Deficiency In Africa Research Articles

Report of Working Group 3: Promoting Food-Based Approaches to Eliminate Vitamin A Deficiency in Africa

Although malnutrition is a problem in Africa South Africa and some other African countries are exporters of food. Why then is there a problem with malnutrition in general and vitamin A deficiency in particular in Africa? The causes of malnutrition can often be traced to limitations in food availability and accessibility and limited behavioral choices. Food-based approaches offer the opportunity to address all three limitations. Well-designed programs have not only improved accessibility but through empowering communities and women in particular have increased the availability of food to vulnerable groups. It has also been argued that increasing the choice of foods is an important part of development. Therefore food-based approaches are essential. The holistic nature of the life cycle is an advantage in using it as the basis for promoting a food-based approach to eliminate vitamin A deficiency in Africa. Multigenerational households are common in Africa. The life-cycle approach allows for broader assessment and analysis of possible vitamin A deficiency and allows for linkages to other sectors. This enables integration among programs. (excerpt)

Food Fortification with Vitamin A: The Potential for Contributing to the Elimination of Vitamin A Deficiency in Africa

The control of vitamin A deficiency is a realizable goal that needs to be addressed through a combination of interventions. Among these, fortification of commonly eaten foods and condiments has great potential to help realize this goal. Fortification offers a number of strategic advantages, because it is cost effective, builds on existing food processing and delivery systems, and enhances sustainability. Proven vehicles for vitamin A fortification that are relevant for Africa include sugar, oils and fats, and cereal flours. Fortified foods cannot be expected to reach all deficient populations. However, for the large and expanding populations of all socioeconomic classes that regularly purchase and consume commercially processed foods, fortification can make an enormous difference. For those who do not have easy access to commercially processed foods, fortification at community-level mills and the use of encapsulated micronutrient sprinkles are promising technologies. Although most technologies described in this paper are ready for scale-up and large-scale application, there are a number of steps to be undertaken in order to ensure effective programs, including appropriate advocacy and communication, collaboration among several sectors, food regulations and standards, and quality assurance and monitoring.

The Intellectuals in Cameroon under the Rule of Ahidjo (1958-1982)

A study concerning the intellectuals of the Third World in general, and African intellectuals in particular, should not exclude the political context in which intellectuals live and work. Indeed, democracy cannot truly emerge and remain durable without the existence of freedom of thought and criticism. In Cameroon, intellectuals and their ideas have always been considered seditious and subversive. For this reason, they have often been persecuted. Some have chosen freely or by the force of circumstances to become bureaucrats within the administrative and political structures of the country to ensure their survival (political and social immortality) as also that of their family. Others, by principle, have combined their intellectual and cyclical factors which push intellectuals either to become civil servants or to choose exile. It also contradicts the idea of intellectual deficiency in Africa. Indeed, some categories of intellectuals such as writers, via their writings, ask questions and provide a critical review of the economic, political and social reality of the country. They even propose alternative ideas and proposals to such questions as management, government and governance in the coutry. Dictatorships may destroy individuals, but never ideas or the spirit of liberty.

Les Intellectuels Camerounais Sous le Regime Ahidjo (1958-1982)

The Intellectuals in Cameroon Under the Rule of Ahidjo (1958-1982) A study concerning the intellectuals of the Third World in general, and African intellectuals in particular, should not exclude the political context in which intellectuals live and work. Indeed, democracy cannot truly emerge and remain durable without the existence of freedom of thought and criticism. In Cameroon, intellectuals and their ideas have always been considered seditious and subversive. For this reason, they have often been persecuted. Some have chosen freely or by the force of circumstances to become bureaucrats within the administrative and political structures of the country to ensure their survival (political and social immortality) as also that of their family. Others, by principle, have combined their intellectual and cyclical factors which push intellectuals either to become civil servants or to choose exile. It also contradicts the idea of intellectual deficiency in Africa. Indeed, some categories of intellectuals such as writers, via their writings, ask questions and provide a critical review of the economic, political and social reality of the country. They even propose alternative ideas and proposals to such questions as management, government and governance in the coutry. Dictatorships may destroy individuals, but never ideas or the spirit of liberty.

Natural selection of hemi- and heterozygotes for G6PD deficiency in Africa by resistance to severe malaria.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, the most common enzymopathy of humans, affects over 400 million people. The geographical correlation of its distribution with the historical endemicity of malaria suggests that this disorder has risen in frequency through natural selection by malaria. However, attempts to confirm that G6PD deficiency is protective in case-control studies of malaria have yielded conflicting results. Hence, for this X-linked disorder, it is unclear whether both male hemizygotes and female heterozygotes are protected or, as frequently suggested, only females. Furthermore, how much protection may be afforded is unknown. Here we report that, in two large case-control studies of over 2,000 African children, the common African form of G6PD deficiency (G6PD A-) is associated with a 46-58% reduction in risk of severe malaria for both female heterozygotes and male hemizygotes. A mathematical model incorporating the measured selective advantage against malaria suggests that a counterbalancing selective disadvantage, associated with this enzyme deficiency, has retarded its rise in frequency in malaria-endemic regions. Although G6PD deficiency is now regarded as a generally benign disorder, in earlier environmental conditions it could have been significantly disadvantageous.

Iron deficiency in Africa.

Iron deficiency in Africa.