Health Care Provision In Africa Research Articles

Realities and challenges for female cardiothoracic surgeons: an African perspective.

It is a fact that, despite the worldwide increasing intake of women in medical schools, women are still grossly underrepresented in all medical and surgical specialities, and definitely in cardiothoracic surgery in both developed and developing countries. This is counter-productive towards meeting the escalating need for cardiac surgical care in Africa. However, the natural evolution over time of increasing numbers of females entering medical school and specializing in the field of surgery, is expected to continue despite multiple challenges encountered on their way. The inequities of healthcare provision in Africa in particular needs the continual support of all professionals that are able to contribute to the wellbeing of those innocent individuals that need medical care particularly children born with congenital cardiac defects. In addition to factors on the African continent, realities and challenges for future female cardiothoracic surgeons include gender bias and gender-based discrimination by some male counterparts. The question must be asked: “Is it mere gender-based discrimination, or how much does deliberate ‘bullying behaviour’ mimic signs of superiority, arrogance and entitlement, bordering on psychological personality disorders?” Thorough investigation of the possible role of such behaviour disorders in gender bias and discrimination is long overdue. These disparities and challenges should be actively addressed on all levels by all role players by placing more emphasis on merit, competence and surgical outcomes than on the gender of the surgeon. Despite all these challenges, the benefits of a career in cardiothoracic surgery and tremendous job satisfaction far exceed the disadvantages.

SOCIO-ETHICAL ISSUES SURROUNDING CAESAREAN SECTION BIRTHS IN AFRICA

In the last decade, a number of studies have questioned the practice of caesarean section birth in obstetrical practices in Africa. Medical sociologists and anthropologists have considered caesarean section as a medicalization of social events. We are not assuming that it is true of false. The transformation of social events into medical indications rises ethical issues in the provision of healthcare in Africa. In this paper, we especially used the case of caesarean section birth to explore the transformation of social events into medical indications in Africa. Caesarean sections by choice interrogates the obstetrical practices. This paper examines the socio-ethical issues in caesarean section in Africa. We considered some underlying factors: medicalization of the society, informed consent, biotechnology, demand inducement, consumer-inducement demand and the health market-driven economy. This was desk-based study. A review of secondary data and literatures relative to caesarean section births in Africa were used for discussion. Findings from literatures revealed that a number of considerations have to be taken such as: demand inducement and information asymmetry, defensive and corporate medicine, medical power, consumer induced demand and health market driven economy. The findings informed health regulators on demand and supply sides of caesarean sections.

Profiling e-health projects in Africa: trends and funding patterns

There is a severe shortage of healthcare provision in Africa. e-Health, the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to support healthcare, may help to ease this problem. e-Health projects support a wide range of applications ranging from telemedicine to global research collaborations made possible via e-Infrastructures, worldwide systems of integrated advanced high performance networking and computing ICT. To try to understand the state of e-Health in Africa, this paper aims to create a picture and to present an analytical review of some of these initiatives in Africa. A review framework composed of multiple search methods is developed and applied to yield a broad coverage of e-Health projects over the African continent. Seven quantitative analyses on the projects are presented. Major observations include that there is a tendency for e-Health projects to grow in number in some African countries over time; that African countries with larger Gross National Incomes tend to attract more e-Health projects; that e-Health projects in Africa focus on telemedicine, health education and health-related research; that there is a wide range of funding bodies, some of which have a geographical focus, and that the number of m-Health projects has been rising sharply.

Playing broken telephone: assessing faith-inspired health care provision in Africa

In the literature on the religious contribution to health and development, it is commonly stated that faith-inspired institutions (FIIs) provide from 30 to 70 per cent of all health care provision in Africa. This article tracks the sources of such statements back to the 1960s, highlighting a process of ‘broken telephone’ whereby estimates are passed on and frequently distorted by policy- and advocacy-oriented influences at both the national and international levels. This demonstrates how estimates are being wielded bluntly, often resulting in poorly substantiated claims to the detriment of more careful research, thereby weakening the empirical knowledge-base and improved practice. Jouer au téléphone arabe : évaluation de la prestation de services de santé par les institutions inspirées par la religion en Afrique Dans les écrits portant sur la contribution de la religion à la santé et au développement, il est souvent affirmé que les institutions inspirées par la religion (IIR) fournissent entre 30 et 70 pour cent de tous les services de santé en Afrique. Cet article remonte à la source de ces déclarations, qui date des années 1960, et met en évidence un processus de « téléphone arabe » par lequel les estimations sont retransmises et fréquemment déformées par des influences axées sur les politiques publiques et le plaidoyer, aux niveaux national et international. Cela démontre la manière dont les estimations sont présentées à la va-vite, entraînant souvent des affirmations non fondées, au détriment de recherches plus minutieuses, ce qui a pour effet d'affaiblir la base de connaissances empirique et l'amélioration des pratiques. Brincando de telefone sem fio: avaliando a provisão de serviço de saúde inspirado na fé na África Na literatura sobre a contribuição religiosa para a saúde e desenvolvimento, é comumente afirmado que as Instituições Inspiradas na Fé (FIIs) são responsáveis por 30 a 70 por cento de toda a provisão de serviço de saúde na África. Este artigo investiga as fontes de tais afirmações desde a década de 1960, destacando um processo de “telefone sem fio” em que estimativas são apresentadas e frequentemente distorcidas por influências orientadas por políticas - e defesa de direitos – no âmbito nacional e internacional. Isto demonstra como as estimativas estão sendo manipuladas sem rodeios, frequentemente resultando em afirmações sem fundamento em detrimento de pesquisas mais cuidadosas, enfraquecendo assim a base de conhecimento empírico e melhores práticas. Jugando al teléfono roto: evaluando los servicios de salud inspirados en la fe en África En lo que se ha escrito sobre la contribución de las organizaciones religiosas a la salud y al desarrollo, se afirma a menudo que las instituciones inspiradas en la fe proporcionan del 30 al 70 por ciento de la atención a la salud en África. Este ensayo sostiene que el origen de estas afirmaciones se remonta a los años 60 y que se produjo un proceso de “teléfono roto” porque, al trasmitirse las cifras, a menudo se tergiversaron por motivos políticos o de incidencia, tanto a niveles nacionales como internacionales. El ensayo demuestra que las cifras se manejan sin precisión, lo cual conduce a que a menudo se hagan acusaciones sin sustento que perjudican a las investigaciones más minuciosas y debilitan los conocimientos empíricos y las mejores prácticas.