barthel, R.

    2016-01-01

    External or international efforts to establish peace and foster sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa have been harshly critiqued for imposing “top-down” or culturally insensitive approaches to re-building these states. In response, there has been a burgeoning interest in the role and

  15. Family medicine training in sub-Saharan Africa: South-South cooperation in the Primafamed project as strategy for development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flinkenflögel, Maaike; Essuman, Akye; Chege, Patrick; Ayankogbe, Olayinka; De Maeseneer, Jan

    2014-08-01

    Health-care systems based on primary health care (PHC) are more equitable and cost effective. Family medicine trains medical doctors in comprehensive PHC with knowledge and skills that are needed to increase quality of care. Family medicine is a relatively new specialty in sub-Saharan Africa. To explore the extent to which the Primafamed South-South cooperative project contributed to the development of family medicine in sub-Saharan Africa. The Primafamed (Primary Health Care and Family Medicine Education) project worked together with 10 partner universities in sub-Saharan Africa to develop family medicine training programmes over a period of 2.5 years. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis was done and the training development from 2008 to 2010 in the different partner universities was analysed. During the 2.5 years of the Primafamed project, all partner universities made progress in the development of their family medicine training programmes. The SWOT analysis showed that at both national and international levels, the time is ripe to train medical doctors in family medicine and to integrate the specialty into health-care systems, although many barriers, including little awareness, lack of funding, low support from other specialists and reserved support from policymakers, are still present. Family medicine can play an important role in health-care systems in sub-Saharan Africa; however, developing a new discipline is challenging. Advocacy, local ownership, action research and support from governments are necessary to develop family medicine and increase its impact. The Primafamed project showed that development of sustainable family medicine training programmes is a feasible but slow process. The South-South cooperation between the ten partners and the South African departments of family medicine strengthened confidence at both national and international levels. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

  16. Family medicine training in sub-Saharan Africa: South–South cooperation in the Primafamed project as strategy for development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flinkenflögel, Maaike; Essuman, Akye; Chege, Patrick; Ayankogbe, Olayinka; De Maeseneer, Jan

    2014-01-01

    Background. Health-care systems based on primary health care (PHC) are more equitable and cost effective. Family medicine trains medical doctors in comprehensive PHC with knowledge and skills that are needed to increase quality of care. Family medicine is a relatively new specialty in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective. To explore the extent to which the Primafamed South–South cooperative project contributed to the development of family medicine in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods. The Primafamed (Primary Health Care and Family Medicine Education) project worked together with 10 partner universities in sub-Saharan Africa to develop family medicine training programmes over a period of 2.5 years. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis was done and the training development from 2008 to 2010 in the different partner universities was analysed. Results. During the 2.5 years of the Primafamed project, all partner universities made progress in the development of their family medicine training programmes. The SWOT analysis showed that at both national and international levels, the time is ripe to train medical doctors in family medicine and to integrate the specialty into health-care systems, although many barriers, including little awareness, lack of funding, low support from other specialists and reserved support from policymakers, are still present. Conclusions. Family medicine can play an important role in health-care systems in sub-Saharan Africa; however, developing a new discipline is challenging. Advocacy, local ownership, action research and support from governments are necessary to develop family medicine and increase its impact. The Primafamed project showed that development of sustainable family medicine training programmes is a feasible but slow process. The South–South cooperation between the ten partners and the South African departments of family medicine strengthened confidence at both national and international levels. PMID:24857843

  17. Influence of Parasitic Worm Infections on Allergy Diagnosis in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amoah, Abena S; Boakye, Daniel A; Yazdanbakhsh, Maria; van Ree, Ronald

    2017-09-01

    Epidemiological studies from Sub-Saharan Africa indicate that allergies are on the rise in this region especially in urban compared to rural areas. This increase has been linked to improved hygiene, lifestyle changes, and lower exposure to pathogens in childhood. Reduced exposure to parasitic worm (helminth) infections and allergy outcomes has been the focus of a number of population studies over the years. Paradoxically, there are parallels in the immune responses to helminths and to allergies. Both conditions are associated with elevated levels of immunoglobulin E, high numbers of T helper 2 cells, eosinophils, and mast cells. These immune parallels have meant that the diagnosis of allergies in parts of the world where helminths are endemic can be hampered. The aim of this review is to examine observations from population studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa that demonstrate how helminth infections influence the parameters used to diagnose allergy outcomes in this region. We explore specifically how helminth infections hinder the in vitro diagnosis of allergic sensitization, influence the clinical manifestations of allergy, and also the effect of anthelmintic treatment on allergy outcomes. Advancing our understanding of how helminths influence allergy diagnosis is imperative for the development of improved tools to assess, diagnose, and treat allergic disorders in both helminth-endemic and non-endemic countries worldwide.

  18. The paediatric surgeon and his working conditions in Francophone sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K Gnassingbé

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: This study described the current conditions of work of paediatric surgeons in Francophone sub-Saharan Africa (FSSA and set the debate at the level of the humanist thinking in medicine. Patients and Methods: This was a multicentre study from 1 st May to 30 th October 2008. The African Society of paediatric surgeons′ directory was used to identify paediatric surgeons in the Francophone′s countries in Sub Saharan Africa. The parameters studied were number of surgeons per country, means of training, working conditions, remunerations, needs for continuous training and the research. Results: A total of 41 paediatric surgeons (68.33% responded. The average number of paediatric surgeons per country was 5. The means of training included government scholarships among 7 paediatric surgeons (17.07%, scholarship from a non-governmental organisations in 14 (34.15% and self-sponsorships in 20 (48.78%. The average salary was 450 Euros (€ (range: 120-1 400 Euros. Most of the paediatric surgeons (68.29% had internet services for continuous update courses and research. Thirty six paediatric surgeons (87.80% had no subscription to specialised scientific journals. Conclusion: The paediatric surgeon in FSSA faces many problems related to his working and living conditions that may have a negative impact on their competences.

  19. The epidemiology of HIV among young people in sub-Saharan Africa: know your local epidemic and its implications for prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napierala Mavedzenge, Sue; Olson, Rick; Doyle, Aoife M; Changalucha, John; Ross, David A

    2011-12-01

    Broad patterns of HIV epidemiology are frequently used to design generic HIV programs in sub-Saharan Africa. We reviewed the epidemiology of HIV among young people in sub-Saharan Africa, and explored the unique dynamics of infection in its different regions. In 2009, HIV prevalence among youth in sub-Saharan Africa was an estimated 1.4% in males and 3.4% in females, but these values mask wide variation at regional and national levels. Within countries there are further major differences in HIV prevalence, such as by sex, urban/rural location, economic status, education, or ethnic group. Within this highly nuanced context, HIV prevention programs targeting youth must consider both where new infections are occurring and where they are coming from. Given the epidemiology, one-size-fits-all HIV prevention programs are usually inappropriate at regional and national levels. Consideration of local context and risk associated with life transitions, such as leaving school or getting married, is imperative to successful programming for young people. Copyright © 2011 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The Challenges for Sub-Saharan Africa. Sir John Crawford Memorial Lecture (1st, Washington, DC, November 1, 1985).

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNamara, Robert S.

    The economic crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa threatens to condemn an entire continent to human misery unless stronger action is taken to control population growth, reverse ecological devastation, eliminate distortions in domestic economic policies, and increase external development finance. Substantial increases in financial assistance to Africa are…

  1. Women decision-making capacity and intimate partner violence among women in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahinkorah, Bright Opoku; Dickson, Kwamena Sekyi; Seidu, Abdul-Aziz

    2018-01-01

    Violence against women is a common form of human rights violation, and intimate partner violence (IPV) appears to be the most significant component of violence. The aim of this study was to examine the association between women decision-making capacity and IPV among Women in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study also looked at how socio-demographic factors also influence IPV among Women in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study made use of pooled data from most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted from January 1, 2010, and December 3, 2016, in 18 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. For the purpose of the study, only women aged 15-49 were used ( N  = 84,486). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between the explanatory variables and the outcome variable. The odds of reporting ever experienced IPV was higher among women with decision-making capacity [AOR = 1.35; CI = 1.35-1.48]. The likelihood of experiencing IPV was low among young women. Women who belong to other religious groups and Christians were more likely to experience IPV compared to those who were Muslims [AOR = 1.73; CI = 1.65-1.82] and [AOR = 1.87; CI = 1.72-2.02] respectively. Women who have partners with no education [AOR = 1.11; CI = 1.03-1.20], those whose partners had primary education [AOR = 1.34; CI = 1.25-1.44] and those whose partners had secondary education [AOR = 1.22; CI = 1.15-1.30] were more likely to IPV compared to those whose partners had higher education. The odds of experiencing IPV were high among women who were employed compared to those who were unemployed [AOR = 1.33; CI = 1.28-1.37]. The likelihood of the occurrence of IPV was also high among women who were cohabiting compared to those who were married [AOR = 1.16; CI = 1.10-1.21]. Women with no education [AOR = 1.37; CI = 1.24-1.51], those with primary education [AOR = 1.65; CI = 1

  2. The Environmental and Social Influences of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Focus on Rural Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oramasionwu, Christine U.; Daniels, Kelly R.; Labreche, Matthew J.; Frei, Christopher R.

    2011-01-01

    The Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic has caused far-reaching effects in sub-Saharan Africa. The pandemic has effectively diminished the workforce, increased poverty rates, reduced agricultural productivity, and transformed the structure of many rural households. HIV/AIDS further strains the already fragile relationship between livelihood and the natural and social environments of these regions. Therefore, the objective of this review is to characterize the impact of HIV/AIDS on the environment and the social infrastructure of rural sub-Saharan Africa. There are many aspects of rural life that contribute to disease transmission of HIV/AIDS and that pose unique challenges to the population dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa. Widespread AIDS-related mortality has caused a decrease in population growth for many African countries. In turn, these alterations in population dynamics have resulted in a decrease in the percentage of prime-age working adults, as well as a gender disparity, whereby, females carry a growing burden of household responsibilities. There is a rising proportion of older adults, often females, who assume the role of provider and caretaker for other dependent family members. These changing dynamics have caused many to exploit their natural surroundings, adopting less sustainable land use practices and utilizing protected resources as a primary means of generating revenue. PMID:21845169

  3. The Environmental and Social Influences of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Focus on Rural Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher R. Frei

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available The Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS pandemic has caused far-reaching effects in sub-Saharan Africa. The pandemic has effectively diminished the workforce, increased poverty rates, reduced agricultural productivity, and transformed the structure of many rural households. HIV/AIDS further strains the already fragile relationship between livelihood and the natural and social environments of these regions. Therefore, the objective of this review is to characterize the impact of HIV/AIDS on the environment and the social infrastructure of rural sub-Saharan Africa. There are many aspects of rural life that contribute to disease transmission of HIV/AIDS and that pose unique challenges to the population dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa. Widespread AIDS-related mortality has caused a decrease in population growth for many African countries. In turn, these alterations in population dynamics have resulted in a decrease in the percentage of prime-age working adults, as well as a gender disparity, whereby, females carry a growing burden of household responsibilities. There is a rising proportion of older adults, often females, who assume the role of provider and caretaker for other dependent family members. These changing dynamics have caused many to exploit their natural surroundings, adopting less sustainable land use practices and utilizing protected resources as a primary means of generating revenue.

  4. Growth, history, or institutions? What explains state fragility in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Bertocchi, Graziella; Guerzoni, Andrea

    2010-01-01

    We explore the determinants of state fragility in sub-Saharan Africa. Controlling for a wide range of economic, demographic, geographic and institutional regressors, we find that institutions, and in particular the civil liberties index and the number of revolutions, are the main determinants of fragility, even taking into account their potential endogeneity. Economic factors such as income growth and investment display a non robust impact after controlling for omitted variables and reverse c...

  5. Effect of health development assistance on health status in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Negeri, Gutema; Haile Mariam,Damen

    2016-01-01

    Keneni Gutema Negeri,1 Damen Halemariam,21School of Public and Environmental Health, Health Service Management Unit, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, 2College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Introduction: Data on the effect of health aid on the health status in developing countries are inconclusive. Moreover, studies on this issue in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. Therefore, this stud...

  6. Moving methodologies : learning about integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Defoer, T.

    2000-01-01

    Soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa is complex, diverse and dynamic. Farmers' investments are determined by a wide variety of factors, including bio-physical characteristics of the environment, access to resources and the institutional, and socio-economic context of farming and livelihood making. Within this context, defining soil fertility problems in general terms is not meaningful and proposing a limited number of standard interventions, aimed at the 'average' farmer i...

  7. Governance of basic services provision in sub-Saharan Africa and the need to shift gear

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    N. Awortwi (Nicholas); A.H.J. Helmsing (Bert)

    2007-01-01

    textabstractDuring 1970 to mid 1980s, governments’ policies on basic services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) had an almost exclusive focus on directly provided, publicly-funded. This approach coupled with disintegration of the economic structures resulted in steep decline in people’s access to basic

  8. [Prevalence and characteristics of acute coronary syndromes in a sub-Saharan Africa population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    N'Guetta, R; Yao, H; Ekou, A; N'Cho-Mottoh, M P; Angoran, I; Tano, M; Konin, C; Coulibaly, I; Anzouan-Kacou, J B; Seka, R; Adoh, A M

    2016-04-01

    To assess prevalence, characteristics and management of acute coronary syndromes in sub-Saharan Africa population. Prospective survey from January, 2010 to December, 2013, carried out among patients aged 18 years old, admitted to intensive care unit of Abidjan Heart Institute for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Four hundred and twenty-five (425) patients were enrolled in this study. Prevalence of ACS was 13.5%. Mean age was 55.4±11 years. Clinical presentation was predominantly ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in 71.5% of subjects, non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) accounted for 28.5%. Two hundred and eighty patients (65.9%) were transferred by unsafe transportation. Among the 89 patients admitted within 12hours of the onset of symptoms, primary percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 20 patients (22.5%), or 6.6% of STEMI as a whole. Twenty-five patients (8.2%) received fibrinolytic therapy with alteplase. In-hospital death rate was 10%. The prevalence of acute coronary syndromes is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. Excessive delays of admission and limited technical facilities are the major difficulties of their management in our regions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. Where Lies the Risk? An Ecological Approach to Understanding Child Mental Health Risk and Vulnerabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olayinka Atilola

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Efforts at improving child-health and development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa had focused on the physical health of children due to the neglect of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH policy initiatives. A thorough and broad-based understanding of the prevalent child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors is needed to successfully articulate CAMH policies. In this discourse, we present a narrative on the child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors in sub-Saharan Africa. Through an ecological point of view, we identified widespread family poverty, poor availability and uptake of childcare resources, inadequate community and institutional childcare systems, and inadequate framework for social protection for vulnerable children as among the risk and vulnerability factors for CAMH in the region. Others are poor workplace policy/practice that does not support work-family life balance, poor legislative framework for child protection, and some harmful traditional practices. We conclude that an ecological approach shows that child mental-health risks are diverse and cut across different layers of the care environment. The approach also provides a broad and holistic template from which appropriate CAMH policy direction in sub-Saharan Africa can be understood.

  10. Where lies the risk? An ecological approach to understanding child mental health risk and vulnerabilities in sub-saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atilola, Olayinka

    2014-01-01

    Efforts at improving child-health and development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa had focused on the physical health of children due to the neglect of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) policy initiatives. A thorough and broad-based understanding of the prevalent child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors is needed to successfully articulate CAMH policies. In this discourse, we present a narrative on the child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors in sub-Saharan Africa. Through an ecological point of view, we identified widespread family poverty, poor availability and uptake of childcare resources, inadequate community and institutional childcare systems, and inadequate framework for social protection for vulnerable children as among the risk and vulnerability factors for CAMH in the region. Others are poor workplace policy/practice that does not support work-family life balance, poor legislative framework for child protection, and some harmful traditional practices. We conclude that an ecological approach shows that child mental-health risks are diverse and cut across different layers of the care environment. The approach also provides a broad and holistic template from which appropriate CAMH policy direction in sub-Saharan Africa can be understood.

  11. Mental health service utilization in sub-Saharan Africa: is public mental health literacy the problem? Setting the perspectives right.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atilola, Olayinka

    2016-06-01

    The severely constrained resources for mental health service in less-developed regions like sub-Saharan Africa underscore the need for good public mental health literacy as a potential additional mental health resource. Several studies examining the level of public knowledge about the nature and dynamics of mental illness in sub-Saharan Africa in the last decade had concluded that such knowledge was poor and had called for further public enlightenment. What was thought to be mental health 'ignorance' has also been blamed for poor mainstream service utilization. These views however assume that non-alignment of the views of community dwellers in sub-Saharan Africa with the biomedical understanding of mental illness connotes 'ignorance', and that correcting such 'ignorance' will translate to improvements in service utilization. Within the framework of contemporary thinking in mental health literacy, this paper argues that such assumptions are not culturally nuanced and may have overrated the usefulness of de-contextualized public engagement in enhancing mental health service utilization in the region. The paper concludes with a discourse on how to contextualize public mental health enlightenment in the region and the wider policy initiatives that can improve mental health service utilization. © The Author(s) 2015.

  12. Where Lies the Risk? An Ecological Approach to Understanding Child Mental Health Risk and Vulnerabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atilola, Olayinka

    2014-01-01

    Efforts at improving child-health and development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa had focused on the physical health of children due to the neglect of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) policy initiatives. A thorough and broad-based understanding of the prevalent child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors is needed to successfully articulate CAMH policies. In this discourse, we present a narrative on the child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors in sub-Saharan Africa. Through an ecological point of view, we identified widespread family poverty, poor availability and uptake of childcare resources, inadequate community and institutional childcare systems, and inadequate framework for social protection for vulnerable children as among the risk and vulnerability factors for CAMH in the region. Others are poor workplace policy/practice that does not support work-family life balance, poor legislative framework for child protection, and some harmful traditional practices. We conclude that an ecological approach shows that child mental-health risks are diverse and cut across different layers of the care environment. The approach also provides a broad and holistic template from which appropriate CAMH policy direction in sub-Saharan Africa can be understood. PMID:24834431

  13. Impact of ART on the fertility of HIV-positive women in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeatman, Sara; Eaton, Jeffrey W; Beckles, Zosia; Benton, Lorna; Gregson, Simon; Zaba, Basia

    2016-09-01

    Understanding the fertility of HIV-positive women is critical to estimating HIV epidemic trends from surveillance data and to planning resource needs and coverage of prevention of mother-to-child transmission services in sub-Saharan Africa. In the light of the considerable scale-up in antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage over the last decade, we conducted a systematic review of the impact of ART on the fertility outcomes of HIV-positive women. We searched Medline, Embase, Popline, PubMed and African Index Medicus. Studies were included if they were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and provided estimates of fertility outcomes (live births or pregnancies) among women on ART relative to a comparison group. Of 2070 unique references, 18 published papers met all eligibility criteria. Comparisons fell into four categories: fertility of HIV-positive women relative to HIV-negative women; fertility of HIV-positive women on ART compared to those not yet on ART; fertility differences by duration on ART; and temporal trends in fertility among HIV-positive women. Evidence indicates that fertility increases after approximately the first year on ART and that while the fertility deficit of HIV-positive women is shrinking, their fertility remains below that of HIV-negative women. These findings, however, were based on limited data mostly during the period 2005-2010 when ART scaled up. Existing data are insufficient to characterise how ART has affected the fertility of HIV-positive women in sub-Saharan Africa. Improving evidence about fertility among women on ART is an urgent priority for planning HIV resource needs and understanding HIV epidemic trends. Alternative data sources such as antenatal clinic data, general population cohorts and population-based surveys can be harnessed to understand the issue. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in sub-Saharan Africa: past, present and future challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taha, Taha E

    2011-05-23

    HIV prevalence continues to be high among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2007 the HIV prevalence among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics was >20% in the southern African counties of Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa and Lesotho. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV can occur in-utero, intrapartum or postnatally. Without any preventive measure the overall rate of the MTCT of HIV in breastfeeding women could be 25-45%. Prior to the discovery of successful antiretroviral interventions to prevent the MTCT of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa (before 1999), innovative research determined the magnitude of the problem, the impact of the HIV epidemic on mothers and children, and the main risk factors associated with MTCT. Non-antiretroviral interventions conducted before 1999 such as washing the birth canal with antiseptics and antenatal supplementation with vitamin A did not reduce the MTCT of HIV. However, during the period 1999 to present, major successes were made in the prevention of the MTCT of HIV. The use of single-dose nevirapine prophylaxis to the mother and infant reduced the MTCT of HIV to ~12%. Subsequently, longer prophylaxis and combined antiretroviral regimens were shown to be highly effective and very low HIV transmission rates comparable to those in developed countries were reported in some clinical trial settings in sub-Saharan Africa. The future is promising but challenges remain. The current successful intervention modalities are entirely dependent on antiretrovirals and breastfeeding continues to be vital for the survival of the child in the African setting. Reviewing past and present achievements assists in focusing future research and development of prevention programs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Improving the Effectiveness of English as a Medium of Instruction in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clegg, John; Simpson, John

    2016-01-01

    Most academic discussion on the role of language in education in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) supports the extended use of African languages as media of instruction (MoI), while most practice preserves a monolingual role for European languages. Many ministries of education maintain the belief that African languages are not appropriate as MoIs beyond…

  16. Abortion and Contraceptive Use in Sub-Saharan Africa: How ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Erah

    sub-Saharan cities, particularly where contraceptive use is low and access to ... other regions, sub-Saharan women nevertheless exercise ... kinship networks to share the costs and benefits of .... developing countries in contraceptive use among married .... The report includes case studies of ..... Tours, France, July 2005.

  17. Role and outcomes of community health workers in HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mwai, Grace W; Mburu, Gitau; Torpey, Kwasi; Frost, Peter; Ford, Nathan; Seeley, Janet

    2013-01-01

    Introduction The provision of HIV treatment and care in sub-Saharan Africa faces multiple challenges, including weak health systems and attrition of trained health workers. One potential response to overcome these challenges has been to engage community health workers (CHWs). Methodology A systematic literature search for quantitative and qualitative studies describing the role and outcomes of CHWs in HIV care between inception and December 2012 in sub-Saharan Africa was performed in the following databases: PubMed, PsychINFO, Embase, Web of Science, JSTOR, WHOLIS, Google Scholar and SAGE journals online. Bibliographies of included articles were also searched. A narrative synthesis approach was used to analyze common emerging themes on the role and outcomes of CHWs in HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa. Results In total, 21 studies met the inclusion criteria, documenting a range of tasks performed by CHWs. These included patient support (counselling, home-based care, education, adherence support and livelihood support) and health service support (screening, referral and health service organization and surveillance). CHWs were reported to enhance the reach, uptake and quality of HIV services, as well as the dignity, quality of life and retention in care of people living with HIV. The presence of CHWs in clinics was reported to reduce waiting times, streamline patient flow and reduce the workload of health workers. Clinical outcomes appeared not to be compromised, with no differences in virologic failure and mortality comparing patients under community-based and those under facility-based care. Despite these benefits, CHWs faced challenges related to lack of recognition, remuneration and involvement in decision making. Conclusions CHWs can clearly contribute to HIV services delivery and strengthen human resource capacity in sub-Saharan Africa. For their contribution to be sustained, CHWs need to be recognized, remunerated and integrated in wider health systems. Further

  18. Role and outcomes of community health workers in HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mwai, Grace W; Mburu, Gitau; Torpey, Kwasi; Frost, Peter; Ford, Nathan; Seeley, Janet

    2013-09-10

    The provision of HIV treatment and care in sub-Saharan Africa faces multiple challenges, including weak health systems and attrition of trained health workers. One potential response to overcome these challenges has been to engage community health workers (CHWs). A systematic literature search for quantitative and qualitative studies describing the role and outcomes of CHWs in HIV care between inception and December 2012 in sub-Saharan Africa was performed in the following databases: PubMed, PsychINFO, Embase, Web of Science, JSTOR, WHOLIS, Google Scholar and SAGE journals online. Bibliographies of included articles were also searched. A narrative synthesis approach was used to analyze common emerging themes on the role and outcomes of CHWs in HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa. In total, 21 studies met the inclusion criteria, documenting a range of tasks performed by CHWs. These included patient support (counselling, home-based care, education, adherence support and livelihood support) and health service support (screening, referral and health service organization and surveillance). CHWs were reported to enhance the reach, uptake and quality of HIV services, as well as the dignity, quality of life and retention in care of people living with HIV. The presence of CHWs in clinics was reported to reduce waiting times, streamline patient flow and reduce the workload of health workers. Clinical outcomes appeared not to be compromised, with no differences in virologic failure and mortality comparing patients under community-based and those under facility-based care. Despite these benefits, CHWs faced challenges related to lack of recognition, remuneration and involvement in decision making. CHWs can clearly contribute to HIV services delivery and strengthen human resource capacity in sub-Saharan Africa. For their contribution to be sustained, CHWs need to be recognized, remunerated and integrated in wider health systems. Further research focusing on comparative costs of CHW

  19. The Basic Surgical Skills Course in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Observational Study of Effectiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fergusson, Stuart J; Sedgwick, David M; Ntakiyiruta, Georges; Ntirenganya, Faustin

    2018-04-01

    The Basic Surgical Skills (BSS) course is a common component of postgraduate surgical training programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, but was originally designed in a UK context, and its efficacy and relevance have not been formally assessed in Africa. An observational study was carried out during a BSS course delivered to early-stage surgical trainees from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Technical skill in a basic wound closure task was assessed in a formal Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSAT) before and after course completion. Participants completed a pre-course questionnaire documenting existing surgical experience and self-perceived confidence levels in surgical skills which were to be taught during the course. Participants repeated confidence ratings and completed course evaluation following course delivery. A cohort of 17 participants had completed a pre-course median of 150 Caesarean sections as primary operator. Performance on the OSAT improved from a mean of 10.5/17 pre-course to 14.2/17 post-course (mean of paired differences 3.7, p skills taught, and the course was assessed as highly relevant by trainees. The Basic Surgical Skills course is effective in improving the basic surgical technique of surgical trainees from sub-Saharan Africa and their confidence in key technical skills.

  20. Difficulties conceiving and relationship stability in sub-Saharan Africa : the case of Ghana

    OpenAIRE

    Fledderjohann, Jasmine

    2017-01-01

    Little is known about the relationship between self-identified difficulties conceiving, biomedical infertility, and union instability in sub-Saharan Africa. Previous research suggests that infertility increases the risk of psychological distress and marital conflict, encourages risky sexual behavior, and deprives infertile individuals and couples of an important source of economic and social capital. Qualitative research has suggested that there may be a link between infertility and divorce; ...