RTS,S/AS01 vaccine defaults in Ghana: a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of defaulters and frontline health service providers.

Background: While Ghana has a good track record in the Expanded Programme on Immunization, there are substantial challenges with regards to subsequent vaccinations, particularly after the first year of life of the child. Given that the last dose of the RTS, S/AS01 vaccine against malaria is administered at 24 months, there is a high likelihood of default. Hence, it is imperative to understand the dynamics and reasons for the defaults to enable the development of effective implementation strategies.

Assessing Changes in Surgical Site Infections and Antibiotic Use among Caesarean Section and Herniorrhaphy Patients at a Regional Hospital in Sierra Leone Following Operational Research in 2021.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major public health threat to the success of surgery. This study assessed changes in SSIs and use of antibiotics among caesarean section (CS) and herniorrhaphy patients at a regional hospital in Sierra Leone following operational research. This was a comparative before and after study using routine hospital data.

Barriers to tuberculosis treatment adherence in high-burden tuberculosis settings in Ashanti region, Ghana: a qualitative study from patient's perspective.

Background: Despite having an effective community-based Directly Observed Therapy Short-course (DOTS) strategy for tuberculosis (TB) care, treatment adherence has been a major challenge in many developing countries including Ghana. Poor adherence results in discontinuity of treatment and leads to adverse treatment outcomes which pose an increased risk of drug resistance. This study explored barriers to TB treatment adherence and recommended potential patient-centered strategies to improve treatment adherence in two high-burden TB settings in the Ashanti region of Ghana.

Capacity building through comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship: an approach for translating knowledge into practice.

Background: Implementation research (IR) is increasingly gaining popularity as the act of carrying an intention into effect. It is thus an important approach to addressing individual practices, policies, programmes and other technologies to solving public health problems. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to experience public health problems which could be addressed using implementation research.

Snakebite case management: a cohort study in Northwest Ethiopia, 2012-2020.

Introduction: Timely and appropriate management of snakebites in the tropics is a lifesaver. Many snakebite patients are being bitten in remote rural areas and do not manage to get in due time to healthcare facilities. This study assessed the clinical features and the risk factors associated with treatment outcomes of snakebite patients admitted at two hospitals in the Northwest of Ethiopia.

Mycetoma patients in Ethiopia: case series from Boru Meda Hospital.

Introduction: Mycetoma is a chronic infection that can affect the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and bone. Although Ethiopia is in the so-called mycetoma belt, very little has been published about the disease in Ethiopia. There are no data about mycetoma in Ethiopia yet.

Abate application practices in the Guinea worm endemic region of Gambella, Ethiopia: identification of elimination gaps.

Introduction: Guinea worm disease is caused by Dracunculus medinensis. Transmission of the disease depends on vectors (copepods). Abate applications in targeted water sources to control copepod is the main intervention.

Slit-skin smear for the classification of leprosy; are we wasting time and resource?

Introduction: Leprosy is a chronic neglected tropical disease, classified into two groups: multibacillary (MB) and paucibacillary (PB) leprosy based on the number of skin lesions and nerve involvement. A positive skin slit smear (SSS) result automatically puts a patient in the MB category. Although guidelines do not recommend routine use of SSS for classification and diagnosis of leprosy, it is performed for most patients in Ethiopia.

Appropriateness of Antibiotic Prescribing for Acute Conjunctivitis: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Specialist Eye Hospital in Ghana, 2021.

Most presentations of conjunctivitis are acute. Studies show that uncomplicated cases resolve within 14 days without medication. However, antibiotic prescription remains standard practice.

Increasing Antimicrobial Resistance in Surgical Wards at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda, from 2014 to 2018-Cause for Concern?

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) are major global public health challenges in our time. This study provides a broader and updated overview of AMR trends in surgical wards of Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) between 2014 and 2018. Laboratory data on the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of bacterial isolates from 428 patient samples were available.

Incorporating operational research in programmes funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in four sub-Saharan African countries.

Background: The current study builds upon a previous situation analysis of the extent to which grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) are being utilized to support operational research and implementation research (OR/IR) activities in recipient countries. The objective of this follow-up study was to identify approaches and pathways to implement an OR component into grants to the Global Fund, in four sub-Saharan African countries. Special focus was given to the Structured Operational Research and Training IniTiative (SORT IT).

Does mass drug administration affect Schistosoma mansoni infection trends in West Dembia district, Northwest Ethiopia?

Introduction: Schistosomiasis is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases in Ethiopia. Since 2015, yearly school-based mass drug administration (MDA) using praziquantel has become the major control strategy. This study aimed to assess trends of Schistosoma mansoni infection in a high-endemic area in Northwest Ethiopia.

Trends and seasonal patterns in intestinal parasites diagnosed in primary health facilities in Northwest Ethiopia.

Introduction: Intestinal parasites have an insidious impact on human health. In response to high parasite frequencies in Northwest Ethiopia, mass drug administration (MDA) is provided for school children using albendazole/mebendazole (since 2007) and praziquantel (since 2015). The study objective was to assess trends and seasonal patterns of intestinal parasite infections in a context of MDA.

Roll Back Malaria and the new partnership for Africa's development: is there potential for synergistic collaboration in partnerships?

This synopsis seeks to highlight and promote the enormous potential that exists between these two initiatives that seek to address closely related issues and targeting the same populations at risk within a fairly well defined geographical setting. It also attempts to argue that malaria control, just like HIV-AIDS control, be given high priority in the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) health agenda, as current statistics indicate that malaria is again on the rise. While much attention and billions of dollars have rightly been given to HIV-AIDS research, treatment and prevention, malaria, and not AIDS, is the region's leading cause of morbidity and mortality for children under the age of five years.

Multiple synergistic interactions between atovaquone and antifolates against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro: a rational basis for combination therapy.

The use of synergistic drug combinations for the treatment of drug-resistant malaria is a major strategy to slow the selection and spread of Plasmodium falciparum resistant strains. In order to investigate synergistic compounds, with different modes of action, as alternative candidates for combination therapy, we used standard in vitro P. falciparum cultures and an established synergy testing method to define interactions among dapsone (DDS), atovaquone (ATQ), chlorproguanil (CPG) and its triazine metabolite chlorcycloguanil (CCG).