Building citizen science intelligence for outbreak preparedness and response: a mixed-method study in nine countries to assess knowledge, readiness and feasibility Citizen science (CS) is an emerging approach in public health to harness the collective intelligence of individuals to augment traditional scientific efforts. However, citizens’ viewpoints, especially the hard-to–reach population, is lacking in current outbreak-related literature. We aim to understand the… Read More

Impact of annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin on the incidence of epilepsy in Mvolo, a two-year prospective study The potential impact of cumulative community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) on epilepsy epidemiology in Mvolo County, South Sudan, an onchocerciasis-endemic area with high epilepsy prevalence, was investigated. Annual CDTI was introduced in 2002 in Mvolo, with interruptions in 2016 and… Read More

Mental health issues associated with the management of tuberculosis in Homabay, Busia and Kakamega Counties, Kenya. Despite the implementation of patient-centred care, mental health issues remain a significant risk factor and comorbidity for Tuberculosis (TB) disease. Mental health issues being co-morbidities to TB are likely to increase the disease burden of the affected population. This study,… Read More

Enablers and barriers to vaccine uptake and handwashing practices to prevent and control COVID-19 in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania: a systematic review The global emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) posed unprecedented challenges, jeopardising decades of progress in healthcare systems, education, and poverty eradication. While proven interventions such as handwashing and mass vaccination offer effective means of curbing COVID-19 spread, their uptake… Read More

Long Term Socio-economic Effects of COVID-19 in Rural KENYA When the novel coronavirus arrived in sub-Saharan Africa, many feared the continent would not be able to cope with the impact of such a fast-evolving pandemic. Memories of how the Ebola virus overwhelmed weak health systems in West Africa in… Read More

Knowledge, attitudes, practices, and the effects of COVID-19 among the youth in Kenya Cases of the Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in Kenya have continued to increase rapidly, since the first case in the country was confirmed in March 2020. In the wake of the pandemic, the health and socio-economic challenges experienced… Read More

Impact of the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic on HIV/AIDS Programming in Kenya: Evidence from Kibera Informal Settlement and COVID-19 Hotspot Counties The study sought to determine the impact of COVID-19 on HIV/AIDS programming in the Kibera informal settlement and COVID-19 hotspot counties during the first wave of the pandemic. The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase entailed the… Read More

The prevalence and associated factors of undernutrition among under-five children in South Sudan using the standardized monitoring and assessment of relief and transitions (SMART) methodology Conflict regions bear the heaviest brunt of food insecurity and undernutrition. South Sudan is one of the fragile countries following years of conflict that led to large displacements. Moderate to severe undernutrition among under-five children has been associated with elevated… Read More