Language, class, and coloniality in medium of instruction projects in the Philippines

This chapter maps out the interplay of social class, neoliberalism, and colonialism in spaces of disconnect and tension between language policy and practice. More specifically, it examines the historical and socio-political conditions of the production of the language policy of a university in the Philippines which aims to elevate the status of Filipino, the national language, by promoting its use as a language of instruction in the university. However, the infrastructures of the admission process, specifically its admission test, sustain the privileging of English as the main language of instruction. Thus, language choices in the classroom continue to privilege the use of English since it serves mainly both the needs of the global market, as well as the needs of “multilingual” students who, despite coming from different parts of the country, are essentially socially privileged, having had access to quality English-medium instruction (EMI) prior to coming to the university. Hence, as access to English is provided through EMI, the dominance of English is all the more perpetuated at the expense of the national language and other local languages. The privileging of English as medium of instruction despite the incorporation of a "nationalist" agenda into language policy reveals how class, neoliberalism, and colonialism come together as conditions which shape language choices in educational settings

The monitoring and evaluation of a multicountry surveillance study, the Severe Typhoid Fever in Africa Program

Background There is limited information on the best practices for monitoring multicountry epidemiological studies. Here, we describe the monitoring and evaluation procedures created for the multicountry Severe Typhoid Fever in Africa (SETA) study. Methods Elements from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommendations on monitoring clinical trials and data quality, respectively were applied in the development of the SETA monitoring plan. The SETA core activities as well as the key data and activities required for the delivery of SETA outcomes were identified. With this information, a list of key monitorable indicators was developed using on-site and centralized monitoring methods, and a dedicated monitoring team was formed. The core activities were monitored on-site in each country at least twice per year and the SETA databases were monitored centrally as a collaborative effort between the International Vaccine Institute and study sites. Monthly reports were generated for key indicators and used to guide risk-based monitoring specific for each country. Results Preliminary results show that monitoring activities have increased compliance with protocol and standard operating procedures. A reduction in blood culture contamination following monitoring field visits in two of the SETA countries are preliminary results of the impact of monitoring activities. Conclusions Current monitoring recommendations applicable to clinical trials and routine surveillance systems can be adapted for monitoring epidemiological studies. Continued monitoring efforts ensure that the procedures are harmonized across sites. Flexibility, ongoing feedback, and team participation yield sustainable solutions.</p

Incidence of typhoid fever in Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, and Nigeria (the Severe Typhoid in Africa programme) : a population-based study

Abstract: Background Typhoid Fever remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low-income settings. The Severe Typhoid in Africa programme was designed to address regional gaps in typhoid burden data and identify populations eligible for interventions using novel typhoid conjugate vaccines. Methods A hybrid design, hospital -based prospective surveillance with population -based health-care utilisation surveys, was implemented in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Patients presenting with fever (>= 375 degrees C axillary or >= 380 degrees C tympanic) or reporting fever for three consecutive days within the previous 7 days were invited to participate. Typhoid fever was ascertained by culture of blood collected upon enrolment. Disease incidence at the population level was estimated using a Bayesian mixture model. Findings 27 866 (338%) of 82 491 participants who met inclusion criteria were recruited. Blood cultures were performed for 27 544 (988%) of enrolled participants. Clinically significant organisms were detected in 2136 (77%) of these cultures, and 346 (162%) Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi were isolated. The overall adjusted incidence per 100 000 person -years of observation was highest in Kavuaya and Nkandu 1, Democratic Republic of the Congo (315, 95% credible interval 254-390). Overall, 46 (164%) of 280 tested isolates showed ciprofloxacin non -susceptibility. Interpretation High disease incidence (ie, >100 per 100 000 person -years of observation) recorded in four countries, the prevalence of typhoid hospitalisations and complicated disease, and the threat of resistant typhoid strains strengthen the need for rapid dispatch and implementation of effective typhoid conjugate vaccines along with measures designed to improve clean water, sanitation, and hygiene practices. Funding The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Copyright (c) 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license