Mobile technology for community health in Ghana: Is maternal messaging and provider use of technology cost-effective in improving maternal and child health outcomes at scale?
Background: Mobile technologies are emerging as tools to enhance health service delivery systems and empower clients to improve maternal, newborn, and child health. Limited evidence exists on the value for money of mobile health (mHealth) programs in low- and middle-income countries. Objective: This study aims to forecast the incremental cost-effectiveness of the Mobile Technology for […]
Identifying and characterising health policy and system-relevant documents in Uganda: A scoping review to develop a framework for the development of a one-stop shop
Background: Health policymakers in low- and middle-income countries continue to face difficulties in accessing and using research evidence for decision-making. This study aimed to identify and provide a refined categorisation of the policy documents necessary for building the content of a one-stop shop for documents relevant to health policy and systems in Uganda. The on-line […]
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine given shortly after birth stimulates effective antibody concentrations and primes immunological memory for sustained infant protection
Background.In developing countries, newborn immunization with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) could protect young infants who are at high risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) but might lead to immune tolerance.Methods.In a randomized trial, young infants received 7-valent PCV at 6, 10, and 14 weeks (Expanded Programme on Immunization [EPI] group) or 0, 10, and 14 […]
Life-course of atopy and allergy-related disease events in tropical sub-Saharan Africa: A birth cohort study
Background: In high-income countries, allergy-related diseases (ARDs) follow a typical sequence, the ‘Atopic March’. Little is known about the life-course of ARDs in the markedly different, low-income, tropical environment. We describe ARDs in a tropical, African birth cohort. Methods: Ugandan children were followed from birth to 9 years. ISAAC questionnaires were completed at intervals; doctor-diagnosed ARDs […]
CHAT SA: Modification of a Public Engagement Tool for Priority Setting for a South African Rural Context
Background: Globally, as countries move towards universal health coverage (UHC), public participation in decision-making is particularly valuable to inform difficult decisions about priority setting and resource allocation. In South Africa (SA), which is moving towards UHC, public participation in decision-making is entrenched in policy documents yet practical applications are lacking. Engagement methods that are deliberative […]
Fertility outcomes following obstetric fistula repair: A prospective cohort study
Background: Obstetric fistula (OF) is a maternal morbidity associated with high rates of stillbirth, amenorrhea, and sexual dysfunction. Limited data exists on the reproductive outcomes of women in the years following a fistula repair. The objective of this study is to describe the fertility outcomes and family planning practices in a population of Malawian women […]
Factors associated with COVID-19 infections and mortality in Africa: A cross-sectional study using publicly available data
Introduction The current COVID-19 pandemic is a global threat. This elicits questions on the level of preparedness and capacity of health systems to respond to emergencies relative to other parts of the world. Methods This cross-sectional study uses publicly available core health data for 53 African countries to determine risk factors for cumulative COVID-19 deaths […]
Assessment of measles immunity among infants in Maputo City, Mozambique
Background. The optimum age for measles vaccination varies from country to country and thus a standardized vaccination schedule is controversial. While the increase in measles vaccination coverage has produced significant changes in the epidemiology of infection, vaccination schedules have not been adjusted. Instead, measures to cut wild-type virus transmission through mass vaccination campaigns have been […]
Experiences of women enrolled in a prevention of mother to child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus infection programme in Zimbabwe
Background: Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programmes have been reported to reduce the rate of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection by 30%-40% during pregnancy and childbirth. The PMTCT transmission is achieved by offering HIV prophylaxis or initiating antiretrovirals to pregnant women who test HIV positive. Being aware of the experiences of these women […]
Medicinal plants used among pregnant women in a tertiary teaching hospital in Jimma, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study
Objective The aim of this study was to investigate and describe the use of medicinal plants during pregnancy among women admitted in the Maternity and Gynaecology wards at Jimma University Medical Centre (JUMC) in the southwest Ethiopia. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Maternity and Gynaecology wards at JUMC. Participants 1117 hospitalised pregnant women or postpartum women. […]
