Harnessing the potential of African youth for transforming health research in Africa.

Africa faces a significant burden of infectious diseases, including Malaria and HIV/AIDS, along with an increasing prevalence of non-infectious diseases such as diabetes and cancer. This dual health challenge is amplified by socioeconomic difficulties, restricted access to healthcare, and lifestyle changes, thus present unique scientific needs. Effectively addressing these issues requires a skilled scientific workforce adept in comprehensive healthcare strategies. This analysis explores the critical landscape of health research in Africa, emphasizing the unique opportunity presented by the continent's youthful population, projected to reach almost 1 billion by 2050. The youth's innovative potential and fresh perspectives offer a chance to overcome development barriers in health research. Nevertheless, challenges such as under-resourced education, limited research training, inadequate mentorship, and funding difficulties persist. This paper urgently calls upon African leaders, international partners, and stakeholders to prioritize health research, mobilize funding, forge strategic partnerships, and empower the youth as essential steps to capitalize on the continent's dynamic youth for breakthrough health outcomes. Such investments are vital not just for health but for the overall economic, social, and strategic growth of the continent. Through shared responsibility and a united effort, the potential of African youth can be harnessed, leading to transformative research, improved health outcomes, and a prosperous future. This perspective represents the collective voice of passionate young researchers and advocates across Africa, calling for a new era of health research on the continent.

Cultural patterns and outcome of umbilical cord care among caregivers in Africa: a systematic review.

The third leading cause of death in infants under 1-month-old is neonatal sepsis. Following the severing of the umbilical cord, bacterial infection may result in newborn sepsis and mortality. The objective of this review on cultural patterns and umbilical cord-care outcomes is to evaluate present practices and create a case for developing and implementing novel cord-care regimens in Africa. Materials and methods: In order to find published studies on cultural patterns and outcomes of umbilical cord care among caregivers in Africa from January 2015 to December 2021, we conducted a systematic literature search across six computerized bibliographic databases: Google Scholar, POPLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scopus. As a result, a narrative synthesis of quantitative and qualitative data was employed to summarize the data from the included research. Results: There were 17 studies included in this review with 16 out of the 17 studies having a total of 5757 participants. The odds of neonatal sepsis were 13 times higher among infants whose caregivers had improper hygiene compared with those who had proper hygiene. The outcome of cord management showed that the majority (75.1%) of the umbilical cords were infected. Majority of the included studies (n=13) show that the respondents (caregivers) had a low level of knowledge and practice. Conclusion: This systematic review reveals that unsafe umbilical cord-care practices remained prevalent in some African regions. Home delivery is still a prevalent practice in some communities and inappropriate umbilical cord cleaning practices were common findings.

The global antimicrobial resistance response effort must not exclude marginalised populations.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a rising global health crisis causing about 700,000 deaths annually and potentially 10 million deaths by 2050, disproportionately impacts marginalised populations. Due to socioeconomic, ethnic, geographic, and other barriers, these communities often have restricted healthcare access, compounding the AMR threat. Unequal access to effective antibiotics, inadequate living conditions, and a lack of awareness exacerbate the crisis in marginalised communities, making them more susceptible to AMR. A broader, inclusive response is needed to ensure equitable access to antibiotics, improved living conditions, education, and policy changes to challenge the root socio-economic disparities. Ignoring marginalised populations in the fight against AMR is both a moral and strategic failure. Therefore, inclusivity must be a central tenet in combating AMR. This article not only critically dissects this prevailing oversight but also urgently calls for comprehensive action to address this significant shortcoming in our response efforts.

Monkeypox vaccination in the global south: Fighting a war without a weapon.

Background: The Mpox outbreak awakened countries worldwide to renew efforts in epidemiological surveillance and vaccination of susceptible populations. In terms of Mpox vaccination, various challenges exist in the global south, which impede adequate vaccine coverage, especially in Africa. This paper reviewed the situation of Mpox vaccination in the global south and potential ameliorative approaches. Methods: A review of online literature from PubMed and Google Scholar concerning Mpox vaccination in countries belonging to the 'global south' category was done between August and September, 2022. The major focus areas included inequity in global vaccine distribution, challenges impeding vaccine coverage in the global south, and potential strategies for bridging the gap in vaccine equity. The papers that met the inclusion criteria were collated and narratively discussed. Results: Our analysis revealed that, while the high-income countries secured large supplies of the Mpox vaccines, the low- and middle-income countries were unable to independently access substantial quantities of the vaccine and had to rely on vaccine donations from high-income countries, as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges in the global south particularly revolved around inadequate vaccine production capacity due to lack of qualified personnel and specialized infrastructure for full vaccine development and manufacturing, limited cold chain equipment for vaccine distribution, and consistent vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: To tackle the trend of vaccine inequity in the global south, African governments and international stakeholders must invest properly in adequate production and dissemination of Mpox vaccines in low- and middle-income countries.

Antibiotic resistance in ocular bacterial infections: an integrative review of ophthalmic chloramphenicol.

INTRODUCTION: Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic widely used for treating ophthalmic infections, but concerns about rising bacterial resistance to chloramphenicol have been observed due to its frequent use as an over-the-counter medication. This review assessed the common ophthalmic bacterial pathogens, their chloramphenicol resistance mechanisms, and rates of drug resistance. METHODS: PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched for relevant publications from the years 2000 to 2022, bordering on ophthalmic bacterial infections, chloramphenicol susceptibility profiles, and drug resistance mechanisms against chloramphenicol. A total of 53 journal publications met the inclusion criteria, with data on the antibiotic susceptibility profiles available in 44 of the reviewed studies, which were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean resistance rates to chloramphenicol from antibiotic susceptibility profiles varied between 0% and 74.1%, with the majority of the studies (86.4%) showing chloramphenicol resistance rates below 50%, and more than half (23 out of 44) of the studies showed resistance rates lower than 20%. The majority of the publications (n = 27; 61.4%) were from developed nations, compared to developing nations (n = 14; 31.8%), while a fraction (n = 3; 6.8%) of the studies were regional cohort studies in Europe, with no country-specific drug resistance rates. No pattern of cumulative increase or decrease in ophthalmic bacterial resistance to chloramphenicol was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Chloramphenicol is still active against ophthalmic bacterial infections and is suitable as a topical antibiotic for ophthalmic infections. However, concerns remain about the drug becoming unsuitable in the long run due to some proof of high drug resistance rates.

Self-medication practices among seafarers: a bibliometric review.

Self-medication could be a public health concern if done inappropriately, and additional research is required to better comprehend the population-wide nature of the problem. Seafarers are more inclined to self-medicate due to the nature of their work. We performed a rapid bibliometric analysis to determine the volume of research on self-medication habits among seafarers. Our analysis revealed a major knowledge gap regarding self-medication practices among seafarers. There is an urgent need to address this paucity of data and formulate appropriate interventions.

Socio-demographic determinants of mammography uptake among women of 40 years and above in Calabar, South-South, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: mammography has the potential for identifying high risk women with breast cancer. Early detection is important in reducing mortality and morbidity, and crucial for better prognosis. Mammography is poorly practiced in Nigeria. This study assessed the association between socio-demographic characteristics and uptake of mammography among women ≥40 years. Methods: a cross-sectional descriptive study design was employed and data was collected from 365 consenting participants in Calabar, Nigeria, using pre-tested questionnaire. SPSS Version 20 was used for data entry and analysis. The results were descriptively presented by frequencies and percentages. Pearson Chi-Square (χ2) analysis was performed to detect the association between variables at 5% level of significance (p-value of ≤0.05). Results: only 9.9% of participants had a mammography, majority 90.1% never had. Uptake was highest among respondents with tertiary education, married, Civil/Public Servants, and those in the high income level categorization. Educational status, marital status, occupation and age were not statistically significantly associated with mammography uptake (p>0.05). Only religious denominational affiliation (p = 0.02) and income level (p = 0.002) were statistically significantly associated with uptake. Barriers to uptake were poor knowledge about mammography (49.8%), psychosocial (37.8%), economic (17.1%) and health systems (11.5%). Key facilitators to uptake were encouragement/counselling by health workers (44.0%) and presence of breast problems (37.4%). Conclusion: mammography uptake in Calabar, Nigeria was extremely low. Therefore, regular awareness campaigns targeting women at faith-based settings, and provision of mammography screening services at subsidized rates will enhance knowledge level and uptake of mammography.

Can Africa achieve herd immunity?

The World Health Organization described herd immunity, also known as population immunity, as the indirect fortification from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous exposure to infection. The emergence of COVID-19 vaccine is a step towards the achievement of herd immunity. Over one billion people across the globe have been vaccinated and Africa recorded only 2%. The objective of this article was to develop a forecast of the number of people to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity in the 13 WHO-identified priority African countries for COVID-19. Herd immunity is achieved when one infected person in a population causes less than one secondary case on average, corresponding to the effective basic reproduction number (R0). Vaccine delivery and distribution infrastructure including the cold chain remains weak. Vaccine hesitancy is also one of the limiting factors that may hinder herd immunity in Africa. In order to achieve herd immunity globally, African countries should not be excluded in fair and equal distribution of vaccines. Relevant stakeholders should foster commitment as well as community sensitization on COVID-19 vaccines and integration of COVID-19 vaccines in existing healthcare services.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on antenatal healthcare services in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Many Sub-Saharan African countries have been known to suffer various challenges which threaten the quality of health services that are offered to the population. With the emergence of COVID-19 outbreak, it is not impossible that access to quality antenatal care services would be further threatened in the region due to the competition for limited health care resources. This paper seeks to highlight the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on antenatal healthcare services in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is imperative for all African countries to put up measures to ensure antenatal care services, which are just as important and needed, are not disrupted due to the urgent need to shift limited resources to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

The use of antibiotics in COVID-19 management: a rapid review of national treatment guidelines in 10 African countries.

Antimicrobial resistance is a hidden threat lurking behind the COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed thousands of lives prior to the emergence of the global outbreak. With a pandemic on the scale of COVID-19, antimicrobial resistance has the potential to become a double-edged sword with the overuse of antibiotics having the potential of taking us back to the pre-antibiotic era. Antimicrobial resistance is majorly attributed to widespread and unnecessary use of antibiotics, among other causes, which has facilitated the emergence and spread of resistant pathogens. Our study aimed to conduct a rapid review of national treatment guidelines for COVID-19 in 10 African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Liberia, Ethiopia, and Rwanda) and examined its implication for antimicrobial resistance response on the continent. Our findings revealed that various antibiotics, such as azithromycin, doxycycline, clarithromycin, ceftriaxone, erythromycin, amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, gentamicin, benzylpenicillin, piperacillin/tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, cefepime, vancomycin, meropenem, and cefuroxime among others, were recommended for use in the management of COVID-19. This is worrisome in that COVID-19 is a viral disease and only a few COVID-19 patients would have bacterial co-infection. Our study highlighted the need to emphasize prudent and judicious use of antibiotics in the management of COVID-19 in Africa.

COVID-19 pandemic: impacts on the achievements of Sustainable Development Goals in Africa.

Since the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, Africa has made some progress towards its achievements, particularly in the area of gender equality- SDG 5, climate change -SDG 13 and preserving life on land- SDG 15. Although, some African countries have made tangible impact on the other goals such as health, food production and economic growth; these efforts experienced some setbacks with attention shifting to curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus. As much as mitigating the spread of the spread of COVID-19 is important, so is ensuring efforts made on other goals are not lost, as the SDGs are much interconnected, and failure in one impacts others. For the African continent to achieve sustainable development beyond COVID-19, strategic actions which will involve innovations, evaluations and strong political will towards implementations must be taken by relevant stakeholders, so the continent is not left behind in the global goals achievement by 2030.

While flattening the curve and raising the line, Africa should not forget street vending practices.

Street vending practices are common in Africa and cater to a large portion of the continent's population. Since the identification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Africa, various governments have implemented measures to control the spread of infection. These measures may have an adverse effect on street vending practices. This paper demonstrates the extent to which COVID-19 measures of control and prevention affects street vending practices in Africa and how it can be remedied. There has been reduced economic growth and increased hunger among individuals involved in street vending practices due to the prohibitions put in place by governments. Measures directed at curbing the spread of the virus inadvertently affect street vending practices and vendors. Current and future pandemic response plans should reflect the integration of measures directed at reducing potential hardship and a further economic set back for individuals involved in street vending practices.

Who Will Pay for the COVID-19 Vaccines for Africa?

Africa's health systems are strained by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are global efforts toward the development and trial of COVID-19 vaccines. However, considering the challenges and economic conditions of African nations, there could be limited access and availability of the vaccines on the continent. This will be the result of high cost and technical requirements to acquire the vaccines. There are indications that possible donor funding for COVID-19 vaccines from rich countries maybe put off considering the various challenges they face currently and the moves they are making in response to the disease. The issue of justice in health for protecting the vulnerable populations and regions also supports the need for COVID-19 vaccine availability on the African continent. Means to achieve uniform control of the disease burden across the globe should be adopted. Governments of African nations should also scale up their efforts toward COVID-19 vaccine acquisition and utilization through viable efforts. It is therefore important to assist the African continent in acquiring the COVID-19 vaccines by leveling all power dynamics that will affect access and distribution.

Impact of COVID-19 on access to healthcare in low- and middle-income countries: Current evidence and future recommendations.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a major public health threat globally and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not an exception. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is far-reaching on many areas including but not limited to global health security, economic and healthcare delivery with a potential impact on access to healthcare in LMICs. We evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to healthcare in LMICs, as well as plausible strategies that can be put in place to ensure that the delivery of healthcare is not halted. In order to mitigate the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the already weak health systems in LMICs, it is much necessary to reinforce and scale up interventions and proactive measures that will ensure that access to healthcare is not disrupted even in course of the pandemic.