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Innovation scholars disseminate their significant findings through international scientific journals. We conducted content analysis of 2,869 peer-reviewed articles on innovation in Africa, examining their origins, themes, collaborative networks, and scholarly influence. These articles, spanning the years 2015–2021, were curated from the Web of Science database across scientific, social science, and humanities journals. The findings reveal that 46.3% of these articles lacked contributions from African organizations or scholars, while 25.1% involved collaborations between African and non-African entities. A remaining 28.6% were exclusively authored by African scholars, with South African universities being the most frequent contributors. Notably, articles authored by scholars from non-African institutions garnered more citations and appeared in journals with higher impact factors. Key themes within these articles revolved around the knowledge economy, African business innovation, agricultural advancements, and the role of mobile phones in knowledge dissemination and marketing. Surprisingly, sustainability topics were notably absent. South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana featured prominently in the discussions. In conclusion, it is imperative to foster broader participation from African nations and scholars in innovation research and ensure a stronger African perspective in international publications. Additionally, as open-access publishing gains momentum, concerns about escalating publishing costs warrant attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foodborne diseases (FBDs) are a major public health concern, especially in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, such as Ghana, where poor food handling practices (FHPs) are prevalent. To estimate the pooled proportion of good FHPs and the associated factors among Ghanaian food handlers, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to aid scholars, practitioners and policymakers in devising FBD-preventable interventions. The scientific databases PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, African Journals Online, ProQuest, and Directory of Open Access Journals were systematically searched until April 19, 2023, for relevant literature. Observational studies meeting the inclusion criteria of reported good FHPs among food handlers were included. Three authors independently searched the database, assessed the risks of bias and extracted the data from the shortlisted articles. A random-effects model with the DerSimonian and Laird model was used to estimate the pooled effect size of FHPs and the pooled odds ratio (POR) of FHP-associated factors. Out of the 2019 records collated, 33 with a total sample size of 6095 food handlers met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The pooled proportion of good FHPs among Ghanaian food handlers was 55.8% [95% Cl (48.7, 62.8%); I2 = 97.4%; p < 0.001]. Lack of food safety training [POR = 0.10; 95% CI (0.03, 0.35); p = 0.001] and inadequate knowledge of food hygiene [POR = 0.36; 95% CI (0.01, 10.19); p < 0.001] were identified as the critical good FHP-associated factors. The study showed that the proportion of good FHPs among Ghanaian food handlers was 55.8%. To increase knowledge of food hygiene among food handlers, the Ghanaian Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is recommended to provide regular training on food safety for the well-being of the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research serves to bolster clinical neurosurgery by critically assessing various disease pathologies, while identifying important challenges and opportunities. However, there is limited information on the landscape of the Ghanaian neurosurgical literature. A scoping review and bibliometric analysis was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Global Index Medicus, and Web of Science electronic databases were searched from inception until December 21, 2021 for English language articles about neurosurgery in Ghana. 927 articles were identified and 66 were ultimately included in the analysis. A majority of them, 42.4%, were retrospective cohort studies, with 62.1% published after 2010. There were no randomized controlled or basic science studies. Most articles were published in the West African Journal of Medicine (24.2%) and non-infectious/non-traumatic spinal pathology was the most commonly discussed topic (22.7%); 66.7% of articles included only authors affiliated with Ghanaian institutions, and international collaborators frequently originated from the United States (15.9%). Only 22.7% of the manuscripts reported a funding source. Commonly reported challenges included limited sample sizes, delays in diagnosis and treatment, and lack of proper diagnostic tools and specialized care. This review revealed that while the Ghanaian academic neurosurgery output has been increasing over time, these have been limited to cohort studies largely assessing spine pathology. The Ghanaian neurosurgical research environment may be bolstered by an increase in research funding, the establishment of longitudinal clinical databases, training in research methodology, increased incentives for researchers, strengthening of research collaborative networks, and increased engagement of neurosurgical trainees in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In bridging the digital divide and enhancing participation in the knowledge economy, most developing countries permit the importation of second-hand electronic equipment. The Global North exports over 80% of e-waste into the Global South; this is perceived as the neo-colonisation and decarbonisation divide. Rising e-waste in developing countries is an environmental and epidemiological crisis due to limited recycling infrastructure and environmental policies. This study performed a bibliometric analysis and visualisation of e-waste management in Africa. The initial Web of Science database search yielded 519,441 articles and refined them to 29 relevant articles. Results show the geographic distribution of articles, citation trends, H-index and keyword analysis. South Africa leads on publications, followed by Ghana, and new themes emerge. E-waste management research is rising, with over 60% of the articles published in the last five years. The publications have an H-index of 14, and the keyword analysis identified three distinct clusters. The study contributes to literature and challenges policymakers to craft policies that support the sustainable management of e-waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding the occurrence of yellow fever epidemics is critical for targeted interventions and control efforts to reduce the burden of disease. We assessed data on the yellow fever incidence and mortality rates in Africa.Methods: We searched the Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, Africa-wide and Web of science databases from 1 January 1975 to 30th October 2020. Two authors extracted data from included studies independently and conducted a meta-analysis.Results: Of 840 studies identified, 12 studies were deemed eligible for inclusion. The incidence of yellow fever per 100,000 population ranged from < 1 case in Nigeria, < 3 cases in Uganda, 13 cases in Democratic Republic of the Congo, 27 cases in Kenya, 40 cases in Ethiopia, 46 cases in Gambia, 1267 cases in Senegal, and 10,350 cases in Ghana. Case fatality rate associated with yellow fever outbreaks ranged from 10% in Ghana to 86% in Nigeria. The mortality rate ranged from 0.1/100,000 in Nigeria to 2200/100,000 in Ghana.Conclusion: The yellow fever incidence rate is quite constant; in contrast, the fatality rates vary widely across African countries over the study period. Standardized demographic health surveys and surveillance as well as accurate diagnostic measures are essential for early recognition, treatment and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is argued that the present pace of small and medium enterprises (SME) research on Africa remains slow, despite being one of the growing fields. Consequently, there have been calls to advance the field from the perspective of Africa. This study partly responds to the call and aims to systematically review and organize the different SME research contributions from Ghana to help us appreciate and understand how research on SMEs in Ghana has advanced over the years. Combining major online databases such as Web of Science, Business Source Complete (EBSCO), ABI/INFORM, and Scopus databases, this paper reviews and analyzes 231 SME studies between 2000 and 2018. The paper structures SME research on Ghana into salient themes to offer the current state of knowledge and, consequently, aids scholars to scope the field and discover value-adding avenues to advance our understanding about SME research in the context of Ghana. Based on the findings, implications on theory, policy, and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]