Over four decades of herpetological research and conservation in Tanzania: research gaps and future conservation priorities

Traditional health practitioners (THPs) and their role in traditional medicine health care system are worldwide acknowledged. Trend in the use of Traditional medicine (TRM) and Alternative or Complementary medicine (CAM) is increasing due to epidemics like HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases like cancer. Despite the wide use of TRM, genuine concern from the public and scientists/biomedical heath practitioners (BHP) on efficacy, safety and quality of TRM has been raised. While appreciating and promoting the use of TRM, the World Health Organization (WHO), and WHO/Afro, in response to the registered challenges has worked modalities to be adopted by Member States as a way to addressing these concerns. Gradually, through the WHO strategy, TRM policy and legal framework has been adopted in most of the Member States in order to accommodate sustainable collaboration between THPs and the scientist/BHP. Research protocols on how to evaluate traditional medicines for safety and efficacy for priority diseases in Africa have been formulated. Creation of close working relationship between practitioners of both health care systems is strongly recommended so as to revamp trust among each other and help to access information and knowledge from both sides through appropriate modalities. In Tanzania, gaps that exist between THPs and scientists/BHP in health research have been addressed through recognition of THPs among stakeholders in the country's health sector as stipulated in the National Health Policy, the Policy and Act of TRM and CAM. Parallel to that, several research institutions in TRM collaborating with THPs are operating. Various programmed research projects in TRM that has involved THPs and other stakeholders are ongoing, aiming at complementing the two health care systems. This paper discusses global, regional and national perspectives of TRM development and efforts that have so far been directed towards bridging the gap between THPs and scientist/BHP in contemporary health research in Tanzania.

Conservation BiologyVolume 21, Issue 6 p. 1385-1386 Wildlife Research in Tanzania: Capacity Building Is Feasible Jafari R. Kideghesho, Jafari R. Kideghesho Department of Wildlife Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, 3073, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania, email [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorJulius W. Nyahongo, Julius W. Nyahongo Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O. Box 661, Arusha, TanzaniaSearch for more papers by this authorTomas Holmern, Tomas Holmern Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Realfagbygget, 7491 Trondheim, NorwaySearch for more papers by this author Jafari R. Kideghesho, Jafari R. Kideghesho Department of Wildlife Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, 3073, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania, email [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorJulius W. Nyahongo, Julius W. Nyahongo Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O. Box 661, Arusha, TanzaniaSearch for more papers by this authorTomas Holmern, Tomas Holmern Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Realfagbygget, 7491 Trondheim, NorwaySearch for more papers by this author First published: 07 November 2007 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2007.00807.xCitations: 2Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume21, Issue6December 2007Pages 1385-1386 RelatedInformation

Heat stress-related illness attributed to the changing climate, particularly the more frequent extreme high temperatures, is becoming a theme of public concern, especially in the most vulnerable regions, such as the African continent. Knowledge of the existing research directions and gaps on heat stress and human health is vital for informing future strategic research foci capable of influencing policy development, planning, adaptation, and mitigation efforts. In this regard, a bibliometric analysis was conducted, with an emphasis on Africa, to assess regional research contributions to heat stress impacts on human health. The goals of the study were to review publication growth and patterns of the scientific publications and to identify key players (especially collaborating institutions and countries) and the evolution of research themes on the African continent, while paying attention to global trends and emergent hot topics and methodology of heat stress research. Using the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus core collection databases, a structured keyword search was undertaken, which yielded 463 and 58 research publications from around the world and Africa, respectively. The retrieved scientific documents, published between 1968 and 2020, were analyzed and visualized using a bibliometric analysis technique and the VOSviewer software tool. The results indicate low statistics and slow scientific growth in publication output, with the highest peak having been reached in 2018, resulting in 13 scientific publications. While global research collaborations are successfully reflected in the literature, there is a considerable gap in understanding heat stress and related collaborations between African countries and international institutions. The review study has identified key opportunities that can benefit Africa through the expansion of the scope of heat stress and human health research on the continent. These opportunities can be achieved by closing the following research gaps: (1) vulnerability assessments within demographic classes, such as the elderly, (2) personal exposure and associated risks, (3) Urban Heat Island (UHI) evaluation for urban environments, and (4) heat adaptation research, which will enable informed and targeted preventive actions that will limit future heat health impacts. The authors opine that the pursuit of such studies will be most impactful if the current knowledge gaps are bridged through transdisciplinary research supported by local, regional, and international collaborators.

This article is an output of a systematic review to examine the trend of family planning research in Tanzania. The purpose of the review was to analyse published studies on family planning in the country from 1970 to 2012. The review aimed at examining the focus and key findings of family planning studies conducted during that period in order to identify areas where more research is needed. Searching was first done in Picarta, where a list of articles and abstracts were extracted. Those articles that did not meet the inclusion criteria or not well aligned with the keywords were excluded. This procedure was used in Purple search exploring in PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Enconlit and Business Source Premier. The Scopus search engine was consulted and the same procedures were used to enumerate all articles that met the inclusion criteria. During the review, qualitative approach was used, whereby content analysis was used to identify published peer reviewed articles and reports that address family planning programs in Tanzania. The analysis was done to summarize the main themes from reviewed articles and reports. The findings show that most of the studies reviewed employed quantitative approach using secondary data from various surveys conducted in Tanzania. While many of these studies largely focused on the determinants of contraceptive use and change in behaviour; a few focused on policy issues. With regard to thematic focus, accessibility and perceived quality of services, the impact of mass media advocacy on family planning particularly on contraceptive use were the key themes that featured more often in these studies. The paper concludes that the studies conducted in Tanzania from 1970 to 2012 focused at large on individual family planning behaviour and employed quantitative approach. The review also found that the studies were mostly holistic, analysing the whole country as a single unit of analysis ignoring context variations. Besides, the focus of most of the studies was on the determinants of contraceptive use. The studies were inclined on individual behaviour, with no attention to the institutional arrangements in the provision of family planning services, hence, creating a potential research gap. This study suggests that future studies should focus on policy and programme documents that guide implementation of family planning interventions. Furthermore, disaggregated studies examining regional variations in family planning programme implementation are recommended so as to capture context specific practices and challenges.

This brief summarises key considerations regarding cross-border dynamics between the Republic of Burundi and the United Republic of Tanzania in the context of viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) outbreaks in Tanzania and the Republic of Uganda. On 13 January 2025, the World Health Organization reported a suspected outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in Kagera Region of north-west Tanzania.1 On 20 January 2025, the government of Tanzania officially declared an outbreak.2 As of 26 February 2025, there have been 10 deaths from two confirmed and eight probable cases in Kagera’s Biharamulo and Muleba Districts. This is the second MVD outbreak in Kagera Region. In 2023, there were eight confirmed cases and one probable case, with six deaths, in Bukoba District.3,4 The origin of these outbreaks is yet to be confirmed. On 30 January 2025, the government of Uganda declared a Sudan virus disease (SVD) outbreak in Kampala, the capital city. SVD is one of six known viruses within the genus Ebolavirus and one of four that capable of causing Ebola virus disease (EVD) in humans and other primates; it is the sole member of the species Sudan Ebolavirus. As of 5 March 2025, 14 cases have been confirmed, with four deaths.5 This is Uganda’s sixth Sudan virus disease outbreak. The previous outbreak, in 2022, resulted in 164 cases and 55 deaths.6 MVD and SVD are VHFs. Both can spread between humans through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or via contaminated surfaces and materials.7,8 The potential for VHFs to spread into neighbouring countries makes understanding the dynamics at the Burundi-Tanzania border crucial. This brief is based on a rapid review of existing published and grey literature, programmatic documents, previous ethnographic research in Tanzania and informal discussions with in-country colleagues.

This brief summarises key considerations concerning cross-border dynamics between Tanzania and Uganda in the context of the outbreak of Ebola (Sudan Virus Disease, SVD) in Uganda. It is part of a series focusing on at-risk border areas between Uganda and four high priority neighbouring countries: Rwanda; Tanzania; Kenya and South Sudan. The current outbreak is of the Sudan strain of Ebola (SVD). SVD is used in this paper to refer to the current outbreak in East Africa, whereas outbreaks of Zaire Ebolavirus disease or general references to Ebola are referred to as EVD. The current outbreak began in Mubende, Uganda, on 19 September 2022, approximately 240km from the Uganda-Tanzania border. It has since spread to nine Ugandan districts, including two in the Kampala metropolitan area. Kampala is a transport hub, with a population over 3.6 million. While the global risk from SVD remains low according to the World Health Organization, its presence in the Ugandan capital has significantly heightened the risk to regional neighbours. At the time of writing, there had been no cases of Ebola imported from Uganda into Tanzania. This brief provides details about cross-border relations, the political and economic dynamics likely to influence these, and specific areas and actors most at risk. It is based on a rapid review of existing published and grey literature, previous ethnographic research in Tanzania, and informal discussions with colleagues from the Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCDGEC), Tanzania National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Uganda Red Cross Society, Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS), International Organization for Migration (IOM), IFRC, US CDC and CDC Tanzania. The brief was developed by Shelley Lees and Mark Marchant (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) with support from Olivia Tulloch (Anthrologica) and Hugh Lamarque (University of Edinburgh). Additional review and inputs were provided by The Tanzania Red Cross and UNICEF. The brief is the responsibility of the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform (SSHAP).

Background: Current methodological debates related to theory-based evaluations (TBE) centre around questions how to improve the explanatory strength of these approaches and how to integrate mechanisms as analytic concept. Particularly in complex aid interventions, when multiple elements are expected to interact and thus create an added value, exploring mechanisms as an analytical tool can be promising.
 Purpose: This paper seeks to contribute to the discussion on the use of TBE for evaluating complex aid interventions by sharing experiences from a recent evaluation of accompanying measures to general budget support.
 Setting: Nine countries of sub-Saharan Africa which have received German budget support, namely Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.
 Intervention: Accompanying measures (mainly in the form of technical assistance and capacity development) are one element of the budget support package, which further encompasses financial contributions, policy dialogue, and conditionalities.
 Research Design: We focus on interrelations between different elements of budget support and apply a mechanism-centred approach to programme theory building,
 Data Collection and Analysis: After defining accompanying measures and integrating them into the intervention logic of budget support used in recent multi-donor evaluations, key mechanisms were identified on an explorative mission to Mozambique, validated in an online survey, and further discussed in expert interviews and during field research in Tanzania.
 Findings: For the specific example relating to two elements of budget support (policy dialogue and accompanying measures), some of the hypothesized mechanisms were found to create an added value and thus increase the effectiveness of budget support as a package. The applied approach helped generate a more comprehensive implementation theory and provided insights into potential benefits and challenges of combining different elements in one programme. Beyond its use for future evaluations in the field of budget support, we argue that TBE of complex interventions can benefit from adopting such a mechanism-centred approach to create a better understanding of how different elements of the programme interact. Moreover, the focus on mechanisms when analysing programme implementation enables evaluators to improve their empirical inquiry on the identified mechanisms and to draw valid conclusions on the programme’s contribution to the observed outcomes.
 Keywords: Theory-based evaluation; theory of change; development evaluation; budget support; technical assistance; capacity development.

Prospective observational studies uniformly link vitamin D deficiency with the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), yet trials supplementing participants at risk of T2DM with vitamin D to reduce progression to T2DM have yielded inconsistent results. Inconsistencies between supplementation trials may be due to insufficient dosing or small sample sizes. Observational studies may also have reported spurious associations due to uncontrolled confounding by lifestyle or genetic factors. Alternatively, observational and intervention studies may not be entirely comparable. Observational studies show an association between higher vitamin D status, which is predominantly derived from sun exposure, and decreased incidence of T2DM. Trials intervene with vitamin D supplementation, and therefore may be missing alternate causes of the effect of sun exposure, as seen in observational studies. We propose that sun exposure may be the driving force behind the associations seen in observational studies; sun exposure may have additional benefits beyond increasing serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels. We performed an electronic literature search to identify articles that examined associations between sun exposure and T2DM and/or glucose metabolism. A best evidence synthesis was then conducted using outcomes from analyses deemed to have high methodological quality. Ten eligible full-text articles were identified, yielding 19 T2DM-related outcomes. The best evidence analysis considered 11 outcomes which were grouped into six outcome types: T2DM, fasting glucose, glucose tolerance, fasting insulin, insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity. There was moderate evidence to support a role of recreational sun exposure in reducing odds of T2DM incidence. High-level evidence was lacking; evidence presented for other outcomes was of low or insufficient level. This review highlights significant gaps in research pertaining to sun exposure and T2DM-related outcomes. Further research is encouraged as we aim to identify novel preventative strategies for T2DM.

In this paper, nine researched studies of radon concentrations in Tanzania were reviewed by searching specified databases from various search engines, such as Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Direct and PubMed for the studies published between the years 2010 and mid-April 2024 in English language to establish baseline data for the current research, which focused on Tanzania’s national radon survey and radon mapping strategy. The radon prediction map was created using well-known GIS software, ArcGIS 10.3. The results show that studies were conducted in central Tanzania close to Bahi and Manyoni uranium deposits, the Northern part of Tanzania at the Buhemba Gold mine and Tanzanite mines, and southern highlands at the Mkuju uranium project and Kiwira Coal mine. From the results of this review, the highest level of indoor radon concentration of 619 ± 59 Bq/m3 was recorded in Bahi Makulu, whilst the lowest average level of 19 ± 3 Bq/m3 was observed in Manyoni town. Radon in soil was conducted in Dodoma city only, and the mean was 59.8 kBq/m3. The average mean of radon in building materials is 74.6 Bq/m3, whilst no study has been found in the literature for radon in water. The lowest and highest radon concentration levels found in mining pits are 36 ± 5 and 4171.6 Bq/m3 reported from the Kiwira coal mine and Tanzanite Merelani mine, respectively. The results of this study emphasise the need for additional research on radon across the nation and raise awareness of the dangers and causes of radon exposure. Furthermore, this paper’s results will help develop the national indoor radon database and establish a regulatory framework for radon in buildings, soil, underground mines, building materials and water.

This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis and systemric review of global research on family takaful, identifying publication trends, leading contributors, influential works, and emerging thematic areas. It also seeks to highlight research gaps and propose future research directions.The study utilized a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of 78 documents related to family takaful, indexed in the Scopus and Web of Science (WOS) databases, covering the period from 2009 to 2025. Tools such as VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, Bibliometrix (R package), and Microsoft Excel were employed for data visualization and analysis. Descriptive and network analyses were conducted to map publication trends, author collaborations, thematic clusters citation patterns and shows the research gaps and future research directions.The results reveal a steady increase in family takaful research, with Malaysia dominating authorship, institutional affiliations, and publication outputs. Key research themes include consumer behavior, product modeling, Shariah compliance, and service quality. Influential studies highlight trust, awareness, and subjective norms as pivotal drivers of takaful adoption. However, research is predominantly region-specific (Malaysia and Pakistan), with limited cross-cultural validation, empirical field testing, and supply-side analyses. This study is the first to conduct a edicated bibliometric analysis and systemic review focused solely on family takaful literature, addressing a significant gap in existing takaful research which has largely been general in scope. By providing a comprehensive overview of the intellectual structure and evolution of family takaful studies, the paper offers valuable insights for academics, practitioners, and policymakers aiming to enhance the growth and innovation within the takaful industry. The analysis is constrained to documents indexed in Scopus and WOS, excluding grey literature and publications in non-English languages. The limited number of high-quality empirical studies restricts a deeper analysis of behavioral adoption factors. Future research should consider broader datasets, explore underrepresented regions, and integrate technological innovations and supply-side perspectives to advance the takaful literature.

Evidence-based assessments of extinction risk are established tools used to inform the conservation of plant species, and form the basis of key targets within the framework of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC). An overall picture of plants threat assessments is challenging due to the use of a variety of methodologies and range in scope from global to subnational. In this study, we quantify the state of progress in assessing the extinction risk of all land plants, determine the key geographic and taxonomic gaps with respect to our understanding of plant extinction risk, and evaluate the impact of different sources and methodologies on the utility of plant assessments. To this end, we have analyzed a cleaned dataset compiled from IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and Regional Red Lists. We reveal that there are assessments available for 89,810 distinct species or 25% of all accepted land plant species. However unlike with other major organismal lineages the bulk of the plant species assessments are derived from Regional Red Lists, and not the Global IUCN Red List. We demonstrate that this bias towards regional assessments results in distinct taxonomic and geographic strengths and weaknesses, and we identify substantial taxonomic and geographic gaps in the assessment coverage. With species that have been assessed in common at both global and regional levels, we explore the implications of combining threat assessments from different sources. We find that half of global and regional assessments do not agree on the exact category of extinction risk for a species. Regional assessments assign a higher risk of extinction; or underestimate extinction risk with almost equal frequency. We conclude with recommended interventions, but support the suggestion that all threat assessments should be pooled to provide more data and broaden the scope of threat assessments for monitoring progress towards GSPC targets.

BackgroundMisleading information about medical products on social media may cause overuse.ObjectivesExplore interventions targeting the problem of misleading medical information and marketing on social media, with a focus on preventing medical overuse including overdiagnosis.Eligibility criteriaWe included peer-reviewed studies with original data on an intervention targeting misleading medical information on social media and governmental/institutional responses with and without evaluation. We excluded responses relating to COVID-19.Sources of evidencefour electronic databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, Academic Search Complete and Web of Science, and searches of grey literature on Google and Google Scholar. Search date: 9 June 2025.Data chartingWe used prespecified data forms populated in duplicate by two reviewers.ResultsWe identified 27 peer-reviewed articles and 25 organisational and governmental responses (grey literature). 20 (74%) of the peer-reviewed interventions targeted the consumer to enhance ‘media literacy’, support decision-making or warn about misinformation trends. Approaches included education, such as videos or information materials, to improve detection of misinformation, as well as correcting misinformation and rebutting claims. Only two (7.4%) of the peer-reviewed approaches were sensitive to the problem of medical overuse: a risk-of-deception tool and an informed decision-making service. The grey literature about government and organisational responses chiefly comprised general advertising regulations and other educational resources for consumers to identify and navigate misinformation. The advertising regulations ranged from self-regulatory codes of practice to mandatory regulations, requiring pre-approval of social media marketing material. Most regulations stated advertising should be truthful, presenting both benefits and harms and not be misleading. Most of the grey literature (64%) was sensitive to medical overuse, though none referred explicitly to the problem.ConclusionsCurrent efforts to address misleading medical marketing on social media often overlook the critical issue of medical overuse and fail to provide sufficient consumer protections in this rapidly evolving digital landscape of social media, such as the speed of dissemination, reach and the role of third-party advertising. These gaps in research, regulation and practice present significant opportunities to strengthen evidence-based policies and public health responses.Trial registration detailshttps://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/2NJSH

PurposeThe study aims to showcase the developmental perspective of “grey literature” and its importance to different sectors of the society. Furthermore, issues, challenges and possibilities concerned with the existence of “grey literature” have also been discoursed.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on the existing literature published in the field of “grey literature” which was identified with the aid of three leading indexing and abstracting services, Web of Science, SciVerse Scopus, and Google Scholar. Keywords like grey literature, black literature, The Grey Journal, The International Journal on Grey Literature, International Conference on Grey Literature, non-conventional literature, semi-published literature, System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe (SIGLE), European Association for the Exploitation of Grey Literature (EAGLE), white literature, white papers, theses and dissertations, GreyNet, grey literature-electronic media, Grey market, open access, OpenNet, open access repositories, institutional repositories, open archives, electronic theses and dissertations, institutional libraries, scholarly communication, access to knowledge, metadata standards for grey literature, metadata heterogeneity, disciplinary grey literature, etc. were searched in the select databases. Simple as well as advanced search feature of the databases were made use of. Moreover, for more recent and updated information on the topic, the “citing articles” feature of the databases was also used. The “citing articles” were consulted on the basis of their relevance with the subject content.FindingsThe study helps to understand the definitive framework and developmental perspective of “grey literature”. “Grey Literature” has emerged as a promising content for enhancing the visibility of the ideas that were earlier unexplored and least made use of “Grey literature” has also overcome the problems and issues with its existence and adoption. Technology has played a catalytic role in eradicating the issues and problems pertinent to the “grey literature” to a greater extent.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on the published literature that is indexed by only three databases, i.e. Web of Science, SciVerse Scopus and Google Scholar. Furthermore, some limited aspects of “grey literature” have been covered.Practical implicationsThe study will be of great help to various stakeholders and policymakers to showcase the value and importance of “grey literature” for better access and exploitation. It will also be of importance to those interested to know how the literature tagged as grey changed with the passing time and how it through its unseen characteristics has evolved as an important source of information at par with the “white literature”.Originality/valueThe study tries to provide a demarcated and segregated outlook of the “grey literature”. It also focuses on various issues, problems and possibilities pertinent to the adoption and existence of “grey literature”.

Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in Africa, experiencing an increasing burden due to rising incidences driven by urbanization, lifestyle changes, and non-communicable diseases. This scoping review maps stroke rehabilitation interventions in Africa, identifying barriers to implementation and adherence, and highlighting research gaps to inform future policy and clinical practices. A literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and African Journals Online (AJOL), supplemented by grey literature from WHO reports and government publications. Inclusion criteria focused on studies of stroke rehabilitation interventions in African countries, targeting adults diagnosed with stroke, and included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, qualitative studies, and systematic reviews. Findings indicate that stroke rehabilitation interventions in Africa, including physical therapy, task-specific training, psychoeducational programs, tele-rehabilitation, mobile phone-supported interventions, and programs targeting activities of daily living (ADLs), are implemented in some settings to enhance functional independence, motor, cognitive, and speech functions, and psychological well-being. However, adherence to these protocols is often limited by significant barriers, including financial constraints, geographical and transportation challenges, a shortage of skilled rehabilitation professionals, cultural and language barriers, and patient-related factors such as cognitive impairments and lack of social support. The review also reveals variability in the availability of standardized rehabilitation protocols across African settings, with some regions lacking consistent implementation. Research gaps include insufficient epidemiological data, limited evaluation of cost-effective and culturally appropriate rehabilitation models, and underexplored caregiver burden. This review advocates further studies on technology integration, community-based rehabilitation, and culturally tailored interventions to improve adherence and accessibility. It also emphasizes addressing systemic and infrastructural barriers to ensure equitable access to rehabilitation services for stroke survivors across Africa. Future research should focus on optimizing rehabilitation strategies, reducing long-term disability, and improving quality of life for stroke survivors in Africa.

This study reviewed grey literature to assess clinical nursing and midwifery research conducted in southern and eastern African countries over the past decade. The shortage of published nursing research from African countries severely limits the ability of practicing nurses and midwives to base clinical decisions on solid evidence. However, little is known regarding unpublished or unindexed clinical research ('grey literature'), a potentially rich source of information. Identifying these sources may reveal resources to assist nurses in providing evidence-based care. This scoping review of grey literature on clinical nursing and midwifery research in southern and eastern African countries helped to identify gaps in research and assess whether these gaps differ from published research. Systematic searches of grey literature were performed. Research was included if it was conducted by nurses in 1 of 25 southern or eastern African countries, between 2004 and 2014 and included patient outcomes. Data were extracted on location, institution, research topic, institutional connections and author information. Chi-square tests were performed to compare differences between indexed and non-indexed literature. We found 262 studies by 287 authors from 17 southern and eastern African countries covering 13 topics. Although all topics were also found in indexed literature and there were statistically significant differences between the number of times, fewer topics were covered in grey literature vs. indexed. Patient satisfaction and experience and traditional health practices were more likely to be published, whereas chronic disease, assault and paediatric-related research were less often published. Generally, there is a paucity of clinical nursing research in this region. This could reflect the shortage of nurses prepared to conduct research in this region. Nurses may find additional resources for evidence in the grey literature. A complete understanding of the state of nursing science in southern and eastern African countries will help nurses and midwives to understand gaps in clinical research knowledge, potentially direct their research to more critical topics, and inform funding bodies and policy-makers of the situation of nursing science in southern and eastern African countries.