Professional Development Among African Oncologists: Examining Professional Development Activities, Satisfaction Levels, Barriers, and Enablers.

Africa is currently facing unprecedented growth in its cancer burden. Training an adequate number of skilled physicians is critical to addressing this challenge. We examine African oncology faculty's professional development (PD) activities, associated barriers, enablers, satisfaction levels, and highlight the implications for improving the quality of the oncology faculty workforce in SSA.

Community-based snakebite risk mapping for resource prioritisation in Eastern Province, Rwanda.

Background: Snakebite envenoming is a medical emergency that requires rapid access to essential medicines and well-trained personnel. In resource-poor countries, mapping snakebite incidence can help policymakers to make evidence-based decisions for resource prioritisation. This study aimed to characterise the spatial variation in snakebite risk, and in particular to identify areas of relatively high and low risk, in Eastern Province, Rwanda.

Health economics of snakebite envenomation: A sub-Saharan African perspective.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is affected by the high direct and indirect costs of snakebite envenomation. With >30% of global mortality, different economic barriers still exist, and effective strategies must be employed to avert the burden and promote quality of life. With the WHO target of reducing the number of snakebites by one-half by 2030, different aspects concerning snakebite envenomation economics must be evaluated, and potential strategies must be developed.

Snakebite envenomation through a gender intersectionality lens in low- and middle-income countries.

Snakebite envenomation continues to affect lives globally, with >1.2 million envenomations and approximately 120 000 annual mortalities. Unfortunately, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) contribute to >80% of these global statistics.

Clinical presentation and predictors of hospital mortality of diphtheria in Nigeria, July 2023 to April 2024: a single-center study.

Background: Despite recurrent outbreaks of diphtheria in Nigeria, there is a lack of in-depth analysis of hospitalization outcomes. Herein, we describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory features associated with hospitalization outcomes (defined as death or discharge) during the recent diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria.

Methods: This prospective observational study included 246 confirmed diphtheria cases managed in a dedicated isolation ward of a health facility in northwestern Nigeria from July 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024.

Therapeutic potential of Chromolaena odorata, Vernonia amygdalina, and Cymbopogon citratus against pathogenic Bacteria.

Antimicrobial resistance poses a global public health threat, compelling the search for alternative treatments, especially in resource-limited settings. The increasing ineffectiveness of traditional antibiotics has intensified the need to explore medicinal plants as viable therapeutic options. This study sought to compare the efficacy of certain medicinal plants used in Owerri, Nigeria, for treating pathogenic bacteria against traditional commercial antibiotics.

Quality intrapartum care and associated factors in East Africa: multilevel analysis of recent demographic and health survey.

Background: The time during labor and delivery is crucial for the survival of both women and their infants, as complications that occur during this period can significantly increase the risk of morbidity and mortality. In developing nations, women of reproductive age and their infants are still at risk of morbidity and death from complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Morbidity and death from complications of pregnancy and childbirth can be prevented through the utilization of quality care during labor and delivery.

Childhood Vaccinations and Associated Factors in 35 Sub-Saharan African Countries: Secondary Analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys Data from 358 949 Under-5 Children.

. We examined childhood vaccinations coverage and its associated factors in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. .

The Role of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Heart Failure: A Narrative Review.

Introduction: Structural and functional cardiac defects leading to inadequate tissue oxygenation is known as Heart failure (HF) which is characterized by extensive morbidity and mortality. Pathophysiology of HF involves systolic and diastolic dysfunction, neurohormonal dysregulation, and imbalance in inflammatory mediators which complicates treatment further. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an approach used for restoring ventricular synchrony and enhancing mechanical efficiency.

Global surgical simulation education, current practices, and future directions.

The traditional apprenticeship model of "see one, do one, teach one" is no longer considered the most effective approach for training surgical trainees. Key factors such as patient safety, increasing trainee numbers, and clinician workload pose significant challenges to surgical training. These pressures have led to the adoption of simulation-based education as an effective adjunct to clinical experience when training future surgeons.

Short term outcomes of the first pediatric cardiac surgery program in Rwanda.

Background: While the number of cardiac surgery programs in sub-Saharan Africa are increasing, it is still insufficient. With only 0.08 pediatric cardiac surgeons per million people, few cardiac centers routinely perform pediatric cardiac surgery.

The factors associated with teenage pregnancy among young women aged between 15 and 19 years in Rwanda: a retrospective cross-sectional study on the Rwanda Demographic Health Survey 2019-2020.

Background: Teenage pregnancy is a significant public health issue and is strongly associated with risky sexual behaviors such as early sexual initiation, unprotected sex, and multiple sexual partners. According to the 2014 World Health Organization report, 11% of all births worldwide were to teenagers aged 15-19 years, with more than 95% of these pregnancies occurring in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which bears much of this burden. In Rwanda, the prevalence of teenage pregnancy has risen from 4.

Child standardized patients in pediatric OSCEs: a feasibility study for otoscope examination among undergraduate students in Rwanda.

Background: Otoscope examinations are a fundamental skill in pediatric care, crucial for diagnosing and managing ear conditions such as otitis media. Traditional training methods for pediatric otoscopic examination often rely on adult standardized patients (SPs) or simulated models, which may not be adequate for pediatric examinations.

Objectives: This study evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of use of children as SPs in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) to assess medical students' competency in pediatric otoscopy.

Association between e-health literacy and perceived importance of future pandemic preparedness in sub-saharan Africa.

Introduction: Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases continue to pose a severe threat to public health in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and globally. Community-related interventions, such as community e-Health literacy, can contribute to the preparedness to respond effectively to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. This study investigated the relationship between e-Health literacy and SSA countries' perceptions of the importance of readiness for potential pandemics.

Effects of a liquefied petroleum gas stove and fuel intervention on head circumference and length at birth: A multi-country household air pollution intervention network (HAPIN) trial.

Background: Air pollution may impair child growth and cognitive development, with potential markers including birth length and head circumference.

Methods: The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial was an open label multi-country-randomized controlled trial, with 3200 pregnant women aged 18-34 years (9-19 weeks of gestation) randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stove intervention compared to women continuing to cook with solid fuels for 18 months. Particulate matter ≤ 2.

Unintended pregnancy among women living with HIV and its predictors in East Africa, 2024. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: An unintended pregnancy refers to a situation where a pregnancy occurs either when there is no desire for a child (unwanted) or when it takes place at a time that was not anticipated (mistimed). Pregnant women infected with HIV face a two to tenfold increased risk of mortality during both pregnancy and the postpartum period compared to those who are not infected. A national level cohort study has identified that about 70 babies born HIV positive, 60% of them were from unplanned pregnancy.

Evolving Landscape of Sickle Cell Anemia Management in Africa: A Critical Review.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent inherited blood disorder, particularly affecting populations in Africa. This review examined the disease's burden, its diverse clinical presentations, and the challenges associated with its management in African settings. Africa bears a significant burden of SCD, with prevalence varying across countries and age groups.

Evidence-Based Guidance for One Health Preparedness, Prevention, and Response Strategies to Marburg Virus Disease Outbreaks.

Objectives: Marburg virus disease (MVD) is on the WHO list for pandemic-prone pathogens. The current outbreak in Rwanda provides an opportunity to map outbreaks and generate information to inform policymaking, resource mobilization, and guide the implementation of cost-effective response strategies.

Methods: We synthesized available information about MVD to build holistic, up-to-date evidence to inform policymakers, public health leaders, and healthcare and public health services providers in their development and implementation of cost-effective preparedness, prevention, and control measures.

Teenage mothers' perspectives, knowledge, and attitudes toward pregnancy and the utilization of sexual and reproductive health services in the Eastern Province of Rwanda.

Background: Adolescents worldwide engage in sexual activity, with the proportion rising gradually from the middle to late stages of adolescence. The incidence of early sexual initiation among female youth in sub-Saharan Africa is reported to be 46%. The increasing number of teenage pregnancies in Rwanda indicates that adolescents do not correctly use sexual and reproductive health services.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Providing First Aid by Commercial Motorcyclists: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: The mortality and morbidity due to road traffic crashes (RTCs) are increasing drastically world-wide. Poor prehospital care management contributes to dismal patient outcomes, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and self-reported practice (KAP) of providing first aid for RTC victims by commercial motorcyclists.

Undetected circulation of major arboviruses in West Sudan: urging for institutionalizing multisectoral one health strategy for the preparedness, prevention, and control of zoonotic arboviral diseases.

Objectives: Arboviruses pose a significant global health challenge. This study investigated the seroprevalence of major human arboviral infections, including yellow fever (YFV), dengue (DENV), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Rift Valley fever (RVF), West Nile virus (WNV), and chikungunya (CHIK), in Darfur region from September to December 2018. ELISA-IgM was used to detect antibodies.

Access to specialist plastic surgery in rural vs. Urban areas of Africa.

Introduction: Plastic surgery is an essential yet underdeveloped field in many African nations, especially in rural areas. The demand for plastic surgery is increasing, but differences in access to respective services between rural and urban domiciles remain ever existent, despite the exponentiation of trauma, burns, and congenital disorders. According to this review, urban areas have access to better facilities and specialized surgeons, while rural areas frequently lack infrastructure, educated healthcare personnel, and medical resources.

Volition as a modulator of the intergroup empathy bias.

Neural reactions to others' pain are usually lower when the individual is of a different ethnicity than when they are of the same ethnicity. This suggests that empathy is not only an automatic phenomenon but also a motivated one. In the present study, we tested whether one's willingness to increase or decrease empathy would correspondingly increase or decrease the neural empathic response, as measured with electroencephalography (EEG), irrespective of ethnicity.

Whole exome-seq and RNA-seq data reveal unique neoantigen profiles in Kenyan breast cancer patients.

Background: The immune response against tumors relies on distinguishing between self and non-self, the basis of cancer immunotherapy. Neoantigens from somatic mutations are central to many immunotherapeutic strategies and understanding their landscape in breast cancer is crucial for targeted interventions. We aimed to profile neoantigens in Kenyan breast cancer patients using genomic DNA and total RNA from paired tumor and adjacent non-cancerous tissue samples of 23 patients.

"I Haven't Told Other People. I Want to Keep My Dignity": HIV Related Stigma Among the Elderly in Uganda.

Purpose: Numerous studies focus on stigma, HIV disclosure's impact on treatment compliance, especially in younger groups. Limited research exists about older individuals. We therefore explored issues related to disclosure of HIV status and HIV-related stigma in the elderly.