The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Miliary tuberculosis presenting as bilateral pseudo-retinoblastoma

Objective: To describe an interesting case of miliary tuberculosis mimicking retinoblastoma.Method: A retrospective case report.Result: The twin brother of a known case of retinobastoma presented with headache. On fundus examination, multiple yellowish-white lesions were noted in both eyes. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed multiple enhancing lesions. A diagnosis of miliary tuberculosis was made and anti-tubercular therapy was started.Conclusion: Ocular tuberculosis can mimic retinoblastoma and lead to diagnostic dilemma especially in cases with family history of retinoblastoma

Inclusive Education in Tertiary Education in Nigeria: Problems and Way Forward

Purpose: This paper discussed the problems facing Inclusive Education in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Method: Secondary data were employed to provide empirical facts for the paper. The secondary data were sourced from print materials and online resources. Finding: The paper concluded that poor funding, poor capacity building, shortage of instructional resources, shortage of personnel with specialization on special needs education, inadequate infrastructure facilities, brain-drain, corruption, inadequate data, poor implementation of inclusive education policies are the problems facing the implementation of inclusive education programme in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Recommendations: The paper recommended that the federal and state government should increase investment in tertiary education. This will help to develop and implement policies and programme of inclusive Education across the various tertiary institutions in the country

Inclusive Education in Tertiary Education in Nigeria: Problems and Way Forward

Purpose: This paper discussed the problems facing Inclusive Education in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Method: Secondary data were employed to provide empirical facts for the paper. The secondary data were sourced from print materials and online resources. Finding: The paper concluded that poor funding, poor capacity building, shortage of instructional resources, shortage of personnel with specialization on special needs education, inadequate infrastructure facilities, brain-drain, corruption, inadequate data, poor implementation of inclusive education policies are the problems facing the implementation of inclusive education programme in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Recommendations: The paper recommended that the federal and state government should increase investment in tertiary education. This will help to develop and implement policies and programme of inclusive Education across the various tertiary institutions in the country

Inclusive Education in Tertiary Education in Nigeria: Problems and Way Forward

Purpose: This paper discussed the problems facing Inclusive Education in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Method: Secondary data were employed to provide empirical facts for the paper. The secondary data were sourced from print materials and online resources. Finding: The paper concluded that poor funding, poor capacity building, shortage of instructional resources, shortage of personnel with specialization on special needs education, inadequate infrastructure facilities, brain-drain, corruption, inadequate data, poor implementation of inclusive education policies are the problems facing the implementation of inclusive education programme in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Recommendations: The paper recommended that the federal and state government should increase investment in tertiary education. This will help to develop and implement policies and programme of inclusive Education across the various tertiary institutions in the country

Inclusive Education in Tertiary Education in Nigeria: Problems and Way Forward

Purpose: This paper discussed the problems facing Inclusive Education in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Method: Secondary data were employed to provide empirical facts for the paper. The secondary data were sourced from print materials and online resources. Finding: The paper concluded that poor funding, poor capacity building, shortage of instructional resources, shortage of personnel with specialization on special needs education, inadequate infrastructure facilities, brain-drain, corruption, inadequate data, poor implementation of inclusive education policies are the problems facing the implementation of inclusive education programme in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Recommendations: The paper recommended that the federal and state government should increase investment in tertiary education. This will help to develop and implement policies and programme of inclusive Education across the various tertiary institutions in the country

Accountability in University System in Nigeria: Challenges and Way Forward

This paper looked at Accountability in the University system in Nigeria and its Challenges. Secondary data were adopted for the paper. The secondary data were collected from online and print publications. The paper concluded that lack of political will, weak accountability culture, weak labour unions, weak participation of stakeholder, poor implementation of accountability policies, poor monitoring of universities by anti-corruption agencies and other regulatory institutions, political influence and lack of autonomy amongst others are the factors responsible for poor accountability in the university system in Nigeria. To address these challenges, the paper suggested that Federal and State Governments should develop the political will to ensure visitation panels are constituted every five years and the white paper released should be implemented as at when due, to promote accountability in the universities. University administrators and managers should be trained and retrained on the importance of ensuring and promoting the culture of accountability in the universities. The various labour unions in the universities should be proactive in ensuring accountability in the universities. Also, autonomy should be granted to the universities to eliminate political influence activities in the universities

Impact of Insecurity on Students’ Enrolment, Attendance and Retention in Secondary Schools in Katsina State, Nigeria (2017-2022)

This paper reports the outcome of an empirical study on the impact of insecurity on students’ enrolment, attendance and retention in secondary schools in Katsina State, Nigeria from 2017-2022. The problem of insecurity seems affecting students’ enrolment, attendance and retention in various communities in Katsina State and this hinders the realization of the education objectives not only in the State, but the nation at large. The study adopted mixed-research design (a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods).The population of the study was 199 participants comprising of 45 officials of the Ministry of Education in Safana Rimi, Dutsin-ma, Faskari and Kankara Zonal Education Quality Assurance offices), 11 principals, 143 teachers of the post-basic educational institutions in the eleven (11) public junior secondary schools in the affected Local Areas of Katsina State. Multi-stage sampling technique was used for the selection of the study subjects/respondents. The instruments for data collection were a structured questionnaire and document analysis (students’ admission register). The instrument (questionnaire) was validated, pilot tested and the reliability index 0.67 was obtained using Cronbach Alpha technique. Descriptive statistics involving frequency counts and percentage were used for the analysis of respondents’ demographic information, answer to the research questions and students’ admission records. Some of the findings of the study revealed that; the scourge of insecurity in form of banditry, cattle rustling, and abduction constitutes negative impact on students’ enrolment; the plague of insecurity negatively affects students’ attendance; and public junior secondary school students’ retention has been seriously affected as a result of bandits activities in the surveyed Local Government Areas in Katsina State. Therefore, the study made among other recommendation that; the government in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders should make concerted efforts to ensure that adequate security measures be put in place to curtail the menace of insecurity this to enable parents enroll their children to schools and equitable access to education; the government and other relevant stakeholders should vigorously address the issue of insecurity especially in communities located in the rural areas in order for the students have opportunity and access to attend to their daily school activities peacefully; the government and other partnering agencies should continue to appropriate measure to decisively deal with menace of insecurity to ensuring that incident of school close become ‘thing in the past’ in order for the students remain and complete their studies in schools without disruption to academic calendar. This research work will be of significant to policy makers to get an in-depth understanding of insecurity phenomenon and how to manage academic activities amidst of insecurity in secondary schools in the affected areas for