Mental Distress and Human Rights Violations During COVID-19: A Rapid Review of the Evidence Informing Rights, Mental Health Needs, and Public Policy Around Vulnerable Populations COVID-19 prevention and mitigation efforts were abrupt and challenging for most countries with the protracted lockdown straining socioeconomic activities. Marginalized groups and individuals are particularly vulnerable to adverse effects of the pandemic such as human rights abuses and violations which… Read More

COVID-19 in Ethiopia: a geospatial analysis of vulnerability to infection, case severity and death COVID-19 has caused a global public health crisis affecting most countries, including Ethiopia, in various ways. This study maps the vulnerability to infection, case severity and likelihood of death from COVID-19 in Ethiopia. Kefyalew Addis Alene, Yalemzewod Assefa Gelaw, Dagnachew… Read More

Risk factors for COVID-19 infection, disease severity and related deaths in Africa: a systematic review The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive evidence on risk factors for transmission, disease severity and COVID-19 related deaths in Africa. Hailay Abrha Gesesew, Digsu Negese Koye, Dagnachew Muluye Fetene, Mulu Woldegiorgis, Yohannes Kinfu, Ayele Bali Geleto,… Read More

Reducing unmet need for contraceptive services among youth in Homabay and Narok counties, Kenya: the role of community health volunteers – a qualitative study Access to contraceptive services is a cornerstone of human well-being. While Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) promote family planning in Kenya, the unmet need for contraceptives among youth remains high. CHVs seem to pay little specific attention to the contraceptive needs… Read More

Enabling and hindering factors of health surveillance assistants’ roles in the provision of contraceptive services in Mangochi, Malawi Contraceptive services are essential for promoting people’s health, and economic and social well-being. Despite increased contraceptive use over the past decades, unmet need is still high in Malawi. As a result of task shifting, health surveillance assistants (HSAs), Malawi’s paid… Read More

Knowledge, attitudes, practices, and the effects of COVID-19 on health seeking behaviors among young people in Kenya The cases of Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in Kenya have been increasing rapidly, since the first case was confirmed in early March, 2020. In the wake of the crisis around COVID-19, the health and socio-economic challenges experienced by… Read More

Postpartum Depression among Postnatal Women as a Result of Disrespect and Abuse during Labour and Delivery Evidence suggests that health care providers habitually fail to provide respectful maternity care during facilitybased delivery. This study explored the relationship between disrespect and abuse experienced by women during child birth and postpartum depression. Brenda Mubita, Viviane Sakanga, Ronald Kapesha,… Read More

Adequacy of Prenatal Care and its Association with Low Birth Weight in Ndola and Kitwe, Zambia Prenatal care is one of the recommended interventions globally to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. In most Sub-Saharan African countries, high rates of poor pregnancy outcomes coexist with high Antenatal (ANC) coverage rates. Therefore, in order to understand this inconsistency,… Read More