Leveraging digital health systems maturity assessments to guide strategic priorities.

Background: Many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face the daunting task of digitising, maturing and deciding where to invest in digital health systems.

Aim: Describing the facilitators and barriers to conducting digital health maturity assessments and how health leaders can prioritise the assessments.

Setting: eHealth leaders from 10 African countries, working or supporting Ministries of Health's digital health and participating in the eHealth Leaders' Forum from July 2023 to September 2023.

Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Long-Acting Broadly Neutralizing HIV-1 Monoclonal Antibody VRC07523LS in Newborn Infants Exposed to HIV-1.

Background: Vertical HIV-1 transmission despite antiretroviral therapy may be mitigated by use of long-acting, broadly neutralizing, monoclonal antibodies (bNAb) such as VRC07523LS. The present study was designed to determine the safety and pharmacokinetics of VRC07523LS.

Methods: VRC07523LS, 80 mg/dose, was administered subcutaneously after birth to non-breastfed (Cohort 1; N=11, enrolled in USA) and breastfed (Cohort 2; N=11, enrolled in South Africa and Zimbabwe) infants exposed to HIV-1.

Effectiveness of monovalent rotavirus vaccine against hospital-attended rotavirus gastroenteritis among children in Uganda.

Background: The underlying causes for lower rotavirus vaccine effectiveness (VE) in high-child-mortality settings are not well understood. Uganda introduced the human monovalent G1P[8] rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix) in June 2018. We determined the effectiveness of Rotarix against rotavirus diarrhea requiring hospital care among Ugandan children.

Living with psychosis in West and Southeast Africa: SUCCEED Africa's four-country situation analysis.

As part of the formative work of the SUCCEED Africa consortium, we followed a participatory process to identify existing gaps and resources needed for the development and implementation of a rights-based intervention for people with lived experience of psychosis in Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. In 2021, we conducted a desk review of published and grey literature on psychosis in the four SUCCEED countries. Using an adapted version of the PRIME situation analysis template, data were extracted across the five domains of the WHO Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Matrix: health, education, livelihoods, social and empowerment.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in wet market workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2022.

Objectives: We assessed the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and vaccine receipt in a representative sample of wet market workers in a highly dense, low-income setting. Wet markets are key in many Asian settings, including Dhaka, Bangladesh, for fresh food, including animal protein.

Methods: During early 2022, we assessed the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in a random sample of poultry and vegetable workers in 15 wet markets, and investigated associations with socio-demographic characteristics and COVID-19 vaccination.

Stakeholder perspectives to inform the implementation of a community health worker-delivered home management of hypertension intervention in Zimbabwe.

Objective: Implementing evidence-based innovations often fails to translate into meaningful outcomes in practice due to dynamic real-world contextual factors. Identifying these influencing factors is pivotal to implementation success. This study aimed to determine the barriers and facilitators of implementing a community health worker (CHW)-delivered home management of hypertension (HoMHyper) intervention from a stakeholder's perspective using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).

Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic insights of lumpy skin disease in cattle from diverse agro-ecological regions of Punjab, Pakistan.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an emerging, highly contagious transboundary disease of bovines caused by the Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), responsible for substantial economic losses to the dairy, meat, and leather industries in Pakistan as well as various countries around the world. Epidemiological information on LSD is scarce in Punjab, Pakistan. Therefore, a molecular epidemiological study was conducted in two agro-ecologically diverse districts (Bhakkar and Jhang) of Punjab, Pakistan.

Attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health and rights and their associations with reproductive agency: a population-based cross-sectional study in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.

We investigated the association between values and attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender equality, with reproductive agency in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. Using 2020-21 World Values Survey (WVS) data (n = 3,096), we utilized the SRHR Support Index including five subindices to gauge SRHR attitudes, the WVS Equality Index for gender equality values, and the perceived level of freedom of choice and control over whether, when, and how many children to have as a proxy for reproductive agency. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regressions were used to analyse how values and attitudes differed between respondents of high vs low reproductive agency using the median as cutoff, stratified by country and sex.

Habitat sharing and interspecies interactions in caves used by bats in the Republic of Congo.

Bats play key roles in ecosystem functions and provide services to human populations. There is a need to protect bat populations and to mitigate the risks associated with pathogen spillover. Caves are key habitats for many bat species, which use them as roosting and breeding sites.

Genomic analysis of virulent, multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca from bloodstream infections, South Africa.

Unlabelled: The study investigated the resistome, virulome and mobilome of multidrug resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca clinical isolates.

Methods: A total of 46 suspected Klebsiella species (spp.) were collected from blood cultures within the uMgungundlovu District in the KwaZulu-Natal Province.

Collaborative management partnerships strongly decreased deforestation in the most at-risk protected areas in Africa since 2000.

Collaborative management partnerships (CMPs) between state wildlife authorities and nonprofit conservation organizations to manage protected areas (PAs) have been used increasingly across Sub-Saharan Africa since the 2000s. They aim to attract funding, build capacity, and increase the environmental effectiveness of PAs. Our study documents the rise of CMPs, examines their current extent, and measures their effectiveness in protecting habitats.

Clinical and psychosocial context of HIV perinatally infected young mothers in Harare, Zimbabwe: A longitudinal mixed-methods study.

Background: The lives of adolescents and young people living with HIV (LHIV) are dominated by complex psychological and social stressors. These may be more pronounced among those perinatally infected. This longitudinal mixed-methods study describes the clinical and psychosocial challenges faced by HIV perinatally infected young mothers in Harare, Zimbabwe to inform tailored support.

Impact of capacity building through learning, training, and coaching on agricultural innovation.

Successful innovation requires employees to have intellectual and technical capacity. This study explored the effects of capacity building through educational learning, organizational training, and coaching on agricultural innovation. A sample of 142 operational-level agriculture scientists working within a public sector agricultural research organisation in Zimbabwe.

Genome-wide association mapping of bruchid resistance loci in soybean.

Soybean is a globally important industrial, food, and cash crop. Despite its importance in present and future economies, its production is severely hampered by bruchids (Callosobruchus chinensis), a destructive storage insect pest, causing considerable yield losses. Therefore, the identification of genomic regions and candidate genes associated with bruchid resistance in soybean is crucial as it helps breeders to develop new soybean varieties with improved resistance and quality.

Quantifying capacity of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery in Zimbabwe.

Objectives: To evaluate the otolaryngology surgical capacity in Harare, Zimbabwe by analyzing procedural volumes across four hospitals, one private and three public, from 2019 to 2022.

Methods: A retrospective review of hand-written surgical case logs was conducted at Harare Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Institute (HEENT), Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals (PGH), Sally Mugabe Children's Hospital (SMCH), and Sally Mugabe Adult's Hospital (SMAH). Patient age and surgical intervention for all otolaryngology surgeries performed in the operating room from 2019 to 2022 were recorded.

Measuring Stigma in Pediatric Oncology: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Three Global Sites.

Purpose: Stigma contributes to fear and shame, resulting in delays in care-seeking behavior among individuals with cancer. As a social construct, stigma is affected by language, religion, culture, and local norms. This study explored pediatric cancer stigma at the time of diagnosis across diverse settings through the adaptation of two stigma measures.

"We Need Gentleness": Isolation, Loneliness, and Implications for Psychosocial Counseling Among People with HIV who are on Methadone Maintenance Treatment and Experience Common Mental Disorders in Vietnam.

The psychological experiences and needs of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who use methadone maintenance treatment and have common mental disorders in Hanoi, Vietnam remain unknown. Due to limited services for common mental disorders, optimal delivery methods for psychotherapy are also unknown. Accordingly, this qualitive study explored both symptoms of common mental disorders among this population and the preferred qualifications and characteristics of a mental health counselor.

Factors influencing survival outcomes in patients with stroke at three tertiary hospitals in Zimbabwe: A 12-month longitudinal study.

Background: In this longitudinal study, we aimed to determine factors influencing survival outcomes among patients with stroke at three tertiary hospitals over a 12-month period. The investigation sought to uncover influential determinants to enhance the precision of prognostic assessments and inform targeted interventions for individuals affected by stroke.

Methods: Employing a longitudinal study design, participants were observed for 12 months from baseline, censoring survivors at the endpoint.

High Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Poor Sensitivity and Specificity of Screening Algorithms for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Among Female Sex Workers in Zimbabwe: Analysis of Respondent-Driven Sampling Surveys in 3 Communities.

Background: Effective strategies to reduce sexually transmitted infection burden and transmission among female sex workers (FSWs) and their networks are needed. We report sexually transmitted infection prevalence among FSWs in Zimbabwe and investigate the performance of screening algorithms.

Methods: Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) surveys, including blood sampling for syphilis serology, were conducted among FSWs in 3 communities in Zimbabwe in 2017.

The Real-World Effectiveness of Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccines in Zimbabwe During the Omicron Variant Dominance: A Test-Negative Case-Control Study.

Background/objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global health, with varying vaccine effectiveness (VE) across different regions and vaccine platforms. In Africa, where vaccination rates are relatively low, inactivated vaccines like BBIP-CorV (Sinopharm) and Coronovac (Sinovac) have been widely used. This study evaluated the real-world effectiveness of licensed inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in Zimbabwe during a period dominated by Omicron variants.

Global, regional, and national burden of esophageal cancer: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background And Objective: Esophageal cancer (EC) is the seventh most prevalent cancer globally and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. This study aimed to provide an updated stratified assessment of rates in EC incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) from 1990 to 2021 by sex, age, and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) at global, regional, and national levels, as well as to project the future trends of EC both globally and regionally.

Methods: Data about age-standardized rates (ASRs) of incidence (ASIR), mortality (ASDR), probability of death (ASPoD) and DALYs (ASDALYRs) of EC were obtained from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study.

Predictors of physical activity among pregnant women in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The extensive benefits of physical activity (PA) are well known. However, PA participation among pregnant women remains low. This study evaluated PA levels and associated factors, including barriers and facilitators in pregnant women in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Influence of inoculation and phosphorus fertilizer application on phenology, yield components and grain yield of bambara groundnut genotypes.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the parasitic is seriously threatening Bambara groundnuts, farmers to suffer yield losses of up to 100 %. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of phosphorus (P) application and inoculation on Bambara groundnut genotypes for growth and reproductive phrase. The experiment was conducted in 2020 at the Henderson Research Station in Mazowe, Zimbabwe in a 2 × 2 × 26 factorial design with 26 genotypes arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications, two P rates (0 and 20 kg ha-) and two levels of inoculation (with and without ).

Aflatoxin B and fumonisin B exposure and adverse birth outcomes in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women from Harare, Zimbabwe.

Aflatoxin B (AFB1) and fumonisin B (FB1) are toxic secondary products of fungi that frequently contaminate staple crops in resource-limited settings. Antenatal AFB1 and FB1 exposure may cause adverse birth outcomes. We conducted a retrospective substudy nested in a case-control cohort of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women ≥20 weeks gestation from Harare, Zimbabwe.