ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Pandemic preparedness and response: beyond the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator

Nationalism has trumped solidarity, resulting in unnecessary loss of life and inequitable access to vaccines and therapeutics. Existing intellectual property (IP) regimens, trade secrets and data rights, under which pharmaceutical firms operate, have also posed obstacles to increasing manufacturing capacity, and ensuring adequate supply, affordable pricing, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and other health products in low income and middle- income countries. We propose: (1) Implementing alternative incentive and funding mechanisms to develop new scientific innovations to address infectious diseases with pandemic potential; (2) Voluntary and involuntary initiatives to overcome IP barriers including pooling IP, sharing data and vesting licences for resulting products in a globally agreed entity; (3) Transparent and accountable collective procurement to enable equitable distribution; (4) Investments in regionally distributed research and development (R&D) capacity and manufacturing, basic health systems to expand equitable access to essential health technologies, and non-discriminatory national distribution; (5) Commitment to strengthen national (and regional) initiatives in the areas of health system development, health research, drug and vaccine manufacturing and regulatory oversight and (6) Good governance of the pandemic prevention, preparedness and response accord. It is important to articulate principles for deals that include reasonable access conditions and transparency in negotiations. We argue for an equitable, transparent, accountable new global agreement to provide rewards for R&D but only on the condition that pharmaceutical companies share the IP rights necessary to produce and distribute them globally. Moreover, if countries commit to collective procurement and fair pricing of resulting products, we argue that we can greatly improve our ability to prepare for and respond to pandemic threats.

Source: UG
The Papal Visit and the Rhetoric of Conciliation: An Epideictic Perspective

Using the epideictic as a hermeneutic entrance, this paper argues that Pope Francis' rhetoric of conciliation during his visit to the United States in September 2015 resonated with a majority of Americans because he identified and consubstantiated with American society, American values, and American people in both word and deed. Casting himself as a brother and friend with profound knowledge of American history and cultural realities, the Holy Father refrained from pontificating and criticizing; rather, he chose the path of fearless dialogue amplified with performative rhetoric.

Source: UG
Papers on the subject of the Accra Sisal Plantation in continuation of Sessional Paper No. IX 1922 – 1923.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 874 of the 21st of December, forwarding copies of the Report of a Committee appointed to enquire into the working of the Sisal Plantation at Accra. At the time that this project was originally conceived you anticipated a profit of at least £ 15 10s. 0d. on each ton of sisal produced. This estimate was based upon a price of between £35 and £40 a ton at the port of export, representing approximately £65 a ton in England. The price, however, of sisal has dropped since that date to an average of about £25 a ton at the present time. At this price the Committee estimates that the annual profits of the plantation will amount to a maximum of about £5,500 a year, in which event the capital expenditure of £35,000 which will, according to the estimate, be required before the plantation is in full bearing, be paid off in about seven years.

Source: UG
Paradigm of mediocrity: Poverty and risk accumulation in urban Africa - the case of Korle Gonno, Accra

This paper examines how poverty has developed in Korle Gonno, an indigenous Ga community in Accra, Ghana, as a concrete challenge. This challenge has gone unnoticed until recently, though several informal studies exist in Ghana. By problematizing vulnerability, the literature is examined within Accra's development dynamics. Through extensive fieldwork, the results show a socially stratified and highly dependent community experiencing vulnerabilities and the residents' diverse coping strategies. Drawing upon the empirical data, it is argued that the lack of recognition of urban poverty (i.e., the raison d'être of slum) means many continue to be exposed to health risks. The paper concedes that the problem demands a multifaceted solution that includes more subjective issues like vulnerability and social exclusion, and objective ones like good urban governance and power relations. Failure to do so can lead to a downward spiral into extreme poverty that can affect the entire society. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.

Source: UG
Paradox of public sector capacity building: Lessons from MATT2 UK–Bangladesh co‐operation

This study focuses on the Government of Bangladesh and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) public sector capacity‐building project under collaborative public governance. It examines the efficiency and effectiveness of a foreign‐funded and multistakeholder‐led public sector capacity‐development initiative dubbed Managing at the Top Stage 2 (MATT2) project, and how it contributed to the human resource capacity development in Bangladesh. A combination of data from Government sources, in‐depth interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation and author analysis was adopted. The results showed the project to have been largely successful, despite some challenges.

Source: UG
A paradox of three decades of neoliberal economic reforms in Ghana: a tale of economic growth and uneven regional development

Thirty years of neoliberalization in Ghana is an enigma. On the one hand it is associated with sustained economic growth and decline in the national incidence of poverty, and on the other hand it is characterized by uneven regional development that concentrates growth in historically favored regions and leaves persistently high levels of poverty in certain regions. Informed by primary and secondary research, the paper interprets this enigma as inextricably tied to the reestablishment of incentives and benefits in favor of external capital and particular regional/territorial divisions of labor and capital under neoliberal market reforms. Neoliberalization is portrayed as highlighting capitalism’s opposing tendencies of primarily reinforcing the historical concentration of capital and socioeconomic advantage in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions, while sustaining the concentration of poverty in the northern regions, and yet to some degree, dispersing capital and socioeconomic benefits to other regions, and reconfiguring broad patterns of uneven regional development.

Source: UG
“Paradoxes of Interdependence and Dependence”: A qualitative study of economic difficulties and relational encounters prior to men’s suicide in Ghana

Purpose: This study aims to explore the relational encounters that are shaped by economic difficulties prior to the suicides of men in Ghana. Method: Using a qualitative study design, and with the aid of a semi-structured interview guide, data were collected from 21 close relatives of nine men who took their lives in Ghana. Results/Findings: A Reflective Thematic analysis (RTA) showed themes reflecting four rela tional tensions corresponding to unique demographic profiles and circumstances of eco nomic dependence on others: from dependence to independence; from control to living with and on others; from provider to dependence; and regaining control in a dependent relational context. Conclusion: The men’s economic challenges produce paradoxes of interdependence and dependence in that the interdependent social ethic enjoins persons in crises to disclose or seek help from close relations, yet for some men, doing so often draws social taunts, which further taint the social image of these men and contribute to suicides. Increased public education is needed to change unhealthy gender norms that affect men in social and economic adversity. Provision of practical economic support for men in economic and financial adversities is highly recommended.

Source: UG
“Paradoxes of Interdependence and Dependence”: A qualitative study of economic difficulties and relational encounters prior to men’s suicide in Ghana

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aims to explore the relational encounters that are shaped by economic difficulties prior to the suicides of men in Ghana. Method: Using a qualitative study design, and with the aid of a semi-structured interview guide, data were collected from 21 close relatives of nine men who took their lives in Ghana. Results/Findings: A Reflective Thematic analysis (RTA) showed themes reflecting four relational tensions corresponding to unique demographic profiles and circumstances of economic dependence on others: from dependence to independence; from control to living with and on others; from provider to dependence; and regaining control in a dependent relational context. Conclusion: The men’s economic challenges produce paradoxes of interdependence and dependence in that the interdependent social ethic enjoins persons in crises to disclose or seek help from close relations, yet for some men, doing so often draws social taunts, which further taint the social image of these men and contribute to suicides. Increased public education is needed to change unhealthy gender norms that affect men in social and economic adversity. Provision of practical economic support for men in economic and financial adversities is highly recommended.

Source: UG
Parallel Or Dependent? The State, Chieftaincy And Institutions Of Governance In Ghana

In recent policy frameworks, traditional authorities have been (re) assigned roles of directly representing civil society and local communities as key actors in development, leading to questions about the relationship between the chieftaincy institution and the state in governance. Using the example of a chieftaincy dispute between the Sokpoe and Tefle, a Tongu-Ewe people of Ghana, at the heart of which are claims to para mount status, this article argues that chieftaincy and the state are not always parallel institutions of governance that derive their legitimacy from different sources. Struggles over chieftaincy hierarchies have become struggles for preferential recognition and access to the state conveyed by membership in the Houses of Chiefs. In effect, the chieftaincy institution may be both parallel to and dependent on the state. The article draws attention to the importance of hierarchy in explaining state-chieftaincy relationships because an understanding of the nuances of legitimacy in chieftaincy will enrich how chiefs are engaged as key actors in development.

Source: UG
Parametric inference of non-informative censored time-to-event data

Random or non-informative censoring is when each subject has a censoring time that is statistically independent of their failure times. The classical approach is considered for estimating the Weibull distribution parameters with non-informative censored samples which occur most often in medical and biological study. We have also considered the Bayesian methods via gamma priors with asymmetric (general entropy) loss function and symmetric (squared error) loss function. A simulation study is carried out to assess the performances of the methods using mean squared errors and absolute biases. Two sets of data have been analysed for the purpose of illustration.

Source: UG
The Paranormal: African Philosophy questions Science

: Modern science and its underlying philosophical doctrine, physicalism, have persistently denied reality and the rationality of belief in a set of phenomena they refer to as “paranormal”. However, belief in the occurrence of these events is commonly and strongly held by many persons in several cultures. This essay examines the question of the rationality of these beliefs and advances the view proceeding from its own current theories and methodologies, science will refute itself by sustaining the denial the reality of the paranormal, or it can maintain the denial by irrational dogma.

Source: UG
Parasite Clearance Dynamics in Children Hospitalised with Severe Malaria in the Ho Teaching Hospital, Volta Region, Ghana

Background: Over 90% of severe malaria (SM) cases occur in African children. Parenteral artesunate is currently the recommended treatment for SM. Studies of parasite clearance in paediatric SM cases are needed for assessment of therapeutic outcomes but are lacking in Africa. Methods: Severe malaria patients were recruited in the children’s emergency ward at Ho Teaching Hospital, Ghana, in 2018. Blood samples were taken upon admission, every 24 h for 3 days and 1 week after treatment, and DNA extracted. Parasitaemia and parasite densities were performed by microscopy at enrolment and the follow-up days wherever possible. Relative parasite density was measured at each timepoint by duplex qPCR and parameters of parasite clearance estimated. Results: Of 25 evaluable SM patients, clearance of qPCR-detectable parasites occurred within 48 h for 17 patients, but three out of the remaining eight were still qPCR-positive on day 3. Increased time to parasite clearance was seen in children ≥5 years old, those with lower haemoglobin levels and those with a high number of previous malaria diagnoses, but these associations were not statistically significant. Conclusion: We examined parasite clearance dynamics among paediatric cases of SM. Our observations suggest that daily sampling for qPCR estimation of P. falciparum peripheral density is a useful method for assessing treatment response in hospitalised SM cases. The study demonstrated varied parasite clearance response, thus illuminating the complex nature of the mechanism in this important patient group, and further investigations utilizing larger sample sizes are needed to confirm our findings.

Source: UG
Parasites of urological importance

With the world increasingly becoming a global village, transnational and transcontinental migration has become the order of the day. It is expected that migrants will take with them some diseases (including parasites) which are normally endemic in their countries of origin, to their host countries. Similarly, environmental changes that result from development of water resources, global warming, growth and migration of population can facilitate the spread of parasites. In this review we describe the epidemiology, presentation, diagnosis and treatment options of parasites that urologists may encounter. Notably among these parasites are Schistosoma haematobium, Echinococcus granulosus, Wuchereria bancrofti and Onchocerca volvulus.

Source: UG
Parasitic infection: Good or bad for the hygiene hypothesis?

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
Parasitic Infections and their Association with Cytokine Levels in Children with Haemoglobinopathies in Rural Ghana

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the overlap of Sickle cell disease (SCD) and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), mostly soil transmitted helminth infections and schistosomiasis are common. NTDs can exacerbate SCD crisis, as they have been shown to cause severe complications or chronic organ dysfunction leading to crisis conditions in SCD patients. This research sought to assess the prevalence with infection of NTDs and their association with cytokine level in children with haemoglobinopathies. Haemoglobinopathies and presence of the helminths were determined from the blood and stool samples respectively. Out of the 327 participants recruited, normal haemoglobin genotype (AA) constituted 68.9 %, 14% were traits (AS) and 3% had an either of the following genotypes (SS/SF/SC/CC). Other genotypes detected were AC/ACF (14%). The overall prevalence of helminths (Ascaris sp, Ancyclostoma duodenale, Strongyloides sp, Trichuris sp and Schistosoma sp) in the two communities was 39%. IL-6 levels were found to be elevated in Hb SS/SF groups as compared to the other haemoglobinopathies (AA/AF, AC/ACF and SC). IL8 levels were not significantly different among the various haemoglobinopathies. These findings therefore support the role inflammatory cytokines (IL 6 & IL 8) play as predictive markers of crisis in sickle cell children. Study recommends an increase in control/preventive practices to reduce the burden of helminths in all groups of children in the selected communities.

Source: UG
Parasitic worms and allergies in childhood: Insights from population studies 2008-2013

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
Parasitism of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera:Plutellidae) Populations on Cabbage Brassica oleracea var.capitata (L.) by Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov)(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Ghana

The study was carried out at the Weija Irrigation Company site at Weija, in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, to determine the seasonal abundance of the major parasitoid of Plutella xylostella (L.) populations on cabbage, Brassica oleracea var. capitata (L.) during the rainy and the dry seasons. The results indicated that Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) was the most abundant and important parasitoid of P. xylostella on cabbage. It accounted for about 92% of the parasitoids, and occurred in all the three seasons of planting. The rest consisted of four facultative hyperparasitoids: Oomyzus sokolowskii, Aphanogmus reticulatus, Elasmus sp. and a Trichomalopsis sp., and two primary parasitoids, Pediobius sp. and Hockeria sp. A significantly higher rate of parasitism (68.6 ± 12.9%, P < 0.05) of P. xylostella by C. plutellae occurred during the major rainy season and the least (9.9 ± 7.1) in the minor rainy season. Cotesia plutellae acted in a density dependent manner, and its numbers increased as that of the host in all three seasons. The coefficient of correlation was highest in the major rainy season (r = 0.97) with a coefficient of determination of 0.97. In the minor rainy season r = 0.55, and in the dry season r = 0.66. The annual coefficient of correlation was r = 0.51 and the coefficient of determination = 0.262. Hence, in an annual production of cabbage, 26.2% of the variation in parasitism was due to the variation in the number of P. xylostella.The results, therefore, indicate that C. plutellae can be used in the development of an integrated pest management programme (IPMP), against P. xylostella in Ghana.

Source: UG
Parasitoids of the African wild silkmoth, Gonometa postica (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) in the Mwingi forests, Kenya

Gonometa postica Walker produces silk of high quality, but it is affected by parasitoids attack. A study on the parasitism of G. postica larvae and pupae on host and non-host plants were undertaken for the first and second generations, corresponding to the long (March–May) and short (October–December) rainy seasons in 2006 at six field sites, three each in the Imba and Mumoni forests of Mwingi, eastern Kenya. All freshly spun cocoons of G. postica were sampled at each site from a total of 100 trees of host plants and other non-host plants where they have migrated before pupation. The cocoons were kept individually in fine net-sealed plastic vials to determine percentage parasitism. Two dipterans and four hymenopteran larval–pupal parasitoids were identified from the two forests. The most common parasitoids were Palexorista sp. (Diptera: Tachinidae) and Goryphus sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) with parasitism ranging from 1.8 to 32.7% and 2.2 to 7.5%, respectively. Parasitism varied significantly according to host or non-host plants, seasons and sites. This study indicates that, of the six parasitoid species recovered, only two had a significant impact in reducing the quality of the cocoons.

Source: UG
Parasitological and clinical aspects of bancroftian filariasis in Kassena-Nankana District, Upper East Region, Ghana

A survey of the prevalence of bancroftian filariasis was conducted in August-September 1992 in the northern part of the Kassena-Nankana District, Upper East Region, Ghana. 200 compounds from 3 different communities were randomly selected from the vitamin A trial database. All resident compound members were examined for clinical manifestations of lymphatic filariasis and capillary blood was obtained between 21:00 and 01:00 and examined using the counting chamber technique. 1603 people were examined, 741 males and 862 females. The overall prevalence of microfilaraemia was 32.4% (95% confidence interval 30.1-34.7). Geometric mean microfilaria density (infected persons only) was 794 per mL. The most important clinical manifestation was hydrocele (in 32% of males) followed by limb elephantiasis (in 3.6% of the study population). There was no significant difference between the 3 communities in clinical or parasitological findings.

Source: UG
Parasitological findings in stool Samples of children under five years in An inland rural community in 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