3,655 research outputs found
Migration, Poverty Reduction Strategies and Human Development
This paper focuses on the specific question of how Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) address migration and its potential to enhance human development at the national level. Based on a review of PRSPs completed since 1999, it argues that migration often remains poorly recognised or analysed in poorer countries in terms of its impacts on poverty reduction, whilst attitudes towards migration in these countries are often highly negative and/or based on limited evidence, especially in relation to internal migration. Analysis of how both internal and international migration are treated in PRSPs is also placed in the context of a broader understanding of the purpose of, and constraints faced by the PRS process. The paper goes on to highlight the extent to which in Sub-Saharan African countries, successive drafts of PRSPs have shown increasing attention to migration. It also considers how analysis of the problems and opportunities associated with different types of migration are converted into policy initiatives, highlighting the lack of good practice in terms of the incorporation of migration into human development policy.Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), internal migration, international migration, sub-Saharan Africa, analysis of migration
Policy Issues of e-Commerce Technology Diffusion in Southeast Nigeria: The Case of Small Scale Agribusiness
The benefits brought about by the emergence of e-commerce, e-business and other Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) applications have not been fully explored in the developing economies of the world. The less developed economies are still struggling to catch up with ICT application as opposed to its heavy deployment in the developed economies. Empirical evidence suggests that ICTs and other related technologies are increasingly emerging in the communities of the developing economies such as Nigeria. Rural actors engaged in the Agricultural industries (Agribusiness) feel that the implementation of ICTs can influence the development of new business processes and the way existing processes are organised. In the Southeast of Nigeria, which is a typical example of a less developed community, the impact of e-business technologies has yet to be determined. This paper identifies two classical traditional agribusiness supply chains and hence reports on the impact of e-commerce technology diffusion along the equilibrium of the supply chains, focusing on the elimination of intermediary actors from the chain. It provides an assessment of the Governments’ policies and strategies on e-commerce adoption for the sustainability of small-scale agricultural businesses. The paper examines the politics surrounding ICT implementations by actors engaged in the agribusiness sector. This research has motivated The South East State Government, in collaboration with the Federal Government, to give closer attention to their earlier policy of making Nigeria an ICT-enabled country
ICT and the Environment in Developing Countries: an Overview of Opportunities and Developments
Both developed and developing countries face many environmental challenges, including climate change, improving energy efficiency and waste management, addressing air pollution, water quality and scarcity, and loss of natural habitats and biodiversity. Drawing on the existing literature, this paper presents an overview of how the Internet and the ICT and related research communities can help tackle environmental challenges in developing countries. The review focuses on the role of ICTs in climate change mitigation, mitigating other environmental pressures, and climate change adaptation.information and communication technology (ICT), environment, climate change, mitigation, adaptation.
Preparedness for e-health in developing countries: the case of Ghana
As Ghana embarks on a national e-Health initiative there is the need to explore its preparedness in terms of socioeconomic and development, technology infrastructure and operational preparedness, and skills and human resources. This paper reports on a literature review as part of a research program, which aims to inform the development of an effective roadmap for the successful implementation of the national e-Health initiative in Ghana. The literature was searched for factors of e-Health adoption in developing countries; and realization of the anticipated benefits through IEEE, Medline, Google scholar and Google search engines. Sixteen (16) articles were reviewed were from 176 related articles that were found. The literature review found the two highest priority objectives in in e-Health Africa: providing health education for health professionals (identified in 7 of the 16 projects reported on in the literature) and improvement of primary health care services 9 of the 16 projects). Six (6) or 39% each of the 16 projects reported a lack of skills and Human Resources Socioeconomic issues, and Technology infrastructure problems reported in 22% or the remaining four (4) projects. The paper concluded that the effects of these challenges could lead to Ghana like many other developing countries struggling to adopt e-Health, its inability to realize the potential benefits of e-Health and its ability to institutionalize and sustain e-Health
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Quality improvement in emergency obstetric referrals: qualitative study of provider perspectives in Assin North district, Ghana
Objective: To describe healthcare worker (HCW)-identified system-based bottlenecks and the value of local engagement in designing strategies to improve referral processes related to emergency obstetric care in rural Ghana. Design: Qualitative study using semistructured interviews of participants to obtain provider narratives. Setting: Referral systems in obstetrics in Assin North Municipal Assembly, a rural district in Ghana. This included one district hospital, six health centres and four local health posts. This work was embedded in an ongoing quality improvement project in the district addressing barriers to existing referral protocols to lessen delays. Participants: 18 HCWs (8 midwives, 4 community health officers, 3 medical assistants, 2 emergency room nurses, 1 doctor) at different facility levels within the district. Results: We identified important gaps in referral processes in Assin North, with the most commonly noted including recognising danger signs, alerting receiving units, accompanying critically ill patients, documenting referral cases and giving and obtaining feedback on referred cases. Main root causes identified by providers were in four domains: (1) transportation, (2) communication, (3) clinical skills and management and (4) standards of care and monitoring, and suggested interventions that target these barriers. Mapping these challenges allowed for better understanding of next steps for developing comprehensive, evidence-based solutions to identified referral gaps within the district. Conclusions: Providers are an important source of information on local referral delays and in the development of approaches to improvement responsive to these gaps. Better engagement of HCWs can help to identify and evaluate high-impact holistic interventions to address faulty referral systems which result in poor maternal outcomes in resource-poor settings. These perspectives need to be integrated with patient and community perspectives
Schizophrenia-The spirit possessed 23 year old male from rural Kpando Dzoanti, Volta region in Ghana: Case report
A case of a twenty-three year old rural Ghanaian male suffering from schizophrenia and presenting as “possessed by spirits” is reported. Treatment, and outcome by physical means with chlorpromazine; and implications for further research are discussed
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Using ODL and ICT to develop the skills of the unreached: a contribution to the ADEA triennial of the Working Group on Distance Education and Open Learning
Innovation in technology is occurring at rapid pace thus shrinking the distances and making information and knowledge more than ever accessible to everyone irrespective of where the person resides. This paper consists of four main articles. The first one deals with technological trends. The second one focuses on the deployment and use of open and distance education mode in rural areas by documenting initiatives that embrace information and communication technologies (ICTs). Due to challenges faced in rural areas only a few success stories/cases currently exist and some of these are cited in this article. The challenges faced in the deployment of ICT enhanced ODL have been highlighted as well as the potential of developing and delivering effective and relevant ODL programmes in rural areas in order to ensure that issues of educational equity and social exclusion rural communities are adequately addressed. ICTs in ODL are perhaps the greatest tool to date for self-education and value addition to any community’s development efforts, yet poor rural communities particularly in Africa do not have the necessary awareness, skills or facilities to enable themselves to develop using ICTs. Inadequate ICT infrastructures in rural areas remain a major source for the digital divide in Africa and for under-performance of distance learners. The third one analyses the support provided to ODL learners who often encounter difficulties in completing their studies through the distance education mode due to loneliness, uncertainties and de-motivation. ICT has not been able to sufficiently support distance learners in overcoming those obstacles efficiently. An investigation regarding those learning supports has been conducted in ten distance learning institutions, along with an intensive literature review with the aim of understanding the high percentage of dropout rates of distant learners. The learners’ interactions have been scrutinized through content analysis of their synchronous exchanges, during a completely online course. After taking into account the limited technical and human resources in Africa, a technological virtual environment along with a pedagogical framework has been proposed with the aim of giving adequate educational support to them. The fourth article has explored The Open University (UK) and its efforts to use new technologies to deliver online courses to difficult-to- reach learners in prison environments. The case study analysed here is an international course (called, B201- Business Organisations and their environments) which also touches an African cohort of learners. The implications for designing and delivering online ODL to the complex unreachable environments of prisons anywhere, and particularly in Africa, have been discussed
Exploring Indigenous Traditional Healing support policies and programs in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to inform the support for Indigenous Traditional Healing policies in Saskatchewan: a scoping review
The lower health status of Indigenous people in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are well documented and largely attributed to colonization and colonial policies. Colonization also led to the suppression of Indigenous Traditional Healing practices, which have been revitalized over the years by Indigenous societies with evidence of a profound effect on their health and wellbeing. Despite various policy recommendations concerning the rights and recognition of Indigenous Traditional Healing practices including TRC Call to Action 22, there is evidence of a literature gap regarding the extent to which Traditional Healing practices are supported in the mainstream healthcare system.
This study explored ways Indigenous Traditional Healing practices are supported by the healthcare system in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand through policies and programs. This study is a part of a larger project to determine what aspects of Indigenous Traditional Healing policies and programs identified from the healthcare systems can be adopted to inform the support for Indigenous Traditional Healing policies in Saskatchewan. A scoping review guided by the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews was conducted. Databases for sources of information included CINAHL, Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Public Health, Global Health, iPortal, and grey literature search.
Twenty-two articles (Canada=14 and Australia and New Zealand =8) met the inclusion criteria for data extraction for this scoping review. After the analysis of data extracted from each source of evidence, ten (10) Healthcare systems and services were identified with programs and policies supporting Indigenous Traditional Healing practices, which included midwifery, mental health, and palliative care. Within these services, programs identified utilized Indigenous Traditional Healing practices as the main or choice treatment, to support Western biomedical treatment options and or adopted Indigenous Traditional knowledge. The impact of the support and recognition of Indigenous Traditional Healing within the mainstream healthcare system includes increased access and attendance, improved healthcare experience and health outcomes, empowered individuals, and their communities, brought healthcare back to communities and improved the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people and their communities. Therefore, we call upon those who can effect change within the healthcare system to recognize the value of Indigenous healing practices and use them in the treatment of Indigenous patients
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