ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
ICT tools adoption in supply chain management: Lessons from Ghana.

Supply chain management is very crucial in today’s business environment. However, globalisation, advances in technology, and the need for fast and accurate responses have made the management of supply chains complex. This paper acknowledges ICT as a solution to improved supply chain management and investigates ICT tools adoption in the areas of procurement management, logistics management, customer relationship management, and supplier relationship management for this purpose. The paper also seeks to find out benefits derived from the adoption. A survey using 32 purposively selected manufacturing firms in the study area was used. Purposive sampling was used because we needed firms that both practise SCM and use ICT. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, and observation. The collected data were analysed using percentages, bar charts, and hypothesis testing. The study found a high awareness of ICT tools for use in SCM. Company mail, application software, and telephone are mostly used in the aspects of SCM studied. Their use is prominent in logistics management but lacking behind in customer relationship management. There are reported benefits in their adoption. The research concentrated on Greater Accra Region and did not collect data from suppliers and customers. It did not also investigate the most sophisticated tools like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Material Requirements Planning (MRP). This novel paper on ICT tools usage in SCM in Ghana brings to light the inadequate use of the tools. Thus, governments, the industry, the business community, and the general public should use it as a guide to formulate policies and put structures in place to eliminate the inadequacies.

Source: UG
ICT, governance and inequality in Africa

We examine the direct effect of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on inequality and investigate whether the ICT and inequality relationships can be reinforced by governance indicators of democracy, regulatory quality, rule of law and political stability. Using the panel dataset of 46 African countries over the period 1984–2018 and dynamic two-step system generalized method of moment estimator, we found that ICT measures of internet, fixed broadband and mobile cellular subscription directly reduce inequality, and good governance indicators can reinforce the ICT and inequality links. We execute a threshold analysis that illustrates the crucial role of democracy, regulatory quality, rule of law and political stability in facilitating the ICT and inequality relationships in Africa.

Source: UG
ICTs and adult education for empowerment of rural women in Africa

Rural women contribute so much to development, meanwhile they suffer invisibility, they have low educational and income levels, and limited access to infrastructural development. There is tremendous potential in using ICTs and adult education for empowerment of rural women in Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing societies. A literature search revealed that ICT use has come to stay and the issue now is how to harness it for basic adult learning in developing countries in Africa. Socio-economic characteristics and cost could be a determining factor for adopting an ICT protocol for adult education among rural women. To support women to make the best of modern information for their personal development, their willingness to pay for the use of an ICT facility based on their socio-economic characteristics need to be assessed. There is also the issue of women being technology unfriendly. This calls for making information technology women friendly in the light of adult educational methodologies.

Source: UG
ICTs and maternal healthcare utilization. Evidence from Ghana

Purpose - Traditionally, the role of technology on health services has been argued from the supply side. The purpose of this paper is to use a demand side perspective to examine the effect of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on the use of maternal health services in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach - Study used data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys and binary response regression models to examine the effect of women's access to ICTs on maternal healthcare utilization in Ghana. Three variables on maternal healthcare utilization were employed: use of contraception, antenatal care and place of delivery. Findings - Results from the study show that the effect of the use of technology is both positive and significant. In particular, among the other ICTs (i.e. landline phone, listening to radio, watch television, color television in household, computer in household), the coefficients of mobile phone ownership tends to be consistently significant across all four reproductive health services. Therefore, ICTs have a good capacity to influence women's demand of health information. This needs to be taken into account when designing maternal health policies and interventions. Originality/value - This is one of the few papers examining the effect of ICTs on utilization of maternal health services from the demand side compared to the popular supply side argument often found in the literature. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Source: UG
ICTs and Utilisation of maternal health services in Ghana.

Purpose – Traditionally, the role of technology on health services has been argued from the supply side. The purpose of this paper is to use a demand side perspective to examine the effect of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on the use of maternal health services in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – Study used data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys and binary response regression models to examine the effect of women’s access to ICTs on maternal healthcare utilization in Ghana. Three variables on maternal healthcare utilization were employed: use of contraception, antenatal care and place of delivery. Findings – Results from the study show that the effect of the use of technology is both positive and significant. In particular, among the other ICTs (i.e. landline phone, listening to radio, watch television, color television in household, computer in household), the coefficients of mobile phone ownership tends to be consistently significant across all four reproductive health services. Therefore, ICTs have a good capacity to influence women’s demand of health information. This needs to be taken into account when designing maternal health policies and interventions. Originality/value – This is one of the few papers examining the effect of ICTs on utilization of maternal health services from the demand side compared to the popular supply side argument often found in the literature.

Source: UG
ICTs for women's empowerment in rural Africa through adult education: What the literature say

Recognizing the potential role of ICT for rural adult education in Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing societies, this paper seeks to identify the critical factors influencing the use of ICT in rural adult education for women’s empowerment. Through a literature and web-based search the study revealed that ICT use has come to stay and the issue now is how to harness it for basic adult learning in developing countries in Africa, especially in processed seeking to empower women for rural development. It examines issues around evolution/potentials, existing models, costing and the challenges of ICT use for the empowerment of women. Concluding that such challenges are real, recommendations are made for studying the socio-economic of such challenges as well as the willingness to pay in efforts toward adoption of ICT use for women’s empowerment.

Source: UG
Ideal cardiovascular health among Ghanaian populations in three European countries and rural and urban Ghana: the RODAM study

Cardiovascular health (CVH) is a construct defined by the American Heart Association (AHA) as part of its 2020 Impact Goal definition. CVH has, until now, not been evaluated in Sub-Saharan African populations. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the prevalence of ideal CVH and its constituent metrics among Ghanaians living in rural and urban Ghana and Ghanaian migrants living in three European countries. The AHA definition of CVH is based on 7 metrics: smoking, body mass index, diet, physical activity, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose. These were evaluated among 3510 Ghanaian adults (aged 25-70 years) residing in rural and urban Ghana and three European cities (Amsterdam, London and Berlin) in the multi-centre RODAM study. Differences between groups were assessed using logistic regression with adjustments for gender, age, and education. Only 0.3% of all participants met all 7 metrics of the AHA's definition of ideal CVH. Compared to rural Ghana (25.7%), the proportions and adjusted odds ratio (OR) of individuals who had 6-7 CVH metrics in the ideal category were substantially lower in urban Ghana, (7.5%; OR 0.204, 95% CI 0.15-0.29), Amsterdam (4.4%; 0.13, 0.08-0.19), Berlin (2.7%; 0.06, 0.03-0.11), and London (1.7%; 0.04, 0.02-0.09), respectively. The proportion of ideal CVH for the various metrics ranged from 96% for all sites in the smoking metric to below 6% in the diet metric. The proportion of ideal CVH is extremely low in Ghanaians, especially among those living in urban Ghana and Ghanaian migrants in Europe.

Source: UG
Ideas, Institutions, and Welfare Program Typologies: An Analysis of Pensions and Old Age Income Protection Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa

Since the 1980s, social policy research shifted attention from institutional development of welfare programs to what were described as crises of the welfare state in an era of austerity. Much of the scholarly debate in this area had focused on the maturation of welfare programs, especially the post-war old age income support programs in the advanced industrialized countries to the neglect of social protection in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. This paper is intended to bring the dynamics of social policy in SSA countries into the comparative welfare dialogue and into the global social security debate in particular. Using a historical institutionalist approach, this study analyzes the trajectories of old age income support development in SSA countries through a careful study of old age income security or protection strategies in the region across time and space. The paper develops ideal typologies for understandings variations and transformations of pensions and old age income provision programs in the region. In doing this, it argues that the ideas and institutions around which recent rounds of pension reforms revolves have always been at both the foreground and background of old age income protection thinking and practices in SSA countries since the pre-colonial era

Source: UG
Identification and characterisation of Mansonella perstans in the Volta Region of Ghana

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
Identification and Comparative Analysis of Hepatitis B Virus Genotype D/E Recombinants in Africa

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
Identification and management of co-infections in people with malaria

A 16 year old Ugandan girl is brought to the emergency department with a three day history of fever, headache, cough, and myalgia. She has had several episodes of malaria in the past. On admission, she is febrile, tachycardic, tachypnoeic, and has oxygen saturations of 90% in air. A malaria rapid antigen test is positive for Plasmodium falciparum and a chest radiograph shows left sided pneumonia. She is admitted and treated with antimalarials, antibiotics, and oxygen. She makes a full recovery over five days. At discharge, the cause of the pneumonia and the contribution of malaria to the illness remain unresolved.

Source: UG
Identification and species status of the mango biotype of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Ghana

Research work was carried out to identify and ascertain the species status of the mango biotype of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides infecting mangoes in Ghana. Forty five isolates of Colletotrichum species were collected from 12 districts in Ghana while five each were obtained from mango fruits from Florida, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The entire internal transcribed spacer region, partial beta-tubulin gene and partial glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene of isolates were sequenced and used in phylogenetic studies. The results of the sequence analysis of the first ribosomal transcribed spacer (ITS 1) region showed that 35 % of the isolates from Ghana and all the five isolates from Mexico were the mango biotype of C. gloeosporioides, while the others were not. Phylogenetic studies showed that the mango biotype of the pathogen was Colletotrichum asianum but not C. gloeosporioides as previously thought. However, the other isolates that were not the mango biotype were identified as Colletotrichum siamense and Colletotrichum species which had probably cross-infected mango from other fruit crops in the field.

Source: UG
Identification and understanding of pre-term birth at kintampo municipal hospital: A qualitative cross-sectional study

Up to 42% of nearly 10 million under five deaths occur in neonates with prematurity being a principal cause. This paper presents the outcome of a cross sectional qualitative study conducted among 14 hospital staff engaged in infant care in Kintampo, Ghana. Confidential interviews were used to evaluate their knowledge and practice of preterm care. Critical steps in caring for normal and preterm infants were ranked as adequate, satisfactory or inadequate if 75% or more, 50% to 74%, or less than 50% of the health workers completed them respectively. For term infants, adequate care was provided in terms of cleaning and wrapping, weighing, and initiating early feeds. Knowledge and practice were inadequate in relation to preterm care. Educational interventions emphasizing preterm care are recommended as an essential package for rural health workers. A newborn assessment tool was designed to address the gap in data collection identified during the study.

Source: UG
Identification of a fluorometabolite from Streptomyces sp. MA37: (2R3S4S)-5-fluoro-2,3,4-trihydroxypentanoic acid†

(2R3S4S)-5-Fluoro-2,3,4-trihydroxypentanoic acid (5-FHPA) has been discovered as a new fluorometabolite in the soil bacterium Streptomyces sp. MA37. Exogenous addition of 5-fluoro-5-deoxy-D-ribose (5-FDR) into the cell free extract of MA37 demonstrated that 5-FDR was an intermediate to a range of unidentified fluorometabolites, distinct from fluoroacetate (FAc) and 4-fluorothreonine (4-FT). Bioinformatics analysis allowed identification of a gene cluster (fdr), encoding a pathway to the biosynthesis of 5-FHPA. Over-expression and in vitro assay of FdrC indicated that FdrC is a NAD+ dependent dehydrogenase responsible for oxidation of 5-FDR into 5-fluoro-5-deoxy-lactone, followed by hydrolysis to 5-FHPA. The identity of 5-FHPA in the fermentation broth was confirmed by synthesis of a reference compound and then co-correlation by 19F-NMR and GC-MS analysis. The occurrence of 5-FHPA proves the existence of a new fluorometabolite pathway.

Source: UG
Identification of a hemolysis threshold that increases plasma and serum zinc concentration

Background: Plasma or serum zinc concentration (PZC or SZC) is the primary measure of zinc status, but accurate sampling requires controlling for hemolysis to prevent leakage of zinc from erythrocytes. It is not established how much hemolysis can occur without changing PZC/SZC concentrations. Objective: This study determines a guideline for the level of hemolysis that can significantly elevate PZC/SZC. Methods: The effect of hemolysis on PZC/SZC was estimated by using standard hematologic variables and mineral content. The calculated hemolysis threshold was then compared with results from an in vitro study and a population survey. Hemolysis was assessed by hemoglobin and iron concentrations, direct spectrophotometry, and visual assessment of the plasma or serum. Zinc and iron concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. Results: A 5% increase in PZC/SZC was calculated to result from the lysis of 1.15% of the erythrocytes in whole blood, corresponding to ~1 g hemoglobin/L added into the plasma or serum. Similarly, the addition of simulated hemolysate to control plasma in vitro caused a 5% increase in PZC when hemoglobin concentrations reached 1.18±0.10 g/L. In addition, serum samples from a population nutritional survey were scored for hemolysis and analyzed for changes in SZC; samples with hemolysis in the range of 1-2.5 g hemoglobin/L showed an estimated increase in SZC of 6% compared with nonhemolyzed samples. Each approach indicated that a 5% increase in PZC/SZC occurs at ~1 g hemoglobin/L in plasma or serum. This concentration of hemoglobin can be readily identified directly by chemical hemoglobin assays or indirectly by direct spectrophotometry or matching to a color scale. Conclusions: A threshold of 1 g hemoglobin/L is recommended for PZC/SZC measurements to avoid increases in zinc caused by hemolysis. The use of this threshold may improve zinc assessment for monitoring zinc status and nutritional interventions. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Source: UG
Identification of a new variable number tandem repeat locus in Mycobacterium ulcerans for potential strain discrimination among African isolates

The Bacteriology Department aims to improve the quality of life first for Ghanaians and the world at large by conducting research into bacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana and globally. In addition to working on enteric pathogens and sexually transmitted diseases, the department’s current main focus is on the two most important mycobacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana, namely Buruli ulcer (BU) and tuberculosis (TB).

Source: UG
Identification of Amino Acid Substitutions Within the VP7 Genes of G2 Rotavirus Strains in Ghana

The main research focus of the Electron Microscopy and Histopathology Department in the past 20 years has been in the areas of enteric diarrhoeas with special emphasis on rotavirus. Through its diarrhoea surveillance studies, the Department has helped to firmly establish rotaviruses as a major cause of diarrhoea in children, and document the circulation of unusual rotavirus genotypes in Ghana. The Department has also recently expanded its diagnostic repertoire to include the identification and characterization of noroviruses, astroviruses, and other enteric viruses.

Source: UG
Identification of anti-plasmodium falciparum antibodies in human breast milk

Malarial infections are rarely observed in neonates. It has been postulated that some immunity may be passively transferred during nursing, but anti-malarial antibodies (Abs) have not been detected in human milk. In this study milk samples collected 2-14 days after parturition from women at the Central Maternity Hospital, Yaounde were evaluated for total IgG and IgA antibody levels by radial diffusion, protein composition by SDS-PAGE, anti-malarial antibodies using an isotype-specific immunofluorescence assay, and the ability to immunoprecipitate Plasmodium falciparum antigens metabolically labelled with 35S-methionine. Results showed that anti-P. falciparum antibodies were present in breast milk, and that paired milk and serum samples from individual women contained Abs that recognized similar malarial antigens.

Source: UG
Identification of CMS maintainers and restorers for hybrid rice development in Ghana

The cytoplasmic-genetic male sterility is the most widely used system for hybrid rice (Oryza sativa) seed production. It requires three lines: the two hybrid parents (A and R lines) and a third line (maintainer (B line)), which maintains the sterility of the female parent during seed increase. Studies were undertaken to identify maintainers and restorers for introduced cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and testcrosses. Molecular screening with SSR marker RM6100 grouped the assembled inbred lines into 30 potential restorers and 55 potential maintainers. One maintainer (WAS 127 -12-1-6-3-1) and 16 restorers were confirmed by testcrosses. WAS 127-12-1-2-3 had higher grain yield per plant in crosses with CMS1 (IR69625A) than the local checks (AgraRice and Jasmine 85) and could be used as a restorer to develop a locally adapted, high-yielding hybrid. Conversion of WAS 127 -12-1-6-3-1 into a local CMS line was stopped because of sterility instability in the BC1F1 generation. Continued testcrosses to the set of identified potential maintainers could help identify a stable one that can successfully be converted into a locally adapted CMS line. © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Source: UG
Identification of dominant anti-glycan IgE responses in school-children by glycan microarray

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
Identification of Factors Predictive of Nurses’ Time Pressure, Workload and Job Satisfaction in Ghanaian Public Hospitals

The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that constitute time pressure, mental stress and job satisfaction among Ghanaian nurses working in public hospitals. Factor analysis of the collated data showed that not all the standardized factors of time pressure, mental stress and job satisfaction could be used to predict nurses’ work in the Ghanaian public hospital work environment. Based on correlation analysis, it was found that by ameliorating the time pressure associated with the nursing work, nurses will experience improved relationship with both superiors and among themselves. It is concluded that by eliminating the time pressure, moderating the task pace and eliminating the emotional strain and mental stress associated with the nursing work, the mental stress associated with the nursing work will also be reduced. By implication, this understanding can be used in designing, convulsive and friendly nursing work environments in Ghanaian public hospitals.

Source: UG