Development and implementation of a nutrition education programme for school-going adolescents in the context of double burden of malnutrition: a narrative essay.

The early prevention of non-communicable diseases in Cameroon schools program was initiated in 2018 to address the alarming trend of obesity among adolescents through a nutrition education intervention aimed at increasing knowledge on nutrition and the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity. The program included: school surveys to document eating habits and health-risky behaviors in students, the development of a training curriculum, training and sensitization sessions for school staff, school vendors and students, and advocacy meetings with parliamentarians and mayors. We carried out a quasi-experimental study to assess the effect of the intervention on the student's knowledge and eating behavior three months after the training sessions.

Gestational diabetes mellitus in Cameroon: prevalence, risk factors and screening strategies.

Background: The burden of gestational diabetes (GDM) and the optimal screening strategies in African populations are yet to be determined. We assessed the prevalence of GDM and the performance of various screening tests in a Cameroonian population.

Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study involving the screening of 983 women at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy for GDM using serial tests, including fasting plasma (FPG), random blood glucose (RBG), a 1-hour 50g glucose challenge test (GCT), and standard 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Doxycycline vs Hydroxychloroquine + Azithromycin in the Management of COVID-19 Patients: An Open-Label Randomized Clinical Trial in Sub-Saharan Africa (DOXYCOV).

Objective We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of a doxycycline-based regimen against Cameroon National Standard Guidelines (hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin) for the treatment of mild symptomatic COVID-19. Methods We conducted an open-label, randomized, non-inferiority trial in Cameroon comparing doxycycline 100 mg, twice daily for seven days versus hydroxychloroquine 400 mg daily for five days and azithromycin 500 mg at day 1 and 250 mg from day 2 through 5 in mild COVID-19 patients. Clinical recovery, biological parameters, and adverse events were assessed.

Mapping regional cooperation of state actors for health research systems in Africa: A social network analysis.

Regional bodies can potentially play an important role in improving health research in Africa. This study analyses the network of African state-based regional organisations for health research and assesses their potential relationship with national health research performance metrics. After cataloguing organisations and their membership, we conducted a social network analysis to determine key network attributes of national governments' connections via regional organisations supporting functions of health research systems.

The Roles of Regional Organisations in Strengthening Health Research Systems in Africa: Activities, Gaps, and Future Perspectives.

Background: Regional cooperation on health in Africa is not new. The institutional landscape of regional cooperation for health and health research, however, has seen important changes. Recent health emergencies have focussed regional bodies' attention on supporting aspects of national health preparedness and response.

Teenage childbearing and school dropout in a sample of 18,791 single mothers in Cameroon.

Background: Adolescent childbearing increases the risk of adverse health and social consequences including school dropout (SDO). However, it remains unclear why some teenage mothers drop out of school and others do not, especially in sub-Saharan Africa settings. We aimed to investigate the background and behavioral characteristics of single mothers, associated with school dropout in a sample of 18,791 Cameroonian girls, who had their first child during adolescence.

Measuring health science research and development in Africa: mapping the available data.

Background: In recent years there have been calls to strengthen health sciences research capacity in African countries. This capacity can contribute to improvements in health, social welfare and poverty reduction through domestic application of research findings; it is increasingly seen as critical to pandemic preparedness and response. Developing research infrastructure and performance may reduce national economies' reliance on primary commodity and agricultural production, as countries strive to develop knowledge-based economies to help drive macroeconomic growth.

Governance of health research in four eastern and southern African countries.

Background: Health research governance is an essential function of national health research systems. Yet many African countries have not developed strong health research governance structures and processes. This paper presents a comparative analysis of national health research governance in Botswana, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia, where health sciences research production is well established relative to some others in the region and continues to grow.

[Health research in Madagascar: state-of-the-art, challenges and perspectives].

The evolution and contemporary challenges of health research (HR) in Madagascar are poorly documented. We aim to gain insights on the factors that shape Madagascar's National Health Research System (NHRS) to better understand their influence. We conducted a qualitative case study, which included a documentary review and semi-structured interviews with 38 key informants.

Beyond the metrics of health research performance in African countries.

While it is important to be able to evaluate and measure a country's performance in health research (HR), HR systems are complex and multifaceted in nature. As such, attempts at measurement can suffer several limitations which risk leading to inadequate indices or representations. In this study, we critically review common indicators of HR capacity and performance and explore their strengths and limitations.

Improving access to HbA1c in sub-Saharan Africa (IA3) cohort: cohort profile.

Introduction: Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) is the best surrogate of average blood glucose control in diabetic patients, and lowering HbA1c significantly reduces diabetes complications. Moreover, immediate feedback of HbA1c measurement to patients may improve control. However, HbA1c is unavailable in most parts of Africa, a continent with one of the highest burden of diabetes.

Driving under the influence of alcohol in professional drivers in Cameroon.

Background: Professional drivers play a pivotal role in transporting people and goods in Cameroon. Alcohol misuse is frequent in Cameroon, but its impact on professional drivers has never been studied. This study assessed driving under the influence of alcohol and its correlates in professional drivers in Cameroon.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Overweight and Obesity among Children Aged 6-59 Months in Cameroon: A Multistage, Stratified Cluster Sampling Nationwide Survey.

Background: Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children (<5 years) in Cameroon, based on weight-for-height index, has doubled between 1991 and 2006. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of overweight and obesity among children aged 6 months to 5 years in Cameroon in 2011.

Study of the effect of altitude on the measurement of glycated haemoglobin using point-of-care instruments.

We measured the glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels of a total of 24 non-diabetic volunteers and diabetic patients using a point-of-care (POC) analyser in three Cameroonian cities at different altitudes. Although 12 to 25% of duplicates had more than 0.5% (8 mmol/mol) difference across the sites, HbA1c values correlated significantly (r = 0.

Poor glycemic control in type 2 diabetes in the South of the Sahara: the issue of limited access to an HbA1c test.

Background: Management of type 2 diabetes remains a challenge in Africa. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of poor glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes living in sub-Saharan.

Patients And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 1267 people (61% women) with type 2 diabetes (mean age 58 years) recruited across health facilities in Cameroon and Guinea.

Fasting insulin sensitivity indices are not better than routine clinical variables at predicting insulin sensitivity among Black Africans: a clamp study in sub-Saharan Africans.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the predictive utility of common fasting insulin sensitivity indices, and non-laboratory surrogates [BMI, waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)] in sub-Saharan Africans without diabetes.

Methods: We measured fasting glucose and insulin, and glucose uptake during 80/mU/m2/min euglycemic clamp in 87 Cameroonians (51 men) aged (SD) 34.6 (11.

Hazard perception at high- and low-risk road sites: a pilot study of interurban roads in Pakistan and Cameroon.

Objectives: Interurban roads account for a significant proportion of traffic deaths in developing countries. In this pilot study, hazard perceptions of interurban road sites involved in ≥3 injury road traffic crashes were compared with those not involved in road traffic crashes on the same road sections.

Settings: Karachi-Hala (Pakistan) and Yaoundé-Douala (Cameroon) road sections were the main study settings.

Situational factors associated with road traffic crashes: a case-control study on the Yaoundé-Douala road section, Cameroon.

Our aim was to identify situational factors associated with road traffic crash sites on a heavy traffic 243 km road section in Cameroon. We conducted a case-control study on Yaounde-Douala road section. Cases were sites where an injury crash was reported to one of the 13 police stations on this road section over a period from 2004 to 2007.

Road traffic crashes on the Yaoundé-Douala road section, Cameroon.

Objective: Developing countries account for more than 85% of all road traffic deaths in the world. Our aims were to estimate road morbidity and mortality and to describe the main characteristics of road traffic crashes on a heavy traffic road section in Cameroon.

Methods: We conducted a study of police reports of the 2004-2007 period retrieved from the 13 police stations in charge of the 243 km Yaoundé-Douala road section in Cameroon.

Effect of HSV-2 serostatus on acquisition of HIV by young men: results of a longitudinal study in Orange Farm, South Africa.

Background: The objectives of this study were to assess the impact among young men of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) status on the acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and on the protective effect of male circumcision against HIV acquisition.

Methods: We used data collected during a male circumcision trial conducted in Orange Farm, South Africa. We estimated adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for HIV acquisition, using survival analysis and background characteristics, HSV-2 status, male circumcision status, and sexual behavior as covariates.

Effect of male circumcision on the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus in young men: results of a randomized controlled trial conducted in Orange Farm, South Africa.

Background: A causal association links high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) and cervical cancer, which is a major public health problem. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between male circumcision (MC) and the prevalence of HR-HPV among young men.

Methods: We used data from a MC trial conducted in Orange Farm, South Africa, among men aged 18-24 years.

Randomized, controlled intervention trial of male circumcision for reduction of HIV infection risk: the ANRS 1265 Trial.

Background: Observational studies suggest that male circumcision may provide protection against HIV-1 infection. A randomized, controlled intervention trial was conducted in a general population of South Africa to test this hypothesis.

Methods And Findings: A total of 3,274 uncircumcised men, aged 18-24 y, were randomized to a control or an intervention group with follow-up visits at months 3, 12, and 21.