Rural Areas Of Africa Research Articles

Transforming healthcare systems in medically underserved rural areas (Muas) via digital technology

This article reviews the challenges and impacts of digital transformation in the healthcare systems in rural and underserved areas and the possible solution to this menace. In the developed nations of the world, bridging the gap between the poor and the rich has been challenging as a result of the introduction of social health facilities unaffordable for the poor populace. Telemedicine provides an easier and better way of communicating remotely with healthcare providers without having to travel long distances and spend more. It focuses on the introduction of eHealth facilities in rural areas to bring about equal access to healthcare. The obstacles of accessing remote areas through the implementation of various telecommunication networks, and the necessity of telemedicine in the underserved and rural areas in the underdeveloped nations of Africa as a case study. The necessity of applying telemedicine in solving various health issues has brought about many contradictions that have worsened the situation with numerous viable technologies examined along with the effectiveness of telemedicine in linking access to healthcare disparities. Appropriate telecommunications networks should be set up in the underserved areas and rural areas of Africa since we have a larger percentage of the populace in this category. Thus, bringing about equality between the rich and the poor and providing all with the appropriate knowledge in telemedicine.

Optimizing the economic dispatch of weakly-connected mini-grids under uncertainty using joint chance constraints

AbstractIn this paper, we deal with a renewable-powered mini-grid, connected to an unreliable main grid, in a Joint Chance Constrained (JCC) programming setting. In several rural areas in Africa with low energy access rates, grid-connected mini-grid system operators contend with four different types of uncertainties: forecasting errors of solar power and load; frequency and outages duration from the main-grid. These uncertainties pose new challenges to the classical power system’s operation tasks. Three alternatives to the JCC problem are presented. In particular, we present an Individual Chance Constraint (ICC), Expected-Value Model (EVM) and a so called regular model that ignores outages and forecasting uncertainties. The JCC model has the capability to guarantee a high probability of meeting the local demand throughout an outage event by keeping appropriate reserves for Diesel generation and battery discharge. In contrast, the easier to handle ICC model guarantees such probability only individually for different time steps, resulting in a much less robust dispatch. The even simpler EVM focuses solely on average values of random variables. We illustrate the four models through a comparison of outcomes attained from a real mini-grid in Lake Victoria, Tanzania. The results show the dispatch modifications for battery and Diesel reserve planning, with the JCC model providing the most robust results, albeit with a small increase in costs.

Medical Demography and Access to Prenatal Care in the Foumbot Agricultural Production Basin (West Cameroon)

This article analyzes the dynamics of medical demography and access to prenatal care in the agricultural production basin of Foumbot, located in western Cameroon. This region, characterized by strong agricultural activity, presents particular challenges in terms of maternal and child health. Lack of adequate access to prenatal care is a major concern that can influence maternal and neonatal health indicators. In our work, we conducted a six-month study in the commune of Foumbot. We used a research methodology that included multidimensional analysis, drawing on data from field surveys of 140 randomly selected women in the villages of Baigom, Fosset, Foumbot 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Maka, Momo and Njone. These data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. This enabled us to highlight the variation in qualities of prenatal care according to environments and types of health facility. The results show a significant disparity in access to prenatal care according to different socio-economic and geographical factors. Only 70% of pregnant women made the minimum four visits required, 22% did not use prenatal care, while 8% had fewer than four visits. The study also reveals that the main obstacles are the remoteness of health centers, the costs associated with cares and cultural practices that can limit the use of available services. The impact of agricultural activity, which is often the main source of income and subsistence for local populations, exacerbates these challenges by reducing the time available for medical care and increasing economic constraints. In rural areas, the use of medicinal plants also predominates, at 30%. The maternal mortality rate rose from 20 to 25 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2020 and 2023. Life expectancy at birth is 56 years; the infant mortality rate is 54‰, and the adult literacy rate is 63%. This research sheds light on the challenges faced by rural populations in terms of prenatal cares, and proposes concrete avenues for strengthening the healthcare system in similar contexts. The results of this study could also serve as a reference for public health policies aimed at improving access to care in other rural areas of Africa.

Sustainable innovations for rural Africa: Case studies from Nigeria and Tanzania

ABSTRACT Sustainable entrepreneurship is essential to tackle the negative effects of climate change in communities, especially in the rural areas of Africa. This article presents case studies of two start-ups developing sustainable business models for rural communities in Nigeria and Tanzania. The cases were monitored during an accelerator program, and the analyzed materials come from in-depth interviews, field observations, and secondary data. The obtained data were coded and processed using qualitative thematic analysis. The research activities took place during the years 2022 and 2023. The cases illustrate how the studied entrepreneurs have designed their sustainable business models and engaged with early adopters and opinion leaders within a community. They leveraged existing networks and community associations to provide education and training. This can be highly effective in increasing the adoption rates of innovations. However, navigating the political and cultural dynamics and building trust within communities is crucial to overcoming challenges and successfully diffusing innovations in rural Africa.

Recent Advances in the Management Strategies for Buruli Ulcers.

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a bacterial skin infection that is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans and mainly affects people who reside in the rural areas of Africa and in suburban and beach resort communities in Australia. The infection typically begins as a painless papule or nodule that gradually develops into a large ulcer that can cause substantial impairment, damaging soft tissues and even bones. Early detection and immediate treatment are crucial to preventing further tissue damage and any potential complications, although it is worth noting that access to proper therapeutic resources can be limited in certain areas. The most commonly used antibiotics for treating BU are rifampicin, streptomycin, and clarithromycin; efforts have recently been made to introduce new treatments that increase the effectiveness and adherence to therapy. This article presents the latest research and management strategies regarding BU, providing an updated and intriguing perspective on this topic.

Cultural elements for small agribusiness entrepreneurship in rural contexts

With high unemployment rates in South Africa, research into agribusiness entrepreneurship has become relevant. Despite their job creation dimension, agribusinesses are essential for realizing food security in both rural and urban contexts. The study aimed to explore the question: How do cultural elements affect small agribusiness entrepreneurship in rural areas? This question was prudent owing to the restrictions to open business that arose from the Covid-19 induced lockdowns and restricted movements. A rural context was the basis for the study taking note that in most rural areas in Africa, agricultural activity forms the backbone of socioeconomic life. The study followed the qualitative research approach based on the case study design of a selected rural community. The actual data collection method was based on two focus group discussions of the cultural elements that affect agribusiness entrepreneurship among members of the rural community. The findings show that culture is a strong determent of success agribusiness entrepreneurship in rural areas. Evidence collected pointed that the history of a community, family backgrounds as well as the external environment influences its culture which then affects agribusiness entrepreneurship in rural environments. These shape the beliefs, values, behaviour and values of a community. The apartheid era instilled psychological inhibitions such as the rejection of self-identities and the belief that self-employment is not possible among Blacks. It emerged that families influence the orientations of respondents especially through tales, stories and shared totems. The study shows that the external environment and its factors such as globalisation, technology and economic development also influence values, beliefs and agri-entrepreneurship behaviour.

A Conversation with Francis Enyi: Bridging the healthcare deficit via IVR

Ubiquity's senior editor Dr. Bushra Anjum chats with Francis Enyi, a senior program analyst with the Information and Communication Technology Department at Delta State University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. They discuss how Enyi and his team of computer software developers, medical personnel, and linguists are working toward bridging the deficit of healthcare personnel in remote and rural areas in Africa. The conversation also details the team's flagship service, interactive voice response (IVR) software, providing access to quality non-surgical medical care information to the populace, made available via the GSM telephone network.

Economic challenges limiting small-scale commercial farming development in rural areas of South Africa

Small-scale commercial farming has been recognised as a congruent strategy for local economic development. However, there are entrepreneurial challenges that are aggravated by the state of the economy, natural factors and weak agrarian edification system limiting growth in this sector. The fact that small-scale commercial farming is prioritized in the development agendas of the majority of African nations reflects how important it is in promoting food security and job creation. A number of agronomic limitations, including a limited farming entrepreneurship skill, severe climate change, drought, limited access to cash, and water shortages, have been recognized as major obstacles to the growth of small-scale commercial farming. As a result, the study presents the obstacles to entrepreneurship and small-scale commercial farmers in South Africa's rural areas. Two hundred and seventeen small-scale commercial farmers were chosen using a multi-stage sample technique. Quantitative data were collected through a survey in which structured questionnaires were used. Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 26 and Microsoft Excel version 2016 software were used as data analysis tools. Friedman means ranking technique was used to categorize the challenges in ascending order. Pearson chi-square was used to determine the relationship between the variables. The computed results revealed that financial, water, access to the market, crops and animal diseases were the most prevalent challenges. Subsequently, these farmers have poor financial management, marketing, packaging, cross-breeding and human management skills and this is exacerbating the challenges faced. Based on the results of this investigation, the paper recommends that the establishment of training programmes to improve entrepreneurship skills should be offered to these farmers, depending on the type of farming. Agricultural policies should be based on current evidence and should also be based on regular assessments. This improves the readjustment of relevant policies for the development of small-scale commercial farming. The study recommends that building of strong government intervention, farming stakeholder participation in policy formulation and adequate support for small-scale commercial farmers’ schemes in rural areas should be prioritised. Key words: Challenges, Small-scale commercial farming, economic challenges, entrepreneurial constraints, rural areas

Theuse of LCZ-696(Sacubitril/Valsartan) and SGLT2inhibitors: A Real World Experience in a Rural African Patient with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF). A Case Series

Objective: To observe the outcomes of the use of both Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) and sodium-glucose cotransport 2-inhibitor (SGLT2Ii) in terms of echocardiographic parameters, clinical symptoms, cardiovascular death, and Heart failure hospitalization in patient with heart failure reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in the hard-to-reach rural area of Africa. Background: Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) is preferred over angiotensin-converting enzymes inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor blocker as foundation therapy for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, Heart failure hospitalization, and Heart failure symptoms. SGLT2 inhibitor (Dapagliflozin and Empagliflozin) is among the four foundation drugs in managing HFrEF.

Oil dependency, political institutions, and urban–rural disparities in access to electricity in Africa

AbstractIn line with the resource curse literature, this paper examines the effect of oil dependency on the disparities in access to electricity between urban and rural areas in Africa, conditional on the quality of political institutions. Based on data from 36 African countries over the period 2000–2017, our investigation suggests that oil rents (% of GDP) increase urban–rural disparities in access to electricity. However, the quality of institutions shapes the effect of oil dependency on these disparities. Specifically, a 10% increase in the institutional quality score reduces the adverse effects of oil rent on electricity access disparity by around 19%, and the negative impact of oil dependency on urban–rural disparities is reversed when institutional quality reaches a score of 52% on a scale from 0 to 100. The robustness tests support these results and call for strengthening the quality of institutions to overcome the resource curse in Africa.

Long-term validation of a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 from March 2020 to October 2021 in Central Africa, Gabon.

Despite the development of several methods for diagnosing COVID-19, long-term validation of such methods remains limited. In the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed a rapid and sensitive diagnostic method based on reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) methodology, which is suitable for point-of-care application or for use in resource-limited settings to detect SARS-CoV-2. To assess the applicability of the RT-LAMP assay technique to resource-limited regions, such as rural areas in Africa, and to verify the usability of the method against various SARS-CoV-2 variants, the method was validated using clinical samples collected longitudinally during the pandemic. First, the sensitivity of the RT-LAMP assay for detecting 10 SARS-CoV-2 variants was evaluated using viral RNA samples extracted from cell culture with a portable battery-supported device, resulting in the successful detection of 20-50 copies of the viral genome within 15 min, regardless of the variant. COVID-19 positive samples collected in Gabon between March 2020 and October 2021 were used to evaluate the sensitivity of the assay and to calculate the copy number of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. More than 292 copies of the viral genome were detected with 100% probability within 15 min in almost all tests. This long-term validation study clearly demonstrated the applicability of the RT-LAMP assay for the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 in resource-limited settings of Africa, such as rural areas in Gabon. The results show the potential of the assay as a promising COVID-19 diagnostic method, especially in rural and remote regions located far from the official diagnosis facilities in urban or semi-urban areas.

Hesitant migration to emergent cities: Angola’s intentional urbanism of the ‘centralidades’

This article discusses migration to rural areas in Africa and its relation to the emergence and development of new towns and urbanism. New conditions of mobility and the establishment and development of newly urban and proto-urban areas call for a reassessment of mobility and settlement dynamics. Changing contexts of urban-rural relations with important societal implications, new transformations and reconfigurations of urban forms call for analyses beyond rural exoduses, unequal territorial development, or the primacy of major cities. In Angola, urban construction, namely of the new ‘centralidades’—emergent new cities made of blocks of buildings and respective infrastructure in vacant areas in the countryside—attempts the creation of cities before the agglomeration of population or the undertakings to attract migration, other than just housing. This intentional urbanisation is thus characterised by hesitant settlement, which this article analyses using empirical material collected in a variety of Angolan centralidades.

The impact of flooding on food security across Africa

Recent record rainfall and flood events have prompted increased attention to flood impacts on human systems. Information regarding flood effects on food security is of particular importance for humanitarian organizations and is especially valuable across Africa's rural areas that contribute to regional food supplies. We quantitatively evaluate where and to what extent flooding impacts food security across Africa, using a Granger causality analysis and panel modeling approaches. Within our modeled areas, we find that ∼12% of the people that experienced food insecurity from 2009 to 2020 had their food security status affected by flooding. Furthermore, flooding and its associated meteorological conditions can simultaneously degrade food security locally while enhancing it at regional spatial scales, leading to large variations in overall food security outcomes. Dedicated data collection at the intersection of flood events and associated food security measures across different spatial and temporal scales are required to better characterize the extent of flood impact and inform preparedness, response, and recovery needs.

Drinking Water Supply in Rural Africa Based on a Mini-Grid Energy System—A Socio-Economic Case Study for Rural Development

Water is an essential resource required for various human activities such as drinking, cooking, growing food, and personal hygiene. As a key infrastructure of public services, access to clean and safe drinking water is an essential factor for local socio-economic development. Despite various national and international efforts, water supply is often not guaranteed, especially in rural areas of Africa. Although many water resources are theoretically available in these areas, bodies of water are often contaminated with dangerous pathogens and pollutants. As a result, people, often women and children, have to travel long distances to collect water from taps and are exposed to dangers such as physical violence and accidents on their way. In this article, we present a socio-economic case study for rural development. We describe a drinking water treatment plant with an annual capacity of 10,950 m3 on Kibumba Island in Lake Victoria (Tanzania). The plant is operated by a photovoltaic mini-grid system with second-life lithium-ion battery storage. We describe the planning, the installation, and the start of operation of the water treatment system. In addition, we estimate the water prices achievable with the proposed system and compare it to existing sources of drinking water on Kibumba Island. Assuming a useful life of 15 years, the installed drinking water system is cost-neutral for the community at a cost price of 0.70 EUR/m3, 22% less than any other source of clean water on Kibumba Island. Access to safe and clean drinking water is a major step forward for the local population. We investigate the socio-economic added value using social and economic key indicators like health, education, and income. Hence, this approach may serve as a role model for community-owned drinking water systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

Monkeypox: What do we know so far? A short narrative review of literature.

Monkeypox was a zoonotic infection, first detected in parts of northern Africa in the 1970s. Monkeypoxvirus, the causative agent of monkeypox, is a species of genus Orthopoxvirus and is closely related to long-eradicated smallpox caused by variola virus. Outbreaks in the West (in USA, UK, and Ireland) along with periodic re-emergence of the disease in parts of Africa have generated concern among global health bodies due to the existent deficiency of guidelines for management of the disease. Genetic variations and altered mechanisms favoring better survival of the virus have made early identification of the disease during screening difficult, particularly in resource-limited settings like rural areas of Africa. Through evidences gathered from experimental studies conducted after these outbreaks, the virus is known to be transmitted from several animal reservoirs along with human-to-human contact of blood, body fluids, or aerosol. Early diagnosis through immunoassays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, although not very specific, allows early treatment and subsequently better patient survival and recovery. Presence of lymphadenopathy along with fever, sore throat, and a vesiculopustular rash is diagnostic. The virus affects the gastrointestinal, hematological, ocular, and respiratory systems, in like manner producing afflictions of the specific system. Treatment, through experimental data, has been preferred to be symptomatic, with the aim to prevent superinfections. Antivirals like cidofovir and tecovirimat have been studied upon and used in clinical trials with favorable outcomes. Antiviral immunoglobulins have also been used with success in certain patients for postexposure prophylaxis.

Cost-effectiveness of fibre optic technology deployment in rural area

Studies have shown that the majority of the global population are migrating from rural to urban areas. People are leaving rural areas due to poor services such as poor broadband service. Fibre optic technology has been introduced as a solution to poor broadband quality. However, as a result of the peculiar characteristics of South Africa's rural areas, the majority of the telecommunication operators are hesitant to invest in ICT in rural areas because it tends to be much less profitable. Hence, the study of how cost-effective it would be to deploy a fibre optic network in rural areas as compared to the current wireless (LTE) network remains an open issue. This study investigates the cost-effectiveness of deploying a fibre optic network in the rural area of Mdantsane township, by analysing the installation and operation costs of fibre optic networks in comparison to the cost of wireless (LTE) networks. The finding of the study amongst others showed that while fibre optic networks seem to be great, however, they come at a cost. The cost of drilling and trenching associated with the deployment of fibre optic networks was reported as the key reason why the network deployment is costly. Hence, reducing the cost of drilling and trenching would reduce the cost significantly. The study suggests that, to lower fibre optic deployment costs, network operators should collaborate and share costs through a customised pricing model that benefits both the operators and rural internet users.

Exploring the use of p53 protein expression as an indicator of oesophageal cancer severity from a high incidence rural area of Africa.

The expression of p53 has been associated with the severity of other types of cancer. There is scanty information when it comes to oesophageal cancer. This study aimed to explore the use of p53 protein expression as an indicator of oesophageal cancer severity from a high-risk incidence in the African rural population. Fifty-one patients newly diagnosed with oesophageal cancer were recruited from the endoscopic unit at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha, South Africa. The serological expression of p53 was measured using the ELISA method and the severity of oesophageal cancer expressed in grade was obtained from the histopathology report from patient's oesophageal biopsies. We found that the expression of p53 was equally distributed among the histological grades of cancer with the value of 2495 pg/mL ± 1736 pg/ mL for lower grades and 2520 ± 1539 pg/mL for higher grades. Furthermore, we found that the level of p53 expression was equally distributed in patients from grade 1, 2, 3, and 4. The expression of p53 protein does not vary according to the histological grade of oesophageal cancer in the given population, therefore may not be helpful as a prognostic factor.

Diversity and determinants of traditional water conservation technologies in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Water scarcity remains a major threat to most rural areas in Africa due to heavy reliance on rainfed agriculture. This prompts the need to document and understand the determinants of traditional knowledge of water conservation practices. Our aim here is to document and identify the determinants of people’s knowledge of traditional knowledge of water conservation in the South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. A mixed research method was used. Purposive approach was used to collect data, i.e., elderly people were targeted during the face-to-face pre-COVID-19 pandemic interviews on the basis that traditional knowledge increases with age. However, people of different age groups were also included in the study especially when we employed only online questionnaire during the pandemic. We used questionnaire to collect all the data, and 93 people responded in total to our questions. We documented 10 traditional water conservation technologies. We identified rainfall variation, water quality issues, and increased water demand as the major challenges linked to these technologies, while easy access and the amount of water harvested are reported as benefits of these technologies. We found that traditional knowledge is not influenced by age (β = −0.006 ± 0.01, P = 0.64) or gender (β = −0.16 ± 0.25, P = 0.64) but rather correlates positively with geographic location, irrespective of the starting point of the distance measurement (distance from Port Elizabeth city: β = 0.002 ± 0.0008, P = 0.004; distance from Ngqushwa village: β = 0.0024 ± 0.0009, P = 0.008). Counterintuitively, formally educated people tend to have more traditional knowledge, but this is likely linked to the modern technologies (online survey and social media platforms) used to collect data during the COVID-19 pandemic. We suggest that traditional knowledge that has sustained life for centuries in rural communities must be integrated into water resource management to address water scarcity issues in rural Africa.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10661-022-09848-2.

Problems and Countermeasures of Agricultural and Rural Development in Africa

The economic development in Africa is relatively slow. By promoting the development of rural areas and agriculture, it can effectively drive the local economic development speed. The development of agriculture and rural areas needs to improve efficiency by promoting industrial upgrading, so governments in Africa should promote industrial upgrading through scientific methods, use machinery production to improve the efficiency of agricultural development, and improve the quality of development in rural areas. This paper expounds on the problems and countermeasures in the development of agriculture and rural areas in Africa through qualitative analysis. First, the current situation of agricultural and rural development in Africa is analyzed through three parts: the development of African agricultural trade import and export, the development of agricultural added value in Africa, and the environmental development of rural areas in Africa. Analyze and explain. Then, the problems existing in the development of agriculture and rural areas in Africa are expounded in three parts: the relatively slow development of agricultural import and export trade volume, the relatively lagging overall economic development, and the low speed of urbanization; low, the speed of industrial transformation is not fast enough, and the government’s policies are not scientific enough. The three parts are the reasons for the problems of agricultural and rural development in Africa. Finally, it proposes targeted policy recommendations for agricultural and rural development in Africa by promoting the proportion of agricultural mechanization production, promoting the acceleration of industrial transformation, and employing think tanks to use scientific macroeconomic development policies.

Hybrid Renewable Energy System potentials in rural areas: A case of Zambia

The use of conventional system such as hydropower plant is no longer sufficient to meet the increasing demand for electricity in Lusaka, Zambia. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate a hybrid system using the available renewable resources (biomass, wind, and solar) in Misisi rural area. To achieve this, a techno-economic analysis is conducted using HOMER Software. The results obtained showed that the hybrid system produces an output power of 73,577 kWh/yr for an estimated consumption of about 60,386 kWh/yr. Moreover, in the hybrid system, the efficiencies of the biomass, solar PV, and wind generators are 37%, 26.9%, and 36.1% respectively. The estimated total capital cost of the whole system is 151,708.84 USD. Conclusively, the results obtained showed that Zambia has the required renewable energy to produce power that can be used to supplement the conventional systems. These findings also revealed that by increasing the uptake of off-grid projects in rural areas in Africa, could lead to many benefits such as improved education, time saving, and job creation.