Rwanda Development Board

Bovine mastitis remains a significant challenge to dairy health management worldwide, with substantial economic and public health implications. In Rwanda, where traditional dairy farming is crucial for household livelihoods and the national economy, mastitis reduces milk yield and increases the risk for bacterial contamination, posing serious food safety concerns. This study, conducted in Rwanda's North-Western region from January 2024 to April 2024, aimed to identify key mastitis risk factors, evaluate existing control gaps, and propose evidence-based interventions. This cross-sectional study collected data from 411 smallholder dairy farms in Rwanda, assessing one lactating cow per farm through clinical examination, California Mastitis Test, and structured farmer questionnaires on management and hygiene practices. Logistic regression analysis in R identified significant cow-related and farm-level risk factors, providing a basis for targeted mastitis control and biosecurity recommendations. The overall mastitis prevalence was 60.06% (95% CI: 53.57-66.55), with subclinical cases alone accounting for 56.9%. Poor cow hygiene emerged as the strongest predictor (OR = 85.47, 95% CI: 27.18-268.74; p < 0.001). Other associated factors included exotic pure breeds, late lactation stages, and multiparity. External contributors included inadequate milking practices and limited veterinary access. In zero-grazing systems, poor housing drainage (OR = 109, 95% CI: 26.46-507.18; p < 0.001) and infrequent bedding changes (OR = 6.36, 95% CI: 3.38-12.78; p = 0.014) significantly increased mastitis risk. Identified gaps included lack of farmer knowledge, insufficient access to affordable mastitis control supplies (e.g., disinfectants such as iodine or chlorine dioxide), inappropriate mastitis treatments, poor farm biosecurity, and inefficient quality control in the milk marketing chain. Strengthening farm biosecurity, implementing a national mastitis control program, and enhancing veterinary extension are essential to reduce mastitis and improve milk safety. Coordinated stakeholder action is vital for sustainable dairy development and public health.

Integrated STEM education is critical for developing 21st-century skills, interest, engagement, and outcomes. However, in-service teachers often struggle with implementation due to inadequate training and a lack of clear, practical models for blending the disciplines. In this study, we investigated the key factors that can enhance the effective integration of mathematics and science in a real secondary classroom setting, employing a qualitative case study approach that drew on data from classroom observations, student and teacher interviews, student artifacts, and teacher reflections. A science and mathematics teacher collaborated to teach the concept of density in two lesson study cycles, integrating mathematical modeling and science inquiry learning approaches. Our findings revealed four dynamically interdependent factors critical to successful integration: Teacher knowledge, such as Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), integration strategies, and confidence; student autonomy; time allocation; and contingency management. For instance, fostering student autonomy during lessons often requires significant time allocation to accomplish the set objectives and it pauses challenging contingency strategies. How these factors interact and influence the nature of science and mathematics integration was represented in the proposed Dynamic Interdependence Framework (DIF). The framework positioned the teacher as the central agent whose negotiation of this web determines the nature of the integrated lesson, which in turn reinforces their knowledge through a feedback loop of reflective practice. We conclude the study with implications for research, teacher training, and classroom practice in diverse educational contexts, highlighting the need for professional development focused on collaborative planning.

Abstract Conservation success stories, such as the recovery of the isolated populations of mountain gorilla ( Gorilla beringei beringei ), are increasingly threatened by emerging health challenges. In the Virunga Massif, strongylid‐associated gastrointestinal disease has been linked to significant morbidity and mortality of mountain gorillas, posing a critical threat to this population's long‐term survival. Using metabarcoding of faecal samples (~65% of the population) and spatial and habitat analyses, we examined the composition and drivers of strongylid nematode communities and their role in clinical disease emergence. We identified Hyostrongylus nematodes, known pathogens in suids, as the primary contributors to gastric lesions observed in necropsied gorillas. Spatial variation in strongylid communities is correlated with environmental gradients, indicating that environmental factors such as climate and vegetation play a significant role in shaping strongylid community composition. Additionally, limited genetic diversity resulting from historical population bottlenecks may negatively impact the health of gorillas affected by parasites. Our findings suggest that the high absolute abundance of pathogenic Hyostrongylus is concentrated in specific high‐altitude regions, aligning with observed cases of severe gastritis. Synthesis and applications . These findings highlight an emerging health threat for mountain gorillas, with implications for other isolated wildlife populations facing similar ecological and evolutionary pressures. The study calls for continued monitoring of parasitic diseases in wildlife populations, especially those in fragmented habitats with limited capacity for expansion, to mitigate potential risks to their conservation.

Reintroductions are essential in wildlife conservation, but their success depends not only on demographic outcomes such as survival and reproduction, but also on behavioral adjustments that determine integration into the wild. The Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum), an endangered species, has suffered dramatic declines due to habitat loss, disturbance, and illegal capture. In Rwanda, a large-scale amnesty rescued 242 cranes from captivity, with 166 rehabilitated and released into Akagera National Park. This study used GPS-GSM telemetry to investigate post-release movement of reintroduced captive-rescued cranes in comparison with wild individuals. Twenty-one cranes (10 reintroduced, 11 wild) were tracked for 5-1118 days, with 15 individuals meeting criteria for detailed analyses. Reintroduced cranes exhibited reduced dispersal, with only 2 of 7 dispersing compared to 7 of 9 wild cranes, and typically after much longer residence at the release site. Reintroduced cranes also had smaller maximum displacements (median 8.4 km) and smaller home ranges (median 3.3 km2) relative to those of wild cranes (median 24.0 km and median 22.6 km2, respectively). These findings suggest that supplemental feeding and extended captivity (2 days to 10 years) of reintroduced cranes strongly influenced their high site fidelity and movement patterns. While limited dispersal may benefit short-term survival, long-term monitoring of survival, reproduction, and demographic trends is critical for assessing whether reintroduction achieves population recovery.

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.

Sensitive information stored in Patient Data (PD) is a frequent target for unauthorized access, highlighting the need for robust data protection techniques. Steganography has emerged as a promising approach by concealing confidential data within benign cover media such as medical images. Nonetheless, achieving a balance between imperceptibility and reversibility remains a key technical challenge. This study presents ANDRASecure, a steganographic approach designed to embed confidential patient data into medical images using the K-means algorithm. This adaptive machine learning paradigm optimizes the selection of embeddable pixels in the cover medical images and the Least Significant Bits (LSB). ANDRASecure ensures precise data retrieval while preserving the visual integrity of the host image, thereby maintaining the integrity of the medical images for accurate treatment-based interpretations. Performance evaluation using Peak Signal-toNoise Ratio (PSNR) and Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM) demonstrates ANDRASecure’s effectiveness, with PSNR ranging from 50.248 to 75.695 decibels (dB) and SSIM values between 0.9595 and 1.0000. These results indicate that ANDRASecure delivers superior visual quality and reliable reversibility compared to existing approaches.

As cities in sub-Saharan Africa become more crowded, noise pollution is also emerging as an important environmental concern, after air pollution. Yet, unlike air pollution, which is enjoying relatively more public attention, there is limited measurement data and policy efforts on environmental noise pollution. We followed a recent city-wide measurement approach used in Accra (Ghana) and characterized environmental noise patterns in Kigali, a contrasting city with very different topography and regulatory system than Accra to inform urban policy. We established 10 ‘fixed’ (yearlong) and 120 ‘rotating’ (weeklong) monitoring sites to capture both the temporal and spatial patterns in Kigali’s sound environment. The measurement occurred between November 2022 and December 2023, and samples were collected at 1 min interval, resulting in 5155 014 (3580 site-days) and 1190 620 (827 site-days) site-minutes of valid data from the fixed and rotating sites, respectively. The 130 monitoring sites covered a variety of geographic and land-use factors across diverse neighborhoods and sources. We computed several noise metrics, including 1 h (LAeq1 h), daily (LAeq24 h), day-time (Lday), and night-time (Lnight). Daily noise (LAeq24 h) levels across the city ranged between 38 dBA and 85 dBA. Commercial, business, and industrial (CBI) and high-density residential (HD) communities experienced the highest noise levels, with some sites constantly above 70 dBA at day and 65 dBA at night. About 63% of our observed day-time values (up to ~72% in some areas) exceeded the Rwandan day-time standard (55 dBA) for residential areas, whereas 69% of the observed night-time values (up to 80% in some areas) exceeded the corresponding night-time standard (45 dBA). In Nyarugenge, the most urbanized district, as much as 75% of our site-days data exceeded day-time standard. However diurnal patterns throughout the city were similar, rising from ~5 am, peaking at about 8 am and plateauing until 6 pm before falling to their lowest at midnight. Overall, noise levels in the city did not vary much by day of the week, weekdays vs weekend, or dry vs wet seasons. Environmental noise in Kigali often exceeded both Rwandan standards and international guidelines, with residents in the city center district, CBI and HD areas at risk of higher exposure, and hence higher risk of adverse effects. Detailed assessment of the sources, at-risk population, and associated health effects may inform Rwandan’s environmental policy efforts and city initiatives in the face of the ongoing urban growth and densification.