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Wedminere Noëlie Zoungrana-Yameogo,1 Lucresse Corine Fassinou,2 Calypse Ngwasiri,3 Sekou Samadoulougou,4,5 Isidore Tiandiogo Traoré,1,6 Hervé Hien,1,6 Fidèle Bakiono,7 Maxime Drabo,8,9 Fati Kirakoya-Samadoulougou3 1Service d’information et d’épidémiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Tengandogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 2Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Santé, Université Nazi Boni, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; 3Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie, Biostatistique et Recherche Clinique, Ecole de Santé Publique, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgique; 4Evaluation Platform on Obesity Prevention, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Quebec, QC, G1V 4G5, Canada; 5Centre for Research on Planning and Development (CRAD), Université Laval, Quebec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada; 6Centre Muraz, Institut National de Santé Publique, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; 7Secrétariat Permanent du conseil national de lutte contre le SIDA et les infections sexuellement transmissible, ministère de la santé, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 8Département biomédical et santé publique, Institut de recherche en sciences de la santé, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 9Laboratoire de santé publique de l’Ecole doctorale des sciences de la santé (ED2S), Université Joseph Ki Zerbo Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina FasoCorrespondence: Lucresse Corine Fassinou, Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Santé, Université Nazi Boni, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, Email corinefas123@gmail.comBackground: Since the scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services in Burkina-Faso, achieving an AIDS-free generation depends on optimal ART adherence. However, no data exists on the population group differences on the level of ART adherence in Burkina-Faso. This study analyzes ART adherence among pregnant-and breastfeeding-women, non-pregnant women, and men in Burkina-Faso.Methods: From December 2019 to March 2020, a cross-sectional study among adult HIV-infected patients in Burkina-Faso, belonging either to the active file or the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission programs was conducted. An analysis was performed and adherence was measured based on the number of times, patients did not meet the number of doses prescribed and did not take the ART treatment in the month prior to the survey. Logistic-regression models were used to identify factors associated with poor ART adherence and the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were reported.Results: The prevalence of good adherence was higher in the group of pregnant-and breastfeeding-women (86.6%, n = 112) compared to the other groups (73.1%, n=1017 in non-pregnant women and 72.0%, n = 318 in men). No association was found between ART adherence and the socio-demographic, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of pregnant-and breastfeeding-women and men groups. However, non-pregnant women with a high level of education (aOR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.16– 2.49), having ever belonged to a support group (aOR= 1.47; 95% CI: 1.07– 2.04), not having income-generating occupations (aOR= 1.53; 95% CI: 1.11– 2.12), and in advanced clinical stage (aOR= 1.42; 95% CI: 1.06– 1.91) were more susceptible to have poor adherence compared to their pairs.Conclusion: Findings showed a large difference in ART adherence among pregnant-and breastfeeding-women, non-pregnant women and men and highlight the need for differentiated healthcare delivery according to population while specifically considering addressing the interest in early initiation of treatment and the benefit of support groups meeting.Keywords: adherence, HIV, antiretroviral therapy, PMTCT, Burkina Faso

Copyright of Mali Médical is the property of Mali Medical, Faculte de Medecine, de Pharmacie et d'Odonto-stomatologie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Toussaint Rouamba,1,* Houreratou Barry,2,* Esperance Ouédraogo,1 Marc Christian Tahita,1 Nobila Valentin Yaméogo,3 Armel Poda,4 Arnaud Eric Diendéré,5 Abdoul-Salam Ouedraogo,4 Innocent Valea,1 Amariane M Koné,2 Cherileila Thiombiano,2 Isidore Traoré,2 Zekiba Tarnagda,1 Serge A Sawadogo,6 Zakaria Gansané,7 Yibar Kambiré,8 Idrissa Sanou,8 Fatou Barro-Traoré,8 Maxime K Drabo,1 Halidou Tinto1 On behalf of the CHLORAZ Study Group1Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (CNRST-IRSS), Nanoro, Burkina Faso; 2Institut National de Santé Publique, Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; 3Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 4Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sourou Sanon, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; 5Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bogodogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 6Centre PrïmO Nelson Mandela (Promotion de la Recherche et de l’Innovation en Immunologie Médicale de Ouagadougou), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 7Clinical Monitoring in Africa-Clinical Research Organization, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 8Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Tengandogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Toussaint RouambaInstitut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (CNRST-IRSS), 528, Avenue Kumda-Yoore, BP 218 Ouagadougou CMS 11, Ouagadougou, Nanoro, Burkina FasoTel +226 666 532 04Email rouambatoussaint@gmail.comIntroduction: Though chloroquine derivatives are used in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in many countries worldwide, doubts remain about the safety and efficacy of these drugs, especially in African communities where published data are scarce.Methods: We conducted an observational prospective cohort study from April 24 to September 03, 2020, in Burkina Faso to assess (as primary outcome) the clinical, biological, and cardiac (electrocardiographic) safety of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin administered to COVID-19 patients. The main secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality and median time of viral clearance.Results: A total of 153 patients were enrolled and followed for 21 days. Among patients who took at least one dose of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine (90.1% [138/153]), few clinical adverse events were reported and were mainly rash/pruritus, diarrhea, chest pain, and palpitations. No statistically significant increase in hepatic, renal, and hematological parameters or electrolyte disorders were reported. However, there was a significant increase in the QTc value without exceeding 500ms, especially in those who received chloroquine phosphate. Three adverse events of special interest classified as serious (known from chloroquine derivatives) were recorded namely pruritus, paresthesia, and drowsiness. One case of death occurred. The average onset of SARS-CoV-2 PCR negativity was estimated at 7.0 (95% CI: 5.0– 10.0) days.Conclusion: Hydroxychloroquine appeared to be well tolerated in treated COVID-19 patients in Burkina Faso. In the absence of a robust methodological approach that could generate a high level of scientific evidence, our results could at least contribute to guide health decisions that should be made based on different sources of scientific evidence including those from our study.Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, safety, virus shedding

Copyright of Médecine et Santé Tropicales is the property of John Libbey Eurotext Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With reductions in the malaria burden stalling in the past years, gene drive holds promise as a novel way of reducing disease transmission. Governance and decision-making processes are pivotal aspects of the legitimate adoption of this technology. Here, the authors explore Target Malaria's journey in developing a community agreement model for the release of non-gene drive genetically modified mosquitoes. They describe the iterative development of the model, including consultations with experts, stakeholder engagement, and alignment with principles of procedural justice. Several challenges were identified during its development, including defining communities, ensuring adequate information, consultation, monitoring, and achieving a common decision between dissenting and consenting viewpoints. They underscore the complexity of developing a legitimate model and emphasize the importance of transparency, procedural legitimacy, and adherence to ethical principles. This paper does not describe the model itself, which will be the subject of another paper. Instead it focuses on the process, to share this experience with other projects-those working with gene drive, or any other projects requiring a community-level decision-making process. The model builds on Target Malaria's experience with the release of genetically modified sterile male mosquitoes, to address the challenges posed by modified mosquitoes which are fertile and would therefore be expected to persist longer in the environment and spread further than the sterile male mosquito strains. While the level of spread and persistence of these non gene drive, but fertile, modified mosquitoes are expected to be substantially lower than those of the gene drive mosquitoes, the process is an essential advance in accommodating the broader geographical and temporal concerns associated with the more permanent spread of gene drive mosquitoes. The work described here constitutes part of the evolution of a community agreement process that could be applied to proposals for releases of gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control. In describing this process, Target Malaria hopes to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on good practices for community agreement engagement in research for genetic vector control approaches and to share the experience of building legitimacy while designing such agreement models., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: As this paper does not disclose any individual information from participants, specific consent for publication was not sought. Competing interests: All the authors are part of or consultants to Target Malaria., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) is a feasible way to convert this greenhouse gas into molecules of industrial interest. Herein we present the modification of the Cu foam cathode using molecular catalyst hybrid from cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) to increase selectivity and stability towards CO 2 RR products in a flow cell setup.

From 2012 to 2023, the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), based out of the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), was part of the Target Malaria research consortium working towards developing novel gene drive-based tools for controlling populations of malaria vector mosquitoes. As part of this work, Target Malaria Mali has undertaken a range of in-depth engagement activities with the communities where their research is conducted and with other stakeholders nationally. These activities were meant to ensure that the project's activities took place with the agreement of those communities, and that those communities were able to play a role in shaping the project's approach to ensure that its eventual outcomes were in line with their needs and concerns. This paper aims to conduct a critical assessment of those 10 years of stakeholder engagement in order to identify good practices which can inform future engagement work on gene drive research in West Africa. It sets out a range of approaches and practices that enabled the Target Malaria Mali team to engage a variety of stakeholders, to share information, collect feedback, and determine community agreement, in a manner that was inclusive, effective, and culturally appropriate. These can be useful tools for those working on gene drive research and other area-wide vector control methods in West African contexts to ensure that their research is aligned with the interests of the communities who are intended to be its ultimate beneficiaries, and to allow those communities to play a meaningful role in the research process., Competing Interests: Author BR and IC was employed by Emerging Ag, Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Dicko, Kodio, Samoura, Traoré, Sykes, Drabo, Thizy, Coche, Robinson, Sanogo, Yagouré, Diop and Coulibaly.)

An electrodeposition technique of low-enriched uranium onto boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes for uranium electro-assembling, sequestration, uranium electrowinning (as the electroextraction alternative), and future neutron detection applications has been developed. Our findings through physicochemical characterization and an in-depth XPS analysis show that the U/BDD system consists of a blend of uranium oxides with IV, V, and VI oxidation states. Results show that U 5+ is present and stable under open atmospheric conditions. The U electrodeposition on BDD creates smooth surfaces, free of voids, with uniform deposition of homogeneous tiny particles of stable uranium oxides, instead of chunky particles, and uranium compound mixtures, like large fibers of the precursor uranyl. Our electrochemical method operates without high temperatures or hazardous compounds. Uranium corrosion and oxidation processes occur spontaneously and parallel to the electrochemical formation of metallic uranium on BDD electrode surfaces, with metallic uranium reacting with water, producing fine particles of UO 2 . This work represents the first attempt to create a surface of uranium oxides, where the film thickness can be controlled for future applications, e.g. , improving sensitivity in neutron detection technologies. Our U electro-assembling method provides a sustainable strategy for uranium electro-recovery from nuclear wastes, immobilizing uranium as a storage method or as U-film fabrication (U/BDD) for future neutron detection applications. Besides, this work contributes to uranium-based technologies, improving them and providing a better understanding of their electrochemical properties, e.g. , uranium redox processes, uranium oxides' formation, and stability evaluation. These properties are of remarkable need for uranium-based target formation. The use of our U/BDD method is proposed as an environmental protocol to recover and immobilize uranium-235, and other fissile materials, from civil and defense wastes, contaminated systems, and stockpiles., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Introduction: In Burkina Faso, the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in March 2020. Health personnel are on the front line of COVID-19 control, and it is important to understand their perceptions and knowledge of the disease. The objective was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of healthcare personnel of COVID-19 in the city of Ouagadougou., Method: The study was conducted in five plots in the city of Ouagadougou. A total of 20 health workers from public and private health centers in the city of Ouagadougou were selected during May 2020. In-depth individual interviews were conducted, and a thematic analysis was performed using NVIVO., Results and Discussion: The routes of transmission identified were promiscuity, respiratory tract, and physical contact. Various symptoms have been noted, such as fever, cough, and runny nose. However, they recognize that these symptoms are not sufficient to make a diagnosis of COVID-19. Similarly, the treatments mentioned are modern medicine and phytomedicine., Conclusion: The research has generated information on healthcare workers' knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19. Therefore, they are useful for decision-making regarding protective measures for health workers in the management of COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Yaya Bocoum, Kadio, Some, Ouedraogo, Drabo and Kouanda.)

Gene drive mosquitoes are increasingly considered a potential transformational tool for vector control of malaria mosquitoes. As part of efforts to promote responsible research in this field, a number of guidance documents have been published by the World Health Organization, National Academies and expert groups. While virtually all recent guidance documents on gene drive research stress the importance of stakeholder engagement activities, no specific guidelines on implementing them have been established. Target Malaria, a not-for-profit research consortium developing a vector-control gene drive approach to eliminate malaria, has reflected on how its stakeholder engagement strategy translates engagement guidance documents into practice. The project analysed and addressed the tension between the context specificities and the international recommendations. The engagement strategy combines published recommendations for responsible gene drive research, information collected from the local context where the project operates and a set of principles guiding the choices made. This strategy was first developed during the early phases of the project's research, years ahead of any activities with gene drive mosquitoes in those countries of operations. These earlier activities, and their related engagement, allow the project to develop and adapt an engagement strategy appropriate for potential gene drive research in its field site countries. This paper offers a description of a stakeholder engagement strategy operationalization based on (1) adaptation to stakeholder preferences, (2) inclusiveness and (3) empowerment and accountability. The authors hope to offer concrete examples to support other projects with the development and implementation of their engagement strategies with particular attention to the co-development principle., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Every year, malaria kills approximately 405,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, most of them children under the age of five years. In many countries, progress in malaria control has been threatened by the rapid spread of resistance to antimalarial drugs and insecticides. Novel genetic mosquito control approaches could play an important role in future integrated malaria control strategies. In July 2019, the Target Malaria consortium proceeded with the first release of hemizygous genetically-modified (GM) sterile and non-transgenic sibling males of the malaria mosquito Anopheles coluzzii in Burkina Faso. This study aimed to determine the potential fitness cost associated to the transgene and gather important information related to the dynamic of transgene-carrying mosquitoes, crucial for next development steps. Bayesian estimations confirmed that GM males had lower survival and were less mobile than their wild type (WT) siblings. The estimated male population size in Bana village, at the time of the release was 28,000 - 37,000. These results provide unique information about the fitness and behaviour of released GM males that will inform future releases of more effective strains of the A. gambiae complex., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Goals: We studied the socio-demographic and paraclinicalcharacteristics of tuberculosis patients to identify the factors associated with their deaths in Bamako., Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out on tuberculosis patients registered in Bamako from October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018. Quantitative variables were presented by their mean, qualitative ones by their proportions. Analysis was performed with R version 3.5.0., Results: Out of 2396 patients enrolled, 25 to 45-year olds represented 50.3% and children 4.51%; the average age 37.3 years; the sex ratio M/F 1.94 and co-infected TB/HIV 8.64%. 25 to 45 year olds (HR=2.58; 95% CI [1.35-4.92]; p=0,0042) and those ≥ 46 years (HR=4.64; 95% CI [2.39-9.01] ; p=5.69e -06 ) and positive HIV status (HR= 5.87 ; 95% CI [2.24-15.41] ; p= 0.0003) were associated with an increased risk of patient death., Conclusion: Tuberculosis affects young and old males. The risks of death identified were the patient's age and positive HIV status. We recommend specific monitoring of patients aged 25 to 45 and 46 and over and those with positive HIV status., (Le comité de rédaction se réserve le droit de renvoyer aux auteurs avant toute soumission à l'avis des lecteurs les manuscrits qui ne seraient pas conformes à ces modalités de présentation. En outre il leur conseille de conserver un exemplaire du manuscrit, des figures et des tableaux.)

Background: Innovative tools are needed to complement the existing approach for malaria elimination. Gene drive mosquitoes are one potential new technology in the control of malaria vectors. Target Malaria is one of the research projects developing this technology, and in July 2019, the project proceeded to an important step for this evaluation pathway: the small-scale release of non-gene drive sterile male mosquitoes in a village in Burkina Faso. In addition to the entomological and laboratory work to prepare for this important milestone, significant community and stakeholder engagement work was done. The existing guidelines on gene drive mosquito provide an overall framework for such engagement work. However, they do not provide a road map on how to proceed or what benchmarks should be used to assess this work., Methods: This study provides a review of engagement activities relevant to field trials on non-gene drive genetically-modified mosquitoes as well as an assessment framework-using both qualitative and quantitative studies as well as an audit procedure. The latter was implemented to evaluate whether the release activities could proceed with the appropriate level of agreement from the community., Results: This paper shows the importance of this first phase of work to innovate and learn about engagement processes for responsible research in the field of genetic approaches for malaria vector control. The function of these assessments is crucial for the learning agenda. The assessments demonstrated ways to increase understanding and ensure effective progress with field studies and, therefore, the pathway for responsible research., Conclusion: Gene drive technology is increasingly considered as a promising approach to control vector borne diseases, in particular malaria. Stakeholders' involvement in this research process is one of the recurring requirements in international guidance documents. With this paper Target Malaria offers an opportunity to explore the practical achievements and challenges of stakeholder engagement during early phases of a technology evaluation, and in particular how it implemented an assessment framework to learn from its experience., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Stakeholder engagement is an essential pillar for the development of innovative public health interventions, including genetic approaches for malaria vector control. Scientific terminologies are mainly lacking in local languages, yet when research activities involve international partnership, the question of technical jargon and its translation is crucial for effective and meaningful communication with stakeholders. Target Malaria, a not-for-profit research consortium developing innovative genetic approaches to malaria vector control, carried out a linguistic exercise in Mali, Burkina Faso and Uganda to establish the appropriate translation of its key terminology to local languages of sites where the teams operate. While reviewing the literature, there was no commonly agreed approach to establish such glossary of technical terms in local languages of the field sites where Target Malaria operates. Because of its commitment to the value of co-development, Target Malaria decided to apply this principle for the linguistic work and to take the opportunity of this process to empower communities to take part in the dialogue on innovative vector control. The project worked with linguists from other institutions (whether public research ones or private language centre) who developed a first potential glossary in the local language after better understanding the project scientific approach. This initial glossary was then tested during focus groups with community members, which significantly improved the proposed translations by making them more appropriate to the local context and cultural understanding. The stepwise process revealed the complexity and importance of elaborating a common language with communities as well as the imbrication of language with cultural aspects. This exercise demonstrated the strength of a co-development approach with communities and language experts as a way to develop knowledge together and to tailor communication to the audience even in the language used.

Objective: to study the factors associatedlost to follow-up in People Living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the Ambulatory Treatment Center (ATC)., Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study of two years. It concerned all HIV-infected patients aged 15 and over who were started on ART for at least 4 months. Each case was matched with two controls by sex and age ± 5 years., Results: The proportionlost to follow-up was 21%.The median age lost to follow-up was 36 years (IQR: 30-42 years), sex ratio was 1.4 in favor of women. The median initial CD4 cell count was 151 cells / mm 3 (IQR: 51-245) versus 207 (IQR: 67-482) for controls and the median lost to follow-up was 6 months (IQR: 4-9 months): 5-16) for controls. In multivariate analysis, the factors associated lost to follow-up were: unmarried (adjusted OR = 3.84, P = 0.0346); the initial CD4 <200 cells / mm3 (adjusted OR = 3.88, P = 0.0393) and the duration of ARV <= 6 months (adjusted OR = 6.59, P = 0.0047). The protective factors against lost to follow-up were: Body Mass Index of the last visited > = 18.5 kg / m2 (adjusted OR = 0.07, P = 0.0069); (OR adjusted = 0.06, P = 0.0197) and initiation to ART in the rainy season (adjusted OR = 0.21, P = 0.0220)., Conclusion: These results can be supplemented by quantitative and qualitative studies., (Le comité de rédaction se réserve le droit de renvoyer aux auteurs avant toute soumission à l'avis des lecteurs les manuscrits qui ne seraient pas conformes à ces modalités de présentation. En outre il leur conseille de conserver un exemplaire du manuscrit, des figures et des tableaux.)

Background: Most field entomology research projects require active participation by local community members. Since 2012, Target Malaria, a not-for-profit research consortium, has been working with residents in the village of Bana, in Western Burkina Faso, in various studies involving mosquito collections, releases and recaptures. The long-term goal of this work is to develop innovative solutions to combat malaria in Africa with the help of mosquito modification technologies. Since the start of the project, Bana residents have played an important role in research activities, yet the motivations and expectations that drive their participation remain under-investigated. This study examines the factors that motivate some members of the local community to contribute to the implementation of Target Malaria's activities, and, more broadly, explores the reasons that animate citizen participation in entomological research work in malaria-endemic regions., Methods: A qualitative approach was used to survey the factors motivating members of the local community to assist in the implementation of Target Malaria's entomological research activities in Bana. Eighty-five individual in-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted, followed by three focus groups, one with youths who had participated in mosquito collections, and two with adult men and women from the village. All data collected were fully transcribed, processed, and subjected to thematic content analysis., Results: Data showed that the willingness of local community members to participate in entomological research activities was informed by a wide range of motivational factors. Although interviewees expressed their motivations under different semantic registers, the data showed a degree of consistency around five categories of motivation: (a) enhance domestic protection from mosquitoes and malaria, (b) contribute to a future world free of the disease, (c) acquire knowledge and skills, (d) earn financial compensation, and (e) gain social prestige for the village., Conclusion: These varying motivations reflect a set of differing personal and collective perceptions about the participation process, combining short and long-term, individual and collective motivations. Beyond the specific circumstances of this case, the study highlights the complex reasons that drive collective participation in entomological research and vector control activities. Detailed knowledge of community expectations should underpin any effort to mobilize local participation in field research activities.

Introduction: The Central East region of Burkina Faso has vaccine coverage which is among the lowest in the country with an epidemiological profile marked by the occurrence of measles or meningitis outbreaks. This study was conducted with the aim of carrying out an equity analysis of the organization of immunization services in this region in order to identify factors that cause potential inequities in vaccination offer., Materials and Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study covered the seven districts in the Central East region. Data collection was done in two weeks combined with observation method, individual interviews and document review. Part of the data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The data analysis was performed with the Epi info 7 software using a plan designed for this purpose., Results: A total of 144 health centers in the region (93.0% coverage) were surveyed. The average distance between villages and health facilities was 5.2 km with 16.2% of villages that were located more than 10 km from a health facility. Health centers had an average of four health workers, however the urban health centers had more workers than those in rural areas. About 16% of the villages did not benefit from an on-site vaccination trip due to the unavailability of transport logistics. More than half of the health centers (53.9%) had experienced vaccine shortages in the last six months before the study. More than 5,000 safety boxes containing used syringes were stored in the districts of the region., Conclusion: This study identified factors potentially responsible for an inequity in providing vaccination services in the Central East region. These factors include, but are not limited to, the geographical distribution of the health centers, the availability of transport logistics, and the shortage in vaccines and deficiencies in the waste disposal system. Concerted actions should be developed, involving all stakeholders in the health system in order to address these issues.

Background: Little is known about the organization of primary care facilities in sub-Saharan Africa that might lead to potentially inappropriate prescribing. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors that could lead to potentially inappropriate prescribing in primary care facilities in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), taking into consideration the patient's perspective., Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted in primary care facilities from November 2013 to February 2014. People aged 60 years or more with at least one chronic disease were included. Individual interviews were conducted. An analysis of the thematic content of the interviews was conducted., Results: Our results showed that the patient referral system was insufficient. We also found many different prescribers for older people seeking care and poor communication between prescribers and patients. This caused some consequences such as the absence of review of drugs consumed before a new prescription, a lack of exchange on medication changes and repeated treatment change during hospitalization. Most of the persons who prescribed potentially inappropriate medications were nurses., Conclusion: The poor communication between prescribers and patients is a challenge for the prevention of prescribing potentially inappropriate medications. Teamwork is an important feature of the organizational care system, strengthening it could be a way to improve rational prescription., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

In sub-Saharan Africa, various studies have been conducted on severe disability in activities of daily living, instrumental or domestic activities. These studies have reported different rates without describing the social context for understanding their results. This study was conducted in Burkina Faso to fill the gaps in scientific information on disability in these areas. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study in Bobo-Dioulasso among the older population, aged 60 and above. Their functional status was evaluated using the Functional Autonomy Measurement System (SMAF). Data analysis was done with the help of Stata. A systematic random sample of 351 aging adults was interviewed. Moderate to severe functional disability or the need for supervision or assistance was present in 7% in activities of daily living and 86% in instrumental or domestic activities of daily living. This need for assistance varied according to the different activities or items in each domain. The proportions of disability found in this study are higher than those of previous studies that measured the often severe disabilities. All persons with disability claimed to have stable human resources which help them to manage their disabilities. The social context instrumental or domestic activities of daily living are divided by generation and/or by sex. That explains some results. With this division, it's inacceptable in some family that elders and/or old men do instrumental or domestic activities of daily living as prepare meals, do laundry, carry water to wash. The variation of this division from one family to another complicates the assessment of functional disability. To best manage elders disabilities, strategies must develop to: 1) retard the resignation of the family in care of its elderly in functional disability, 2) anticipate the preparation of formal social networks, public structures to support the elderly.

Background: Delivery of quality care remains a major challenge for all heathcare institutions. The 5S quality control scheme was applied in the Ouidah hospital zone in Benin starting in 2012. The objective of the present survey was to evaluate its impact in 2013., Methods: This was a descriptive and analytic survey of the Ouidha hospital zone. Three techniques – interview, observation, review – were used to collect data from the healthcare staff, hospital users, and documents describing the strategy of the implementation., Results: Implementation of the 5S strategy was considered, on average, to be "satisfactory" with scores of 56% for context, 61% for inputs, and 51% for processes. The internal and external users judged care delivery "very satisfactory" with a score of 79%., Conclusion: Although the results appear satisfactory, the future hospital policy must strengthen the quality insurance process, ensure the availability of management tools, and provide training and further motivation for the "5S" management teams., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)