scholarly journals Tsetse and trypanosomosis in Africa : the challenges, the opportunities : vector-borne diseases : trypanosomosis

Author(s):  
A.A. Ilemobade

Tsetse-fly and the disease it transmits, trypanosomosis, remain an enormous disease challenge in the 37 countries of sub-Saharan Africa where the impact continues to be manifest in disease burden, increased level of poverty and decreased agricultural productivity. The impact also extends over an estimated 10 million km2 (a third of the African continent) of land area, a third of which contains some well-watered part of the continent, thus denying humans and livestock of potentially rich arable and pastureland.

Author(s):  
Omotomiwa Adenubi ◽  
Omphile Temoso ◽  
Isiaka Abdulaleem

Background: A recent increase in the adoption of mobile phone technology generated a great deal of interest and optimism regarding its effect on economic development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), particularly on the enhancement of agricultural development.Aim: In this study the impact of mobile phone technology on agricultural productivity in SSA is examined.Setting: The empirical assessment uses a panel data set covering 41 countries over a period of 25 years.Methods: We employed an econometric approach and panel data covering 41 countries and a 25 year-period (1990–2014) to investigate the effect of the adoption of mobile phone technology and other socio-economic variables on agricultural total factor productivity (TFP). The use of regression analyses allowed us to estimate and measure the contribution of certain variables to agricultural TFP growth in SSA.Results: The results show that the uptake of mobile phone technology had a positive effect on agricultural TFP growth in SSA.Conclusion: Mobile phone technology has been established to be one of the drivers of agricultural productivity in SSA.Implication: The implications of this study are that governments, NGOs, and businesses working on improving agricultural productivity and food security in SSA need to continue endorsing mobile technology as a means to improve agricultural productivity.


Author(s):  
David Bell ◽  
Kristian Schultz Hansen ◽  
Agnes N. Kiragga ◽  
Andrew Kambugu ◽  
John Kissa ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveCOVID-19 transmission and the public health ‘lock-down’ response are now established in sub-Saharan Africa, including Uganda. Population structure and prior morbidities differ markedly between these countries from those where outbreaks were previously established. We predicted the relative impact of COVID-19 and the response in Uganda to understand whether the benefits could be outweighed by the costs.Design and settingAge-based COVID-19 mortality data from China were applied to the population structures of Uganda and countries with previously established outbreaks, comparing theoretical mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost. Based on recent Ugandan data and theoretical scenarios of programme deterioration, we predicted potential additional disease burden for HIV/AIDS, malaria and maternal mortality.Main outcome measuresDALYs lost and mortality.ResultsBased on population age structure alone Uganda is predicted to have a relatively low COVID-19 burden compared to equivalent transmission in China and Western countries, with mortality and DALYs lost predicted to be 12% and 19% that of Italy. Scenarios of ‘lockdown’ impact predict HIV/AIDS and malaria equivalent to or higher than that of an extensive COVID-19 outbreak. Emerging HIV/AIDS and maternal mortality data indicate that such deterioration could be occurring.ConclusionsThe results predict a relatively low COVID-19 impact on Uganda associated with its young population, with a high risk of negative impact on non-COVID-19 disease burden from a prolonged lockdown response. The results are likely to reflect the situation in other sub-Saharan populations, underlining the importance of tailoring COVID-19 responses to population structure and potential disease vulnerabilities.Transparency statementThe lead author affirms that the manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study being reported; that no important aspects of the study have been omitted; and that there are no discrepancies from the study as originally planned.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-109
Author(s):  
Tebogo B. Sebeelo

The article examines the impact of digital technologies as emerging platforms for social activism in sub-Saharan Africa. Even though the African continent still lags behind in smartphone ownership and internet connectivity compared to other regions of the world, there is enough evidence to suggest that online-based movements have fundamentally transformed political engagement in Africa. This article uses the cases of hashtag activisms #ThisFlag (Zimbabwe) and #RhodesMustFall (South Africa), to demonstrate that social media has accentuated resistance in Africa. Particular attention is directed to the unique ways in which online-based movements have been used to enact resistance. The article provides critical insights into the centrality of context in the discussion of social media efficacy. State response and the promise of social media activism as foci for resistance is further outlined in the article.


Author(s):  
Tayo Alex Adekiya ◽  
Raphael Taiwo Aruleba ◽  
Babatunji Emmanuel Oyinloye ◽  
Kazeem Oare Okosun ◽  
Abidemi Paul Kappo

In the next century, global warming, due to changes in climatic factors, is expected to have an enormous influence on the interactions between pathogens and their hosts. Over the years, the rate at which vector-borne diseases and their transmission dynamics modify and develop has been shown to be highly dependent to a certain extent on changes in temperature and geographical distribution. Schistosomiasis has been recognized as a tropical and neglected vector-borne disease whose rate of infection has been predicted to be elevated worldwide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa; the region currently with the highest proportion of people at risk, due to changes in climate. This review not only suggests the need to develop an efficient and effective model that will predict Schistosoma spp. population dynamics but seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of several current control strategies. The design of a framework model to predict and accommodate the future incidence of schistosomiasis in human population dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa is proposed. The impact of climate change on schistosomiasis transmission as well as the distribution of several freshwater snails responsible for the transmission of Schistosoma parasites in the region is also reviewed. Lastly, this article advocates for modelling several control mechanisms for schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa so as to tackle the re-infection of the disease, even after treating infected people with praziquantel, the first-line treatment drug for schistosomiasis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (10-3) ◽  
pp. 238-246
Author(s):  
Olga Dzhenchakova

The article considers the impact of the colonial past of some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and its effect on their development during the post-colonial period. The negative consequences of the geopolitical legacy of colonialism are shown on the example of three countries: Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Angola, expressed in the emergence of conflicts in these countries based on ethno-cultural, religious and socio-economic contradictions. At the same time, the focus is made on the economic factor and the consequences of the consumer policy of the former metropolises pursuing their mercantile interests were mixed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (S1) ◽  
pp. e25243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Cambiano ◽  
Cheryl C Johnson ◽  
Karin Hatzold ◽  
Fern Terris‐Prestholt ◽  
Hendy Maheswaran ◽  
...  

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