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Background: One of the main factors contributing to maternal morbidity and mortality is induced abortion. The WHO estimates that over 44 million induced abortions take place annually around the world. The majority of these abortions—about 50%—are unsafe, significantly increasing maternal morbidity and contributing to 13% of maternal deaths. Thus, this review aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of induced abortion and its associated factors in Africa. Methods: To find literature on the prevalence of induced abortion and its associated factors, a thorough search of the internet databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, African Journals Online, and Google Scholar was conducted. The data were extracted using a structured method of data collection. Software called STATA 14 was used to do the analysis. funnel plot and Egger regression test were used to evaluate potential publication bias. I2 statistics and Cochrane's Q were used to measure the heterogeneity at a p-value < 0.05. Results: 976 studies were found through a thorough search of electronic databases. Finally, 46 full-text abstract papers were included in this study. The estimated pooled prevalence of induced abortion was 16% (95% CI: 13%-19%). According to the sub-group analysis, most studies were conducted in Ethiopia, and the pooled prevalence was 19% (95% CI: 10%–30%). Similarly, the subgroup analysis by year of study showed that the prevalence of induced abortion was 39% (95% CI: 17%–64%) among studies conducted in 2019. Conclusion: The results of this study thus imply that the pooled prevalence of induced abortion is higher than that of earlier studies that were published in some nations. the data from this study are needed to support reproductive and adolescent health programmers and policymakers and to formulate recommendations for future clinical practice and guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2016, fall armyworm (FAW) has threatened sub-Saharan 'Africa's fragile food systems and economic performance. Yet, there is limited evidence on this transboundary pest's economic and food security impacts in the region. Additionally, the health and environmental consequences of the insecticides being used to control FAW have not been studied. This paper presents evidence on the impacts of FAW on maize production, food security, and human and environmental health. We use a combination of an agroecology-based community survey and nationally representative data from an agricultural household survey to achieve our objectives. The results indicate that the pest causes an average annual loss of 36% in maize production, reducing 0.67 million tonnes of maize (0.225 million tonnes per year) between 2017 and 2019. The total economic loss is US$ 200 million, or 0.08% of the gross domestic product. The lost production could have met the per capita maize consumption of 4 million people. We also find that insecticides to control FAW have more significant toxic effects on the environment than on humans. This paper highlights governments and development partners need to invest in sustainable FAW control strategies to reduce maize production loss, improve food security, and protect human and environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Severe malaria often results in childhood disability. The prevalence of disability related to severe malaria is significant and is estimated to affect up to 53% of severe malaria survivors. In contrast, information is sparse about how healthcare providers in Africa think about or provide rehabilitation support in acute and post-acute phases respectively. Understanding the perceptions and behaviors of healthcare providers treating malaria could help inform malaria-related disability research, policy, and practice, aimed at the providers themselves. This study explored the perceptions and behaviors of healthcare providers towards rehabilitation for children with severe malaria-related disability. The Theoretical Domains Framework was used to describe the findings relative to wider literature on health provider behavior change. Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was used to interview thirteen healthcare providers recruited purposively based on their clinical professions, roles, and settings. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis. We decided on the most prominent theoretical domains considering the frequency of specific perceptions and behaviors across the participants, the frequency of perceptions and behaviors in each domain, and evidence of strong perceptions and behaviors. Results: Nine out of fourteen theoretical domains were identified. These domains were: Beliefs about consequences, environmental context and resources, goals, knowledge, skills, optimism, reinforcement, social influences, and social or professional role and identity. Healthcare providers' beliefs about their roles in screening for disability or referring to rehabilitation were less positive. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest the need for interventions to support healthcare providers in acute phases (prevention and control of severe malaria) and post-acute phases (disability screening, referral, and rehabilitation care). Recommended interventions should focus on developing clinical guidelines, training clinicians, addressing institutional factors, and modifying external social influences such as socio-cultural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many tropical wet forests are species-rich and have relatively even species frequency distributions. But, dominance by a single canopy species can also occur in tropical wet climates and can remain stable for centuries. These are uncommon globally, with the African wet tropics supporting more such communities than the Neotropics or Southeast Asia. Differences in regional evolutionary histories are implied by biogeography: most of Africa's monodominance-forming species are Amherstieae-tribe legumes; monodominance in Neotropical forests occur among diverse taxonomic groups, often legumes, but rarely Amherstieae, and monodominance in Southeast Asian forests occurs mostly among Dipterocarpaceae species. African monodominant forests have been characterized ecologically and taxonomically, but their deep-time history is unknown despite their significant presence and bottom-up ecological influence on diversity. Herein we describe fossil leaflets of Englerodendron mulugetanum sp. nov., an extinct species of the extant genus Englerodendron (Berlinia Clade, Amherstieae, Detarioideae) from the 21.73 Ma Mush Valley site in Ethiopia. We also document a detailed study of associated legume pollen, which originate from a single taxon sharing characters with more than one extant descendant. Taxonomically, the pollen is most comparable to that from some extant Englerodendron species and supports a likely affiliation with the Englerodendron macrofossils. The Mush Valley site provides the first fossil evidence of a monodominant tropical forest in Africa as represented by leaflets and pollen. Previous studies documented >2400 leaves and leaflets from localities at six stratigraphic levels spanning 50,000–60,000 years of nearly continuous deposition within seven meters of section; all but the basal level contain ≥ 50% E. mulugetanum leaflets. Modern leaf litter studies in African mixed vs. monodominant forests indicates the likelihood of monodominance in the forests that surrounded the Mush paleolake, particularly after the basal level. Thus, we provide an early case for monodominance within the Amherstieae legumes in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]