ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
'Prevention is better than cure': Assessing Ghana's preparedness (capacity) for disaster management

This article examines and contributes to the debate on Ghana's capacity and preparedness to respond to disasters and build safer communities. Having witnessed a series of catastrophic events in recent times, many have questioned the capacity of the National Disaster Management Organisation, an institution mandated to manage disasters in Ghana and whose operations have historically been shaped by external pressures, particularly the populist tendencies of the Provisional National Defense Council government in the 1980s. Analysing the results from the fieldwork and placing them in the context of contemporary disaster management strategies, this article gives an overview of Ghana's preparedness for emergencies in the face of increasing urbanisation. It finds that the organisation is fixated on a top-down approach with low cooperation, collaboration and coordination with stakeholders, leading to situations where devastation and destruction occur before action is taken. Today, the consensus is that practitioners wean themselves from managing disasters and take to managing risk. Such a redirection of attention calls for the adoption of an appropriate institutional framework: an approach that unites the putative nation beyond competing loyalties to ethnicity, tribe and political entity. © 2013. The Authors.

Source: UG
Prevention of malaria using ITNs: Potential for achieving the millennium development goals

The use of insecticide treated nets is effective in reducing all cause malaria mortality and morbidity between 17 and 43% in children under five years and provides protection to pregnant women who are most susceptible to malaria. ITNs (Insecticide Treated Nets) are easy to use and require less technical and capital outlay to implement compared with other vector control methods. They are cost-effective, which has led to widespread implementation of ITNs by countries on a large scale. ITN use has however been limited due to the cost outlay households require to make towards the purchase of nets, households' inability to associate the effectiveness of the net with the insecticide leading to low re-treatment rates in most settings and the seasonality associated with the spread of malaria. This chapter provides a review of research on ITN, strategies of improving the availability and effectiveness of the nets and a comparison of ITNs and other malaria preventive methods. The review highlights inequity in ITN use among various socio-economic groups with the poorest being the least to benefit from ITNs even where they are highly subsidized. It discusses the break through in the production of PermaNet to resolve the problem of low re-treatment of nets.

Source: UG
Prevention of mother to child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV): What do Ghanaian Midwives know?

Background: Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) is an important public health intervention that has significantly reduced the risk of mother-to-child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) from 40% to close to 5%. Midwives need to have good knowledge of this important preventive strategy to be able to contribute to global efforts aimed at the elimination childhood HIV infections and all other forms of HIV infection. Methods: This research employed an analytical cross-sectional study design and recruited 179 Midwives through purposive sampling. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by participants to test their knowledge regarding PMTCT for HIV. Analysis of data was done through STATA using ANOVA, binary logistic regression analysis with a level of significance set at < 0.05. Findings: The knowledge levels observed in this study include High (48%), moderate (35.2%), and Low (16.8%) with an overall mean score of 67.82 indicating a moderate level of knowledge among the studied sample. Having a master’s degree (aOR = 1.3; 95 % CI = 0.1–0.9). and age (aOR = 14.9; 95 % CI = 0.6–0.9) were factors that showed statistically significant association with having good knowledge of the guidelines. Conclusions: Even though most of the participants were within the level of high knowledge of the guidelines, overall knowledge at among the studied sample was level moderate. Knowledge improved with increasing age. Midwives with master’s degree demonstrated good knowledge of the guidelines. Support in the form of training is needed to achieve optimum knowledge of the PMTCT guidelines among midwives who are the main imple menters of the PMTCT strategy in Ghan

Source: UG
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Zambia: implementing efficacious ARV regimens in primary health center

Background: Safety and effectiveness of efficacious antiretroviral (ARV) regimens beyond single-dose nevirapine (sdNVP) for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) have been demonstrated in well-controlled clinical studies or in secondary- and tertiary-level facilities in developing countries. This paper reports on implementation of and factors associated with efficacious ARV regimens among HIV-positive pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in primary health centers (PHCs) in Zambia. Methods: Blood sample taken for CD4 cell count, availability of CD4 count results, type of ARV prophylaxis for mothers, and additional PMTCT service data were collected for HIV-positive pregnant women and newborns who attended 60 PHCs between April 2007 and March 2008. Results: Of 14,815 HIV-positive pregnant women registered in the 60 PHCs, 2,528 (17.1%) had their CD4 cells counted; of those, 1,680 (66.5%) had CD4 count results available at PHCs; of those, 796 (47.4%) had CD4 count d 350 cells/mm3 and thus were eligible for combination antiretroviral treatment (cART); and of those, 581 (73.0%) were initiated on cART. The proportion of HIV-positive pregnant women whose blood sample was collected for CD4 cell count was positively associated with (1) blood-draw for CD4 count occurring on the same day as determination of HIV-positive status; (2) CD4 results sent back to the health facilities within seven days; (3) facilities without providers trained to offer ART; and (4) urban location of PHC. Initiation of cART among HIV positive pregnant women was associated with the PHC's capacity to provide care and antiretroviral treatment services. Overall, of the 14,815 HIV-positive pregnant women registered, 10,015 were initiated on any type of ARV regimen: 581 on cART, 3,041 on short course double ARV regimen, and 6,393 on sdNVP. Conclusion: Efficacious ARV regimens beyond sdNVP can be implemented in resource-constrained PHCs. The majority (73.0%) of women identified eligible for ART were initiated on cART; however, a minority (11.3%) of HIV-positive pregnant women were assessed for CD4 count and had their test results available. Factors associated with implementation of more efficacious ARV regimens include timing of blood-draw for CD4 count and capacity to initiate cART onsite where PMTCT services were being offered.

Source: UG
Prevention-intervention strategies to reduce exposure to e-waste

As one of the largest waste streams, electronic waste (e-waste) production continues to grow in response to global demand for consumer electronics. This waste is often shipped to developing countries where it is disassembled and recycled. In many cases, e-waste recycling activities are conducted in informal settings with very few controls or protections in place for workers. These activities involve exposure to hazardous substances such as cadmium, lead, and brominated flame retardants and are frequently performed by women and children. Although recycling practices and exposures vary by scale and geographic region, we present case studies of e-waste recycling scenarios and intervention approaches to reduce or prevent exposures to the hazardous substances in e-waste that may be broadly applicable to diverse situations. Drawing on parallels identified in these cases, we discuss the future prevention and intervention strategies that recognize the difficult economic realities of informal e-waste recycling. © 2018 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

Source: UG
Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution in West Africa: The Case of the 2016 Gambian Election Crisis

Yahyah Jammeh’s refusal to step down created conflict amongst the people of Gambia. Review of literature indicates that an inherently advantageous quality of preventive diplomacy is promoting the rights of citizens in conflict situations. The research methodology for this study was the qualitative approach and relied on primary and secondary sources of data. Findings of the study shows that preventive diplomacy in the case of the Gambia came in the form of appeals to Yahyah Jammeh prior to the elections to sign an agreement to have a free and fair election and the opposition given an equal playing ground to participate in the election. Another finding is that ECOWAS with the consent of the United Nations and President-elect Adama Barrow had a clear legal mandate to threaten the use of force in order to protect democracy in the Gambia following conflict in the country. ECOWAS managed to restore democracy in the country by applying preventive diplomacy tools using mediation, negotiations and the threat of force, but without any use of direct physical violence. The study concludes that preventive diplomacy, an action which requires diplomatic tools to prevent disputes from arising and existing conflict from escalating played an instrumental role in preventing a likelihood of a violent conflict in the Gambia during the election crisis in 2016. Recommendations of the study are made in line of improving track one form of preventive diplomacy as applied in Gambia. Another recommendation is the use of military intervention in preventive mechanism as effective when diplomatic talks fail.

Source: UG
Prey type and foraging ecology of Sanderlings Calidris alba in different climate zones: Are tropical areas more favourable than temperate sites?

Sanderlings (Calidris alba) are long-distance migratory shorebirds with a non-breeding range that spans temperate and tropical coastal habitats. Breeding in the High Arctic combined with non-breeding seasons in the tropics necessitate long migrations, which are energetically demanding. On an annual basis, the higher energy expenditures during migration might pay off if food availability in the tropics is higher than at temperate latitudes. We compared foraging behaviour of birds at a north temperate and a tropical non-breeding site in the Netherlands and Ghana, respectively. In both cases the birds used similar habitats (open beaches), and experienced similar periods of daylight, which enabled us to compare food abundance and availability, and behavioural time budgets and food intake. During the non-breeding season, Sanderlings in the Netherlands spent 79% of their day foraging; in Ghana birds spent only 38% of the daytime period foraging and the largest proportion of their time resting (58%). The main prey itemin the Netherlands was the soft-bodied polychaete Scolelepis squamata, while Sanderlings in Ghana fed almost exclusively on the bivalve Donax pulchellus, which they swallowed whole and crushed internally. Average availability of polychaete worms in the Netherlands was 7.4 g ash free dry mass (AFDM)m-2, which was one tenth of the 77.1 g AFDMm-2 estimated for the beach in Ghana. In the tropical environment of Ghana the Sanderlings combined relatively low energy requirements with high prey intake rates (1.64 mg opposed to 0.13 mg AFDM s-1 for Ghana and the Netherlands respectively). Although this may suggest that the Ghana beaches are the most favourable environment, processing the hard-shelled bivalve (D. pulchellus) which is the staple food could be costly. The large amount of daytime spent resting in Ghana may be indicative of the time needed to process the shell fragments, rather than indicate rest. © 2015 Grond et al.

Source: UG
Priapism: experience with the caverno glandular shunt.

Twenty cases of Priapism were managed surgically over a 3-year period with the A1-Ghorab modification of the caverno-glandular shunt. The procedure was simple and short. Except for post-operative bleeding in 2 patients, no major complications were encountered. Post-operative potency rate of 39 per cent was achieved. Late presentation and repeated previous episodes may have contributed to this low potency rate.

Source: UG
Price and non-price determinants of farm household demand for purchased inputs: evidence from Northern Ghana

The study examined the factors that influence the use of purchased inputs (fertilizer, hired labour, seed and ploughing services) by smallholders in Northern Ghana. The seemingly unrelated regression technique was used to estimate a system of cost share equations of the factor inputs. The elasticities of substitution and factor demand have been estimated. The estimated results suggested that higher amount of remittance received and the attainment of basic education significantly led to higher fertilizer expenditure, suggesting that credit and basic education programmes were important for increasing expenditure on production enhancing inputs like fertilizer. The own-price elasticities of demand for the inputs were significant and had the expected negative signs. The demand for seed and ploughing services were quite price inelastic, while the demand for fertilizer and hired labour were price elastic. The estimated own-price elasticities of demand for fertilizer and hired labour indicated substantial high degrees of price responsiveness of farmers for them. The estimated cross-price elasticities suggested that smallholders would substitute relatively more hired labour for fertilizer, if the relative price of fertilizer to hired labour is increased.

Source: UG
Price Stability and the Growth Maximising Rate of Inflation for Ghana

Monetary policy in Ghana, which is typical of many central banks, over the years, has focused on ensuring price stability or low inflation. The aim of the policy of price stability is to provide a stable environment for real sector activities to flourish. However, the outcome of the policy on real sector activities has not been subjected to any empirical investigation and this forms the focus of the study. For instance, the Central Bank has focuses on single digit inflation and whether such a low rate is growth maximizing is yet to be ascertained. The study therefore investigates the revenue maximising and the ‘growth maximizing’ rate of inflation for Ghana using data from Bank of Ghana and WDI. The study finds that economic performance is higher under low inflation era than when inflation is high. It also established revenue maximizing rate of inflation using the Laffer curve approach is lower than the growth maximizing rate of inflation. Also, from the results, it can be deduced that the single digit inflation target set by the Central Bank is not growth maximising.

Source: UG
Price transmission in the pangasius value chain from Vietnam to Germany

Evidence of market integration between farmed pangasius and wild-caught whitefish is provided in the literature, pointing towards pangasius prices being determined on the large international whitefish market. In the presence of price transmission in the value chain, global growth of pangasius farming does therefore not in itself reduce the farm-gate prices in Vietnam. In this paper, price transmission in the pangasius value chain from farmers in Vietnam, via export to final consumption in Germany, is tested using the Johansen cointegration framework. Price transmission is identified both between farm-gate prices and export prices in Vietnam and between export prices and retail prices in Germany. The Law of One Price was rejected in both cases, indicating imperfect price transmission. Weak exogeneity tests of market leadership identify a value chain with downstream market leadership consisting of German retailers leading exporters, which themselves lead farmers. The implication is that growth of Vietnamese pangasius farming can continue, ceteris paribus, without reducing prices substantially. Vietnamese farmers can invest in expansions without fearing self-inflicted price falls, but farmers and local communities remain prone to fluctuations following from supply and demand changes at the international whitefish market outside of their control.

Source: UG
Primary Carcinoma of the Liver and Post Necrotic Cirrhosis in a Ghanaian Child with Non-hepatic Bilharziasis

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
Primary cultivation: factors affecting contamination and Mycobacterium ulcerans growth after long turnover time of clinical specimens

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
Primary cultivation: Factors affecting contamination and Mycobacterium ulcerans growth after long turnover time of clinical specimens

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
Primary healthcare implementation in practice: Evidence from primary healthcare managers in Ghana

Background: Primary healthcare (PHC) is a core part of healthcare in developing countries. However, the implementation of PHC since its inception in developing countries has been lethargic, inconsistent and marred by controversies. Aim: This study investigates some of the controversies surrounding PHC implementation. It also examines how PHC is being implemented in Ghana as well as how the approaches adopted by PHC implementers influence PHC outcomes in developing countries. Setting: This study is set in Ghana and involves national, regional and district managers of PHC. Methods: A qualitative case study was used to gather information from 19 frontline PHC managers through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. They were then qualitatively analysed using the thematic framework analyses approach. Results: Findings uncover a lack of clear meaning of what PHC is and how it should be approached amongst key implementers. It also shows discrepancies between official policy documents and directives, and actual PHC practices. Findings also show a gradual shift from Alma Ata’s comprehensive PHC towards a more selective and intervention-specific PHC. Whilst donor and external stakeholders’ influence are the key determinants of PHC policy implementation, their support for vertical and other medicine-based interventions have gradually medicalised PHC. Conclusion: There is a need to pay more attention to understanding and addressing the gaps in PHC implementation and its inconsistencies. Furthermore, the role and control of donors and external development partners in PHC policy formulation and implementation, and their concomitant effects on community participation and empowerment, must be critically examined.

Source: UG
Primary Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy for Retinoblastoma in the Intravitreal Chemotherapy Era: Five Years of Experience

Purpose: To report our 5-year experience with intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) in the intravitreal chemotherapy (IvitC) era. Methods: Retrospective review of retinoblastoma treated with primary unilateral IAC in the IvitC era (2012–2017). Results: There were 34 eyes treated with IAC alone versus 20 eyes treated with IAC plus IvitC for vitreous seeds. IAC (IAC alone vs. IAC plus IvitC) consisted of melphalan (41 vs. 10%) or melphalan plus topotecan (59 vs. 90%, p = 0.03). IvitC consisted of melphalan (60%) or melphalan plus topotecan (40%). Tumor control and globe salvage were achieved in 100% of group B and C eyes without IvitC. Despite more extensive vitreous seeds in the IvitC group (p < 0.01), comparison of IAC alone versus IAC plus IvitC revealed no difference in tumor control for group D (88 vs. 69%, p = 0.36) or group E (67 vs. 100%, p = 0.25) and no difference in globe salvage for group D (88 vs. 69%, p = 0.36) or group E (58 vs. 57%, p = 0.39). Conclusions: IAC is effective as primary therapy for unilateral group B, C, D, and E retinoblastoma. IvitC is an important adjuvant therapy to achieve comparable globe salvage rates for group D and E eyes with persistent active vitreous seeds.

Source: UG
Primary religious socialization agents and young adults’ understanding of religion: connections and disconnections

A recurrent critique towards socialization theory is its emphasis on stability and disregard for change. Some case studies in the YARG project, particularly that of Ghana, do indeed point to the central role and influence that young adults ascribe to their primary socialization agents. In these contexts, personal religiosity is described as being in accordance with the values of parents and family, making religious transmission from one generation to another appear like a seamless affair. However, data from these contexts also point to how secondary socialization agents, such as peers, media and secular education, play a central role for how young adults maintain their personal religiosity. The aim of this paper is to analyze how young adults in Ghana, India and Poland describe the role of primary socialization agents on their religiosity, but also, to critically discern this influence as against that of secondary socialization agents. This article builds on both survey and interview data.

Source: UG
Primer in the Ga or Accra Language for the First Year in the Vernacular Schools of the Gold Coast, West Africa. (Eighth Edition)

Previous to the use of this book the children ought for 3 weeks to have preparatory exercise, they must combine single letters to syllables and syllables to words, and they must draw on slate short straight lines and combine such with the bottom turn and the top turn. Then the single letters are to be introduced one after the other. For this purpose little pictures are printed at the head of each.

Source: UG