African Countries Research Articles

Development of Priority Assistive Product Lists in Three African Countries

National Assistive Product Lists (APLs) play an important role in improving access to assistive products (APs). Assistive products are critical to enhancing the health, well-being, and quality of life of persons with disabilities and other functional limitations, including those associated with aging. Comparing national APL development across Malawi, Liberia, and Sierra Leone may provide insight into the differences between the resulting national APLs and how to enhance AP service delivery systems. The aim of this study was to compare how the World Health Organization’s 5Ps model (people, personnel, policy, provision, products) influenced national APL development across Malawi, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. To achieve this aim, we conducted a series of qualitative interviews with representatives of key government and non-state organizations (n = 12) who had been involved in the development of the APL in each of the three countries. We used directed content analysis to review and analyze the resulting data, with the 5Ps representing the 5 areas of analysis. Our results found substantial differences between the APLs of the three countries, which were substantially influenced by the needs of assistive technology users in each of the respective countries (people). This was evident in the fact that product selection criteria differed across countries, with the most critical factor being population need. Provision systems were generally fragmented and depended heavily on donors, with a lack of coordination between the public and private sectors. None of the countries had or produced a standalone AT policy in the APL development process. County-specific factors also influenced the APL differences between countries. Our research concludes that national APLs will vary substantially if they are developed collaboratively, considering the needs of the population with consideration for the country’s context and existing policies and systems.

Deciphering the complex interplay: Heterogeneous, threshold, and mediation effects of trade openness on CO2 emissions in Africa.

Despite having barely anything to do with the issue of CO2 emissions, Africa has been experiencing more severe climate change and its adverse effects than most other regions of the globe. However, the issue of CO2 emissions and its adverse effects has received relatively little attention in the African research arena. To this end, the present research assesses the effect of trade openness on the CO2 emissions utilizing panel data from 46 African countries spanning 2000 through 2022. To account for the possible heterogeneity and nonlinearity, the panel quantile regression and threshold methods were employed. Moreover, this study investigates the key mediating effects of the channel. The empirical findings show that greater trade openness is associated with significantly higher CO2 emission, additionally; it demonstrates that the influence is heterogeneous across different CO2 emission quantiles in African countries. Besides the result from the double threshold model reveals a complex, nonlinear relationship between trade openness and CO2 emissions in Africa. Moreover, the findings divulge that openness to trade indirectly reduces CO2 emissions through the substitution and technology channels whereas it indirectly increases carbon dioxide production via the economic track. Therefore, it is vital to promote the use of renewable energy, effectively leverage the knowledge spillover effects of trade to decrease energy intensity and formulate pertinent policies aimed at curbing carbon emissions and addressing the imminent threat of climate change in Africa. Besides, the nonlinear and heterogeneous effects of trade openness on CO2 emissions suggest that policies and interventions related to the impact of trade openness on CO2 emissions should consider the current level of carbon dioxide emissions.

Public Sector Audit Reforms and Financial Management

Developing economies across the world face high public corruption and weak financial management, and the role of sound audit practices in shaping the narratives is still at the exploring stage in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This research explores the nexus between public audit reforms and public sector financial management using survey research design and Nigeria as a case study. Participants in the study were drawn from The Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF) Headquarter in Abuja. Agency theory anchored this study and simple descriptive analytics was used in testing the seven hypotheses. The research established that: the recent audit reforms carried out in Nigeria are considered necessary for better public sector financial management; Nigeria’s audit system has a strong connection with public sector financial management; there is a need for the establishment of Federal Audit Service Commission (FASC) in Nigeria; the recent audit reforms will block treasury loot and leakages in Nigerian public funds management; Nigeria needs effective audit laws to wholesomely fight corruption through recent audit reforms; and the recent Nigerian audit reforms embrace integrity, transparency and accountability in the management of public funds. The study makes the following recommendations: there is a need for audit staff orientation and professional development in order to promote their overall productivity and efficiency; there is a need for the establishment of Federal Audit Service Commission (FASC) in order to promote the independence of Nigerian Audit system from executive interferences; Nigeria audit laws should be strengthened to curtail fund leakages, wastages of public property, and promotion of value-for-money expenditures; and the recent audit reforms carried out by the government of Nigeria should be sustained and given all necessary supports in order to achieve the desired results.

Scales of accountability: Solar mini-grids and clean energy for all in Uganda

There is great hope pinned on solar mini-grids to fulfil universal rural electrification targets and enable clean energy access, especially in low-income African countries such as Uganda. Yet Ugandan realities are complex, with many unelectrified households in villages the electric grid serves, and varied experiences with the few solar mini-grids implemented in recent years, indicating limited downward accountability. Crucially, large solar plants have arrived, making it timely to resolve the dilemma of just clean energy provision both in and from rural areas. Yet little research on energy transitions in this context exists to explain its political economic complexity. We draw on field visits to three solar mini-grids with contrasting performances, to Uganda's largest 20 MW solar plant, through dozens of villages, and on meetings with the regional utility and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. This is supplemented by knowledge of Uganda's energy policy through document analysis and lived experience. We adapt accountability analysis to deploy a novel ‘scales of accountability’ framework at multiple spatial scales of solar deployment. Our analysis offers insights on the challenges Uganda must address to achieve the potential associated with solar mini-grids and multi-scalar solar energy transitions to achieve universal clean energy access.

Closer to the people? Determinants of citizen–MP contact in Africa

AbstractIn this paper, we investigate the determinants of contact between citizens and Members of Parliament (MPs) in Africa by combining theories of contact developed in advanced Western democracies with theories of clientelism developed in the Global South. Based on Afrobarometer data matched with constituency‐level electoral data, we provide a first analysis of the determinants of citizen–MP contact in 32 African countries, encompassing a broad range of regime types. We find that smaller districts and single‐member districts strengthen contact across regime types, while electoral competitiveness is only positively associated with contact in more democratic settings. In line with clientelist theories of public resource access, district links to national ruling coalitions are positively associated with contact, but we find little evidence of partisan bias. Overall, we find that contact theories travel remarkably well across regions and regime types, and we caution against interpreting clientelistic contacts as harmful for democracy.

A comprehensive review of climate information systems in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) of Kenya for enhanced decision-making process

The reality of climate change has had far-reaching effects on climate and weather patterns globally. High carbon emissions have resulted in wildfires causing migration and death from natural disasters such as droughts, floods, and strong winds. Climate change has also led to reduced crop and livestock farming yields, and worsening incidences of hunger and famine. The use of climate information systems (CIS) in the Arid and Semi-Arid regions of Kenya has not been extensively reviewed. This study reviews the use of CIS in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) to improve decision-making and adapt to climate change. We reviewed past and present research on Kenya's ASAL counties’ smallholder farmers’ CIS use. National and international attempts to develop early warning systems through CIS to help stakeholders and end users make farm-level decisions were reviewed. Kenya leads Eastern African countries in emphasizing CIS to reduce climate change's effects on sustainable agriculture. In ASAL countries, the gap between CIS information and its applicability for smallholder farmers’ farm-level decisions, low finance, weak infrastructure, and limited capability are major issues. Limited indigenous knowledge integration and the absence of regular updates and end-user co-development were also noted. Despite these obstacles, CIS can improve decision-making, catastrophe risk management, and socioeconomic growth in these places. Tailored CIS solutions are essential to address the specific needs of smallholder farmers in ASAL regions. Improved coordination and leveraging newer technologies are crucial for effective CIS implementation.

Evidence on the accreditation of health professionals' education in the WHO Africa region: a scoping review protocol.

This scoping review aims to map and examine the extent and type of available evidence on health professionals' education accreditation within Africa. The demand for health professionals is unprecedentedly high globally. One response to this challenge has been expanding training through more liberal education policies, facilitating private sector participation in education service provision. Some evidence suggests that this is a double-edged sword, increasing quantity but compromising the quality of health professionals produced. Regulation can provide a framework to assure and continuously improve quality, with such regulation in place in 79% of World Health Organization African countries. However, it is unclear how much and what evidence has been generated on how accreditation happens, where it is concentrated, and the prevailing evidence gaps within this region; therefore, we propose to conduct a scoping review. This review will include articles and dissertations focusing on the accreditation of health professionals' education in Africa. All methodological approaches and designs will be included. Conference abstracts and protocols will be excluded. This review will be carried out according to the JBI scoping review methodology. We conducted an initial search of CINAHL and MEDLINE to identify relevant articles. This informed our selection of keywords, along with index terms, to create a comprehensive search strategy for CINAHL (EBSCOhost), MEDLINE (Ovid), Global Health (Ovid), ERIC (EBSCOhost), Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, and Scopus. Sources included will be limited to those published starting from 2000 onwards. Data will be presented using tables and charts, accompanied by a narrative summary. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/W5G7T.

Comparative Efficiency of Polyethylene Glycol, Ammonium Sulphate, Methanol Precipitation, and Ultrafiltration Techniques for the Down Streaming of Viral Antigen

Background: Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is ubiquitous worldwide but endemic in many countries of Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. Many reasons contribute to the incidence of viral diseases even in vaccinated animals. These reasons include low antigenic payload, low PD50, improper formulation, unstable vaccine containing antigen, and genetically different from field strain. Among these, the most important one is the low antigenic load per dose of the vaccine. Vaccine failure is mainly due to the direct use of virus suspension in the vaccine without the concentration of viral antigen. Another reason to concentrate the antigen is small volume storage in the vaccine bank. These issues are mostly concerned with developing countries like Pakistan which lack antigen concentration technology. The concentration of the virus is a major milestone to be achieved for the production of an effective vaccine as well as for the diagnostic tool.Methods: Different techniques including precipitation with polyethylene glycol, ammonium sulfate, methanol, and filtration through an ultra-filter membrane were used for the concentration of viral suspension. Antigen quantification in terms of µg/ml was determined through size exclusion chromatography by using Sephacryl S-300 as a stationary phase.Results: Percentage recovery of FMDV calculated through analysis of chromatograms found 77.80%, 59.75%, 32.50%, and 13.83% for polyethylene glycol, ammonium sulfate, ultra-filtration, and methanol treated samples respectively.Conclusion: Classical polyethylene glycol precipitation showed a maximum percentage recovery of foot and mouth disease virus as compared to other concentration methods.Keywords: Foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV); Concentration Methods; Polyethylene Glycol (PEG); Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC); Sephacryl S-300

Agriculture and the youth population in Africa: An under-tapped resource for inclusive development

Several countries in Africa and other developing nations have grown, not only astronomically in terms of population, but also economically over the past two to three decades. However, available evidence has shown that economic growth alone does not guarantee inclusivity, a precondition for development. While some economic growth initiatives are pro-poor leading to some form of segregation, others are overtly sectoral, discriminatory, and sometimes unsustainable. Meanwhile, agricultural development through a conscious and committed investment portends a good deal for inclusive transformation considering the pivotal place of agriculture in the economic fabric of these countries. Again, with the rising population of young people in the continent with no appreciable investment in new skills and technologies to catch up with the demand of 21st century labour markets, agriculture remains the only sector capable of absorbing the burgeoning demographic. The youth population in Africa represents a dynamic and transformative force for the continent's socioeconomic landscape. With over 60% of the population under the age of 25, this group can significantly drive inclusive development, particularly through agriculture. Agriculture, as a primary sector, not only supports livelihoods but also fosters innovation, job creation, and food security. Agriculture, no doubt has always provided the necessary impetus required to drive the engine of industrialisation in Africa despite the many challenges facing the sector. It is against this backdrop that this paper explores the intersection of youth engagement in agriculture and inclusive development in Africa. It highlights how empowering young people with access to education, resources, and critical technology can lead to sustainable agricultural practices and enhanced productivity. By highlighting some important initiatives, the paper illustrate how youth-led initiatives in agriculture can address critical challenges such as unemployment, rural-urban migration, and food insecurity. Key words: Africa, Agriculture, Human resource, Inclusive development, Youth population

Transmission pathways for the stem rust pathogen into Central and East Asia and the role of the alternate host, barberry

Abstract After many decades of effective control of stem rust caused by the Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici, (hereafter Pgt) the reported emergence of race TTKSK/Ug99 of Pgt in Uganda reignited concerns about epidemics worldwide because ∼90% of world wheat cultivars had no resistance to the new race. Since it was initially detected in Uganda in 1998, Ug99 variants have now been identified in thirteen countries in Africa and the Middle East. Stem rust has been a major problem in the past, and concern is increasing about the risk of return to Central and East Asia. Whilst control programs in North America and Europe relied on the use of resistant cultivars in combination with eradication of barberry (Berberis spp.), the alternate host required for the stem rust pathogen to complete its full lifecycle, the focus in East Asia was principally on the use of resistant wheat cultivars. Here, we investigate potential airborne transmission pathways for stem rust outbreaks in the Middle East to reach East Asia using an integrated modelling framework combining estimates of fungal spore deposition from an atmospheric dispersion model, environmental suitability for spore germination, and crop calendar information. We consider the role of mountain ranges in restricting transmission pathways, and we incorporate a representation of a generic barberry species into the lifecycle. We find viable transmission pathways to East Asia from the Middle East to the north via Central Asia and to the south via South Asia and that an initial infection in the Middle East could persist in East Asia for up to three years due to the presence of the alternate host. Our results indicate the need for further assessment of barberry species distributions in East Asia and appropriate methods for targeted surveillance and mitigation strategies should stem rust incidence increase in the Middle East region.

Molecular detection of Potential Novel Mansonella species (Filarioidea: Onchocercidae) in equine and Culicoides enderleini from Africa

A new genotype of a filarial worm from the Mansonella genus was determined in three donkeys from Algeria, as well as from four horses and two Culicoides enderleini biting midges from Senegal. Phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS1 and rRNA 5S genes shows similar results clustering this filarial worm within the genus Mansonella with low identity with all known Mansonella species. Further research should be performed to characterise this Mansonella sp. and assess its prevalence in African countries.

Russian wheat export to African countries at the present stage: key development features, challenges and opportunities

The Russian Federation traditionally remains one of the most important producers and suppliers of wheat on the world market of agricultural raw materials and food. The countries of the African continent, on the contrary, form the largest group of importers and consumers of this product. The purpose of the article is to identify the main trends in the dynamics of Russian wheat exports to African countries at the present stage, as well as to identify the key features of this aspect of trade relations between the parties. The article examines the dynamics and features of export-import relations between the Russian Federation and African countries in the field of international wheat trade through the prism of food security theory. The paper presents an analysis of numerical indicators of wheat production in Russia and its exports to African countries in comparison with indicators of total supplies to the world market, identifies specific features of Russian exports focused on supplies to the African region, and concludes that Russia needs to expand its participation in ensuring food security in the Global South. The source base is statistical materials containing numerical indicators of wheat production and trade by countries and regions of the world, published by international organizations (FAO, International Trade Center, UNCTAD/WTO), national executive authorities, their subordinate institutions and the Bureau of Statistics (Rosstat, USDA); as well as analytical and information and news publications on the topic.

Determinants of cervical cancer screening among women of childbearing age in four sub-Saharan African countries: insights from large population surveys

BackgroundCervical cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related mortality among women in Africa. Cervical cancer screening in women is associated with decreased incidence and mortality of cervical cancer. There is a dearth of recent data regarding the prevalence and associated factors of cervical cancer screening in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this study is intended to determine the prevalence and associated factors impacting cervical cancer screening among women in four sub-Saharan African countries.MethodsData from the recent demographic and health surveys of four countries in sub-Saharan Africa conducted between 2022 and 2023. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with the outcome variable. Variables with a p-value < 0.05 were declared statistically significant.ResultsThe prevalence of cervical cancer screening among women of childbearing age in four sub-Saharan African countries was 8.90% (95% CI: 8.67%, 9.13%). At the individual level, being older, educated, non-breastfeeding, employed, wealthier, sexually active, using contraceptives, having media exposure, visiting healthcare facilities in the last 12 months, and residing in urban areas were associated with higher odds of cervical cancer screening. At the community level, being from communities with a high level of literacy and media exposure increases the odds of cervical cancer screening among women in sub-Saharan Africa.ConclusionThe prevalence of cervical cancer screening among childbearing-age women was found to be low. To improve cervical cancer screening practices among women of childbearing age, it is therefore advised to support women’s empowerment, mass media campaigns, and regular visits to healthcare facilities.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) Germplasm from Sierra Leone and Togo Based on KASP–SNP Genotyping

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is a tropical tree species belonging to the Malvaceae, which originated in the lowland rainforests of the Amazon. It is a major agricultural commodity, which contributes towards the Gross Domestic Product of West African countries, where it accounts for about 70% of the world’s production. Understanding the genetic diversity of genetic resources in a country, especially for an introduced crop such as cacao, is crucial to their management and effective utilization. However, very little is known about the genetic structure of the cacao germplasm from Sierra Leone and Togo based on molecular information. We assembled cacao germplasm accessions (235 from Sierra Leone and 141 from Togo) from different seed gardens and farmers’ fields across the cacao-producing states/regions of these countries for genetic diversity and population structure studies based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers using 20 highly informative and reproducible KASP–SNPs markers. Genetic diversity among these accessions was assessed with three complementary clustering methods, including model-based population structure, discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC), and phylogenetic trees. STRUCTURE and DAPC exhibited some consistency in the allocation of accessions into subpopulations or groups, although some discrepancies in their groupings were noted. Hierarchical clustering analysis grouped all the individuals into two major groups, as well as several sub-clusters. We also conducted a network analysis to elucidate genetic relationships among cacao accessions from Sierra Leone and Togo. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed high genetic diversity (86%) within accessions. A high rate of mislabeling/duplicate genotype names was revealed in both countries, which may be attributed to errors from the sources of introduction, labeling errors, and lost labels. This preliminary study demonstrates the use of KASP–SNPs for fingerprinting that can help identify duplicate/mislabeled accessions and provide strong evidence for improving accuracy and efficiency in cacao germplasm management as well as the distribution of correct materials to farmers.

The 2024 Public Health Emergency of International Concern: A Global Failure to Control Mpox.

On August 14, 2024, following a regional declaration by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, marking the second such declaration in two years. A series of outbreaks involving the more virulent clade I virus (compared to clade II, which caused a global outbreak in 2022), has now spread in 13 African countries, exposing the inadequacies of the public health infrastructure in these settings. There was significant investment during the 2022 global outbreak, but these efforts failed to address vaccine access and treatment in the Global South. Regulatory delays, unequal access to vaccines, and a lack of compassionate use treatments for severe cases have resulted in preventable cases and deaths, especially among vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, children, and the immunocompromised. The current outbreak also underscores critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of mpox, including its transmission, pathogenesis, and viral evolution. We join intensified calls for global solidarity and action to control mpox, emphasizing immediate containment measures and long-term local and international investment in African public health systems, to prevent future epidemics.

When do firms respond to external pressure for environmental management? Insights from deterrence theory

Extant literature indicates that external stakeholder pressure drives corporate environmental management practices. However, in practice, firms operating within the same context often exhibit divergent responses to stakeholder ecological demands. This research integrates stakeholder theory and deterrence theory to explore how a firm's perception of the consequences of non-compliance—referred to as the 'level of deterrence'—moderates the relationship between external pressure and environmental management practices. By combining these theoretical perspectives, the study advances the understanding of why firms respond differently to similar stakeholder pressures. The conceptual framework is tested using survey data from 157 small-scale manufacturers in Ghana, a Sub-Saharan African country. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and hierarchical ordinary least squares regression were employed to analyze the relationships among the variables. The results reveal that the influence of external pressure on environmental management is strengthened when deterrence is high and weakened when deterrence is low. These findings underscore the need to reassess the certainty, swiftness, and severity of penalties for environmental violations in developing economies while highlighting the importance of stakeholder influence in driving corporate sustainability efforts.

West African Medicinal Plant Substances and Molecules Activities Against Viral Hepatitis B and Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major global public health problem with devastating consequences, such as hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, approved treatments are limited to interferon and nucleoside/nucleotide analogues for chronic hepatitis B and chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery for cancer. Both treatments have their limitations, making complete cure an elusive goal. Therefore, the identification of new therapeutic targets using medicinal plants and the development of new antiviral and anticancer strategies are of utmost importance. The aim of this review is to identify from the literature the substances and molecules of West African flora involved in the fight against chronic hepatitis B and liver cancer and to provide a summary of their mechanisms of action. Pubmed, HAL open science, and Google Scholar literature search engines were used to identify medicinal plants and molecules from the West African flora. Among West African countries, Gambia and Niger had the highest prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection, and 09 West African countries had high rates of liver cancer. A number of studies carried out in Mali, Benin, Senegal, and Burkina Faso enabled us to list anti-HBV and anticancer plants, as well as a number of molecules isolated from plants found in West African regions. By offering a glimpse into the world of anti-HBV and anticancer molecules from West Africa, this review provides valuable information to support the future development of herbal antiviral and anticancer drugs.

Participatory research with youth with disabilities: Experiences from sub-Saharan Africa.

Disability inclusive youth research, involving youth with disabilities in the design, implementation and dissemination of study data, is still limited in Africa. To describe and reflect on the experiences of involving youth with disabilities in an exploratory research study, focused on disability-inclusive education and employment in 7 African countries. 12 youths with different impairments, aged 18 to 35, were employed as researchers in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda. Youth researchers contributed to the data collection and analysis of interviews with 210 youth with disabilities. 24 youth advisors with disabilities formed two youth advisory groups (YAG) of 12 advisors each in the regional hub countries Ghana and Uganda. The YAGs met 4 times during the project and contributed to the study design, data collection, data analysis and dissemination activities. In addition, 4 workshops were held with the Ugandan YAG to develop a participatory film. Together with the youth participants, we reflected on the experiences of involving youth with disabilities and conducting research with, by and on youth with disabilities. We highlighted ethics and safeguarding, recruitment and representation, exploring experiences and data quality, participatory dissemination, accessibility, capacity building and networking as key areas of consideration and benefit in this project. Participatory research with youth with disabilities is feasible, enriching, and key to inclusive research that informs education and employment policy and practices. Lessons learned from youth involvement in a disability inclusive research programme, focused on education and employment in 7 African countries.

Community-Based Health Information Systems in Africa: A Scoping Review of Data Generation, Utilization, and Community Empowerment

Introduction The community-based health information system (CBHIS) is a vital component of the community health system, as it assesses community-level healthcare service delivery and generates data for community health programme planning, monitoring, and evaluation. CBHIS promotes data-driven decision-making, by identifying priority interventions and programs, guiding resource allocation, and contributing to evidence-based policy development. Objective This scoping review aims to comprehensively examine the use of CBHIS in African countries, focusing on data generation, pathways, utilisation of CBHIS data, community accessibility to the data and use of the data to empower communities. Methods We utilised Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review methodology. We searched eight databases: PubMed, EMBASE, HINARI, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and grey literature databases (Open Grey and OAIster). We synthesised findings using a thematic approach. Results Our review included 55 articles from 27 African countries, primarily in Eastern and Southern Africa, followed by West Africa. Most of the studies were either quantitative (42%) or qualitative (33%). Paper-based systems are primarily used for data collection in most countries, but some have adopted electronic/mobile-based systems or both. The data flow for CBHIS varies by country and the tools used for data collection. CBHIS data informs policies, resource allocation, staffing, community health dialogues, and commodity supplies for community health programmes. Community dialogue is the most common approach for community engagement, empowerment, and sharing of CBHIS data with communities. Community empowerment tends towards health promotion activities and health provider-led approaches. Conclusion CBHIS utilises both paper-based and electronic-based systems to collect and process data. Nevertheless, most countries rely on paper-based systems. Most of the CBHIS investments have focused on digitisation and enhancing data collection, process, and quality. However, there is a need to shift the emphasis towards enabling data utilisation at the community level and community empowerment.

Instructional technologies of education in East African countries

This paper investigates the use of commonly employed technologies in education across East African countries, specifically focusing on Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Sudan. It draws on Google Scholar to identify key technologies used in teaching and learning, emphasizing their benefits, such as increased student engagement, commitment, interaction, and improved performance. However, several challenges hinder the effective use of these technologies, including unfamiliarity, time constraints, negative attitudes, lack of human resources, insufficient government support, and infrastructure limitations. To overcome these obstacles, the paper recommends providing teachers with better training and workshops on accessing and utilizing appropriate technological tools. Furthermore, it calls for enhanced government involvement to ensure modern technologies are effectively integrated, thereby improving the overall quality of education in the region.