Outcome mapping on the move : using ICT to assess changes in behaviour towards ICT

French version available in IDRC Digital Library: Cartographie des incidences sur le terrain : l'utilisation des TIC pour évaluer les changements de comportement à l'égard des TICSpanish version available in IDRC Digital Library: Mapeo de alcances en acción : usando las TIC para evaluar cambios de comportamiento hacia las TICThis study tracks healthcare workers’ use of PDA’s, and their usefulness in project feedback and evaluation. Outcome Mapping was used to track the uptake and effective use of new communication technologies among health workers. But the handheld computers, or PDAs, also helped support Outcome Mapping: just as they were crucial for inputting and sending health-related data, they were also used to experiment with, and improve monitoring activities for the project. By uploading Outcome Mapping monitoring journals and related questionnaires on their PDAs, health workers were able to track their own and other boundary partners changes in behaviour regarding these new communication technologies

Mapeo de alcances en acción : usando las TIC para evaluar cambios de comportamiento hacia las TIC

Versión en inglés disponible en la Biblioteca Digital del IDRC: Outcome mapping on the move : using ICT to assess changes in behaviour towards ICTVersión francés en la biblioteca: Cartographie des incidences sur le terrain : l’utilisation des TIC pour évaluer les changements de comportement à l’égard des TI

Cartographie des incidences sur le terrain : l'utilisation des TIC pour évaluer les changements de comportement à l'égard des TIC

Version anglaise disponible dans la Bibliothèque numérique du CRDI: Outcome mapping on the move : using ICT to assess changes in behaviour towards ICTVersion espagnole disponible dans la Bibliothèque numérique du CRDI: Mapeo de alcances en acción : usando las TIC para evaluar cambios de comportamiento hacia las TI

Climate change adaptation and ICT

Key recommendations include expanding observational networks and human resources of the Uganda National Meteorological Authority to support: generation of subcounty-specific seasonal forecasts and agricultural advisories; strengthening district-level governance for streamlining climate change adaptation activities; enhancing the Climate Change Department’s e-Library with localized climate change content; engaging mobile network operators to co-finance expansion of a climate information system; increasing the role of agricultural research organizations; and conducting further research to assess ways for scaling up ICT-based climate and agricultural information services. Research indicated that the use of timely and locally relevant information reduced smallholders’ crop losses by 6% to 37%

Detection of Leishmania Antigen from Buccal Swabs in Kala-azar Patients Using KATEX Method

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar is a chronic protozoan infection in humans that is fatal unless treated and is associated with significant global morbidity and mortality. Confirmation of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) diagnosis requires microscopic examination to visualize the causative agent Leishmania Donovani usually in spleen or bone marrow aspirate. Tissue aspiration is invasive, potentially risky and require skilled personnel. KATEX (Kalon biologicals) antigen test for VL in buccal swabs has not been evaluated locally and could offer a significant advantage in screening patients suspected of VL.  Method: A cross sectional study was conducted after receiving approval from KEMRI SERU. We obtained buccal swabs from patients presenting at Kimalel Health Centre, Baringo County, Kenya from VL cases and controls. VL was defined as patients meeting VL case definition with positive splenic aspirate microscopy while endemic controls were defined as patients presenting to the health center with no fever and no prior history of Kala azar but living in VL endemic. Latex agglutination based test (KATEX) was used to detect parasite antigen in buccal swabs. It was a proof of principle study carried out to explore the ability to use KATEX, a simple non-invasive diagnostic test to detect leishmania antigens in buccal swabs, determine the ability of the kit to detect leishmania antigens in buccal cells of kala-azar patients and compare the sensitivity and specificity of KATEX - buccal assay using microscopy as the gold standard. Results: 88 patients were analyzed, including 44 VL and 44 non-VL patients. The median age of VL patients was 18 years with predominance of males (68.2%). None of the tested VL patients were co-infected with HIV. KATEX kit was able to detect visceral leishmaniasis antigens from the buccal swabs giving a sensitivity of (81.8%; 95%CI: 67.3% to 91.8%, specificity of (79.5%; 95%CI: 64.7 –90.2%), Positive predictive value n= 36(80.0%); 95%CI: 65.4% to 90.4% and Negative predictive values n = 35(81.4%); 95% CI: 66.6% to 91.6%. Conclusion and Recommendation: Buccal swab test assay using KATEX is an easy test to perform and promising non-invasive based antigen detection test which may be useful for screening kala-azar patients and could be applied in the diagnosis of VL. It is a functional assay that warrants a larger study with a larger sample size for the purpose of evaluating the utility of the test in diagnosing visceral leishmaniasis. There is dire need to identify non-invasive, less risky and field adapted point of care diagnostics for VL. Keywords: Kala-azar; Visceral Leishmaniasis; Diagnosis; KATEX; Latex; Buccal swab antigen detection

Improving access to climate-related information for adaptation

French version available in IDRC Digital Library: Amélioration de l'accès à des renseignements sur le climat aux fins d'adaptationIn sub-Saharan Africa, inadequate capacity to collect, analyze and disseminate climate-related information, combined with poor farmer knowledge and skills in using such information, are a significant constraint to productive farming. In response, IDRC research is using information and communication technologies to support more timely, accurate and localized weather forecasting, and building scientific understanding of climate change impacts at local level

Amélioration de l'accès à des renseignements sur le climat aux fins d'adaptation

Version anglaise disponible dans la Bibliothèque numérique du CRDI : Improving access to climate-related information for adaptationEn Afrique subsaharienne, la faiblesse des capacités de collecte, d’analyse et de diffusion des données climatiques, combinée aux connaissances et aux compétences inadéquates des agriculteurs à l’égard de l’utilisation de tels renseignements, représente une contrainte importante à la productivité de l’agriculture. En réponse à ce constat, les activités de recherche du CRDI utilisent des technologies de l’information et de la communication pour appuyer des prévisions météorologiques plus opportunes, plus précises et localisées et renforcent la compréhension scientifique des répercussions des changements climatiques à l’échelle locale

Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for water adaptation in Uganda

The Climate Change Adaptation and ICT (CHAI) project developed an information and communication system employing a mix of technologies to facilitate gathering, storing, analyzing, and sharing climate and weather-related data from fixed weather stations and market outlets. Drought is the major hazard, and communities suffer from severe water shortages for domestic and agricultural use. The project disseminated localized seasonal forecasts, weekly local livestock and crop market data, low-cost rainwater harvesting techniques, and drought and flood coping mechanisms. Short message service (SMS) broadcasts were targeted to specific farmer groups, community leaders, district technical officers, and politicians from local councils

Haematological and Biochemical Reference Values for Healthy Adults in the Middle Belt of Ghana

BACKGROUND: Reference values are very important in clinical management of patients, screening participants for enrollment into clinical trials and for monitoring the onset of adverse events during these trials. The aim of this was to establish gender-specific haematological and biochemical reference values for healthy adults in the central part of Ghana. METHODS: A total of 691 adults between 18 and 59 years resident in the Kintampo North Municipality and South District in the central part of Ghana were randomly selected using the Kintampo Health and Demographic Surveillance System and enrolled in this cross-sectional survey. Out of these, 625 adults made up of 316 males and 309 females were assessed by a clinician to be healthy. Median values and nonparametric 95% reference values for 16 haematology and 22 biochemistry parameters were determined for this population based on the Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute guidelines. Values established in this study were compared with the Caucasian values being used currently by our laboratory as reference values and also with data from other African and western countries. RESULTS: REFERENCE VALUES ESTABLISHED INCLUDE: haemoglobin 113-164 g/L for males and 88-144 g/L for females; total white blood cell count 3.4-9.2 × 10(9)/L; platelet count 88-352 × 10(9)/L for males and 89-403 × 10(9)/L for females; alanine aminotransferase 8-54 U/L for males and 6-51 U/L for females; creatinine 56-119 µmol/L for males and 53-106 µmol/L for females. Using the haematological reference values based on the package inserts would have screened out up to 53% of potential trial participants and up to 25% of the population using the biochemical parameters. CONCLUSION: We have established a panel of locally relevant reference parameters for commonly used haematological and biochemical tests. This is important as it will help in the interpretation of laboratory results both for clinical management of patients and safety monitoring during a trial

Reference Ranges for the Clinical Laboratory Derived from a Rural Population in Kericho, Kenya

The conduct of Phase I/II HIV vaccine trials internationally necessitates the development of region-specific clinical reference ranges for trial enrolment and participant monitoring. A population based cohort of adults in Kericho, Kenya, a potential vaccine trial site, allowed development of clinical laboratory reference ranges. Lymphocyte immunophenotyping was performed on 1293 HIV seronegative study participants. Hematology and clinical chemistry were performed on up to 1541 cohort enrollees. The ratio of males to females was 1.9∶1. Means, medians and 95% reference ranges were calculated and compared with those from other nations. The median CD4+ T cell count for the group was 810 cells/µl. There were significant gender differences for both red and white blood cell parameters. Kenyan subjects had lower median hemoglobin concentrations (9.5 g/dL; range 6.7–11.1) and neutrophil counts (1850 cells/µl; range 914–4715) compared to North Americans. Kenyan clinical chemistry reference ranges were comparable to those from the USA, with the exception of the upper limits for bilirubin and blood urea nitrogen, which were 2.3-fold higher and 1.5-fold lower, respectively. This study is the first to assess clinical reference ranges for a highland community in Kenya and highlights the need to define clinical laboratory ranges from the national community not only for clinical research but also care and treatment