In vitro study on efficacy of PHELA, an African traditional drug against SARS-CoV-2.

In 2019, coronavirus has made the third apparition in the form of SARS-CoV-2, a novel strain of coronavirus that is extremely pathogenic and it uses the same receptor as SARS-CoV, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). However, more than 182 vaccine candidates have been announced; and 12 vaccines have been approved for use, although, even vaccinated individuals are still vulnerable to infection. In this study, we investigated PHELA, recognized as an herbal combination of four exotic African medicinal plants namely; Clerodendrum glabrum E. Mey. Lamiaceae, Gladiolus dalenii van Geel, Rotheca myricoides (Hochst.) Steane & Mabb, and Senna occidentalis (L.) Link; as a candidate therapy for COVID-19. In vitro testing found that PHELA inhibited > 90% of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV infection at concentration levels of 0.005 mg/ml to 0.03 mg/ml and close to 100% of MERS-CoV infection at 0.1 mg/ml to 0.6 mg/ml. The in vitro average IC50 of PHELA on SARS-COV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS-COV were ~ 0.01 mg/ml. Secondly in silico docking studies of compounds identified in PHELA showed very strong binding energy interactions with the SARS-COV-2 proteins. Compound 5 showed the highest affinity for SARS-COV-2 protein compared to other compounds with the binding energy of - 6.8 kcal mol-1. Our data showed that PHELA has potential and could be developed as a COVID-19 therapeutic.

Satisfaction with family planning services. Interpersonal and organisational dimensions.

In South Africa, client satisfaction with the quality of health care has received minimal attention; probably due to the lack of locally developed and tested measures. Therefore, we developed and tested a 20-item attitude scale to determine satisfaction with Family Planning (FP) services. The objectives of this study were to: ascertain reliability of the scale and confirm, through factor analysis, that satisfaction with the FP service was based on interpersonal and organisational dimensions. The sample comprised 199 black adult interviewees (158 women and 41 men), who had previously used or were currently using contraception, from an informal settlement in Gauteng, South Africa. Three items were removed from the scale due to unacceptable communality estimates. The reliability coefficient of 0.76 for the 17-item scale was satisfactory. The principal components analysis, with orthogonal and oblique rotations, extracted two factors; accounting for 51.8% of the variance. The highest loadings on Factor I involved an interpersonal dimension (friendly, encouraging, competent, informative and communicative). Factor II tended to focus on the organisational elements of the system, such as different methods, choice of methods, service availability and length of waiting time. It was concluded that this scale was a reliable, easily administered and scored measure of satisfaction, with underlying interpersonal and organisational dimensions.

Evaluation of community participation in Gazankulu: Elim Care Group System.

PIP: This article discusses the Elim Care Group System (ECGS) for the Northern Province of South Africa, in order to evaluate and measure community participation (CP) in the management of health and nutrition projects. Communities may be formed based on different criteria. CP may be defined in different ways. CP, as defined by Rifkin et al., is based on a medical model that assumes mobilization of the community to provide material and financial support in the delivery of health services. Community development approaches include collaboration in planning and managing initiatives and controlling activities and resources. CP usually focuses on compliance and contribution. CP involves choice and is a dynamic process. Process indicators of CP include needs assessment, leadership, organization, resource mobilization, and management. ECGS was easily able to identify community needs, but had difficulty in prioritizing needs and matching needs with appropriate actions. ECGS was constrained by the lack of heterogeneity in group membership, which was primarily one of professionals. Few in ECGS had leadership and management skills. Motivators were skilled in health care and community development skills, but deficient in leadership and management skills. The Reconstruction and Development Program works with care groups and is a potential source of members who could inform ECGS. ECGS mobilized financial, indigenous, and human resources. Maximum CP is stimulated by involvement of marginalized communities.^ieng