Yield, Physicochemical Properties, and Fatty Acid Profile of Vegetable Oil Extracted From Seed Coats of Soler. Fruits Collected in Chikomba, Zimbabwe.

The study examined Soler. (family LOGANIACEAE) fruit as a potential source of vegetable oil. Ripe fruits collected from a forested site in Zimbabwe were processed to determine the partitioning of fresh and dry fruit biomass.

Maternal socio-economic status determines animal source food consumption of children aged 6-23 months in East African countries: a multilevel mixed-effects generalized linear model.

Background: Nutrient deficiencies in Africa persist due to limited access to animal-source foods, causing a higher undernutrition prevalence, with 30.7% stunted children under five, which is higher than the global average of 22.0%.

Insights into trypanosomiasis transmission: Age, infection rates, and bloodmeal analysis of Glossina fuscipes fuscipes in N.W. Uganda.

Background: Tsetse flies (Glossina) transmit species of Trypanosoma which cause human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) and animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT). Understanding the epidemiology of this disease and controlling the vector rationally requires analysis of the abundance, age structure, infection rates and feeding patterns of tsetse populations.

Methods: We analysed a population of G.

The Pharmacogenomics Global Research Network Implementation Working Group: global collaboration to advance pharmacogenetic implementation.

Pharmacogenetics promises to optimize treatment-related outcomes by informing optimal drug selection and dosing based on an individual's genotype in conjunction with other important clinical factors. Despite significant evidence of genetic associations with drug response, pharmacogenetic testing has not been widely implemented into clinical practice. Among the barriers to broad implementation are limited guidance for how to successfully integrate testing into clinical workflows and limited data on outcomes with pharmacogenetic implementation in clinical practice.

Impact of a national tsetse control programme to eliminate Gambian sleeping sickness in Uganda: a spatiotemporal modelling study.

Introduction: Tsetse flies () transmit , which causes gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT). As part of national efforts to eliminate gHAT as a public health problem, Uganda implemented a large-scale programme of deploying Tiny Targets, which comprise panels of insecticide-treated material which attract and kill tsetse. At its peak, the programme was the largest tsetse control operation in Africa.

Socioeconomic inequality in postnatal care utilisation among reproductive age women in sub-Saharan African countries with high maternal mortality: a decomposition analysis.

Objective: To assess the socioeconomic inequality in postnatal care (PNC) utilisation and its contributors among women in 14 sub-Saharan African countries with high maternal mortality.

Design: Community-based cross-sectional study using Demographic Health Survey SETTING: Africa countries with the highest maternal mortality ratio (14 countries) PARTICIPANTS: All women who had given birth within 2 years prior to the survey (n=64 912) PRIMARY OUTCOMES: Postnatal care utilisation RESULTS: The percentage of women who had PNC utilisation was lowest in Ethiopia (23.4%: 95% CI: 22.

Community pharmacists' knowledge and practices towards antimicrobial stewardship: findings and implications.

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes have been implemented around the world to optimally manage antimicrobial use to attenuate antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study assessed the knowledge and practices of community pharmacists towards AMS strategies in the Lusaka District, Zambia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 194 community pharmacists in the Lusaka district using a structured questionnaire from August 2022 to September 2022.

Closing the equity gap: A call for policy and programmatic reforms to ensure inclusive and effective HIV prevention, treatment and care for persons with disabilities in Eastern and Southern Africa.

In this paper, we explore the critical barriers that persons with disabilities face in accessing HIV services in the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region, despite significant advancements in overall accessibility. We highlight the intersectional challenges experienced by individuals with disabilities, particularly women, and outline a comprehensive approach to bridge the existing gaps in policy and programmatic efforts. Specifically, we aim to address the exclusion of persons with disabilities from essential HIV prevention, treatment, and care services, a situation that has profound implications for their health, social inclusion, and economic productivity.

Diagnostic accuracy of a non-invasive spot-check hemoglobin meter, Masimo Rad-67® pulse CO-Oximeter®, in detection of anemia in antenatal care settings in Kenya.

Background: Point of care hemoglobin meters play key roles in increasing access to anemia screening in antenatal care especially in settings with limited access to laboratories. We aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of a non-invasive spot-check hemoglobin (SpHb) meter, Masimo Rad-67® Pulse CO-Oximeter®, in the diagnosis of anemia in pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics in Kilifi, Kenya.

Methods: This was a diagnostic accuracy study that retrospectively evaluated SpHb against a validated reference standard of laboratory assessed hemoglobin (Lab Hb) by a SYSMEX XN-330 automated hematology analyzer.

Proactive therapeutic drug monitoring of biologic drugs in adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory arthritis, or psoriasis: a clinical practice guideline.

Clinical Question: In adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis), or psoriasis taking biologic drugs, does proactive therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) improve outcomes as compared with standard care?

Context And Current Practice: Standard care for immune mediated inflammatory diseases includes prescribing biologic drugs at pre-determined doses. Dosing may be adjusted reactively, for example with increased disease activity. In proactive TDM, serum drug levels and anti-drug antibodies are measured irrespective of disease activity, and the drug dosing is adjusted to achieve target serum drug levels, usually within pre-specified therapeutic ranges.

Promoting inclusion in urban land use planning using participatory geographic information system (PGIS) techniques: A systematic review.

Participatory Geographical Information Systems (PGIS) fosters equity and inclusivity in urban Land Use Planning (LUP). The rising population, economic development, and environmental changes increase urban LUP complexities. Moreover, the social inequalities existing in most societies create power imbalances in the planning process.

Compatibility of the global lung function 2012 spirometry reference values in children, adolescents and young adults: a systematic review.

Introduction: The Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI 2012) has published multiethnic spirometry reference values. To identify studies that evaluated the compatibility (applicability, validity, representativeness, agreement and/or adequacy) of the reference equations proposed by the GLI 2012 for spirometry tests in different populations.

Methods: Systematic searches were carried out on the PubMed, LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature), Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases.

Patterns of HIV-1 Drug Resistance Observed Through Geospatial Analysis of Routine Diagnostic Testing in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

HIV-1 drug resistance (HIVDR) impedes treatment and control of HIV-1, especially in high-prevalence settings such as KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa. This study merged routine HIV-1 genotypic resistance test (GRT) data with Geographic Information Systems coordinates to assess patterns and geographic distribution of HIVDR in KZN, among ART-experienced adults with virological failure. We curated 3133 GRT records generated between 1 January 2018 and 30 June 2022, which includes the early phase of dolutegravir (DTG) rollout, of which 2735 (87.

Mpox in East Africa: Learning from COVID-19 and Ebola to Strengthen Public Health Responses.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) in Africa. African public health systems have moved to mobilize a response against a backdrop of inherent significant challenges. With this commentary, we discuss how lessons from past public health emergencies, particularly COVID-19 and Ebola outbreaks, have prepared the region for improved disease surveillance, rapid response strategies, and effective public health communication and how these lessons can be applied to the mpox response, emphasizing the importance of strong healthcare infrastructure, effective data sharing, community engagement, targeted interventions, and robust contact tracing.

Treatment Outcomes of Tuberculosis Among Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in Zimbabwe: A Follow-Up Observational Study Using Secondary Data.

In Zimbabwe, artisanal and small-scale miners (ASMs) are a key vulnerable group with high risk for tuberculosis (TB), HIV, and silicosis. The main purpose of this study was to investigate treatment outcomes of TB among ASMs. We conducted a follow-up observational study using secondary data.

Community Engagement and Collaboration between Researchers and Community Stakeholders for Schistosomiasis and Malaria Projects in Ingwavuma, uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal.

Community engagement is a multiphase process that is crucial for successful community-based health interventions. This study investigates the collaborative phase of community engagement, specifically within a co-developed framework implemented in uMkhanyakude District, South Africa. A qualitative case study approach was employed to explore the experiences of key community stakeholders during the collaborative phase of project implementation.

Power, data and social accountability: defining a community-led monitoring model for strengthened health service delivery.

Introduction: Despite international commitment to achieving the end of HIV as a public health threat, progress is off-track and existing gaps have been exacerbated by COVID-19's collision with existing pandemics. Born out of models of political accountability and historical healthcare advocacy led by people living with HIV, community-led monitoring (CLM) of health service delivery holds potential as a social accountability model to increase the accessibility and quality of health systems. However, the effectiveness of the CLM model in strengthening accountability and improving service delivery relies on its alignment with evidence-based principles for social accountability mechanisms.

Milk production and viability of the various smallholder dairying models used in Zimbabwe.

An evaluation of milk yield, dairy products and viability of the smallholder dairy production models used in Zimbabwe was carried out. We used secondary data on 1167 smallholder dairy farmers. These were categorised into commercial dairying (119), Milk collection centre (MCC) bulking and processing (145), MCC bulking and delivering to processor (87), farm gate (468) and other (348) models.

Hoping to Adhere? Examining the Relationship Between Hope and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Willingness, Adherence, and Persistence Among Young Women in South Africa and Zimbabwe (HPTN 082).

Hope is a powerful psychological construct which is linked to positive health. Greater hope is associated with improved antiretroviral therapy adherence; however, less is known about the impact of hope on oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) outcomes. HIV Prevention Trials Network 082, was an open-label PrEP study among young women (ages 16-25) in South Africa and Zimbabwe.