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.

Factors Associated with Neonatal Mortality among Newborns Admitted in the Special Care Baby Unit of a Nigerian Hospital.

BACKGROUND: With Nigeria being one of the countries with the highest neonatal mortality rate globally, identifying the risk factors associated with neonatal mortality is essential as we strive to proffer sustainable solutions. AIM: This retrospective hospital-based survey aimed to bridge this gap by evaluating the trends and risk factors associated with neonatal mortality in a teaching hospital in Southwestern Nigeria. METHODS: Records of newborns admitted at the special care baby unit from January 2018 to December 2019 (n = 1098) were accessed, and available data were extracted. Descriptive analysis and inferential statistics were performed at 0.05 level of significance. RESULTS: The mortality rate was determined to be 16.9% (inborn babies- 12.9% and out-born babies- 22.3%), with 83.3% of the newborns dying within the first week. Some of the factors associated with neonatal mortality were proximity of newborns' mothers home to the hospital [p = 0.041; Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.670; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.455-0.985], maturity of the baby at delivery (p < 0.001; OR = 0.514; CI = 0.358-0.738), place of delivery-inborn or out-born (p < 0.001; OR = 0.515; CI = 0.375-0.709), place of delivery-in a hospital or a non-hospital setting (p = 0.048; OR = 0.633; CI = 0.401-0.999), and baby's weight (p < 0.001; CI = -0.684 to -0.411). CONCLUSION: Findings from the study indicate that newborns delivered at home, traditional birth attendant centres or hospitals without essential healthcare facilities have a higher mortality risk. This suggests that measures to improve the accessibility of pregnant women to essential healthcare services are a prerequisite to reducing the neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria.

Determinants of Contraceptive Options among Postpartum Women Attending Selected Health Care Facilities in Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Differences in availability and choices of contraceptive methods among postpartum women have been found to influence their quality of life as the fertility rate is very high, and the contraceptive usage rate persistently remains low in Nigeria. Objectives: This study assessed the determinants of contraceptive options among postpartum women in Nigeria. Methods: Two Local Governments were randomly selected from the four Local Governments. Within these two local governments, five health facilities were selected. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the 240 respondents, while a structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Results: Findings from the study indicated that 81.7% of the respondents have planned to have their current baby, and about 65.4% of the women have resumed sexual activities since delivery. Of those who have resumed sexual activities, the majority, 91.1% did so 6 weeks after delivery. Some form of contraceptive usage was prominent among 59.2% of the respondents, as the most common contraceptive method used was withdrawal (24.8%). Contraceptive prevalence was slightly lower for urban respondents than rural respondents, although the relationship was not significant. Also, there was a statistically significant relationship between the current use of contraceptives and resumption of sexual activities since delivery (p = .001), resumption of menstruation (p = .001), and information received about postpartum family planning (p = 0.013). Conclusion: Findings from this study emphasize the urgent need for enhanced accessibility and availability of contraceptive methods, with a parallel emphasis on targeted interventions and effective communication strategies to promote contraceptive uptake and family planning. Addressing these determinants is vital in improving postpartum women's overall quality of life in the study area.

What lessons can African nations learn from the COVID-19 pandemic?

While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic differed per country, the impact on African nations was comparable. Health, money, the economy, education, and inventions have all been criticised over the years, but the discoveries during the pandemic were stunning. We witnessed a system being devoured by corruption and anti-patriotic citizens seeking their agenda. The commentary discusses the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on several sectors in African nations, as well as the lessons that may be drawn from it. Furthermore, it recommends methods to avoid a recurrence.

School water, sanitation, and hygiene inequalities: a bane of sustainable development goal six in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES: The importance of school water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal targets 6.1 and 6.2 in developing countries cannot be overemphasized. However, widespread WASH inequalities remain an impediment to achieving the targets by 2030. Hence, this study was conducted to examine current school-WASH disparities among public and private schools in a low-income Nigerian community using mixed methods. METHODS: The cross-sectional survey utilized multi-stage sampling to select 400 students from five public and five private schools in Akinyele, Ibadan. Semi-structured questionnaires and observational checklists were used to obtain data. Inferential statistics were measured at a 95% confidence interval. Independent variables like the students' sociodemographic characteristics, school type, and available WASH facilities were associated with dependent variables like respondents' hand hygiene and sanitation practices and WASH-associated knowledge and attitude to examine existing inequalities. RESULTS: Classifying the available WASH facilities based on the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, none of the public schools provided any sanitation and hygiene service, while all the private schools provided both services. Furthermore, the private-school students had significantly better WASH knowledge (p<0.001; È 2p=0.152) and attitude (p<0.001; È 2p=0.036) compared with the public-school students. Also, a significantly higher portion of public-school students practiced open defecation at school (p<0.001; odds ratio (OR)=7.4; confidence interval (CI)=4.1-13.5) and at home (p<0.001; OR=7.8; CI=3.7-16.7). CONCLUSION: WASH disparities among socioeconomic groups remain a persistent challenge. Sole reliance on the Government to narrow the inequalities has persistently proven unfruitful. There is a need to empower local community stakeholders to facilitate sustainable school-WASH interventions.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: On ne saurait trop insister sur l'importance de l'eau, de l'assainissement et de l'hygiène (WASH) dans les écoles pour atteindre les cibles 6,1 et 6,2 des objectifs de développement durable dans les pays en développement. Toutefois, les inégalités généralisées en matière de WASH demeurent un obstacle à la réalisation des objectifs d'ici à 2030. Par conséquent, cette étude a été menée pour examiner les disparités actuelles entre les écoles publiques et privées dans une communauté nigériane à faible revenu en utilisant des méthodes mixtes. MéTHODES: L'enquête transversale a utilisé un échantillonnage à plusieurs étapes pour sélectionner 400 élèves de cinq écoles publiques et cinq écoles privées à Akinyele, Ibadan. Des questionnaires semi-structurés et des listes de contrôle observationnelles ont été utilisés pour obtenir des données. Les statistiques inférentielles ont été mesurées à un intervalle de confiance de 95 %. Des variables indépendantes comme les caractéristiques sociodémographiques des élèves, le type d'école et les installations de WASH disponibles ont été associées à des variables dépendantes comme les pratiques d'hygiène des mains et d'assainissement des répondants et les connaissances et l'attitude associées au WASH pour examiner les inégalités existantes. RéSULTATS: Si l'on classe les installations WASH disponibles sur la base du Programme commun OMS/UNICEF de suivi, aucune des écoles publiques ne fournit les services d'assainissement et d'hygiène, alors que toutes les écoles privées fournissent ces deux services. En outre, les élèves des écoles privées avaient une connaissance nettement meilleure de WASH (p<0,001; È 2p=0,152) et attitude (p<0,001; È 2p=0,036) par rapport aux élèves des écoles publiques. De plus, une proportion significativement plus élevée d'élèves des écoles publiques pratiquaient la défécation en plein air à l'école (p<0,001; rapport de cotes (RC)=7,4; intervalle de confiance (IC)=4,1­13,5) et à domicile (p<0,001; OR=7,8; IC=3,7­16,7). CONCLUSION: Les disparités WASH entre les groupes socio-économiques demeurent un problème persistant. Le fait de compter uniquement sur le gouvernement pour réduire les inégalités s'est toujours avéré infructueux. Il est nécessaire de donner aux intervenants communautaires locaux les moyens de faciliter des interventions WASH durables en milieu scolaire.

Gender-based violence during COVID-19 lockdown: case study of a community in Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) has been identified to be one of the ripple effects of the global pandemic. In countries like Nigeria, the situation is hypothesized to be worse because of widespread poverty and gender inequalities. Objective: To examine the exposure of females to GBV during the first 3 months of the COVID-19 lockdown. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a low-income community in Lagos. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 130 respondents selected via systematic random sampling. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 26.89 ± 8.67 years. Majority worked informal jobs, while only 50% had attained beyond primary education. Within the period, the respondents had been subjected to sexual (54.6%), physical (52.3%), verbal assault (41.5%), and online sexual harassment (45.4%); of which only 30% reported to the police. Furthermore, respondents subjected to sexual (p=0.004) and physical assault (p=0.032) during the period earned significantly less money than other respondents. Conclusion: The fact that over 1 out of every 2 females was subjected to at least one form of GBV within the short timeframe shows how unsafe girls and women in low-income communities are. This calls for proactive community-level interventions to curb the GBV menace.