Diaspora Networks and Identity: Conflict Resolution in the Horn of Africa

The countries in the Horn of Africa have a common history of endemic conflicts and poverty. Since the 1990s, the diaspora generated by these conflicts is believed to be actively participating in efforts toward conflict recovery and long-term development. By means of interviews and qualitative analysis, we examine the identity forming in the diaspora networks linked to the region. We evaluate whether the ideals emerging in these de-territorialised spaces could be promoted as an overarching regional identity in the places of origin to sustain peace and stability. Both the local and the transnational dimensions of such networks are taken into account in order to appreciate the social, cultural, political and economic relations they generate. Findings include evidence of new normative ideals of tolerance, peace, democracy and plurality that are slowly emerging in the young diaspora. While ethnic, clan, gender and religious affiliations continue influencing identity and hinder cohesion, the new ideas that diaspora might bring to the fore support cultural and political integration by problematizing and giving a vocabulary to the discourse of regional identity

Vers la mise en place d'une plateforme IoT d'aide au diagnostic des maladies neuromusculaires via les smartphones comme objets connectés

International audienceActuellement, nous assistons à une croissance considérable de la population mondiale estimée à environ 6 milliards d'habitants. L'une des conséquences de cette dernière est la forte difficulté de l'accès aux soins médicaux de qualité à temps voulu. A ce niveau, nous identifions les maladies neuromusculaires constituant un vrai problème d'handicap chez les deux sujets les plus sensibles de la population, à savoir les personnes âgées et les enfants. Un diagnostic retardé de ces maladies risque de conduire à l'aggravation des symptômes allant jusqu'à la perte définitive de la fonction locomotive et voir même à la mort. La détection des premiers symptômes exige une consultation spécialisée couteuse financièrement et difficile à accéder pour les malades éloignés des grandes structures de santé ou en cas de situation de fragilité. Une des pistes de recherche dans ce cadre serait d'utiliser les Smartphones comme objets connectés du fait qu'ils sont peu couteux, accessibles par la population cible et intégrant de nombreux capteurs et de technologies du mobile et de la communication. Dans cette lignée, notre étude vise à mettre en place une plateforme IoT (Internet of Things en anglais) d'aide au diagnostic des maladies neuromusculaires. La dite-plateforme facilitera et améliorera l'activité professionnelle du médecin en lui accordant la possibilité de procéder à des suivis et la prise en charge des patients à distance. Le processus de consultation médicale sera ainsi beaucoup plus facile et moins couteux. Notre communication portera dans un premier temps sur la mise en situation des exigences fonctionnelles de notre système connecté. Puis nous ferons un tour d'horizon sur l'état de l'art et ses manques par rapport aux spécifications du projet. Enfin, dans un second temps nous décrirons la méthodologie de notre étude et les résultats qui ont suivi chaque étape. La conclusion sera un bilan du travail réalisé jusqu'à présent et fera une ouverture sur des travaux en perspective

HIV Status Disclosure and Retention in Care in HIV-Infected Adolescents on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in West Africa

We assessed the effect of HIV status disclosure on retention in care from initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-infected children aged 10 years or more in Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Sénégal.Multi-centre cohort study within five paediatric clinics participating in the IeDEA West Africa collaboration. HIV-infected patients were included in this study if they met the following inclusion criteria: aged 10-21 years while on ART; having initiated ART ≥ 200 days before the closure date of the clinic database; followed ≥ 15 days from ART initiation in clinics with ≥ 10 adolescents enrolled. Routine follow-up data were merged with those collected through a standardized ad hoc questionnaire on awareness of HIV status. Probability of retention (no death or loss-to-follow-up) was estimated with Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazard model with date of ART initiation as origin and a delayed entry at date of 10th birthday was used to identify factors associated with death or loss-to-follow-up.650 adolescents were available for this analysis. Characteristics at ART initiation were: median age of 10.4 years; median CD4 count of 224 cells/mm³ (47% with severe immunosuppression), 48% CDC stage C/WHO stage 3/4. The median follow-up on ART after the age of 10 was 23.3 months; 187 adolescents (28.8%) knew their HIV status. The overall probability of retention at 36 months after ART initiation was 74.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 70.5-79.0) and was higher for those disclosed compared to those not: adjusted hazard ratio for the risk of being death or loss-to-follow-up = 0.23 (95% CI: 0.13-0.39).About 2/3 of HIV-infected adolescents on ART were not aware of their HIV status in these ART clinics in West Africa but disclosed HIV status improved retention in care. The disclosure process should be thus systematically encouraged and organized in adolescent populations

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

Archèologie et dévelopment : la promotion du tourisme dans la province de la Léraba (Burkina faso)=Archaeology and development : the promotion of tourism in the province of Léraba=Archeologia e sviluppo : la promozione del turismo nella provincia del Léraba.

Burkina Faso is the fifth tourist destination in western Africa. A country enclosed and endowed with few economic resources has decided to make tourism, one of the poles of its development. The province of Léraba is one of the tourist zone of preference of the country, which consists of important archaeological and historic remains, but those making policies aimed at the promotion of tourism do not take this value into account. The goal, of this study, is to bring to recognition these values and the importance of its integration in the policy for the promotion of tourism. By doing this, the study shows, the role which archaeology can play in the development of the country. It draws up the state of management of cultural heritage and tourism in Léraba and it makes, propositions, which would help to promote tourism in the province of Lérab

Type 2 Gaucher\'s disease in a Malian family

Gaucher's disease is a recessive autosomal disorder caused by an inherited deficiency of betaglucocerebrosidase. We report here the case of an 8 month old child, fourth in a family of four children, who presents the neuropathic form of the disease. The dosages of betaglucosidase activity using C14 techniques have confirmed the diagnosis, and allowed the detection of the disease in the elder brother. Both parents were considered as responsible for the transmission of this disease to their progeny. The type 2 Gaucher's disease is rare in black population, and may be associated with phenotypes heterogeneity. African Journal of Health Sciences Vol.11(1&2) 2004: 67-6