ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Patterns of Climate Variables and Malaria Cases in Two Ecological Zones of Ghana

Climate change is projected to impact human health, particularly incidence of water related and vector borne diseases, such as malaria. A better understanding of the relationship between rainfall patterns and malaria cases is thus required for effective climate change adaptation strategies involving planning and implementation of appropriate disease control interventions. We analyzed climatic data and reported cases of malaria spanning a period of eight years (2001 to 2008) from two ecological zones in Ghana (Ejura and Winneba in the transition and coastal savannah zones respectively) to determine the association between malaria cases, and temperature and rainfall patterns and the potential effects of climate change on malaria epidemiological trends. Monthly peaks of malaria caseloads lagged behind monthly rainfall peaks. Correlation between malaria caseloads and rainfall intensity, and minimum temperature were generally weak at both sites. Lag correlations of up to four months yielded better agreement between the variables, especially at Ejura where a two-month lag between malaria caseloads and rainfall was significantly high but negatively correlated (r = −0.72; p value < 0.05). Mean monthly maximum temperature and monthly malaria caseloads at Ejura showed a strong negative correlation at zero month lag (r = −0.70, p value < 0.05), with a similar, but weaker relationship at Winneba, (r = −0.51). On the other hand, a positive significant correlation (r = 0.68, p value < 0.05) between malaria caseloads and maximum temperature was observed for Ejura at a four-month lag, while Winneba showed a strong correlation (r = 0.70; p value < 0.05) between the parameters at a two-month lag. The results suggest maximum temperature as a better predictor of malaria trends than minimum temperature or precipitation, particularly in the transition zone. Climate change effects on malaria caseloads seem multi-factorial. For effective malaria control, interventions could be synchronized

Source: UG
Assessment of Pearl Millet Genotypes for Downy Mildew Resistance and Agronomic Performance under Field Conditions in Senegal

fields in Asia and Africa. In order to identify new sources of resistance to this disease, a set of 20 genotypes was assessed during the rainy season 2015 at Bambey, Nioro, Kolda and Sinthiou Maleme research stations in Senegal. Comparative survey between locations showed that the highest downy mildew incidence (100%) was recorded in Kolda. The 7042S, an international susceptible check, showed downy mildew incidence of 91.12%, IP22441 line was susceptible at Kolda (incidence = 30.5%), resistant at Sinthiou Maleme (incidence = 6.5%), moderately resistant at Bambey (incidence = 18%) and highly susceptible at Nioro (incidence = 70%). IP22295 line was susceptible at Kolda (incidence = 24.5%) but resistant at Bambey (incidence = 0%), Nioro (incidence = 3.5%) and Sinthiou Maleme (incidence = 0%). A hierarchical cluster analysis of these tested genotypes integrating agronomic parameters and response to downy mildew has identified four genotype groups characterized by downy mildew resistance, vegetative growth, panicle yield and flowering time. This study has shown the variability of S. graminicola populations from different tested locations. Genotypes IP22315, IP2295, SOSAT-C88-Sadore and SOSAT-C88-Pantacheru presented stable resistance to downy mildew across the tested locations. These genotypes can be used as parents for breeding pearl millet varieties resistant to the downy mildew disease under Senegal environments.

Source: UG
Assessment of Physical Activity Indicators for Children and Youth in Ethiopia: Evidence from the Global Matrix 3.0 Study (2017–2018)

Background Regular physical activity is vital for children’s health, well-being, and development. However, evidence is scant about physical activity indicators for children and youth in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess physical activity indicators among children and youth in Ethiopia. Methods This study was conducted as part of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance’s “Global Matrix 3.0” which included 49 countries. Data were collected from December 2017 to April 2018. The country research team included different disciplines related to physical activity. Data were retrieved from pre-reviewed literature, government policy documents, and an expert interview panel. Data were analyzed using the ten physical activity indicators for children and youth. The grading system was done through a harmonized process and the standard grading rubric of the Global Matrix 3.0 study ((A = ≥ 80%, B = 60%–79%, C = 40%–59%, D = 20%–39%, F = < 20%, INC = incomplete data). Results For the overall physical activity indicator, 28% of children and youth in Ethiopia met the recommended physical activity of 60 min per day which resulted in a “D” grade. Likewise, the school and government indicator received a “D” grade. Almost 32% of schools in Ethiopia had access to infrastructures and multipurpose spaces for physical activity including outdoor play. The government policy partially existed in the non-communicable diseases agenda but had less focus on children and youth. The active play indicator scored the highest grade of “B.” About 71% of children and youth were involved in active play for at least 2 h a day before, during, and after school. About 50% of children and youth were engaging in organized sport participation, and this indicator was graded a “C.” Similarly, 48% of children and youth walked to and from school as a means of active transportation resulting in a “C” for this indicator. Three indicators (sedentary behavior, family and peers, and community and environment) were graded as an “F.” Approximately 8% of children and youth were living in communities and environments that did not support opportunities for physical activity. Only 13% of children and youth spent less than 2 h per day in sedentary screen time. There was no adequate information to grade the physical fitness indicator. Conclusion This study showed that Ethiopian’s children and youth have received low grades for majority of physical activity indicators. Therefore, urgent actions should be taken by the government, policymakers, researchers, and key stakeholders to address the suggested priority areas.

Source: UG
Assessment of plant biodiversity in Wechiau Community Hippopotamus Sanctuary in Ghana

A study was conducted in the Wechiau Community Hippopotamus Sanctuary in Ghana in order to assess the plant biodiversity found in the sanctuary. The study was conducted over a period of three years (2000-2003) through botanical inventories and using sample plots. A total number of 227 species of plants belonging to 72 families were identified and three vegetations types: Riverine forest, Floodplain and Upland flora were found in the sanctuary. Many of the species of plants were Mesophanerophytes and Thereophytes whereas a paucity of the species was Heleophytes, Hydrophytes, Hemicryptophytes and Chamaephytes. The results of the study are discussed and recommendations made for further research to support the conservation and sustainable use of plants in the sanctuary.

Source: UG
Assessment of productivity of hospitals in Botswana: A DEA application

Abstract Background Botswana national health policy states that the Ministry of Health shall from time to time review and revise its organization and management structures to respond to new developments and challenges in order to achieve and sustain a high level of efficiency in the provision of health care. Even though the government clearly views assuring efficiency in the health sector as one of its leadership and governance responsibilities, to date no study has been undertaken to measure the technical efficiency of hospitals which consume the majority of health sector resources. The specific objectives of this study were to quantify the technical and scale efficiency of hospitals in Botswana, and to evaluate changes in productivity over a three year period in order to analyze changes in efficiency and technology use. Methods DEAP software was used to analyze technical efficiency along with the DEA-based Malmquist productivity index which was applied to a sample of 21 non-teaching hospitals in the Republic of Botswana over a period of three years (2006 to 2008). Results The analysis revealed that 16 (76.2 percent), 16 (76.2 percent) and 13 (61.9 percent) of the 21 hospitals were run inefficiently in 2006, 2007 and 2008, with average variable returns to scale (VRS) technical efficiency scores of 70.4 percent, 74.2 percent and 76.3 percent respectively. On average, Malmquist Total Factor Productivity (MTFP) decreased by 1.5 percent. Whilst hospital efficiency increased by 3.1 percent, technical change (innovation) regressed by 4.5 percent. Efficiency change was thus attributed to an improvement in pure efficiency of 4.2 percent and a decline in scale efficiency of 1 percent. The MTFP change was the highest in 2008 (MTFP = 1.008) and the lowest in 2007 (MTFP = 0.963). Conclusions The results indicate significant inefficiencies within the sample for the years under study. In 2008, taken together, the inefficient hospitals would have needed to increase the number of outpatient visits by 117627 (18 percent) and inpatient days by 49415 (13 percent) in order to reach full efficiency. Alternatively, inefficiencies could have been reduced by transferring 264 clinical staff and 39 beds to health clinics, health posts and mobile posts. The transfer of excess clinical staff to those facilities which are closest to the communities may also contribute to accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals related to child and maternal health. Nine (57.1 percent) of the 21 hospitals experienced MTFP deterioration during the three years. We found the sources of inefficiencies to be either adverse change in pure efficiency, scale efficiency and/or technical efficiency. In line with the report Health financing: A strategy for the African Region, which was adopted by the Fifty-sixth WHO Regional Committee for Africa, it might be helpful for Botswana to consider institutionalizing efficiency monitoring of health facilities within health management information systems.

Source: UG
Assessment of productivity of hospitals in Botswana: A DEA application

Botswana national health policy states that the Ministry of Health shall from time to time review and revise its organization and management structures to respond to new developments and challenges in order to achieve and sustain a high level of efficiency in the provision of health care. Even though the government clearly views assuring efficiency in the health sector as one of its leadership and governance responsibilities, to date no study has been undertaken to measure the technical efficiency of hospitals which consume the majority of health sector resources. The specific objectives of this study were to quantify the technical and scale efficiency of hospitals in Botswana, and to evaluate changes in productivity over a three year period in order to analyze changes in efficiency and technology use. DEAP software was used to analyze technical efficiency along with the DEA-based Malmquist productivity index which was applied to a sample of 21 non-teaching hospitals in the Republic of Botswana over a period of three years (2006 to 2008). The analysis revealed that 16 (76.2 percent), 16 (76.2 percent) and 13 (61.9 percent) of the 21 hospitals were run inefficiently in 2006, 2007 and 2008, with average variable returns to scale (VRS) technical efficiency scores of 70.4 percent, 74.2 percent and 76.3 percent respectively. On average, Malmquist Total Factor Productivity (MTFP) decreased by 1.5 percent. Whilst hospital efficiency increased by 3.1 percent, technical change (innovation) regressed by 4.5 percent. Efficiency change was thus attributed to an improvement in pure efficiency of 4.2 percent and a decline in scale efficiency of 1 percent. The MTFP change was the highest in 2008 (MTFP = 1.008) and the lowest in 2007 (MTFP = 0.963).

Source: UG
Assessment of rDNA IGS as a molecular marker in the Simulium damnosum complex

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
Assessment of rehabilitation capacity in Ghana

Purpose: This study describes a cross-sectional assessment of infrastructure, human resources, and types of rehabilitation interventions provided in a sample of healthcare facilities in Ghana. The objectives were to (a) develop and pilot a questionnaire assessing rehabilitation capacity in LMICs, and (b) provide initial data regarding available rehabilitation care in rural Ghana. Methods: Data was collected from a sample of rehabilitation workers at 9 facilities, comprised of 5 regional and 4 district hospitals, located in seven of the ten geographical regions of Ghana. Participants completed a modified version of the World Health Organisation's Tool for Situational Analysis to Assess Emergency and Essential Surgical Care, adapted to reflect core indicators of rehabilitation infrastructure. Participating facilities were mailed questionnaires and agreed to subsequent site visits from the first author. Results: There were several limitations associated with basic rehabilitation infrastructure. Consistent with previous research, significant human resources limitations were observed as hospital-based rehabilitation services were primarily rendered by 20 physiotherapists and 21 physiotherapy assistants across the 9 participating sites. No rehabilitation physicians were identified at any of the surveyed facilities. With regard to therapeutic interventions, management of musculoskeletal impairments was generally consistent with current evidencebased practices, whereas rehabilitative approaches for neurologic conditions were limited to physical rather than sensory-motor modalities. Conclusions: For the first time there is study data which details the rehabilitation infrastructure, human resources, and interventions in Ghana. This study furthers the field through the adaptation and initial piloting of a rehabilitation assessment instrument that can be used in LMIC contexts. Limitations: The questionnaire used for the study was modified from the questionnaire for assessing surgical care in resource poor countries, and has not yet been validated. Since the study was conducted in a convenience sample of rehabilitation/physiotherapy centres in Ghana, generalisability may be limited. © 2016, Action for Disability Regional Rehabilitation Centre. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Assessment Of SDG 3.6: An Analysis Of Ghana’s Road Safety Policies And Strategies In Relation To The Global Plan For The Decade Of Action For Road Safety 2011-2020

Road traffic Injury has become a public health concern globally, killing 1.35 million people every year. In Ghana, RTI rates are unreasonably high; ironically, the country has committed to international objectives to significantly reduce RTIs and has designed strategies to meet those objectives. This study therefore assessed Ghana’s performance on SDG 3.6 and the targets of the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. This necessitated an analysis of Ghana’s road safety policy and strategies aimed at achieving the goal and target, in relation to the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. The study also highlighted the challenges in road traffic injury prevention in Ghana. This is a qualitative research that adopted an analytical approach. The study relied on both primary and secondary data. Primary data was purposively collected from road safety experts and personnel through semi-structured interview. Secondary sources included journal articles, reports, internet sources, books, etc. Data obtained was analyzed using content analyses. Key findings indicate that Ghana could not meet SDG 3.6 and the targets of the decade. The current trend of road traffic injuries and fatalities show a significant increase instead of decline, although there was initial decline in the early years of the decade. Ghana, through the NRSA and stakeholder institutions prepared a strategy and action plans based on the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety. It was found that the objectives of the strategy aligned with the five pillars of road safety as presented in Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. The study also revealed that Ghana is gradually embracing the safe systems approach to fighting RTIs by strengthening the entire road transport system. The pitfalls were in the implementation of the strategy; where financial inadequacies, centralization of implementation, and lack of oversight affected the implementation of the strategy and action plans. Core challenges in RTI prevention were identified to be lack of regulation of road transport sector, bad road network, corruption, inadequate funding, and low enforcement of road traffic regulations. The study recommends that a national strategy inspired by the Global Plan of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 which reflects the realities of the Ghanaian context be developed to fight RTI. Other recommendations include improving public transport; separating trunk roads from settlement areas; conducting road safety audits at various stages of road design and construction; constructing more trauma centers, and regulating the road transport sector. Key Words Road Transport, Road Traffic Injuries, Sustainable Development Goals, Safe Systems. Approach Global Plan.

Source: UG
Assessment of short-term beach sediment change in the Volta Delta coast in Ghana using data from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drone)

Reduced sediment in delta beach systems affects delta coast topography and influence delta beach evolution. It opens the deltaic environment up to severe ocean waves and tide attack, which threatens vulnerable coastal communities and increases the risk of the inhabitants. Changes in the beach sediment systems vary from few meters to several kilometres and from hours/days (short term) to decades (long term). Various methods have been developed to analyse changes in beach sediments. This study used Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV or Drone) approach to assess short-term sediment dynamics (from April 2017 to April 2018) in three vulnerable beach systems at Old Ningo (west), Fuveme (central) and Keta (east) communities within the Volta Delta coast in Ghana. High-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) were developed from the drone images captured, which enabled perpendicular profiles to be generated. Sampled sediments were analysed to determine variation in sizes along the coast. Analysis of the profiles revealed that for the period between April 2017 and April 2018, the beach system at Ningo recorded a net loss of about 8,850 m3 volume of sediment; at Fuvemeh the beach system gained about 12,700 m3 net volume of sediment; in Keta the beach system also gained about 12,100 m3 net volume of sediment. Sediment size analysis revealed that the western section has a relatively finer grain size compared to the east. The coast experienced lower waves between January and February and higher waves between July and August. The pattern of change in the sediment dynamics follows the changing trend in the wave height observed in the region. This indicates that wave dynamics is a major driver of short term sediment change in the Volta delta beach systems. Increased wave intensity as a result of climate change will have a significant impact on the delta beach systems, which will increase erosion and flooding incidence.

Source: UG
Assessment of Smallholder Farmers’ Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change: Use of a Mixed Weighting Scheme

Weighting scheme definition represents an important step in assessment of adaptive capacity to climate change with indicator approach since it defines the trade-offs among indicators or components and can be source of uncertainty. This study aims to assess smallholder farmers’ adaptive capacity to climate change by using a mixed weighting scheme that reflect farmers’ perceived importance of adaptive capacity components to inform policy makers. To achieve that objective, the sustainable livelihood framework was adopted and indicator approach was used for the assessment. The mixed weighting scheme were defined by using both equal weights and experts judgement methods during the assessment process. The mixed weighting scheme index is compared to the case where equal weights are applied in the assessment process and an uncertainty analysis was performed on relative standard deviation through a Monte Carlo simulation. Primary Data were collected from 450 farmers in two communities in northern Benin with a structured questionnaire and through focus groups discussion. The results show that smallholder farmers in both communities do not have the same perceived importance of adaptive capacity components. The index scores show that farmers have in majority low adaptive capacity. When weighted product aggregation method is used, there is more uncertainty related to the index computed with the mixed weighting scheme, but it leads to the same characterisation when compared with the index computed with the equal weights. It is recommended that mixed weighting scheme should be preferred for the assessment of adaptive capacity and weighted product aggregation method should be used.

Source: UG
Assessment of social factors that promote the vulnerability of communities to coastal hazards in the Volta estuary in Ghana

Although vulnerability assessments have been widely conducted along the coast of Ghana, they have not focused on the factors contributing to social vulnerability of households and communi ties to disaster risks. Using an indicator-based approach, this study examines the social factors that affect the exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity of households and communities in the Volta estuary, Ghana. Results indicate that all the communities within the study area were ex posed to climate change related hazards. However, two communities, Azizanya in Ada East Dis trict and Fuveme in Anloga District, were highly exposed with unweighted indexes of 0.50 and 0.76, respectively. Sensitivity among communities was generally high ranging from 0.00 to 0.87 due to several social factors including low household income, high number of children and aged at home, and lack of social amenities such as roads, health facilities, markets, and schools. The communities recorded high adaptive capacity and were able to withstand the ravages of the ocean and the river system. Households and communities developed various adaptation measures such as relocation to nearby communities or higher grounds, open spaces and packing of their be longings on higher objects such as tables, whiles government actions included occasional dredg ing and constructions of sea defense structures. An integrated, multi-stakeholder approach in volving government, non-governmental community-based organisations, communities, house holds, and other stakeholders is proposed to design and implement a comprehensive disaster management plan to combat climate change related coastal disasters.

Source: UG