Disregard of neurological impairments associated with neglected tropical diseases in Africa

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect people in the bottom billion poorest in the world. These diseases are concentrated in rural areas, conflict zones and urban slums in Africa and other tropical areas. While the World Health Organization recognizes seventeen priority NTDs, the list of conditions present in Africa and elsewhere that are eligible to be classified as NTDs is much longer. Although NTDs are generally marginalized, their associated neurological burden has been almost completely disregarded. However, reports indicate that trichuriasis, schistosomiasis and hookworm infection, among others, cause impairments in memory and cognition, negatively affecting school attendance rates and educational performance particularly among children, as well as agricultural productivity among adults. Consequently, the neurological impairments have substantial influence on education and economic productivity, thus aggravating and perpetuating poverty in affected societies. However, inadequate research, policy and public health attention has been paid to the neurological burdens associated with NTDs. In order to appropriately address these burdens, we recommend the development of policy interventions that focus on the following areas: (i) the introduction of training programs to develop the capacity of scientists and clinicians in research, diagnostic and treatment approaches (ii) the establishment of competitive research grant schemes to fund cutting-edge research into these neurological impairments, and (iii) the development of public health interventions to improve community awareness of the NTD-associated neurological problems, possibly enhancing disease prevention and expediting treatment

Peer to Peer Deaf Multiliteracies:Towards a Sustainable Approach to Education in Ghana

In Ghana as many other countries in the global South, many children and young people are marginalized in education. From a pilot project we had learnt from our work in India that an approach based on “real literacies”, in which links are made to authentic literacies in the environment, with teaching and support by deaf peer tutors and deaf research assistants, was fruitful. That pilot also included consultations with the deaf community in Ghana. The project reported upon here, “Peer to peer deaf multiliteracies: research into a sustainable approach to education of Deaf children and young adults in developing countries “ (P2PDML) extended the principles to include young children as well as adults and was reconceptualised upon the richer foundation of multiliteracies, embracing available semiotic repertoires and means of learning. This paper presents three multimodal vignettes which illustrate the dynamic combinations of modes utilized in effective pedagogic activities and gives a flavour of the project’s approaches to peer tutoring and documentation of activities. Finally, in line with the conference theme, “The power and possibilities for the public good when researchers and organizational stakeholders collaborate” we also report on our engagement with significant stakeholders

Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium africanum in Ghana

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium africanum comprises two phylogenetic lineages within the M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and is an important cause of human tuberculosis (TB) in West Africa. The reasons for this geographic restriction of M. africanum remain unclear. Here, we performed a prospective study to explore associations between the characteristics of TB patients and the MTBC lineages circulating in Ghana. METHOD: We genotyped 1,211 MTBC isolates recovered from pulmonary TB patients recruited between 2012 and 2014 using single nucleotide polymorphism typing and spoligotyping. Associations between patient and pathogen variables were assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 1,211 MTBC isolates analysed, 71.9 % (871) belonged to Lineage 4; 12.6 % (152) to Lineage 5 (also known as M. africanum West-Africa 1), 9.2 % (112) to Lineage 6 (also known as M. africanum West-Africa 2) and 0.6 % (7) to Mycobacterium bovis. Univariate analysis revealed that Lineage 6 strains were less likely to be isoniazid resistant compared to other strains (odds ratio = 0.25, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.05-0.77, P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that Lineage 5 was significantly more common in patients from the Ewe ethnic group (adjusted odds ratio (adjOR): 2.79; 95 % CI: 1.47-5.29, P < 0.001) and Lineage 6 more likely to be found among HIV-co-infected TB patients (adjOR = 2.2; 95 % confidence interval (CI: 1.32-3.7, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm the importance of M. africanum in Ghana and highlight the need to differentiate between Lineage 5 and Lineage 6, as these lineages differ in associated patient variables

Zero malaria: a mirage or reality for populations of sub-Saharan Africa in health transition

The global burden of malaria continues to be a significant public health concern. Despite advances made in therapeutics for malaria, there continues to be high morbidity and mortality associated with this infectious disease. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the most affected by the disease, but unfortunately the region is burdened with indigent health systems. With the recent increase in lifestyle diseases, the region is currently in a health transition, complicating the situation by posing a double challenge to the already ailing health sector. In answer to the continuous challenge of malaria, the African Union has started a "zero malaria starts with me” campaign that seeks to personalize malaria prevention and bring it down to the grass-root level. This review discusses the contribution of sub-Saharan Africa, whose population is in a health transition, to malaria elimination. In addition, the review explores the challenges that health systems in these countries face, that may hinder the attainment of a zero-malaria goal

From traditional roots to digital bytes: Can digitalizing ESG improves Ghanaian rural banks’ brand equity through stakeholder engagement, and customer loyalty?

AbstractThis study examines the impact of Digitalized Environmental, Social, and Governance (DESG) practices on rural banks in Ghana, focusing on their relationship with stakeholder engagement, customer loyalty, brand equity, and financial performance. The study collected data from 724 respondents, including bank customers and officials. The study finds that DESG practices directly and positively affect rural banks’ brand equity using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Additionally, stakeholder engagement indirectly and positively mediates the relationship between DESG and brand equity. Meanwhile, customer loyalty significantly mediates DESG and brand equity, and the combination of stakeholder engagement and customer loyalty jointly and significantly mediates the relationship between DESG and brand equity. Furthermore, DESG and brand equity indirectly and significantly impact rural banks’ financial performance during the study. These results underscore the essential role of digitalizing ESG practices in enhancing banks’ brand equity and overall performance. As a result, the study recommends that rural banks invest in digital infrastructure and platforms to enable effective stakeholder engagement, customer loyalty programs, and ESG reporting

Comparative Quality Evaluation of Selected Brands of Cefuroxime Axetil Tablets Marketed in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

The ever-growing commercialization of poor-quality and substandard medicines, especially anti-infectives characterized by inadequate postmarket surveillance by stakeholders remains a major global health challenge, particularly in developing countries, where antibiotic drug resistance and its repercussions on human health remain dominant. This research sought to evaluate the pharmaceutical quality of six randomly selected brands of cefuroxime axetil tablets (250 mg) marketed in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. The selected brands were coded and subjected to both compendial and noncompendial tests. Statistical analysis and model-independent parameter (similarity factor, f2) were employed in analyzing the dissolution profiles of all the brands. All brands including the reference brand conformed to the pharmacopeial specifications for both compendial and noncompendial tests, indicating that they were of good quality. However, there were significant variations (p 50 indicating similarity of their drug release profiles with the innovator. Hence, all the sampled cefuroxime axetil brands can be considered as pharmaceutical equivalents to the innovator drug. These brands can, therefore, be used as a substitute for the innovator drug by physicians to patients in cases of unaffordability or unavailability of the innovator brand

Additional file 2: Table S2. of Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium africanum in Ghana

Genotyping profile of 1211 MTBC isolates from Ghana. (DOC 577 kb

Additional file 1: Table S1. of Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium africanum in Ghana

Interpretation of MTBDRplus results with specific mutations. (DOC 43 kb