Knowledge of Obstetric Fistula Prevention amongst Young Women in Urban and Rural Burkina Faso: A Cross-Sectional Study

Obstetric fistula is a sequela of complicated labour, which, if untreated, leaves women handicapped and socially excluded. In Burkina Faso, incidence of obstetric fistula is 6/10,000 cases amongst gynaecological patients, with more patients affected in rural areas. This study aims to evaluate knowledge on obstetric fistula among young women in a health district of Burkina Faso, comparing rural and urban communities. This cross-sectional study employed multi-stage sampling to include 121 women aged 18-20 years residing in urban and rural communities of Boromo health district. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to compare differences between the groups and to identify predictors of observed knowledge levels. Rural women were more likely to be married (p<0.000) and had higher propensity to teenage pregnancy (p=0.006). The survey showed overall poor obstetric fistula awareness (36%). Rural residents were less likely to have adequate preventive knowledge than urban residents [OR=0.35 (95%-CI, 0.16–0.79)]. This effect was only slightly explained by lack of education [OR=0.41 (95%-CI, 0.18–0.93)] and only slightly underestimated due to previous pregnancy [OR=0.27 (95%-CI, 0.09–0.79)]. Media were the most popular source of awareness amongst urban young women in contrast to their rural counterparts (68% vs. 23%). Most rural young women became ‘aware’ through word-of-mouth (68% vs. 14%). All participants agreed that the hospital was safer for emergency obstetric care, but only 11.0% believed they could face pregnancy complications that would require emergency treatment. There is urgent need to increase emphasis on neglected health messages such as the risks of obstetric fistula. In this respect, obstetric fistula prevention programs need to be adapted to local contexts, whether urban or rural, and multi-sectoral efforts need to be exerted to maximise use of other sectoral resources and platforms, including existing routine health services and schools, to ensure sustainability of health literacy efforts

The Impact of Government Health Expenditure on Health Outcomes in Southern Africa

Does government spending on health lead to better health outcomes in southern African countries? Government spending on health in these 10 countries (Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia) is greater than private sector health spending. A need arises to empirically estimate whether government health spending impacts health outcomes more than private spending. Using the fixed-effects regression method, this paper finds that despite more health expenditure by government, it is private health expenditure, in comparison, that impacts health outcomes the most in southern African countries with mixed health systems. The results further show that after controlling for corruption, government health expenditure has no significant effect on life expenditure at birth but considerably improves mortality rates

The Impact of Government Health Expenditure on Health Outcomes in Southern Africa

Does government spending on health lead to better health outcomes in southern African countries? Government spending on health in these 10 countries (Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia) is greater than private sector health spending. A need arises to empirically estimate whether government health spending impacts health outcomes more than private spending. Using the fixed-effects regression method, this paper finds that despite more health expenditure by government, it is private health expenditure, in comparison, that impacts health outcomes the most in southern African countries with mixed health systems. The results further show that after controlling for corruption, government health expenditure has no significant effect on life expenditure at birth but considerably improves mortality rates

Analysing the interplay between business models and sustainable mini-grid ecosystems

Global advancements have been made in improving electricity accessibility, yet persistent challenges remain, particularly in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Distributed Energy Resource (DER) technologies, notably mini-grids, have gained traction as potential solutions to address these challenges. Recent technological innovations have enhanced the feasibility of mini-grid solutions, making them economically viable options for expanding energy access in SSA. This evolution involves diverse stakeholders engaging in various aspects of the value creation process, thereby reshaping the business landscape. The primary objective of this doctoral dissertation is to conduct a comprehensive study on business models in rural mini-grid projects, addressing critical research gaps and providing practical insights for stakeholders. To achieve this, the research seeks to answer key questions: identifying components and considerations in rural microgrid business model design, exploring the economic viability of off-grid systems and methodologies for assessing it, examining the implications of adopting inclusive business models for mini-grid development, and providing an evaluation framework for rural mini-grid ecosystems. The methodology employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. A review of existing literature is conducted to understand theoretical frameworks, key concepts, and research gaps in rural mini-grid business models and community involvement. The key findings highlight various aspects of rural mini-grid projects: identifying key components and considerations in business model design, emphasizing economic viability and methodologies for assessment, and showcasing the economic empowerment potential of inclusive business models for marginalized communities. The implications of these findings provide practical insights and guidance for developers, government agencies, NGOs, and community organizations involved in rural mini-grid projects, facilitating the design of sustainable business models and fostering community involvement

Business model for microgrids in Sub-Saharan Africa rural areas : a case study in Revon C, Namibia

The Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the lowest electricity access rate in the world, and the number is rising due to the rapid population growth. More than half of the region's population lacks electricity, and among those, nearly 80% are living in rural areas. Despite seeing a considerable increase in electrification across the region nearly 530 million people will live without access in 2040. In addition to the most stated challenges of supply and capacity developments, the SSA has multi-dimensional attributing factors for its energy poverty. These factors are mainly linked to the socio-economic fabrics of the region. Distributed energy resources (DERs) are currently perceived as one way of eradicating the energy poverty by lowering the high infrastructure cost, which used to be created by traditional grids systems. To enable deployment of DERs as reliable and sustainable energy resources, a suitable business model is essential. Energy business models can assure a delivery of affordable energy to customers, while creating a revenue and return on investment. In this thesis, different energy business models with a focus on energy access in emerging markets were assessed. Moreover, a case study in an ongoing Fusion Grid pilot project in rural Namibia was analyzed by using business model considerations and Net Present Value (NPV) as a financial viability tool. However, the results suggest that microgrid solutions were more expensive than the existing power supply excluding connection fees, which prompts further for studies regarding the value creation and pricing structure of the Fusion Grid concept

Financial Reporting and Conflicting Managerial Incentives: The Case of Management Buyouts

We analyze the effect of external financing concerns on managers\u27 financial reporting behavior prior to management buyouts (MBOs). Prior studies hypothesize that managers intending to undertake an MBO have an incentive to manage earnings downward to reduce the purchase price. We hypothesize that managers also face a conflicting reporting incentive associated with their efforts to obtain external financing for the MBO and to lower their financing cost. Consistent with our hypothesis, we find that managers who rely the most on external funds to finance their MBOs tend to report less negative abnormal accrual prior to the MBOs. In addition, the relation between external financing and abnormal accruals is tempered when there are more fixed assets that can serve as collateral for debt financing

Application of Taguchi method and artificial neural network model for the prediction of reductive leaching of cobalt(III) from oxidised low-grade ores

The leaching process of cobalt using a wide range of experimental variables is described. The treated cobalt samples were from the Kalumbwe Mine in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In this study, a predictive model of cobalt recovery using both the Taguchi statistical method and an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm was proposed. The Taguchi method utilising a L25&nbsp;(55) orthogonal array and an ANN multi-layer, feed-forward, back-propagation learning algorithm were adopted to optimise the process parameters (acid concentration, leaching time, temperature, percentage solid, and sodium metabisulfite concentration) responsible for the high recovery of cobalt by reducing sulfuric acid leaching. The ANN was built with a neuron in the output layer corresponding to the cobalt leaching recovery, 10 hidden layers, and 5 input variables. The validation of the ANN model was performed with the results of the Taguchi method. The optimised trained neural network depicts the testing data and validation data with R2&nbsp;equal to 1 and 0.5676, respectively.Significance: We statistically investigated the main factors (acid concentration, leaching time, temperature, percentage solid, and sodium metabisulfite concentration) that affect the cobalt(III) leaching performance using both the Taguchi method and artificial neural network model. This allowed us to ascertain that it is indeed possible to leach cobalt(III) from oxide ores and to identify the optimum leaching conditions

PENGARUH LATIHAN SKIPPING TERHADAP KEMAMPUAN UNDER-SHOOT DI SMP NEGERI 5 BENGKULU

Tujuan penelitian ini untuk melihat pengaruh latihan skipping terhadap kemampuan under-shoot bagi siswa tergabung dalam kegiatan ektrakurikuler bola basket di SMP Negeri 5 Kota Bengkulu. Dalam penelitian ini digunakan metode eksperimen. Subjek penelitian ini adalah siswa tergabung dalam kegiatan ektrakurikuler bola basket di SMP Negeri 5 Kota Bengkulu sebanyak 30 orang. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan dalam penelitian adalah lembar observasi dan metode tes siswa. Analisis data yang digunakan nilai adalah (1) Analisis Pre-test dan Post-test, (2) Analisis uji hipotesis terhadap kemampuan under-shoot siswa. Simpulan dari penelitian ini hasil analisis data uji t dalam penelitian eksperimen yang telah dilakukan diperoleh hasil bahwa pada pelaksanaan ektrakurikuler bola basket pada materi under-shoot, diperoleh tahap pertama adalah thitung &gt; dari ttabel yaitu thitung=4,96 &gt; ttabel 2,045 dengan dk=29 pada taraf nyata α =0,05. Dan setelah diberikan latihan dengan menggunakan metode latihan skipping terjadi pengaruh yang signifikan pada kemampuan under-shoot siswa peserta ektrakurikuler bola basket di SMPN 5 Kota Bengkulu dengan nilai thitung= 7,90 dan ttabel = 2,045 dimana thitung 7,90 &gt; dari ttabel 2,045 pada taraf nyata α = 0,05. Dengan demikian hipotesis pada penelitian ada pengaruh latihan skipping terhadap kemampuan under-shoot siswa ekstakurikuler SMPN 5 Kota Bengkulu terbukti dan dapat diterim