Guinea Bissau Research Articles

How climate change impacts on regional security in West Africa: Exploring the link to organised crime

ABSTRACT Security in West Africa has been dominated by discourses on political violence, terrorism, illegal migration and smuggling of small arms and light weapons amongst other factors. While this paper concedes the growing focus on environmental security and the effects of climate change in the region, there has been little research on its link to organised criminal activities in the sub-continent. The narrative has been limited to migration, extreme weather conditions and food insecurity. This paper explores the link between climate change and organised crime in West Africa; specifically, in Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger and Senegal. The aim is to broaden the discourse on regional security and climate change, as such this article examines the link between climate change and its impact on regional security with a view to identify the link to organised criminal activities in West Africa. This paper argues that the effects of climate change in West Africa create and exacerbate variables that ensure the continuous existence of organised criminal networks.

GUINEA BISSAU: Deadlock Broken?

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural SeriesVolume 56, Issue 6 p. 22323C-22324A Internal Developments GUINEA BISSAU: Deadlock Broken? First published: 14 July 2019 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-825X.2019.08914.xRead 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 Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume56, Issue6July 2019Pages 22323C-22324A RelatedInformation

Sofia Pomba Guerra: uma feminista na Imprensa Moçambicana dos anos 1930

This article deals with the intervention of Sofia Pomba Guerra in the Mozambican press in the 1930s, through the newspapers O Emancipador and Noticias. It was the beginning of the activism course that would lead her later to take a leading role in the opposition to Salazar’s dictatorship in Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea, and to provide an important support to the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). Active agent in the defence of women, of their social and political integration, the young Sofia will carry out a press campaign for the right to work and economic equality between men and women. Marked by her time and social condition, she will raise questions in the colonial press that until then were delegated to the masculine speech, which allows us to hypothesize its importance in taking to herself spaces of controversy as a woman and feminist.

The acceptability and utility of different diagnostic tests and sample types for the surveillance of trachoma in the Bijagos Islands, Guinea Bissau

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide and until recently was hyperendemic in the Bijagos Islands, a remote archipelago of islands off the coast of Guinea Bissau. Once elimination of trachoma has been achieved in the Bijagos Islands, it is imperative that a successful

The acceptability and utility of different diagnostic tests and sample types for the surveillance of trachoma in the Bijagos Islands, Guinea Bissau

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide and until recently was hyperendemic in the Bijagos Islands, a remote archipelago of islands off the coast of Guinea Bissau. Once elimination of trachoma has been achieved in the Bijagos Islands, it is imperative that a successful

“Moving like birds”: A qualitative study of population mobility and health implications in the Bijagós Islands, Guinea Bissau

Population movement is a major driver for infectious disease transmission and can impact the success of disease control and elimination strategies. The relationship between disease transmission and permanent migration is well documented, but fewer studies have considered how different types of population mobility affects disease transmission and control programmes.This qualitative study was conducted on two islands of the Bijagós archipelago, Guinea Bissau to understand spatial and temporal population movement, and reasons for these movements, within, between and away from the Bijagós islands. Data were collected on two islands using key informant interviews (n = 8), daily activity-location interviews (n = 30) and focus group discussions (n = 6). Data were analysed thematically using an adapted typology of mobility.Findings revealed that movement within and between islands, and from islands to the mainland, was a common feature of island life for men and women alike. It was usual for trips away from home to last for several months at a time. Five key reasons for travel were identified: subsistence activities; family events; income generating activities; cultural festivities and healthcare. These movements often occurred erratically all year round, with the exception of seasonal travel within and between islands for agricultural purposes.Our study characterised detailed patterns of human mobility in the Bijagós islands as a first step towards understanding the potential impact of different types of mobility on disease exposure, transmission and public health programmes. Short-term mobility may have a significant impact on the spread of infectious diseases with short incubation periods. Predictable movements, such as travel for seasonal agricultural work, should be taken into account for tailoring and increasing the reach of public health interventions. Further research is needed to understand the role of human behaviour and mobility in disease transmission and control across the archipelago.

Partial pol Sequences from Drug Naive HIV-2 Infected Individuals from Maharashtra, India.

HIV-2 is important due to its unique challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and drug resistance. The data on Indian HIV-2 pol gene as well as resistance to antiretroviral drugs are limited. Here we report sequence data of protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) genes from HIV-2 infected treatment naive individuals (N = 32) from Maharashtra, India. These sequences were found to be closely related to HIV-2 subtype A sequences from Guinea Bissau. We observed two unique residues at positions 14 and 70 in the PR region specific to Indian HIV-2. Mutations associated with resistance to RT and protease inhibitors were observed in 3 of 32 (9.37%) samples. To our knowledge, this is the first study from India to report drug resistance among treatment naive HIV-2 infected individuals. The results emphasize need for larger nationwide surveillance for HIV-2 drug resistance to better understand the primary drug resistance among HIV-2 infected individuals.

Notes on Afrotropical Cydnidae (Heteroptera) with emphasis on vehicle-mounted net samples and description of a new species from Liberia, West Africa.

Notes on the Cydnidae fauna in Liberia, sampled with a vehicle-mounted net, the species taxonomy and general distribution are reported, including the description of Chilocoris elongatus sp. nov. In addition, new country records are provided for Angola, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guine a-Bissau, Namibia, Niger, Republic of South Africa, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Stocks of Mugil bananensis (Pellegrin, 1927) in the Estuary of Senegal River by Determining Yields Per Recruit and Biomass Per Recruit

Mullet occupy an important place in artisanal fishing in the region of Saint-Louis. They provide substantial income to the various actors in the sector. Overfishing would adversely affect the recovery capacity of the Mugilidea stock in the Senegal River Estuary. A biological collapse is then to be feared. This risk is all the more so since fishermen from Saint-Louis go as far as Mauritania, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone to search for mules that have reached sexual maturity for their gonads. Works on the assessment of the stock status of M. bananensis have not been done in Senegal, although it has been carried out in other countries. The objective of the study is to contribute to the assessment of banana mullet stocks in the Senegal River estuary by determining yields per recruit and biomass per recruit. Data were collected on total length, total weight and the sex. FiSAT II and ViT4 softwares enabled analytical models based on virtual populations’ analysis, yield per recruit (Y / R) and biomass per recruit (B / R). The results obtained showed overexploitation of M. bananensis in the estuary of the Senegal River. The stock of M. bananensis is overexploited in sea and the coefficients of fishing mortality and total mortality are remarkably high to the class mastses fish of III+ age, IV + and V + . In sum, the study allowed us to know the dynamics of exploitation of mules in the estuary of the Senegal River and to propose a management plan and management of banana mullet for a sustainable management of this species.

Diabetes management in Guinea Bissau: a situational analysis.

IntroductionThere is an increasing commitment in the African Region towards diabetes care, following acknowledgement that it is an important public health issue which needs to be addressed in order to improve population health. We conducted a situational analysis of diabetes care in Guinea Bissau in order to identify the main issues faced in the management of the disease in this country.MethodsThe study design was qualitative and data collection was done using semi directive interviews and focus groups with participants involved in primary diabetes care and management in Guinea Bissau (health care professionals, non-governmental organization staff, traditional healers) and patients. The data was analyzed using the five-phase approach of the thematic analysis framework.ResultsThe major themes identified included: the lack of specialists and properly trained healthcare personnel; no standardized care protocol for diagnosis, treatment, follow up and proper management for diabetic patients; resources poor primary health care settings; no validated epidemiological dataset on prevalence and the lack of awareness about diabetes (in general population and also in medical staff).ConclusionThis first situational analysis can serve as a baseline to develop an action plan to address the main issues identified.

Beyond Malaria: Causes of Non-Malarial Acute Undifferentiated Fever in Paediatric Out-Patient Clinics in Guinea Bissau

Background: With growing use of parasitological tests to detect malaria and decreasing incidence of the disease in Africa; it is necessary to increase our understanding of the causes of non-malarial illness, towards providing appropriate management. This research investigates causes of non-malarial undifferentiated acute fever in paediatric out-patients in Guinea Bissau. Methods: Children 0-5 years presenting acute fever (≥38o) or history of fever for less than 48 hours, negative rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and no signs of organ specific disease were recruited at the out-patient clinic of 3 facilities during 54 consecutive weeks (dry and rainy season). Medical history was recorded and blood, nasopharyngeal, stool and urine samples were collected and tested for the presence of 40 different potential aetiological causes of fever. Results: In total, 48.336 laboratory analyses were made on samples of 739 children presenting with acute fever of unknown origin and another 2.277 laboratory analysis on samples of 69 children enrolled as controls. The protocol was successful in determining a potential aetiological cause of acute fever in samples of 544 (73.61%) cases. The 544 individuals with positive samples, on average had 1.55 (sd=0.80) microorganisms identified, 333 (45.06%) had only one positive sample. Respiratory viruses were the most frequently identified pathogens, present in the nasopharynx samples of 435 (58.86%) cases, followed by bacteria detected in blood samples of 167 (22.60%) cases. Despite presenting negative RDT, P. falciparum was identified in samples of 24 (3.25%) patients and 1 (1.45%) control. Conclusions: This research provides a description of the aetiological causes of non-malarial acute fever in a West African context. Evidence of viral infections were more commonly found than bacteria or parasites. Funding: This study was entirely funded by Medecins Sans Frontieres, Barcelona-Athens Operational Centre, Insitut Pasteur Dakar and Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Mediterranee. Declaration of Interest: Researches deny any potential conflict of interest. Ethical Approval: The protocol and its procedures were approved by two independent ethics committees (MSF's and Guinea Bissau's INASA) and are in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All authors vouch for the accuracy and completeness of the data and the fidelity of the study to the protocol.

Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth in Low-Income and Lower-Middle-Income Economies of West Africa

Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth in Low-Income and Lower-Middle-Income Economies of West Africa Hassane Mahamad Velonjara, Igor-Mathieu Gondje-Dacka Abstract This paper examines the contribution of foreign direct investment to economic growth through the main sector of economy in 5 Low-Income economies (Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Niger and Sierra Leone) and 4 Lower-middle-income economies (Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal) of West Africa. Using regression model and the Granger causality test with a panel data for the period 2000-2016, we discovered that on all West Africa’s region the FDI’s contribution is positive but not significant with an autocorrelation positive. Therefore, by studying the case of each country we note that the majority has positive FDI and few are negative, also le majority of those countries have a negative autocorrelation. Our result show that only primary sector is negative and the secondary and tertiary sector are positive but all are not significant for the whole region but in individual result of the country, it is the tertiary sector which influences more the growth before the primary and secondary sectors. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/jeds.v7n4a5

Vulnerability Assessment of West African Countries to Climate Change and Variability

This study was conducted to assess vulnerability of West African countries to climate change using selected indicators for adaptive capacity, exposure and sensitivity to generate vulnerability index for West African countries. Vulnerability index was calculated as the net effect of adaptive capacity, sensitivity and exposure to climate change. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to assign weights to the vulnerability indicators used in this study. A total of thirteen (13) indicators were used to generate vulnerability index and vulnerability maps were produced using the GIS software package ArcGIS 10.2. The result shows that Niger, Mali and Mauritania have the highest levels of vulnerability to climate change in West Africa. The countries with the least levels of vulnerability to climate change are Ghana, Cape Verde and Gambia. Generally, this study shows that most countries in West Africa are vulnerable to climate change with ten countries (Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina-Faso, Liberia, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Benin and Sierra Leone) having vulnerability levels higher than 50%. We conclude that there is the need for well planned integrated adaptation measures to reduce the impact of climate change in the region.

AIDA Books&More: a project beyond reading

Cutbacks in official development assistance (ODA) have forced many NGOs to diversify their sources of funding to continue (and also expand) their projects in destination countries. AIDA is a non-governmental organisation for development cooperation working in Morocco, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Lebanon and Bangladesh. In search for new sources of funding, AIDA Books&More was born in 2009 in Segovia (Spain). It was the first charity bookshop in Spain and eight years later, 220 volunteers are involved in a project that has an online store and nine outlets (Segovia, two shops in Madrid, two shops in Valencia, Castellon, Barcelona, Santander, and Vigo). This project began as a complement to the financing of other cooperation projects but since 2009 it has been materialised in a stable funding source, which will allow the organisation to launch other types of projects during 2017.

Turismo em Cabo Verde: de la dicotomia a la integracion

Since the independence of Cape Verde from Guinea Bissau, after the 80´s of the last century, this country raised the problem of building an economy beyond mere subsistence. In 2006, a Tourism Strategic Plan appeared, revised in 2011. The need for economic income led to a very sectorial model supported by sun and beach tourism in the islands of Sal and Boavista and, in the rest of the islands, minimal development. This is an analysis of this duality held by Cape Verde with mass tourism on the rise and precarious tourism according to islands, to see the possibilities of introducing an inclusive tourism policy. The current conditions will be evaluated geographically and quantitatively, and a reflection will be made of what can be understood by a responsible tourism with the participation of the local population.

Ecological Characterization of <i>Elaeis guineensis</i> Jacq. Agroforestry Parklands in the Cacheu Region (Guinea Bissau)

Elaeis guineensis Jacq is a species of palm commonly called oil palm. It is a source of many products and services. It is used in agroforestry systems. The <i>Elaeis guineensis</i> Jacq parklands or palm groves occupy an important place in the livelihoods of the local population of Guinea Bissau especially in the region of Cacheu where important natural formations were found. However, despite the socio-economic importance of these parklands, their dynamics in the region have been poorly studied. It is in this context that the present study was initiated with the objective of evaluating the current state of the <i>Elaeis guineensis</i> parklands in the region through an ecological characterization. To this end, 90 vegetation surveys of 2500 m² were carried out in six villages in three sectors of the region, for a total area of 22.5 ha. These surveys revealed a high floristic diversity in the <i>Elaeis guineensis</i> parks in the region. Thus, 75 species divided into 63 genera belonging to 25 families were registered. The parklands are also characterized by a high density of <i>Elaeis guineensis</i> with 775 individuals / ha and 90% of which consist of young plants that often do not reach adulthood. In addition to the difficulties associated with poor recruitment of regeneration, populations of <i>Elaeis guineensis</i> are under heavy human pressure in the area. The mortality rate and the anthropization index, which are respectively 15.97% and 23.35%. These combined factors reveal a certain fragility of the <i>Elaeis guineensis</i> parklands in the Cacheu region. Hence the need to make the inventory that is a prerequisite for any strategy of recovery and sustainable exploitation of the species in order to sustain these production systems.

Successful Simultaneous Screening of Sickle Cell Disease, HIV and Tuberculosis in Rural Guinea Bissau, West Africa through Rapid Tests and a Standardized Clinical Questionnaire: An Outreach Program Due to a Public-Private Partnership

Introduction: Previous studies demonstrated that sickle cell disease (SCD), HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) represent high, yet under recognized health issues in Guinea Bissau, West Africa. A public National Reference Center for TB, Hospital Raoul Follereau (HRF) managed by the Italian NGO AHEAD is present in the capital city of Bissau with specialized local health staff capable of managing HIV and TB; the hospital has a SCD Clinic. Access to health services for rural population is limited and in some villages basic health care and routine screening are also seldom available due to lack of resources, specialized staff or diagnostic capacity. Therefore, people are not diagnosed or diagnosed late for SCD, HIV, TB. Nevertheless, rapid tests for both HIV and SCD are available on the market and one for TB is being developed. Simultaneous screening of three big diseases at the point of care (POC) in rural areas would allow saving of time and resources, while identifying people in need of further specialized diagnostic or follow up.Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of simultaneous screening of HIV, SCD and TB at the POC in a rural area of Guinea Bissau through rapid tests for HIV and SCD and a standardized clinical questionnaire (Figure 1) with clinical examination for TB. To identify patients with HIV, SCD or both and enroll them in appropriate follow up programs; to identify suspects of TB eligible for in depth diagnostic screening.Methods: During the first phase of the project a temporary outreach health post was organized for 10 days in March 2018 in the village of Fanhè, by the NGO AGB already operating in the village. 1) The chiefs of the rural community village informed all the households through collective meetings and home visits regarding the objectives and modalities of the health project after accepting the proposal made by the NGOs and the HRF staff (February-March 2018); 2) the local chiefs organized a schedule of visits according to households; 3) 3 nurses and 2 physicians from the HRF in Bissau, linguistically competent for Creole and local dialects, administered the standardized questionnaire and the physical examination respectively; 3) 2 pediatric residents from Italy aided in clinical examination, a nurse and 2 other physicians in performing the rapid tests for HIV (Determine®) and SCD (Sickle Scan, Biomedomics) after informed consent; patients with Sickle Scan positive results were immediately collected another blood sample on Guthrie card for molecular analysis confirmation to be performed in Italy at the Azienda Ospedaliera Università di Padova. During the second phase of the project (April-May 2018) subjects with suspect of TB and/or HIV received free transportation to the HRF for TB diagnostic evaluation according to the national protocol and second HIV confirmatory test.Results: All 898 inhabitants (32 families) accepted the screening and performed clinical examination with clinical questionnaire; all performed the finger prick for HIV and SCD rapid test. At SickleScan 16 were HbSA (children 9/16); none were HbAC or HbSS. All received information on the carrier state. At Determine 61 were HIV positive (children 9/61). 93 presented clinical suspect of TB (children 33/93). 12 had a suspected of TB and were HIV positive(children: 2/12). For subjects with a suspect of TB or who were HIV positive free transportation was arranged to the HRF for complete TB diagnostic workup and second HIV confirmatory Rapid Test. All HIV positive tests were confirmed and patients enrolled in clinical care in a nearby village; 30% of patients with TB suspect had the diagnosis confirmed by Xray/sputum smear examination and were enrolled in appropriate care programss. All 16 Sicklescan positive HbSA samples underwent molecular analysis and the results were confirmed.Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrate the feasibility of a simultaneous population screening at the POC in rural areas for three “big diseases” (SCD, HIV and TB) through a temporary outreach clinic organized by local specialized staff in collaboration with local communities and international Academic Institutions and NGOs. The simultaneous screening with rapid test and standardized clinical examination is a model that could replicated in other rural settings in low resource countries. A further pilot study which will include a rapid test for TB, HIV and SCD is currently being planned. DisclosuresColombatti:NOVARTIS: Consultancy; Global Blood Therapeutics: Consultancy; BlueBirdBio: Consultancy; ADDMEDICA: Consultancy.

Prevalence of HIV-1 pretreatment drug resistance among treatment naïve pregnant women in Bissau, Guinea Bissau

BackgroundWith increased access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa emergence of HIV-1 pretreatment drug resistance constitutes a serious risk. This may lead to rapid virological failure in subjects initiating ART, and mother-to-child transmission despite prophylaxis.MethodsTreatment-naïve pregnant women from four antenatal care clinics in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, were enrolled from October 2016 to November 2017. Genotypic resistance testing and phylogenetic subtype analysis was performed on 48 specimens.ResultsForty eight women met the survey inclusion criteria. All specimens were successfully amplified and genotyped. Specimens from five women were associated with HIV-1 drug resistance mutations. Four carried mutations exclusively linked to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) (K103N, K103N/S) and one carried mutations to both NNRTIs (G190S, K101E) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) (M184V). These results corresponded to 10.4% (95% CI: 4.5–22.2%), 2.1% (95% CI: 0.4–10.9%) and 0% (95% CI: 0.0–7.4%) drug resistance mutations to NNRTIs, NRTIs and protease inhibitors, respectively. HIV-1 circulating recombinant form 02AG was most commonly found, followed by HIV-1 sub-subtype A3. Subtype/CRF was not associated with drug resistance mutations.ConclusionOur study reports a 10.4% prevalence of pretreatment drug resistance to NNRTIs in HIV-1-infected pregnant women in the capital Bissau, Guinea Bissau. Since NNRTIs are part of first-line ART in the country, baseline resistance screenings or adjustment of national treatment guidelines should be considered as antiretroviral treatment programs are scaled up.

Recovering Plant Data for Guinea-Bissau: Implications for Biodiversity Knowledge of West Africa

The rich plant diversity that characterizes the West African Region and the inherent knowledge of their flora and vegetation has been the backbone of scientific explorations during the past centuries. The evolution of botanical knowledge on Guinea-Bissau, throughout the 16th and 20th centuries is reviewed. We present and discuss floristic data collected by scientific expeditions between the mid-1700s to 1974, when the Portuguese colonial period ended. Expeditions undertaken by French naturalists provided some of the earliest plant collections. A list of herbarium specimens collected by the French naturalist Jardin, in the Bijagós Islands in ca. 1847–1858 is presented here for the first time, while in the late 1800s some Portuguese naturalists also explored Guinea-Bissau. During the colonial period (1915–1974), Gomes e Sousa published the first comprehensive study of the territory’s flora while Espírito Santo assembled the largest plant collection. Our review applies a multi-disciplinary perspective to fill important lacuna regarding biodiversity knowledge of this under-researched West African country. It constitutes the first study tracing the long term evolution of knowledge on Guinea Bissau's plant diversity, which provides the basis for understanding trends and research priorities, in particular in conservation and botanical fields.

Combining local knowledge and field surveys to determine status and threats to Timneh Parrots Psittacus timneh in Guinea-Bissau

SummaryTimneh ParrotsPsittacus timnehare a threatened species endemic to the moist forests of West Africa. In 2016, they were categorised as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List, due to suspected rapid population declines driven by habitat loss and heavy trapping for the pet trade. Systematic assessments of the status of populations are lacking for much of their range and addressing this knowledge shortfall has been identified as a priority action. We combined multiple research approaches to investigate the distribution, trends and threats to Timneh Parrots in Guinea Bissau, where the species is restricted to the islands of the Bijagós archipelago and Pecixe. Direct observational surveys were conducted along line transects on 19 islands. A total of 69 groups were observed on eight of these islands, with the majority (78%) seen on just two islands. Forty-two interviews were conducted with local community members on 24 islands. Interviewees reported the species to occur on 20 islands and that populations are generally perceived to have declined in recent decades. Based on these findings and existing data we conclude that Timneh Parrots occur on 22 of the 32 islands considered and estimate the national population in Guinea-Bissau to be in the order of several hundred individuals, with perhaps half of the parrots occurring on the islands of João Vieira and Meio. Investigations into the factors linked to inter-island variation in parrot densities indicate that densities are highest on the islands which are most remote from permanent human settlements. These findings suggest that human activities including habitat modification and trapping have been important in driving population declines in Guinea-Bissau. We consider the implications of these findings for the conservation of Timneh Parrots.