Using Human-Centered Design to Bridge Zero-Dose Vaccine Gap: A Case Study of Ilala District in Tanzania.

Immunization plays a substantial role in reducing the under-five mortality rate. However, Tanzania still has a significant number of zero-dose and under-vaccinated children and was ranked among the top ten African countries with the highest numbers of zero-dose children in 2022. The human-centered design (HCD) approach is more ethical and effective at addressing public health challenges in complex sociocultural settings.

Coblation intracapsular tonsillectomy in a paediatric tertiary centre: Revision surgery rates over a nine-year period.

Objectives: Coblation intracapsular tonsillectomy (ICT) is increasingly being used in the paediatric population because of the rapid recovery and low rates of complications associated with it. There is, however, a risk of symptomatic regrowth with this technique. The objective of our study is to establish the rate of, and risks for, revision surgery over time in a major tertiary referral centre with a large cohort of paediatric Coblation ICT cases.

Evaluation of the Universal Salt Iodization (USI) surveillance system in Tanzania, 2022.

Background: The evaluation of surveillance systems has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to identify the performance and areas for improvement. Universal salt iodization (USI) as one of the surveillance systems in Tanzania needs periodic evaluation for its optimal function. This study aimed at evaluating the universal salt iodization (USI) surveillance system in Tanzania from January to December 2021 to find out if the system meets its intended objectives by evaluating its attributes as this was the first evaluation of the USI surveillance system since its establishment in 2010.

Validation of a multidisciplinary virtual reality (VR) robotic surgical curriculum.

The objective is to identify whether trainees demonstrate improvement in a standardized knot-tying task as assessed by Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (GEARS) score after completion of a virtual reality (VR) robotic curriculum. An IRB-exempt prospective study was conducted with surgical trainees from August 2021 to February 2023. Participants initially performed a baseline robotic suturing task in which they were instructed to tie interrupted square knots in 10 min.

Confidence in COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and safety and its effect on vaccine uptake in Tanzania: A community-based cross-sectional study.

COVID-19 is a major public health threat associated with increased disease burden, mortality, and economic loss to countries and communities. Safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccines are key in halting and reversing the pandemic. Low confidence in vaccines has been one of the factors leading to hesitancy.