Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which put the entire world on hold for two years from 2020 to March 2022 before the rapid roll-out of vaccines. This virus claimed many lives, 6,331,727 deaths globally, and 172,390 people in Africa died from the disease, while Uganda lost 3,620 people in the same period. The study aimed to analyse the spread patterns of SARS-CoV-2 in Uganda and neighbouring countries and understand the community transmission within Uganda. The study utilised genomic sequences from the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) repository. Bayesian Phylogeography methods were used via the BEAST software. The first case of COVID-19 in Uganda likely originated from Kenya. The virus spread from Kenya to other East African countries. Cross-border movements, especially by truck drivers and refugees, played a significant role in the spread. The study highlights the importance of cross-border collaborations to control infectious disease spread. The spread pattern was influenced by trade routes and the movement of people, emphasising the need for robust border control measures during pandemics. Understanding the origin and spread of SARS-CoV-2 can inform better public health strategies and preparedness for future pandemics.

Aim: The study aimed to explore feeding habits, nutritional adequacy, and rehabilitation practices among septic neonates living in rural Northern Ghana to identify critical gaps in diagnosis, referral, and feeding guidelines that contribute to poor outcomes. Methodology: A convergent mixed-methods design was used in Gushegu and Nkwanta South districts. Three hundred twenty-two neonates with sepsis were included in the study; 20–25 caregivers and 10–12 healthcare providers were also analyzed using multistage sampling. Quantitative data were analyzed in SPSS and STATA, and qualitative interviews were coded in NVivo. Ethics approval was granted (GHS-ERC008/03/20), and rigorous steps were taken to promote data quality and protect participants’ rights. Results: The incidence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) was 58.1% for septic neonates; the prevalence was slightly higher in Nkwanta South (59.6%) than in Gushegu (56.6%). The average age of admission was 6.4 days, with 59.0% having a feeding delay of more than 12 hours. Early EBF resulted in marked weight gain (18.4 ± 2.4 g/day), rapid recovery (6.2 ± 1.2 days), and significant tolerance (91.2%). Recovery odds ratios were greater in Nkwanta South (2.9) vs. Gushegu (2.6). Daily feeding frequency was positively correlated with weight gain (r = 0.62), and delayed feeding was negatively associated with hospitalization duration (ρ = –0.47, p < 0.01). Evidence for Policy and Practice: Sepsis recovery in newborn infants who participate in early EBF at birth is better, with the role of the health system improving due to better practices. This study enriches theoretical knowledge by linking feeding to recovery pathways, provides practical insight by highlighting caregiver and provider education, and informs policy with recommendations for integrated protocols, established referral systems, and enhanced oversight to reduce neonatal mortality among the disadvantaged. Conclusion: EBF, provided that it is started early and established, is nutritionally advantageous and clinically efficacious in septic newborns. Reducing cultural, economic, and systemic barriers through targeted interventions can enhance neonatal survival and advance health equity in resource-constrained settings.

Abstract Background Self-medication (SM) is a significant public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with weak drug regulatory frameworks. Alarmingly, healthcare professionals, including future public health leaders, are often frequent practitioners. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, practice, and associated factors of SM among Master of Public Health (MPH) students at a Nigerian university. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among MPH students at Ahmadu Bello University's Distance Learning Centre from July to August 2025. A Google Forms questionnaire was distributed via WhatsApp, employing a convenience sampling technique. Data on socio-demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices of SM were collected. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression were performed using SPSS version 27, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results Out of 357 participants (mean age 31.2 ± 5.8 years; 64.2% female), the vast majority were healthcare professionals. A high proportion (82.0%) had good knowledge of SM. Paradoxically, the prevalence of SM practice in the preceding six months was 82.7%. The most common reasons for SM were easy access to pharmacies (75.5%), self-perceived knowledge of correct drugs (72.0%), expensive hospital bills (68.3%), and prior experience with the illness (68.2%). Analgesics (63.8%) and antimalarials (49.6%) were the most frequently used drugs, primarily for headaches (86.0%) and cough/flu (47.2%). SM was significantly associated with younger age (< 30 years), being single, lower educational level (BSc/MSc vs. PhD), monogamous family structure, and, notably, a higher knowledge score (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusions Despite high knowledge levels regarding SM risks, its practice remains pervasive among future public health professionals in Nigeria. Confidence in personal medical knowledge and easy drug access appear to override risk awareness. These findings highlight an urgent need for targeted educational interventions and stricter enforcement of drug dispensing policies within this key demographic to curb this dangerous trend and align their practices with their public health advocacy roles.

Integrated One Health surveillance is pivotal to Africa's future health security, particularly in preventing and managing zoonotic and environmental health threats. The One Health strategy recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, allowing a holistic framework for tracking and responding to emerging and re-emerging pathogens. The One Health approach facilitates cross-sectoral data sharing and enhances surveillance, enabling the early detection and response to potential outbreaks. This proactive approach shifts the paradigm from reactive crisis management to preventive containment strategies. However, challenges such as funding gaps, limited infrastructure, limited diagnostic capacity, and weak multi-sectoral and cross-border collaborations remain. This perspective paper aims to 1) explore the effectiveness of integrated One Health surveillance in early detection and response to zoonotic diseases and environmental threats in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and 2) identify key challenges and proposed solutions to strengthen regional health security. A multisectoral laboratory working group (MLWG) emerged as a pillar to enable active surveillance targeting humans, animals, and the environment. This paper highlighted essential strategies for enhancing One Health surveillance in SSA in light of the recent Marburg virus disease in Rwanda. It emphasizes environmental sampling through animal excreta and wastewater surveillance for early zoonotic detection, advocates for point-of-care polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing platforms, and multiplex models to improve decentralized diagnostics. With 48% of African nations incorporating One Health in national agendas, a unified continental framework is needed to support broader adoption and advance regional health security.

Tobacco is one of the leading causes of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and premature deaths. The World Health Organization’s global NCD monitoring framework emphasizes a goal of reducing premature mortality from NCDs. This study described the population of smokers in Africa, alongside the trends in smoking by subregion, country, age, and sex between 1990 and 2019. We utilized tobacco smoking data from the Global Burden of Disease, produced by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation and population reports from the World Bank database which was used to normalize the number of smokers and present the percentage of the population (≥ 15 years) that are smokers. We used the comparative risk assessment framework for 55 countries across the five subregions in Africa. The results of the analysis included the actual values as well as the lower and upper boundaries within 95% uncertainty interval (UI). The ranking of the countries (i.e., top 10 or bottom 10) was done using the year 2019 data sets. In Africa, the number of smokers increased from about 50 million in 1990 to 90 million in 2019. From 1990 to 2019, the proportion of smokers declined across all African subregions, with Southern Africa showing the highest initial rates. Countries like Seychelles, Djibouti, and Tunisia consistently had the highest smoking prevalence, exceeding 20%. In contrast, nations such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Sao Tome and Principe maintained the lowest proportions, mostly under 5%. Despite reductions in the proportion of smokers in some countries, others experienced rising trends, particularly in North and East Africa. The persistent regional and national disparities in smoking proportions suggest uneven implementation and effectiveness of tobacco control policies across the continent. These trends have significant implications for the growing burden of NCDs in the region, as tobacco use remains a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory illness. High smoking proportions signal potential future increase in NCD-related morbidity and mortality, emphasizing the urgency for comprehensive tobacco control measures. Strengthening policy enforcement, public education, and cessation support will be critical to mitigating tobacco-related NCDs in Africa.

Summary Community health workers (CHWs) are the critical elements of vibrant primary healthcare (PHC) services.