Analyse de la contribution des projets d’autonomisation économique des femmes et des systèmes financiers décentralisés à la réduction des inégalités de sexe en matière d’accès au crédit au Sénégal

A l’instar de beaucoup de pays d’Afrique, au Sénégal, les femmes et les hommes n’ont pas le même niveau d’accès aux opportunités de création de richesses et d’emplois, du fait de l’existence de disparités et d’inégalités de sexe dans l’accès aux ressources productives, notamment l’offre de produits et services de la micro finance inclusive qui cible les populations pauvres et/ou vulnérables en milieux rural et périurbain. Les femmes sont moins avantagées que les hommes dans la production économique du fait d’inégalités et de disparités de genre quant à l’accès au crédit de la micro finance. Ainsi, des objectifs de développement inclusif et durable sont définis dans les cadres internationaux de dialogues politiques et stratégiques entre les États et Gouvernements, pour prendre en compte le besoin d’autonomisation économique des femmes, avec l’appui des partenaires techniques et financiers bilatéraux ou multilatéraux, notamment en Afrique où ce besoin se pose avec beaucoup plus d’acuité. Afin d’assurer l’autonomisation économique et l’inclusion financière des femmes, le Sénégal a mis en oeuvre, depuis plusieurs années, des programmes de développement dans plusieurs secteurs d’activités, en accordant une place importante au financement des projets des femmes à travers la contractualisation de lignes de crédits avec les systèmes financiers décentralisés. A travers ce mémoire de recherche, il est analysé la contribution des programmes d’autonomisation économique des femmes et des systèmes financiers décentralisés à la réduction des inégalités de sexe en matière d’accès au crédit au Sénégal. La question générale de recherche est la suivante : les projets d’autonomisation économique des femmes et les systèmes financiers décentralisés contribuent-ils à la réduction des inégalités de sexe en matière d’accès au crédit au Sénégal ? De cette question générale découlent les questions spécifiques autour desquelles sont présentés les résultats de la recherche. De l’analyse institutionnelle basée sur des indicateurs de micro finance, notamment les indicateurs relatifs aux femmes, et des enquêtes de perception menées par des organismes publics habiletés auprès des usagers des différentes catégories d’acteurs du secteur financier, il ressort que des résultats importants sont atteints en matière de réduction des inégalités d’accès au crédit, sur la période étudiée. Like many African countries, in Senegal, women and men do not have the same level of access to opportunities for wealth creation and employment, due to the existence of disparities and gender inequalities in access to productive resources, in particular the offer of inclusive microfinance products and services that targets poor and / or vulnerable populations in rural and suburban areas. Women are less advantaged than men in economic production because of inequalities and gender disparities in access to microfinance credit. Thus, inclusive and sustainable development goals are defined in the international frameworks of political and strategic dialogues between States and Governments, to take into account the need for women's economic empowerment, with the support of bilateral technical and financial partners or multilateral organizations, particularly in Africa where this need is much more acute. In order to ensure the economic empowerment and financial inclusion of women, Senegal has, for several years, implemented development programs in several sectors of activity, giving an important place to the financing of women's projects through the contractualization of credit lines with decentralized financial systems. Through this research paper, the contribution of women's economic empowerment programs and decentralized financial systems to the reduction of gender inequalities in access to credit in Senegal is analyzed. The general research question is: do women's economic empowerment projects and decentralized financial systems contribute to reducing gender inequalities in access to credit in Senegal? From this general question arise the specific questions around which the research results are presented. From the institutional analysis based on microfinance indicators, in particular those relating to women, and perception surveys carried out by competent public bodies with users of the different categories of financial sector actors, it emerges that significant results are achieved in terms of reducing inequalities in access to credit over the period studied

Nodulation and nitrogen fixation of field grown common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) as influenced by fungicide seed treatment

A field experiment was conducted at Bel Air station, in Dakar using 15N isotope dilution technique and the non nodulating soybean (Glycine max) variety m129 as reference plant to test the compatibility of Dichlorofenthion-thiram (DCT) fungicide to the inoculation of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Paulista variety with both Rhizobium etli ISRA 353 and R. tropici strain ISRA 554. Nodulation was not induced with R. etli ISRA 353 and nitrogen fixation did not occur. With R. tropici ISRA 554, a decrease in nodulation was observed, but nitrogen fixation was not significantly different compared to that of the non DCT-treated common bean. (African Journal of Biotechnology: 2003 2(7): 198-201

Quitter ou réformer la zone Franc?

Depuis un certain temps, le débat sur l’opportunité pour les pays africains de rester dans la zone Franc ou d’en sortir refait surface, drainant beaucoup de passion et débouchant presque sur une opposition frontale entre les partisans et les détracteurs de la zone Franc. Notre point de vue sur cette question éminemment technique, largement présenté dans une contribution récente (Mbaye et al. 2017) est que, dans leur forme actuelle, comme au début des indépendances, les arguments politiques à ..

Dyslipidemia, obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors in the adult population in Senegal

Introduction: According to the WHO, 50% of deaths worldwide (40.1% in developing countries) are due to chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Of these chronic NCDs, cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death and disability in developed countries. The Framingham study has shown the importance of hypercholesterolemia as a primary risk factor. In Senegal, the epidemiology of  dyslipidemia and obesity are still poorly understood due to the lack of comprehensive studies on their  impact on the general population. This motivated this study to look into the key epidemiologic and socio-demographic determinants of these risk factors. Methods: It was a cross-sectional descriptive epidemiological survey which included 1037 individuals selected by cluster sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire following the WHO STEPwise approach. Socio-demographic, health and biomedical variables were collected. P value Results: The average age was 48 years with a female predominance (M: F of 0.6). The literacy rate was 65.2% and 44.7% of participants were from rural areas. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, hyperLDLemia, hypoHDLemia, hypertriglyceridemia and mixed hyperlipidemia were 56%, 22.5%, 12.4%, 7.11% and 1.9% respectively. One in four was obese (BMI> 30kg/m2) and 34.8% had abdominal obesity. The main factors significantly associated with dyslipidemia were obesity, urban dwelling, physical inactivity and a family history of dyslipidemia. Conclusion: The prevalence of dyslipidemia, obesity and other risk factors in the population was high needing immediate care for those affected and implementation of prevention strategies.Key words: Dyslipidemia, obesity, cardiovascular, risk factors, Saint Loui

Puerperal uterine inversion managed by the uterine balloon tamponade

The uterine inversion is a rare and severe puerperal complication. Uncontrolled cord traction and uterine  expression are the common causes described.We report a case of uterine inversion stage III caused by poor management of the third stage of labor. It was about a 20 years old primigravida referred in our unit for postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony. After manual reduction of the uterus, the use of intra uterine balloon tamponade helped to stop the hemorrhage. The uterine inversion is a rare complication that may cause maternel death. The diagnosis is clinical and its management must be immediate to avoid maternal complications.Key words: Uterine inversion, postpartum hemorrhage, uterine balloon tamponad

Evaluation of determinants of the use of health mutuals by the population of the Ziguinchor region in Senegal

Access to health services is a concern around the world. Different strategies were developed, but Africa’s rate remains the lowest. This article aims to contribute to the population's access to healthcare, and to assess the determinants of the use of mutual health insurance by the population of the Ziguinchor region in Senegal.    Methods: The study is transversal and descriptive, carried out from July to August 2018. Through the quota method we defined the number of patients to be interviewed. Thus, by a geographic stratification according to the departments and a second-degree stratification taking into account the staff of the different hospital departments, 392 patients were selected.   Results: 73% at the Regional Hospital Center and 27% at the Regional Peace Hospital. Response rate: 97%, women 60% and men 40%. The enrollment for women (24%) is slightly higher than that for men (21%). Socio-economic factors. The rate of adherence is the highest of for patients with university level, followed by high school; income:  the highest rate for patients with a monthly income between 200,000 and 500,000 FCFA, followed by patients with an income monthly between 100,000 and 200,000 FCFA. Factors linked to the provision of care: the rate of Mutual Health Insurance adherence follows distances from patients' homes. Concerning the relation to satisfaction, education, distance and information are more determining than adherence rate.    Recommendations: 1) State: actions on education and distance; 2) Sensitizing the population on mutual health insurance; 3) Urging healthcare providers to reduce waiting times and respect schedules as well as appointments.&nbsp

Insecticidal effects of siliceous sands as preservative for maize and cowpea storage

Siliceous sands were tested in maize and cowpea storage against pests. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the insecticidal activity of two sands applied at increased doses of 1, 2, 3 and 4g/250g of maize and cowpea on Sitophilus zeamais, Callosobruchus maculatus, Prostephanus truncatus and Tribolium castaneum adults. Sands (Diobe1 and 2) were sieved and the two particles sizes retained for the study were 1×1 mm and 0.3×0.3 mm. Untreated plots and Actellic® served as control and the experiment was conducted during one month. Each dose was repeated 4 times. Results revealed a high efficiency of siliceous sand against these four pests with greater efficiency of Diobe1. Mortality of 85% was observed with Diobe 1 against 100% for actellic® and 0% for untreated plots. Emergences progressed inversely to the mortality. Damage and losses reached respectively 25% and 6% with untreated plots. P. truncatus caused nearly 16% of damages and 3% of losses at lower doses. However, with 4g/250g of stored substances (1.6%, w/w), the losses were below 1%. Insects did not show the same sensitivity to treatment and fineness of particles sands inhibits their action as long as the dose increases

Détermination du débit de filtration glomérulaire au cours de la drépanocytose au Sénégal: Schwartz, Cockcroft et Gault, MDRD, CKD-EPI ou JSCCS ?

La détermination du Débit de Filtration Glomérulaire (DFG) est importante chez les drépanocytaires du fait qu’ils constituent un groupe de patients chez lesquels des atteintes rénales sont fréquemment décrites notamment l’hyperfiltration glomérulaire. Dès lors, à une époque où les calculateurs en ligne proposent simultanément différentes formules de détermination du DFG, il serait important d’évaluer au sein d’une population noire africaine drépanocytaire l’équivalence entre ces formules qui ont été développées et validées sur des populations caucasiennes et afro-américaines à DFG normal ou diminué. Ainsi cette étude avait pour but d’évaluer l’interchangeabilité des différentes formules de détermination du DFG en les appliquant à des drépanocytaires. Des enfants et adultes sénégalais drépanocytaires homozygotes ont été alors recrutés et leur DFG calculé. La fréquence de l’hyperfiltration glomérulaire et celle de l’insuffisance rénale ont été calculées à partir des résultats obtenus avec les formules de Schwartz et du CKD-EPI. La concordance des différentes formules a été évaluée avec la méthode Bland-Altman. Au total 56 adultes et 62 enfants ont été inclus dans l’étude. L’insuffisance rénale a été notée chez 1,78% des adultes et 9,68% des enfants ; l’hyperfiltration glomérulaire chez 66,10% des adultes et 25,8% des enfants. Par rapport aux formules de référence (CKD-EPI, Schwartz), tous les biais relevés étaient significativement différents de zéro à l’exception de celui de Cockcroftet Gault qui était statistiquement nul. Les limites de concordance étaient toutes inacceptablement larges par rapport aux limites attendues à l’exception de celles du CKD-EPI sans ajustement sur la race. Ainsi, la formule de Schwartz n’était pas interchangeable avec celle du JSCCS chez les enfants, tout comme celle du CKD-EPI ne l’était pas non plus avec celles du JSCCS, de Cockcroft, du MDRD ou du CKD-EPI sans ajustement sur la race chez les adultes drépanocytaires.   English title: Determination of glomerular filtration rate in sickle cell disease in Senegal: Schwartz, Cockcroft and Gault, MDRD, CKD-EPI or JSCCS? Determination of Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is important in patients living with sickle cell disease (SCD) because they constitute a group of patients where kidney dysfunction is frequently described, in particular glomerular hyperfiltration. Therefore, at a time when online calculators simultaneously propose different formulas to estimate GFR, it would be important to evaluate in a black African population living with SCD the equivalence between these formulas which have been developed and validated on Caucasian and African American populations with normal or decreased GFR. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate interchangeability of different GFR formulas in a group of patients living with SCD. Homozygous Senegalese sickle cell children and adults were then recruited and their GFR computed using Schwartz and JSCCS in children, Cockcroft and Gault, CKD-EPI with and without adjustment for ethnicity, MDRD and JSCCS formulas in adults. The frequency of glomerular hyperfiltration and renal failure was computed based on the results generated using Schwartz and CKD-EPI formulas. The agreement between formulas was assessed with BlandAltman method. A total of 56 adults and 62 children were included in this study. Renal failure was observed in 1.78% of adults and 9.68% of children; glomerular hyperfiltration in 66.10% of adults and 25.8% of children. Compared with reference formulas (CKD-EPI, Schwartz), all biases found were significantly different from zero except for Cockcroft and Gault formula bias, which was statistically zero. The limits of agreement were all unacceptably wide compared with the expected limits with the exception of CKD-EPI without adjustment for ethnicity. Thus, Schwartz formula would not be interchangeable with JSCCS formula in children, nor was the CKD-EPI formula interchangeable with the JSCCS, Cockcroft and Gault, MDRD or CKD-EPI without adjustment for ethnicity formulas in adults living with sickle cell anemia

Reactive community-based self-administered treatment against residual malaria transmission: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Systematic treatment of all individuals living in the same compound of a clinical malaria case may clear asymptomatic infections and possibly reduce malaria transmission, where this is focal. High and sustained coverage is extremely important and requires active community engagement. This study explores a communitybased approach to treating malaria case contacts. Methods/design: This is a cluster-randomized trial to determine whether, in low-transmission areas, treating individuals living in the same compound of a clinical malaria case with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine can reduce parasite carriage and thus residual malaria transmission. Treatment will be administered through the local health system with the approach of encouraging community participation designed and monitored through formative research. The trial goal is to show that this approach can reduce in intervention villages the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection toward the end of the malaria transmission season. Discussion: Adherence and cooperation of the local communities are critical for the success of mass treatment campaigns aimed at reducing malaria transmission. By exploring community perceptions of the changing trends in malaria burden, existing health systems, and reaction to self-administered treatment, this study will develop and adapt a model for community engagement toward malaria elimination that is cost-effective and fits within the existing health system. Trial registration: Clinical trials.gov, NCT02878200. Registered on 25 August 2016

Sensitivity of IFN-γ Release Assay to Detect Latent Tuberculosis Infection Is Retained in HIV-Infected Patients but Dependent on HIV/AIDS Progression

BACKGROUND: Detection and treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI) in HIV infected individuals is strongly recommended to decrease morbidity and mortality in countries with high levels of HIV. OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of a newly developed in-house ELISPOT interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) for the detection of LTBI amongst HIV infected individuals, in comparison with the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: ESAT6/CFP10 (EC) ELISPOT assays were performed, together with a TST, in 285 HIV infected individuals recruited in HIV clinics in Dakar, Senegal, who had no signs of active TB at time of enrolment. Thirty eight of the subjects (13.3%) failed to respond to PHA stimulation and were excluded from the analysis. In the 247 remaining patients, response to PHA did not vary according to CD4 cell count categories (p = 0.51). EC ELISPOT was positive in 125 (50.6%) subjects, while 53 (21.5%) had a positive TST. Concordance between EC ELISPOT and TST was observed in 151 patients (61.1%) (kappa = 0.23). The proportion of subjects with a positive response to the EC ELISPOT assay decreased with declining CD4 counts (p trend = 0.001), but were consistently higher than the proportion of TST responders. In multivariate analysis, the risk of being EC-ELISPOT positive in HIV infected individuals was associated with age, CD4 count and HIV-1 strain. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that IGRAs using M. tuberculosis specific antigens are likely to retain their validity for the diagnosis of LTBI among HIV positive individuals, but may be impaired by T-cell anergy in severely immuno-suppressed individuals