Translating a sub-Saharan African countries' experience in human papillomavirus vaccination to a single dose regimen

Background: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus that is known to cause different types of cancer including cancer of the cervix. Cancer of cervix is common among women and most of the burden is from SSA countries. Moreover, most of these countries are not yet having HPV vaccination programs while low coverage is seen in some few countries which already had the programs. WHO recommends two doses of the HPV vaccine are effective to prevent girls against the HPV infection. However, there are many studies currently being conducted to prove the effectiveness of a single-dose regimen. Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify the most common lessons learned in the HPV programs in SSA countries and conduct the budget impact analysis of a single dose regimen for HPV vaccination in Tanzania as a way to determine the future cost. Methods: This is mixed-method study with a qualitative part covers a literature review of both published and unpublished documents, and reports of HPV demonstration programs from SSA countries while the quantitative part involves budget impact analysis by using secondary data. Published documents were obtained from PubMedicine while unpublished documents were obtained from the WHO website, HPV Information Centre as well as the websites of the ministry of health of respective countries. Results: 22 key lessons were reported in seven specific focus areas which included national policy and planning, service delivery, workforce, linkage with other interventions, monitoring and evaluation, financial support, and sustainability and scale-up. We also found out that there were similar lessons across eight SSA countries that had finished the HPV demonstration project however, there was a variation of the strength of the lessons. The economic and financial cost for HPV vaccination in Tanzania was determined and it was estimated that country could save about 5,927,820.57 USD per year on an average from the year 2015 to 2020 as an economic cost if single-dose regimen was to be used. Conclusion: SSA countries with no experience in the HPV vaccination program and those with reported low coverage should take advantage of studying best practices from other SSA countries. Also, although still there is no enough evidence for the single-dose regime of HPV vaccination, SSA countries should be prepared to move to a single dose regimen once evidence is gathered as it would reduce the budgetary burden.open석

Fabrication of a Poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl) Electrochemiluminescence Device Assisted by Perylene

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Preliminary Investigation on the Useful Chemicals obtained from High-Temperature and High-Pressure Water Treatment of Hinoki (Chamaecyparis Obutus) Bark

The possibility of utilizing residual forest biomass to produce valuable chemicals was investigated. An outer layer of a bark of Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obutusa) tree, a Japanese cypress, was used as a sample material. Experiments were carried out in a semibatch reactor apparatus that allows the study of the effect of reaction temperatures in a single run. Analysis of the products by GC-MS reveals formation of useful compounds such as furfural, some aromatic compounds (1,3-di-tert-butyl benzene and 2,4-di-tert-butyl phenol), and fatty acids (myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid).Keywords: fatty acids, furfural, high temperature water treatment, hinoki, residual biomas

Fighting banana bunchy top disease in Southern Malawi : the interface of knowledge systems and dynamics in a development arena

Purpose: Banana Bunchy Top Disease (BBTD) was first reported in Malawi in 1997. The major strategy used to deal with BBTD required banana growers to uproot and burn all their bananas and replace them with disease-free imported planting materials. This had limited success only. This paper uses an actor-oriented approach to explain this experience by assessing the different knowledge types and dynamics.Design/methodology/approach: Using a qualitative study design we sampled respondents through snowball and purposive sampling. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used to interview 120 farmers in 5 villages, 5 extension experts, 6 crop scientists, 2 banana research scientists and 3 NGOs leaders. Transcripts were analysed using Grounded Theory Methodology.Findings: The results showed that development agents and farmers conceived of, and dealt with, BBTD on the basis of different types of knowledge and dynamics. The battle that arose around this knowledge interface explains why the top-down approach to dealing with BBTD led to resistance from banana growers. These top-down approaches contrast with the widely-used rhetoric of using bottom-up approaches to foster co-innovation.Practical implications: Development actors need to embrace co-innovation principles and move away from merely sticking to the label of bottom up approaches.Theoretical implications: Using participation as a means to achieve predetermined strategies lead to failure and conflict in development programmes while as consulting with, and listening to farmers has potential to increase their cooperation in development programmes.Originality/value: The study informs that while there is so much talk about a shift in extension approaches, not much has changed to embrace co-innovation amongst actors