Medicine

Twenty fifteen marked the year of assessment for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs that achieved the greatest success were those where evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions were implemented. The ability to practice evidence-based medicine is grounded in the creation of and access to medical literature that synthesizes research findings. The role that global health literature played in the success of the MDGs demonstrates that medical libraries and librarians have a role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Librarians can hold capacity-building workshops that provide instruction on how to access evidence-based literature and also train health professionals to conduct synthesis research. Research findings conducted by in-country health professionals are more likely to address issues being faced by local communities and will afford the possibility of obtaining the necessary evidence-based answers that can then be used to implement policie...

Twenty fifteen marked the year of assessment for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs that achieved the greatest success were those where evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions were implemented. The ability to practice evidence-based medicine is grounded in the creation of and access to medical literature that synthesizes research findings. The role that global health literature played in the success of the MDGs demonstrates that medical libraries and librarians have a role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Librarians can hold capacity-building workshops that provide instruction on how to access evidence-based literature and also train health professionals to conduct synthesis research. Research findings conducted by in-country health professionals are more likely to address issues being faced by local communities and will afford the possibility of obtaining the necessary evidence-based answers that can then be used to implement policies to resolve public health issues identified in the SDGs. This paper discusses how an international team of librarians leveraged funding from a Medical Library Association/ Librarians without Borders/Elsevier Foundation/Research4Life grant to hold a capacity-building workshop in Zimbabwe and follow-up online trainings. The workshop focused on accessing evidence-based resources and conducting synthesis research. Outcomes included the creation and policy implementation of evidence-based knowledge products in alignment with local needs and galvanizing a multisectoral group of key individuals who have gone on to collaborate toward the vision of creating a Zimbabwe innovation hub. Looking ahead, such grants can be leveraged to conduct capacity-building to support knowledge translation and other local training needs.

This is the 15th in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the 21st century. It is the third of four articles pertaining to different regions in the African continent. The present issue focuses on countries in West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal). The next feature column will investigate trends in North Africa.

Background: Many African countries are investing in medical education to address significant health care workforce shortages and ultimately improve health care. Increasingly, training institutions are establishing medical education departments as part of this investment. This article describes the status of four such departments at sub-Saharan African medical schools supported by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI). This article will provide information about the role of these institutional structures in fostering the development of medical education within the African context and highlight factors that enable or constrain their establishment and sustainability. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with the heads or directors of the four medical education departments using a structured interview protocol developed by the study group. An inductive approach to analysis of the interview transcripts was adopted as the texts were subjected to thematic content analysis. Results: Medical education departments, also known as units or centers, were established for a range of reasons including: to support curriculum review, to provide faculty development in Health Professions Education, and to improve scholarship in learning and teaching. The reporting structures of these departments differ in terms of composition and staff numbers. Though the functions of departments do vary, all focus on improving the quality of health professions education. External and internal funding, where available, as well as educational innovations were key enablers for these departments. Challenges included establishing and maintaining the legitimacy of the department, staffing the departments with qualified individuals, and navigating dependence on external funding. All departments seek to expand the scope of their services by offering higher degrees in HPE, providing assistance to other universities in this domain, and developing and maintaining a medical education research agenda. Conclusions: The establishment of medical education departments in Sub-Saharan Africa is a strategy medical schools can employ to improve the quality of health professions education. The creation of communities of practice such as has been done by the MEPI project is a good way to expand the network of medical education departments in the region enabling the sharing of lessons learned across the continent.

Biobanks and human genomics applications are key for understanding health, disease and heredity in Africa and globally. Growing interest in these technologies calls for strengthening relevant legal, ethical and policy systems to address knowledge disparities and ensure protection of society, while supporting advancement of science. In Zimbabwe there is limited understanding of ethical, legal, and societal issues (ELSI) for biobanking and genomics. The Genomics Inheritance Law Ethics and Society (GILES) initiative was established in 2015 to explore the current status and gaps in the ethical and legal frameworks, knowledge among various stakeholders, and to establish capacity for addressing ELSI of biobanking and genomics as applied in biomedical and population research, and healthcare. A multi-methods approach was applied including document reviews, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews among health and research professionals, and community members in six provinces comprisi...

Prof Hakim started the workshop by welcoming the guests and thanked them for being punctual and then handed over to the Chair of the morning session Prof Chidzonga who formally welcomed the guests to the workshop making special mention of the guests from UK, USA and South Africa before handing over to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Nyagura to give the Official Opening Speech. Opening Speech – Prof L. Nyagura Prof Nyagura welcomed all our guests, especially mentioning the visitors from UK, USA and South Africa. He said that the NCI initiative is extremely important to the University of Zimbabwe. As the oldest University in the country UZ is expected to provide leadership to the other universities. This leadership includes ensuring the provision of the highest quality of education in the country. In the last 5 years, UZ has gone through a very difficult time with many challenges including the exodus of many member of faculty. With the turnaround of the economy and politics the institutio...

The construction of journalistic professionalism in Zimbabwe has stirred debate among scholars. Critics have argued that professionalism has been compromised by the stifling media laws in Zimbabwe as well as the extra legal measures the state has enforced to control the press. Some have also argued that a new kind of journalism must be emerging

Background: A useful investigation is one in which the result, positive or negative, will alter management or add confidence to the clinician's diagnosis. Applying guidelines reduce radiological requests, waiting times, and costs without an increased rate of missed fractures e.g., Ottawa Ankle rule was 100% sensitive and reduced the number of ankle X-rays by 36%. Objectives: Rough estimation of unnecessary radiological requests in the Emergency Department (ED) in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and highlight the importance of implement a referral guideline for imaging to reduce radiological exposure. Methodology: Retrospective hospital data base study of 1 month investigates the patient musculoskeletal complain and radiograph findings. The study conducted at Mohamed Bin Abdel-Aziz hospital in Riyadh. The hospital depends on part-time professionals from all medical centres in Riyadh. The study includes a questionnaire to the ED physicians to know the main cause of the over-investigation. Results: 444 Musculoskeletal radiological studies, only 11% of them showed positive findings. 89 % of physicians mentioned that the main reasons for over-investigations are patients insisting and lacking of competent medical system implement national or institutional guidelines. Conclusion: People in Saudi Arabia expose to huge amount of radiological hazardous with a common believe that radiology is essential for diagnosis all musculoskeletal injuries. Wealthy medical system does not always lead to competent practice.

Annually, the World reports five hundred million sexually transmitted infections (WHO 2010). Sexually transmitted infections if not treated early have serious consequences to the youth. These effects range from those which are irreversible such as contracting of HIV to those that have huge negative effects in the long run like infertility and genital ulcers. The study sought to investigate factors associated with Sexually Transmitted Infections among youths in Umguza district. Methods: An analytical cross sectional study was done in Ward 1 and Ward 8 of Umguza district. The social ecological model and health belief models were used to come up with the conceptual framework used in the study. Data were collected from 173 participants using self-administered questionnaires in both English and Ndebele. Results: Females who received gifts or money for sex were more likely to report a sexually transmitted infection (STI) episode (POR: 5.91, 95% CI 1.7-20). Youths who frequented night club...

This paper explores the influence of perception on behaviours associated with emptying of faecal sludge from non-sewered sanitation systems using findings from a study on the emptying behaviour of residents of Khulna city, Bangladesh. The purpose of the study was to highlight perception as a behaviour determinants as well as develop perception management strategies for the design, plan and implementation of effective behaviour change intervention programmes with a focus on ‘scheduled emptying’. The study uses a mixed-method cross-sectional approach to collect data through structured household questionnaire surveys, face-to-face key informant interviews, group interviews, and structured observations. The study revealed that the emptying behaviour of the community was reactive, untimely and unsafe and over half of the systems had never been emptied, which was traced to emptying perceptions that encouraged a laissez-faire attitude within households and the community. The study conclude...

Science communication is proliferating in the developing world, however, with respect to science centres, as a whole Africa is being left behind. Here 15 participants in a capacity building program are investigated using traditional needs-based and contemporary asset-based development conceptualisations. These development theories parallel deficit and participatory approaches, respectively, within science communication and demonstrate synergies between the fields. Data showed staffing, funding, governments, host institutions, and audiences are prominent needs and assets, networks are a major asset, and identified other influential factors. Analysis suggests a coordinated model involving individuals, host institutions and governments to facilitate growth of African science centres.

Background: Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a major cause of mortality in HIV programmes in Africa despite increasing access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Mortality is driven in part by limited availability of amphotericin-based treatment, drug-induced toxicities of amphotericin B deoxycholate and prolonged hospital admissions. A single, highdose of liposomal amphotericin (L-AmB, Ambisome) on a fluconazole backbone has been reported as non-inferior to 14 days of standard dose L-AmB in reducing fungal burden. This trial examines whether single, high-dose L-AmB given with high-dose fluconazole and flucytosine is non-inferior to a seven-day course of amphotericin B deoxycholate plus flucytosine (the current World Health Organization [WHO] recommended treatment regimen).