African Union Commission

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.

Purpose This study examines how labor market information interventions influence wage formation and job mobility in emerging industrial economies. Using Ethiopia’s flagship industrial park as a natural experiment, we evaluate the causal impacts of a randomized skill grading policy designed to reduce information asymmetries between workers and firms. The research investigates two critical questions: how do skill assessment interventions affect initial wage determination, and what role does strategic job mobility play in workers’ ability to overcome adverse policy effects in early-stage labor markets? Design/methodology/approach We exploit a unique natural experiment where workers entering Hawassa Industrial Park were randomly assigned to skill assessment versus direct job placement. Combining comprehensive administrative records with original survey data, we employ difference-in-differences and triple-difference designs that leverage the random assignment structure. Our matched employer-employee panel dataset tracks 1,206 workers across 19 garment firms, enabling identification of causal effects through the randomized grading treatment while controlling for selection bias and unobserved heterogeneity. Findings Skill grading creates an initial wage penalty of 5–7 percent for assessed workers relative to non-graded counterparts. However, this penalty is completely eliminated among workers who switch employers, with job transitions yielding 19 percent wage gains. The results demonstrate that information interventions can generate unexpected labor market mismatches, which workers strategically resolve through mobility. First job transitions produce the largest gains, with diminishing returns to subsequent switches, consistent with job search models where workers move to better matches. Research limitations/implications Our analysis focuses on short-term wage effects within a single industrial park setting, potentially limiting generalizability to other contexts or long-term outcomes. The study cannot distinguish whether wage gains represent permanent income increases or transfers through housing costs. Additionally, we lack comprehensive measures of match quality that could provide deeper insights into the mechanisms driving observed patterns. Future research should examine longer-term effects and extend analysis to diverse industrial settings and countries at different development stages. Practical implications The findings challenge conventional wisdom about skill assessment policies in developing labor markets. Policymakers designing industrial park interventions should anticipate that information-based matching may initially reduce wages but can be offset through worker mobility. Labor market policies should facilitate rather than restrict job transitions within industrial zones. The results suggest that infrastructure investments should be coupled with institutions supporting worker mobility to maximize welfare gains. Development practitioners should reconsider the design of formal recruitment systems to minimize initial mismatches. Social implications This research highlights unintended consequences of well-intentioned labor market policies, particularly relevant for industrial development strategies in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings suggest that worker agency through job mobility serves as a crucial mechanism for correcting policy-induced market failures. Understanding these dynamics is essential for designing inclusive growth strategies that avoid penalizing vulnerable workers. The results demonstrate how individual-level adaptations can mitigate adverse policy effects, emphasizing the importance of worker empowerment in industrial development contexts where formal institutions may be weak. Originality/value This study provides the first causal evidence on skill assessment policies in industrial parks using randomized assignment. The paper makes novel theoretical contributions by demonstrating how information interventions can create rather than resolve market inefficiencies, extending job search theory to developing country contexts. Methodologically, we introduce innovative use of administrative-survey matched data in industrial settings. The findings contribute to literatures on place-based policies (Kline and Moretti, 2014), job mobility (Stanton and Thomas, 2016) and labor market information (Pallais, 2014), offering new insights for industrial development policy in emerging economies.

BackgroundThe hospital environment is a proven hotspot for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, which may be released through hospital wastewater into the environment and municipal wastewater. The aim of this study was to monitor the occurrence of and perform molecular characterization of MDR ESBL Enterobacterales isolated from Parirenyatwa Hospital wastewater, Harare, Zimbabwe.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. Enterobacterales from sixty-four 500 mL samples of hospital wastewater from three drainage sites of Parirenyatwa Hospital were isolated. A modified double disc synergy test was used to confirm ESBL Enterobacterales before genotyping with multiplex PCR.ResultsThe majority of isolates came from the main hospital drainage site. All the isolated Enterobacterales showed MDR. Of the 33 Enterobacterales isolated from hospital wastewater, 8 (24%) were ESBL-producing: 5/8 (63%) Escherichia coli, 2/8 (25%) Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 1/8 (12%) Citrobacter freundii. The multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) obtained from the ESBL-producing Enterobacterales isolates ranged from 0.5 to 0.75. Seven (87.5%) isolates harboured the blaCTX-M gene and five (62.5%) isolates had the blaTEM gene, with four (50%) isolates containing both genes. Three isolates contained the blaCTX-M gene only and one contained only blaTEM. The blaSHV gene was not detected.ConclusionsMDR ESBL-producing Enterobacterales were identified from Parirenyatwa Hospital wastewater. The MARI greater than 0.2 indicated that these isolates were from a high-risk source of contamination.

BackgroundNon-malarial febrile illnesses (NMFI) pose significant challenges in HIV-infected children, often leading to severe complications and increased morbidity. While traditional diagnostic approaches focus on specific pathogens, shotgun metagenomic sequencing offers a comprehensive tool to explore the microbial landscape underlying NMFI in this vulnerable population ensuring effective management.MethodsIn this study, we employed shotgun metagenomics to analyse stool samples from HIV-infected children at the Baylor Children’s Clinic Uganda presenting with non-malarial febrile illness. Samples were collected and subjected to DNA extraction at the Molecular and Genomics Laboratory, Makerere University followed by shotgun metagenomics sequencing at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify and characterise the microbial composition and potential pathogenic taxa associated with NMFI using the CZID pipeline.ResultsOur findings reveal a diverse array of microbial taxa in the stool samples of HIV-infected children with NMFI. Importantly, shotgun metagenomics revealed potentially pathogenic players including Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida albicans, Giardia, and Bacteroides in stool from this patient population. This sheds light on the complexities of microbial interactions that potentially underpin non-malarial febrile illness in this group. Taxonomic profiling identified recognised pathogens and comorbidities and revealed possible new correlations with NMFI, shedding light on the pathophysiology of fever in HIV-infected children.ConclusionShotgun metagenomics is a valuable method for understanding the gut microbial landscape of NMFI in HIV-infected children, providing a comprehensive approach to pathogen identification and characterisation. By revealing potential pathogenic actors beyond the fever, this work demonstrates how metagenomic sequencing may improve our knowledge of infectious illnesses in vulnerable groups and inspire targeted therapies for better clinical care and outcomes.

Lessons from biomedical HIV prevention research indicate that standard of prevention packages evolve over time, and require active engagement of stakeholders and community advocates to define packages accept to community members and trial participants. Using COVID-19 prevention research as an example, this paper discusses the reasons why a standard of prevention package must be defined for infectious diseases prevention research, what the minimum content of this package may be, the importance of stakeholder engagement in defining the package, the role of the government, and ethical considerations. As the experience from the HIV pandemic had shown, multiple ethics guidelines argue for a comprehensive standard of prevention package for biomedical HIV prevention trials that does not preclude the inclusion of newly developed HIV prevention tools including those experimental products listed for emergency use during health crisis. In the case of COVID-19, the standard of prevention package should include at a minimum, risk reduction counseling on physical distancing, provision of hand sanitizers, education on how to use available prevention tools, and provision for the possibility of vaccine-induced seropositivity. When pre-exposure prophylaxis studies are conducted for healthcare workers and home carers, personal protective equipment should be provided. Regional and country level regulatory provisions on these issues can provide critical guidance for research design and implementation.

ABSTRACT The study aimed to assess the association between adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and access to media information related to COVID-19. A multicountry, cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted from June to December 2020. The sample included 1,457 participants from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. The outcome variable was self-reported adherence to preventive measures (handwashing, social distancing, self-isolation, use of face masks, and working from home). The explanatory variable was self-report of following media information related to COVID-19 (watching or reading the news, following social media coverage). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations. Following information on social media was positively associated with higher odds of practicing social distancing [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 5.39; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.93–7.30], self-isolation (AOR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.08–1.92), use of face masks (AOR = 16.84; 95% CI: 10.03–28.27), handwashing (AOR = 6.95; 95% CI: 4.98–9.71), and working from home (AOR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.43–2.41). Differences in the use of social media for COVID-19 information were observed among the four countries. Following social media was positively associated with adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures in Latin America. Social media may be used effectively for COVID-19 behavior modification in Latin America.

Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxins, fumonisins, trichothecenes, and zearalenone, are increasing in visibility as a public health threat through both acute and chronic exposure in food. USAID through its Feed the Future program has sponsored research in Nepal on mycotoxin contamination and the correlated high levels of stunting in children under age five. Communicating about mycotoxins is a complicated matter, as is communicating about any potentially serious economic or health threat that may be difficult to control. Two nominal group workshops in Nepal focused on identifying problems from multiple perspectives and developing potential communication strategies to mitigate the problem and potential concerns about it. Target audiences were identified along with their interests and effective channels to communicate with and within them. The first audience to work with is the government, as it must understand and value the problem and help generate confidence in potential regulatory and mitigation processes. Producers, educators and health professionals are the next audiences to address as they are the most closely involved with the problem. Consumer engagement is last, with a communication goal of sharing information to heighten awareness and minimize unwarranted public concern.

Irrigation is increasingly being called upon to help stabilize and grow food and water security in the face of multiple crises; these crises include climate change, but also recent global food and energy price crises, including the 2007/08 food and energy price crises, and the more recent crises triggered by the COVID 19 pandemic and the war on Ukraine. While irrigation development used to focus on public, large-scale, surface- and reservoir-fed systems, over the last several decades, private small-scale investments in groundwater irrigation have grown in importance and are expected to see rapid future growth, particularly in connection with solar-powered pumping systems. But is irrigation ‘fit-for-purpose’ to support population growth, economic development, and multiple food, energy and climate crises? This paper reviews how fit-for-purpose irrigation is with a focus on economies of scale of surface and groundwater systems, and a particular examination of systems in Sub-Saharan Africa where the need for expansion is largest. The review finds challenges for both larger surface and smaller groundwater systems in the face of growing demand for irrigated agriculture and dwindling and less reliable water supplies. To support resilience of the sector, we propose both a holistic design and management improvement agenda for larger surface systems, and a series of suggestions to improve sustainability concerns of groundwater systems

Saving is an important factor in households' welfare in developing countries. However, most studies have focused on urban areas and at the macroeconomic level. Consequently, such studies mask the reality of rural households, which constitute a large proportion in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aims at analyzing the factors that influence the probability of saving participation at the household level in the Libokemkem District. We employed a systematic random sampling technique to select a total of 157 household heads in three kebeles in Libokemkem District, Ethiopia. We used structured questionnaires to collect data from the sampled households. We then analyzed the data using a logistic regression model. The results of the study show that family size, farm land, education status, credit access and frequency of extension contact are the determinant factors for saving participation among rural households. We recommend that the Ethiopian Ministry of Economic and Finance should strengthen the existing credit services and create awareness campaigns for the communities to enhance rural saving participation.