Understanding abortion-related complications in health facilities: Results from WHO multicountry survey on abortion (MCS-A) across 11 sub-Saharan African countries
Introduction Complications due to unsafe abortions are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in many sub-Saharan African countries. We aimed to characterise abortion-related complication severity, describe their management, and to report women’s experience of abortion care in Africa. Methods A cross-sectional study was implemented in 210 health facilities across 11 sub-Saharan African countries. Data […]
COVID-19 Preventive Practices, Psychological Distress, and Reported Barriers to Healthcare Access during the Pandemic among Adult Community Members in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Phone Survey
The COVID-19 pandemic has had serious negative health and economic impacts in sub-Saharan Africa. Continuous monitoring of these impacts is crucial to formulate interventions to minimize the consequences of COVID-19. This study surveyed 2,829 adults in urban and rural sites among five sub-Saharan African countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Ghana. Participants completed a […]
Does Birth Interval Matter in Under-Five Mortality? Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys from Eight Countries in West Africa
In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), every 1 in 12 children under five dies every year compared with 1 in 147 children in the high-income regions. Studies have shown an association between birth intervals and pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight, preterm birth, and intrauterine growth restriction. In this study, we examined the association between birth […]
Vaccination coverage and factors associated with adherence to the vaccination schedule in young children of a rural area in Burkina Faso
Background: Vaccination is an important tool for reducing infectious disease morbidity and mortality. In the past, less than 80% of children 12–23 months of age were fully immunized in Burkina Faso. Objectives: To describe coverage and assess factors associated with adherence to the vaccination schedule in rural area Burkina Faso. Methods: The study population was extracted […]
Poor supply chain management and stock-outs of point-of-care diagnostic tests in Upper East Region’s primary healthcare clinics, Ghana
Introduction Several supply chain components are important to sustain point-of-care (POC) testing services in rural settings. To evaluate the availability of POC diagnostic tests in rural Ghana’s primary healthcare (PHC) clinics, we conducted an audit of the supply chain management for POC diagnostic services in rural Upper East Region’s (UER) PHC clinics, Ghana to determine […]
Effects of antenatal care visits and health facility delivery on women’s choice to circumcise their daughters in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from demographic and health surveys
BACKGROUND: This study examines the association between maternal healthcare service utilisation and circumcision of daughters in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). METHODS: This study is based on a cross-sectional study design that draws on analysis of pooled data from current demographic and health surveys conducted between 2010 and 2019 in 12 countries in SSA. Both bivariate and […]
Effect of integrating maternal and child health services, nutrition and family planning services on postpartum family planning uptake at 6 months post-partum in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Niger: a quasi-experimental study protocol
Background: Although several interventions integrating maternal, neonatal, child health and nutrition with family planning have been implemented and tested, there is still limited evidence on their effectiveness to guide program efforts and policy action on health services integration. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a service delivery model integrating maternal and child health […]
Beyond political will: unpacking the drivers of (non) health reforms in sub-Saharan Africa
Background Lack of political will is frequently invoked as a rhetorical tool to explain the gap between commitment and action for health reforms in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the concept remains vague, ill defined and risks being used as a scapegoat to actually examine what shapes reforms in a given context, and what to do […]
Formula-Feeding of HIV-Exposed Uninfected African Children Is Associated with Faster Growth in Length during the First 6 Months of Life in the Kesho Bora Study
Background: Early feeding patterns may affect the growth of HIV-exposed children and thus their subsequent health and cognition.Objective: We assessed the association of infant feeding (IF) mode with length-for-age z score (LAZ) and stunting from age 2 d to 18 mo in HIV-exposed African children within a controlled randomized trial, which evaluated triple antiretrovirals initiated […]
Decomposing the educational inequalities in the factors associated with severe acute malnutrition among under-five children in low- And middle-income countries
Background: Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) have remained plagued with the burden of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The decomposition of the educational inequalities in SAM across individual, household and neighbourhood characteristics in LMIC has not been explored. This study aims to decompose educational-related inequalities in the development of SAM among under-five children in LMIC and […]
