ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Professional development perspectives on Global Citizenship Education in Ghana

Background: Increasingly incorporated into curricula worldwide, Global Citizenship Education (GCE) is a complex and evolving area of education. As the significance of GCE in the classroom grows, so does the need for insight into professional development for GCE educators. Given that many approaches to GCE have typically stemmed from ‘global North’ contexts, it is particularly important to research this area from ‘global South’ perspectives. This paper contributes by reporting on a study conducted in an initial teacher education setting in Ghana. Purpose: The study aimed to investigate prospective teachers’ viewpoints on GCE. It sought to explore aspects including how pre service teachers understood the orientation, meaning and rele vance of GCE teaching and their views on the debates surrounding GCE’s underlying approaches and values. Methods: Participants were 16 pre-service teachers who had taken GCE courses during their degree programmes at a university in Ghana. Data were collected through three focus group discussions and analysed qualitatively. Findings: In-depth analysis of the rich data suggested that partici pants had generally positive perceptions about GCE, whilst obser ving challenges and tension in the relationships between local, national and global issues. Whereas some were of the opinion that GCE had a neocolonial orientation, focusing on Western ele ments over other cultures, others expressed the view that GCE content could be reoriented to address local issues as well. Although participants felt that greater practical experience could strengthen their learning, they believed they had obtained ade quate skills in terms of content and theory for the teaching of GCE. Conclusion: The study draws attention to the need for educators to be supported from an early stage and throughout their career journeys with professional development in GCE that invites explora tion, critical thinking and challenge.

Source: UG
Professional education and subsequent careers: a followup study of former students of the Department of Library and Archival Studies, University of Ghana, Legon

This survey collected information on the careers and views of former students of the graduate diploma programme in library studies at the University of Ghana. The finding are compared with results of an earlier study. The results showed, among others, that the library profession in Ghana is still male dominated, and also there is rising rate of unemployment among professional librarians. As in the case of the previous study, there are suggestions for a review of the programme of the library school.

Source: UG
Professionalizing legal drafting in Commonwealth Africa: Training for administrators in the civil service

This article explores the process of professionalizing legal drafting in Commonwealth Africa. It is argued that, in view of the centralized drafting system, the linguistic skill of the legal drafter must be complemented by the skill of the administrative or departmental officials to provide policy and substantive inputs in the drafting of Bills. The object of this article is to draw attention to the need for the systematic training of administrators so as to prepare them effectively for their role of contributing the legislative policy and the substantive input in the legal drafting process, especially as regards the formulation of accurate drafting instructions.

Source: UG
Profile of adverse events in patients receiving treatment for malaria in urban Ghana: A cohort-event monitoring study

Background: Antimalarial treatment strategies have changed much in the last 15 years, resulting in an increased variety of medicines available. Active pharmacovigilance methods are important for continued safety surveillance of these medicines, particularly in environments in which there is variability in treatments prescribed and limited confirmatory diagnostic capacity as well as limited ability of spontaneous reporting pharmacovigilance systems to generate much needed safety information quickly and efficiently. Objective: Our objective was to use the cohort-event monitoring (CEM) technique to gather drug utilization and adverse event data for patients prescribed antimalarial medicines in an outpatient setting. Methods: The characteristics of a large urban African cohort of outpatients (n = 2,831) receiving antimalarial medications are described. The cohort was actively surveyed over the subsequent week to record adverse events, using follow-up phone calls, paper reports, and/or voluntary return clinic visits. Adverse events reported in the cohort were analysed overall and by clinically relevant age and medication groupings. Results: At least one event was reported in 29.4 % of patients. Adverse events were more likely to be reported in subjects older than 12 years of age, and by patients prescribed an artesunate-amodiaquine combination. A range of adverse events were reported, the most frequent higher level terms being asthenic conditions (10.1 % of total cohort), neurological signs and symptoms (4.5 %), headaches (3.1 %), appetite disorders (2.1 %), and disturbances in consciousness (1.6 %). There were three reports of possible extrapyramidal events (two cases of tremor "hand and back shaking all over" and one case of tongue protrusion), which may appear to be related to combinations including amodiaquine and an artemisinin. Conclusion: The CEM methodology is a useful tool for monitoring the safety of widely available and utilized medicines, particularly in an urban environment where spontaneous reporting yields poor results and where the availability of various regimens and high levels of medicine usage can give valuable 'real-life' safety data. The types and frequencies of events reported reflected the types of events expected in patients prescribed antimalarials and nearly all events reported are listed in the summary of product characteristics of the medicines involved. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.

Source: UG
Profile of cancer patients¿ seen at Korle Bu teaching hospital in Ghana (A cancer registry review)

Abstract Background Though cancer has become a major source of morbidity and mortality globally, few countries in Sub Saharan Africa have data on cancer incidence. This study aims to describe the profile of cancers seen at the Korle Bu teaching hospital which is a major referral centre in Ghana for cancers and other health conditions.Data for the study was obtained from the cancer registry of the hospital and covered the period from January 2012 to December 2012. The public health unit actively collects data on all cancer cases presenting to any department/unit of the hospital to feed the cancer registry. Results A total of 1136 patients with cancer were studied. Their ages ranged from 1 year to 92 years with a mean of 52.3&#8201;&#177;&#8201;15.9 years and a median of 54 years. Patients were predominantly female (70.2%) and majority had attained secondary level of education or higher. The most prevalent cancers seen in men were those of prostate, pharynx and colorectal while in the females, the corresponding cancers were breast, cervix and uterus. Conclusions Breast and prostate cancers were the commonest among females and males respectively who presented with cancer at the Korle Bu teaching hospital in 2012.

Source: UG
Profile Of Outer Membrane Proteins Of Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli In Ghana.

Objective Carbapenem resistance is a major global health threat, but insights on its molecular determinants are scanty in sub-Saharan Africa, the predominant global antimicrobial resistance hotspot. This study aimed to profile outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of 111 carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria recovered from a broad spectrum of clinical specimens from Ghana. Results The OMPs of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produced decreased amounts of OprD or the porin was completely lost, except in 5.9% (n=3) of the isolates which had high-level porins. For Acinetobacter baumannii, 96.8% (n=30) expressed loss of OprF. One carbapenemase non-PCR-positive isolate with high-level porin expression was observed. In A. baumannii, the major and significant band on SDS-PAGE was ~35 kDa. There were substantial numbers of unrelated porin expression among the isolates. Particularly, OmpC/F or OmpK35/37 expression was deficient. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and other Enterobacterales had OmpC and OmpF absent or markedly reduced compared to the control strains. Overall, porin loss was a major mechanism underlying carbapenem resistance among the isolates, suggesting that in carbapenem-resistant organisms that seem to lack known carbapenem resistance genes, porin loss may be the underlying carbapenem resistance mechanism.

Source: UG
Profile of women with abortion complications in Ghana.

A cross-sectional study of 150 women was performed at the gynaecology department of the Korle-BuTeaching Hospital to describe the characteristics of patients with complications of induced or spontaneous abortions, and to find out the reasons behind induced abortions. In all, 31% of the study sample presented with complications of induced abortions. This group was younger, of lower parity, more educated, with lower economic potential, in less stable relationships and with a higher knowledge of modern contraceptive methods than the group with spontaneous abortions. The chief reason for procuring an induced abortion was the presence of relationship problems with the subject's partner. We conclude that measures to prevent induced abortions and their subsequent problems will yield major results if directed at women in their early 20s with at least primary education, no children, low economic potential, not in a stable relationship and who have had a previous induced abortion.

Source: UG
Profile: The Dodowa HDSS

The Dodowa Health and Demographic Surveillance System (DHDSS) operates in the south-eastern part of Ghana. It was established in 2005 after an initial attempt in 2003 by the Dodowa Health Research Centre (DHRC) to have an accurate population base for piloting a community health insurance scheme.As at 2010, the DHDSS had registered 111 976 residents in 22 767 households. The district is fairly rural, with scattered settlements. Information on pregnancies, births, deaths, migration and marriages using household registration books administered by trained fieldworkers is obtained biannually. Education, immunization status and household socioeconomic measures are obtained annually and verbal autopsies (VA) are conducted on all deaths. Community key informants (CKI) complement the work of field staff by notifying the field office of events that occur after a fieldworker has left a community.The centre has very close working relationships with the district health directorate and the local government authority.The DHDSS subscribes to the INDEPTH data-sharing policy and in addition, contractual arrangements are made with various institutions on specific data-sharing issues. © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

Source: UG
Profiling household double and triple burden of malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: prevalence and influencing household factors

Objective: Undernutrition and anaemia (the commonest micronutrient deficiency), continue to remain prevalent and persistent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) alongside a rising prevalence of overweight and obesity. However, there has been little research on the co-existence of all three conditions in the same household in recent years. The current study examines the co-existence and correlates of the different conditions of household burden of malnutrition in the same household across SSA. Setting: The study involved twenty-three countries across SSA who conducted Demographic and Health Surveys between 2008 and 2017. Participants: The analytical sample includes 145 020 households with valid data on the nutritional status of women and children pairs (i.e. women of reproductive age; 15–49 years and children under 5 years). Design: Logistic regression analyses were used to determine household correlates of household burden of malnutrition. Results: Anaemia was the most common form of household burden of malnutrition, affecting about seven out of ten households. Double and triple burden of malnutrition, though less common, was also found to be present in 8 and 5 % of the households, respectively. The age of the household head, location of the house hold, access to improved toilet facilities and household wealth status were found to be associated with various conditions of household burden of malnutrition. Conclusions: The findings of the current study reveal that both double and triple burden of malnutrition is of public health concern in SSA, thus nutrition and health interventions in SSA must not be skewed towards addressing undernutrition only but also address overweight/obesity and anaemia.

Source: UG
Profiling Mycobacterium ulcerans: sporulation, survival strategy and response to environmental factors

Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of Buruli ulcer – a necrotizing skin infection. As an environmental pathogen, it has developed stress response mechanisms for survival. Similar to endospore formation in M. marinum, it is likely that M. ulcerans employs sporulation mechanisms for its survival and transmission. In this review, we modeled possible transmission routes and patterns of M. ulcerans from the environment to its host. We provided insights into the evolution of M. ulcerans and its genomic profiles. We discuss reservoirs of M. ulcerans as an environmental pathogen and its environmental survival. We comprehensively discuss sporulation as a possible stress response mechanism and modelled endospore formation in M. ulcerans. At last, we highlighted sporulation associated markers, which upon expression trigger endospore formation.

Source: UG
Profit efficiency of layer production in Ghana

This study assesses profit efficiency and its determinants of intensive housing system of layer production in Ghana. A normalized translog stochastic profit frontier model is employed using cross-sectional data of 300 layer producers in nine districts of Brong Ahafo and Greater Accra regions. The results show that the costs of feed and labour are the most significant factors negatively affecting the profit levels of layer producers. All the input variables respond positively to layer output. Layer producers are about 54% profit efficient and characterized by increasing returns to scale. However, training in poultry farming, farmer-based organization membership, pro vision of extension service, gender, experience, housing type and mortality rate are the key factors that signif icantly explain the variations in profit efficiency. The study concludes that on average, layer producers are operating with profit gap of about 46%. The implication of the findings is that training of layer producers by extension services (veterinary officers) in early detection of poultry disease and control are key to reducing inefficiency level to achieve higher profits. Membership of associations by layer producers is key to increasing efficiency in poultry production.

Source: UG
Prognostic models for adverse pregnancy outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
Programmed cell death and the morphogenesis of the hindbrain roof plate in the chick embryo

The spatial and temporal distribution of apoptosis in the dorsal midline of the developing chick hindbrain was examined in relation to the development of the neuroepithelium and neural crest using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. The pattern of TUNEL labeling and Slug expression in the dorsal midline at stages 10 and 11 differed from that at stages 12-15. At stages 10 and 11, TUNEL labeling and Slug expression were observed in the dorsal part of location II of rhombomere 1/2 (i.e., between the surface ectoderm and the neuroepithelium), but from stage 12 onward, they were observed in both the dorsal and ventral parts of location II. The implication is that whereas apoptosis may be restricted to a subpopulation of the early migrating neural crest at stages 10 and 11, it presumably occurs in subpopulations of both neural crest and neuroepithelial cells from stage 12 onward. Furthermore, as judged by the pattern of TUNEL labeling and Slug expression in r3 and r5, apoptosis in these two rhombomeres likely occurs in subpopulations of both neural crest and neuroepithelial cells. The eminence present in location I of r1/r2 between stages 10 and 12 consisted of both neural crest and neuroepithelial cells. These cells gradually underwent apoptosis until stage 12, when the eminence disappeared in most embryos. The formation of the inner (neuroepithelial) aspect of the hindbrain roof plate involved both cell migration from adjacent neuroepithelium and an alteration in the shapes of the cells, such that cells with flattened surfaces eventually lined the roof plate. During these processes, some of the neuroepithelial cells underwent apoptosis (i.e., in location IV). The results of this study thus demonstrate that subpopulations of both neuroepithelial and neural crest cells may be involved in programmed cell death in the hindbrain. Additionally, apoptosis in the hindbrain contributes significantly to morphogenetic thinning during roof plate formation.

Source: UG
Progress on Poverty in Africa: The Importance of Growth and Inequality

Employing World Bank data, this paper, first, historically examines Africa’s record on poverty incidence, spread and severity, as compared with other regions of the world, at the US$1.90 and US$3.20 per day (2011 PPP) poverty standards. Second, it evaluates country-specific progress on growth, poverty and inequality, and compares the ‘poverty transformation efficiency vector’ (PTEV) among African countries. Third, the study analyses the relative roles of income growth and inequality changes in explaining African countries’ poverty records, through a decomposition of poverty changes using ‘optimal’ income and inequality elasticity estimates from the ‘identity’ model. The study finds that following the dismal record on poverty during the 1980s, progress on poverty has been appreciable since Africa’s growth resurgence starting in the mid-1990s, and that this progress was driven mainly by income growth, consistent with the global evidence. Nonetheless, inequality often played a complementary role in most of the countries and, in a small number of cases, it was the primary driver of changes in poverty. Thus, the present study sheds light on country-specific differences in the relative roles of growth and inequality in poverty reduction on the continent, based on both qualitative and quantitative evidence. The study should, therefore, provide a useful compass to those who seek to understand country-specific situations within the African context.

Source: UG
Progress on Poverty in Africa: The Importance of Growth and Inequality

Employing World Bank data, this paper first historically examines Africa’s record on poverty incidence. spread and severity, as compared with other regions of the world, at US$1.90 and US$3.20 per day (2011 PPP) poverty standards. Second, it evaluates country-specific progress on growth, poverty and inequality, and compares the ‘poverty transformation efficiency vector’ (PTEV) among African countries. Third, the study analyses the relative roles of income growth and inequality changes in explaining African countries’ poverty records, through a decomposition of poverty changes using ‘optimal’ income and inequality elasticity estimates from the ‘identity’ model. The study finds that following the dismal record on poverty during the 1980s, progress on poverty has been appreciable since Africa’s growth resurgence, starting in the mid-1990s, and that this progress was driven mainly by income growth, consistent with the global evidence. Nonetheless, inequality often played a complementary role in most of the countries and, in a small number of cases, it was the primary driver of changes in poverty. Thus, the present study sheds light on country-specific differences in the relative roles of growth and inequality in poverty reduction on the continent, based on both qualitative and quantitative evidence. The study should, therefore, provide a useful compass to those who seek to understand country-specific situations within the African context

Source: UG
Progress toward elimination of perinatal HIV transmission in Kenya: Analysis of early infant diagnosis data

Interrupting vertical transmission of HIV from mothers to infants provides opportunity to transform the HIV/AIDS epidemic by eliminating new infections among children. We estimate mother-to-child transmission rates of infants born to known HIV-positive mothers offered prevention of mother-to-child transmission interventions and provide an indication of Kenya’s progress toward elimination of perinatal transmission. We obtained from the Kenya National Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) database, all 131,451 DNA polymerase chain reaction test results of HIV-exposed infants aged 0–18 months who had dried blood spot samples taken between January 2008 and October 2013. The majority of samples were from infants aged 0–6 months (81.0%). Infants aged 6–12 months comprised 15.5%, while those aged 12–18 months were 3.5%. Overall, 11,439 (8.7%) were HIV-positive. Positivity rates were higher among older age groups: 6.8, 14.6, and 27.5% in age groups 0–6 months, 6–12 months, and 12–18 months old, respectively. In Kenya, scale-up and decentralization to primary health centers of EID services has been remarkable. Both increasing HIV-positivity trends in age groups 12–18 months and differences between provinces require further interrogation. Although significant, declining HIV-positivity trends in age groups 0–6 months and 6–12 months old observed between 2008 and 2013 is insufficient to achieve the elimination agenda.

Source: UG
Progress towards elimination of onchocerciasis transmission in Mali: A “pre stop MDA” survey in 18 transmission zone

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
Progress towards lymphatic filariasis elimination in Ghana from 2000-2016: Analysis of microfilaria prevalence data from 430 communities

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG