School-wide publications
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Item Child, Maternal, and Adult Mortality in Sierra Leone: Nationally Representative Mortality Survey 2018-2020(RELX Group (Netherlands), 2021) Carshon-Marsh, RonaldItem What’s in a name? Why giving monkeypox a new one is a good idea(The Conversation Media Group Ltd, 2022-06-20) Bockarie, MosesItem Genetic diversity of coffee germplasm in Sierra Leone: implications for conservation and breeding programs(Maximum Academic Press, 2023) Lahai, Paul MusaGlobal coffee production is dominated by Coffea arabica (Arabica coffee) and C. canephora (Robusta coffee) due to their relatively high-yielding and quality attributes as opposed to other coffee species. Despite these advantages, production of Arabica and Robusta coffee is facing mounting challenges though not limited to increasing prevalence and severity of biotic and abiotic stresses. These challenges bring forth an indication that the global coffee crop portfolio requires diversification to ensure resilience to the key challenges for sustainable production.Sierra Leone is in the center of genetic diversity of genus Coffea, and the countryhosts rich coffee genetic resources. The C. stenophylla, C. affinis and possibly other wild relative species are indigenous to Sierra Leone and these species offer great potential for a new coffee market and income generation. However, moreefforts of conservation and genetic improvement on these species, are needed to realize these opportunities.The objective of this paper is to review the coffee genetic resources in Sierra Leone with an emphasis on the wild coffee species including their conservation status, and the phenotypic and molecular characterization. We also presented perspectives for future genetic improvement of C. stenophylla, and discussed breeding methods,combiningability, and molecular marker-assisted prediction of hybrid vigor. Moreover, with the availability of recently developed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) markers on C. stenophylla, we suggest that new technologies of molecular breeding, such as genomic selection can significantly accelerate the breeding progress and deliver improved varieties with high yield, good adaptability, and disease resistance.Item Antimicrobials: a global alliance for optimizing their rational use in intra-abdominal infections (AGORA)(BioMed Central, 2016-07-14) Sartelli, MassimoIntra-abdominal infections (IAI) are an important cause of morbidity and are frequently associated with poor prognosis, particularly in high-risk patients. The cornerstones in the management of complicated IAIs are timely effective source control with appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Empiric antimicrobial therapy is important in the management of intra-abdominal infections and must be broad enough to cover all likely organisms because inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy is associated with poor patient outcomes and the development of bacterial resistance. The overuse of antimicrobials is widely accepted as a major driver of some emerging infections (such as C. difficile), the selection of resistant pathogens in individual patients, and for the continued development of antimicrobial resistance globally. The growing emergence of multi-drug resistant organisms and the limited development of new agents available to counteract them have caused an impending crisis with alarming implications, especially with regards to Gram-negative bacteria. An international task force from 79 different countries has joined this project by sharing a document on the rational use of antimicrobials for patients with IAIs. The project has been termed AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global Alliance for Optimizing their Rational Use in Intra-Abdominal Infections). The authors hope that AGORA, involving many of the world's leading experts, can actively raise awareness in health workers and can improve prescribing behavior in treating IAIs.Item A Global Declaration on Appropriate Use of Antimicrobial Agents across the Surgical Pathway(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 2017-11-01) Group, Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery WorkingThis declaration, signed by an interdisciplinary task force of 234 experts from 83 different countries with different backgrounds, highlights the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance and the need for appropriate use of antibiotic agents and antifungal agents in hospitals worldwide especially focusing on surgical infections. As such, it is our intent to raise awareness among healthcare workers and improve antimicrobial prescribing. To facilitate its dissemination, the declaration was translated in different languages.Item The Perfomance of Sierra Leone Youths in the Execution of the Technical Skills of Soccer(2017-12-31) Sesay, Adikali KabaThe development of football in Sierra Leone is dependent upon the availability of players with the tactical, technical and mental capacity to exhibit the appropriate skills and techniques when required. The study focuses on the technical component of the skills and techniques required. Technical ability and technical performance of skills like shooting, heading, passing and dribbling were major components of this research. Youths within the age bracket of 13-18 years were used as respondent or participants to the research. Relevant literatures were reviewed to ascertain how useful they are to the present research. The participants were drawn from all the districts within the country and all the areas of player were also taken into consideration. The stratified and simple random sampling and after the data was collected, the statistical package for social sciences was used to make analysis of the findings. Although age is considered as a factor that will aid players in executing those skills during the research, however, the results proved that different age limit has specific area were they performed better than the other areas.Item Oral rehydration therapies in Senegal, Mali, and Sierra Leone: a spatial analysis of changes over time and implications for policy(BioMed Central, 2020-12-01) Wiens, Kirsten EBACKGROUND: Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a simple intervention that can prevent childhood deaths from severe diarrhea and dehydration. In a previous study, we mapped the use of ORS treatment subnationally and found that ORS coverage increased over time, while the use of home-made alternatives or recommended home fluids (RHF) decreased, in many countries. These patterns were particularly striking within Senegal, Mali, and Sierra Leone. It was unclear, however, whether ORS replaced RHF in these locations or if children were left untreated, and if these patterns were associated with health policy changes. METHODS: We used a Bayesian geostatistical model and data from household surveys to map the percentage of children with diarrhea that received (1) any ORS, (2) only RHF, or (3) no oral rehydration treatment between 2000 and 2018. This approach allowed examination of whether RHF was replaced with ORS before and after interventions, policies, and external events that may have impacted healthcare access. RESULTS: We found that RHF was replaced with ORS in most Sierra Leone districts, except those most impacted by the Ebola outbreak. In addition, RHF was replaced in northern but not in southern Mali, and RHF was not replaced anywhere in Senegal. In Senegal, there was no statistical evidence that a national policy promoting ORS use was associated with increases in coverage. In Sierra Leone, ORS coverage increased following a national policy change that abolished health costs for children. CONCLUSIONS: Children in parts of Mali and Senegal have been left behind during ORS scale-up. Improved messaging on effective diarrhea treatment and/or increased ORS access such as through reducing treatment costs may be needed to prevent child deaths in these areas.Item SPATIAL VARIATIONS IN INFANT AND CHILD MORTALITY LEVELS IN SIERRA LEONE(2013-11-05) Kandeh, Borbor SamaThe general research objectives of this project were to calculate and map levels of infant, child and adult mortality in the administrative districts of Sierra Leone using 1974 census data, followed by a correlational analysis of these levels with certain key social variables. These were the distribution of medical facilities, the distribution of the population with no formal schooling and malaria endemicity by district. The results showed an estimated infant mortality rate of 215 in 1971 for Sierra Leone. The proportion of children dying before their fifth birthday was pegged at -3582 also for 1971- In relation to other African Countries, Sierra Leone was in the category of countries with very high infant and child mortality levels. Infant and child mortality levels in the administrative areas of Sierra Leone were in general very high but in addition showed some differences in levels. Only the Western Area had an infant mortality rate below 160 in 1971. The highest infant mortality rate was in Pujehun District (272). The pattern is the same when one examines the proportion of children dying before their fifth birthday, with the Western Area having the lowest (.2630) and Pujehun District having the highest (.4431). Attempts at explaining the regional variation in mortality levels by the distribution of health facilities, the percentage of the population with no formal schooling and malaria endemicity failed to provide any significant results once the Western Area was excluded from the analysis.Item Lockdown measures in response to COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa: A rapid study of nine countries(openRxiv, 2020-07-11) Haider, NajmulLockdown measures have been introduced worldwide to contain the transmission of COVID-19. This paper defines the term lockdown and describes the design, timing and implementation of lockdown in nine countries in Sub Saharan Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It also discusses the manner in which lockdown is enforced, the need to mitigate the harms of lockdown, and the association between lockdown and the reported number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. While there are some commonalities in the implementation of lockdown, a more notable finding is the variation in the design, timing and implementation of lockdown measures across the nine countries. We found that the number of reported cases is heavily dependent on the number of tests done, and that testing rates ranged from 9 to 21,261 per million population. The reported number of COVID-19 deaths per million population also varies, but is generally low when compared to countries in Europe and North America. While lockdown measures may have helped inhibit some community transmission, the pattern and nature of the epidemic remains unclear. Of concern are signs of lockdown harming health by affecting the functioning of the health system and causing social and economic harms. This paper highlights the need for inter-sectoral and trans-disciplinary research capable of providing a rigorous and holistic assessment of the harms and benefits of lockdown.Item Pupils’ Knowledge Level about the Contraindicationsof Cardiovascular Diseases of the HeartlikeDilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), Hypertensive Heart Disease (HHD) and Pulmonary Heart Disease (PHD) as Health Education Strategy in Preventive Health(2017-07-06) Joseph, Bebeley Samuel**Aim:** The objective of this study was to point out pupils' knowledge level about the contraindications of cardiovascular diseases of the heart like Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), Hypertensive Heart Disease (HHD) and Pulmonary Heart Disease (PHD) as health education strategy in preventive health cased at University Secondary School, Njala.Method: The researcher interviewed mainly high school pupils with a sampled number of one hundred and twenty (n=120).46% (n=55) female and 54% (n=65) male; 67% (n=80) Christians; 33% (n=40) Muslims; were selected using the stratified random sampling.Also stratified were58% (n=70) from the option Pure Science-to-General Science;42% (n=50) from the option Social Science-to-Applied Art; 29.2% (n=35) from SSS(One-to-Two); 70.8% (n=85) from SSS(Three-to-Four);62.8% (n=75) within the age circle of (13-to-17);37.5% (n=45) within the age circle of (18-to-25+) in years.Results: The variables of the finding were tested@ level of significance p < 0.05 through a statistical instrument of T-test.Analysis from the study objective, shows negative skewedness in all three variables as placed in tabulated values (t-scores of-0.802,0.529 and 2.129) of 2, 4 and 6 when tested@p < 0.05.Conclusion: In summing up due to the negative skewedness in all of the variables tested, the finding has demonstrated majority view of high school pupils' low level of knowledge about the contraindications of cardiovascular diseases of the heart as health education strategy in preventive health cased at University Secondary School.The researchers recommend that health education as a teaching subject be included in the schools' curriculum to help in the teaching of preventive health to school pupils.