Ghana

BACKGROUND: Due to the rising incidence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, especially in Low-Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), post-partum infections represent a significant treatment challenge. METHODS: We performed a systematic review of the literature from January 2005 to February 2023 to quantify the frequency of maternal post-partum infections due to MDR pathogens in LMICs, focusing on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and/or extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales...

The eggplant fruit and shoot borer (EFSB) is a devastating pest of eggplants ( Solanum aethiopicum L. and Solanum melongena L.) in Ghana, causing significant economic losses. Although initially thought to be the Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee species found in Asia, recent European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization reports suggest its absence in Africa. However, eight Leucinodes species have been recently described in Africa, including two new species, Leucinodes africensis sp. n. and Leucinodes laisalis Walker, which were intercepted in eggplant fruits exported from Ghana to the United Kingdom...

UNLABELLED: This study adds to knowledge by specifically focusing on the dam spillage-induced floods within a fast-urbanising city with weak law enforcement in a developing country. Employing a sequential mixed-method approach, we first selected and analysed data from 120 respondents through a survey and complemented it with key informants residing in the communities affected by flooding. The findings revealed that dramatic ramifications of dam spillage-induced floods disrupt the livelihoods of many individuals in the form of disruption to income-generating activities and substantial property loss...

BACKGROUND: Annually, 5.4 million children under five face mortality, with 2.5 million deaths in the first month, 1.6 million between one and eleven months, and 1.3 million aged one to four. Despite global strides, sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, grapples with persistent high child mortality. This study employs statistical methods to pinpoint factors driving under-five mortality in the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. METHODS: The data was acquired from Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ghana, spanning January to December 2020...

BACKGROUND: Malaria remains a significant global health burden affecting millions of people, children under 5 years and pregnant women being most vulnerable. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed the introduction of RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine as Phase IV implementation evaluation in three countries: Malawi, Kenya and Ghana. Acceptability and factors influencing vaccination coverage in implementing areas is relatively unknown. In Malawi, only 60% of children were fully immunized with malaria vaccine in Nsanje district in 2021, which is below 80% WHO target...

BACKGROUND: Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a neglected tropical disease that usually occurs in rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa. It caused devastating epidemics during the 20th century. Sustained, coordinated efforts by different stakeholders working with national sleeping sickness control programmes (NSSCPs) succeeded in controlling the disease and reducing the number of cases to historically low levels. In 2012, WHO targeted the elimination of the disease as a public health problem by 2020...

INTRODUCTION: Considering the usefulness of mobile health (mHealth) technologies in healthcare delivery in low- and middle-income countries, including Ghana; there is a need to explore healthcare professionals' perspectives on the availability and use of mHealth for disease screening and treatment of patients' conditions. The study's main aim is to explore healthcare professionals' perspectives regarding the availability and use of mHealth applications for disease screening and management at point-of-care in Ghana's Ashanti Region...

Caring for the mentally ill involves numerous challenges, including financial difficulties, stigma, and psychosocial issues, among others. Unpaid family caregivers must endure these challenges as they continue their care for their relatives with mental illness. Despite these burdens and their concomitant effects on both the patients and their caregivers, there is no evidence of this burden in the Bolgatanga municipality. This study explored the burden on family caregivers providing care for mentally ill relatives in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region of Ghana...

BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine coupled with the awareness of the potential risk of Healthcare Workers acquiring Hepatitis B Virus infection, some HCWs never get vaccinated. Generally, hepatitis B vaccination coverage globally is below the expected level as adherence has remained poor in various healthcare settings, especially in developing countries. The objective of this study was to assess the completion of a three-dose Hepatitis B virus vaccination cycle and associated factors among healthcare workers in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana...

The increasingly acute consequences of the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the energy crisis have put industrial policy back. The papers in this issue examine how different countries implement industrial policy for sustainable development from a variety of perspectives. A successful transition to sustainable development seems to require not only the mix of carrots and sticks but also a right mix of creation versus destruction, as in the case of the creation of renewable businesses and the destruction of fossil-fuel businesses...

Fuel station run-off (FSR) and carwash wastewater (CWW) are potential sources of heavy metals contamination in surface waters. High levels of heavy metals can have dire consequences on the ecosystem in receiving waterbodies. Ghanaians demand (and supply) of fuel and vehicle cleaning services has increased sharply with population and economic growth and the trend will continue. In this study, a microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer was used to analyze the levels of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in CWW and FSR from ten fuel stations and ten carwash facilities in the Oforikrom and Ejisu Municipalities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana...

BACKGROUND: The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is a health and social problem. Millions of girls and women have undergone FGM or will soon, and more information is needed to effectively reduce the practice. The aim of this research is to provide an overview of the FGM trendlines, the inequality of its prevalence, and the economic burden. The findings shed light on 30-year trends and the impact of the pandemic on planned efforts to reduce FGM which helps with public health interventions...

BACKGROUND: Intake of a diversified diet is key to the prevention of malnutrition among children as it results in improved intake of energy and micronutrients, which are deemed critical for better nutritional status of children. This study assessed minimum dietary diversity (MDD) and its determinants among children aged 6-23 months in the Sagnarigu Municipality of Ghana. METHODS: This was an analytical cross-sectional study, carried out in the Sagnarigu Municipality, Ghana and involved 369 mother-child pairs selected through a systematic random sampling...

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic unveiled huge challenges in health workforce governance in the context of public health emergencies in Africa. Several countries applied several measures to ensure access to qualified and skilled health workers to respond to the pandemic and provide essential health services. However, there has been limited documentation of these measures. This study was undertaken to examine the health workforce governance strategies applied by 15 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic...

Resistance to insecticides and adaptation to a diverse range of environments present challenges to Anopheles gambiae s.l. mosquito control efforts in sub-Saharan Africa. Whole-genome-sequencing is often employed for identifying the genomic basis underlying adaptation in Anopheles, but remains expensive for large-scale surveys. Reduced coverage whole-genome-sequencing can identify regions of the genome involved in adaptation at a lower cost, but is currently untested in Anopheles mosquitoes. Here, we use reduced coverage WGS to investigate population genetic structure and identify signatures of local adaptation in Anopheles mosquitoes across southern Ghana...

During school closures prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic, educational technology (EdTech) was often used to continue educational provision. In this article, we consider EdTech effectiveness using a holistic framework, and synthesise findings from 10 primary research studies of EdTech interventions conducted in low- and middle-income countries during the pandemic. The framework includes five main lenses: learning outcomes, enhancing equity, implementation context, cost and affordability, and alignment and scale...

BACKGROUND: In West Africa, healers greatly outnumber trained mental health professionals. People with serious mental illness (SMI) are often seen by healers in "prayer camps" where they may also experience human rights abuses. We developed "M&M," an 8-week-long dual-pronged intervention involving (1) a smartphone-delivered toolkit designed to expose healers to brief psychosocial interventions and encourage them to preserve human rights (M-Healer app), and (2) a visiting nurse who provides medications to their patients (Mobile Nurse)...

BACKGROUND: Sub-Saharan Africa is unlikely to achieve sustainable development goal (SDG) 3 on maternal and neonatal health due to perceived sub-standard maternal and newborn care in the region. This paper sought to explore the opinions of stakeholders on intricacies dictating sub-standard emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) in health facilities in Northern Ghana. METHODS: Drawing from a qualitative study design, data were obtained from six focus group discussions (FGDs) among 42 health care providers and 27 in-depth interviews with management members, clients and care takers duly guided by the principle of data saturation...

BACKGROUND: Oral disease poses a significant public health burden for many countries and affects individuals throughout their lifetime, causing pain, disfigurement, impairment of function and reduced quality of life. Among children and adolescents globally, there is a recognized trend of poor oral hygiene, attributed to the accumulation of plaque and calculus deposits that increase with age. This study assessed the knowledge, practice and factors associated with the practice of oral hygiene among Junior High School students (JHS) in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region of Ghana...

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) co-morbidity continues to be a serious worldwide health issue, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies on the quality of life (QOL) of TB/HIV co-infected patients guide stakeholders on the delivery of patient-centred healthcare. This study evaluated QOL of TB/HIV co-infected individuals and its contributing factors. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among TB/HIV co-infected patients, receiving treatment at clinics in the Northern Region of Ghana...