Use of Iris Scanning for Biometric Recognition of Healthy Adults Participating in an Ebola Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: A partnership between the University of Antwerp and the University of Kinshasa implemented the EBOVAC3 clinical trial with an Ebola vaccine regimen administered to health care provider participants in Tshuapa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This randomized controlled trial was part of an Ebola outbreak preparedness initiative financed through Innovative Medicines Initiative-European Union. The EBOVAC3 clinical trial used iris scan technology to identify all health care provider participants enrolled in the vaccine trial, to ensure that the right participant received the right vaccine at the right visit.

Effect of Family Planning Counseling After Delivery on Contraceptive Use at 24 Weeks Postpartum in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Introduction Unintended pregnancy during the postpartum period is common. The aim of this study was to describe contraceptive use among postpartum women and assess whether family planning counseling offered by health care providers during well-baby clinic visits increased use of modern contraceptive methods at 6 months following delivery. Methods Data comes from a cohort of women enrolled in a breastfeeding promotion trial in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo who reported being sexually active at 24-weeks post-partum.

Implementation of Steps 1-9 to Successful Breastfeeding Reduces the Frequency of Mild and Severe Episodes of Diarrhea and Respiratory Tract Infection Among 0-6 Month Infants in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Introduction: Global initiatives to improve breastfeeding practices have focused on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of implementing Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) steps 1-9 and BFHI steps 1-10 on incidence of diarrhea and respiratory illnesses in the first 6 months of life.

Methods: We reanalyzed a cluster randomized trial in which health-care clinics in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, were randomly assigned to standard care (control group), BFHI steps 1-9, or BFHI steps 1-10.

Vaccination Coverage and Timelines Among Children 0-6 Months in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Objectives The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) is one of the ten countries, which accounts for 60% of unvaccinated children worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess predictors of incomplete and untimely immunization among a cohort of infants recruited at birth and followed up through 24 weeks in Kinshasa. Methods Complete immunization for each vaccine was defined as receiving all the recommended doses.

Exclusive Breastfeeding and Clinical Malaria Risk in 6-Month-Old Infants: A Cross-Sectional Study from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months of life. However, the effect of EBF on malaria risk remains unclear. In the present study, 137 EBF infants and 358 non-EBF infants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo were assessed for fever and malaria infections by polymerase chain reaction, at 6 months of age.

Sociocultural determinants of anticipated oral cholera vaccine acceptance in three African settings: a meta-analytic approach.

Background: Controlling cholera remains a significant challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa. In areas where access to safe water and sanitation are limited, oral cholera vaccine (OCV) can save lives. Establishment of a global stockpile for OCV reflects increasing priority for use of cholera vaccines in endemic settings.

Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding programme to promote early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding in DR Congo: a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

Background: Optimisation of breastfeeding practices could reduce high mortality rates in children younger than 5 years, but in DR Congo, despite near-universal breastfeeding initiation and nine of ten children still breastfeeding at 1 year of age, exclusivity remains a difficulty. We assessed the effect on breastfeeding outcomes of a short-cut implementation of a programme called the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the key component of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI).

Methods: We did a cluster-randomised controlled trial and randomly assigned health-care clinics in Kinshasa, DR Congo, to standard care (control group), BFHI steps 1-9 (steps 1-9 group), or BFHI steps 1-9 plus additional support during well-child visits (steps 1-10 group) with computer-generated random numbers used to assign matched pairs to study groups.

Comparing sociocultural features of cholera in three endemic African settings.

Background: Cholera mainly affects developing countries where safe water supply and sanitation infrastructure are often rudimentary. Sub-Saharan Africa is a cholera hotspot. Effective cholera control requires not only a professional assessment, but also consideration of community-based priorities.

Sociocultural determinants of anticipated vaccine acceptance for acute watery diarrhea in early childhood in Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rotavirus and oral cholera vaccines have the potential to reduce diarrhea-related child mortality in low-income settings and are recommended by the World Health Organization. Uptake of vaccination depends on community support, and is based on local priorities. This study investigates local perceptions of acute watery diarrhea in childhood and anticipated vaccine acceptance in two sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

[The perceptions of adolescents and young people of sexual and reproductive health in the Democratic Republic of Congo].

Adolescents and young people have specific concerns about issues related to sexual and reproductive health. The purpose of this study, conducted in an urban setting of the DRC, was to identify the needs and perceptions of adolescents and young people in the area of sexual and reproductive health with a view to informing policy. This paper presents the results of a qualitative study using focus groups conducted in three cities of the DRC (Kinshasa, Goma and Matadi).

Local perceptions of cholera and anticipated vaccine acceptance in Katanga province, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background: In regions where access to clean water and the provision of a sanitary infrastructure has not been sustainable, cholera continues to pose an important public health burden. Although oral cholera vaccines (OCV) are effective means to complement classical cholera control efforts, still relatively little is known about their acceptability in targeted communities. Clarification of vaccine acceptability prior to the introduction of a new vaccine provides important information for future policy and planning.