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Objective The aim of our study was to determine the extent of exposure of the student population to SARS-CoV-2 and its associated factors. 166 students were enrolled in our study representing a 100% response rate. Results The SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence in the sampled student population was 78%. Gender of the respondents was a significant modulator of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity (p

Objective The aim of this study was to characterize Covid-19 cases and explore risk factors associated with mortality among hypertensive patients with COVID-19 country-wide. Methods We used a retrospective case control study design to provide a detailed account of cases and explore risk factors associated with mortality among hypertensive patients with COVID-19 country-wide. A total of 441 patients were included in the study in the ratio of one case to two controls (1:2), matched by age. Results Deaths due to Covid-19 varied with hypertensive condition with more deaths registered in hypertensive patients. Clinical signs and symptoms in Covid-19 patients varied greatly between hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients, with a leaning favouring the latter. The risk of death due to Covid-19 among hypertensive patients increased with age and meaningfully associated with underlining comorbidities such as HIV, TB, cardiovascular, and liver disease. Conclusion Our study reveals predictive factors for mortality in COVID-19 hypertensive patients that can be used by policy makers and health care practioners to identify those at a higher risk and determine proper treatment approach to achieve best possible clinical outcomes.

Background Preconception care is one of the preventive strategies in maternal and new-born health as recommended by WHO. However, in sub-Saharan Africa there is poor preconception care practices. This study examined knowledge and perceptions of preconception care among health workers and women of reproductive age group in Mzuzu City, Malawi. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a mixed methods approach. Selection of respondents was done through a multistage and purposive sampling techniques respectively. A total of 253 women of reproductive age from nine townships of Mzuzu City responded to the questionnaire and 20 health workers were interviewed. Results A total of 136 (54%) respondents had heard of preconception care. About 57.7% (n = 146) demonstrated a good level of knowledge of preconception care while 42.3% (n = 107) had poor knowledge. About 72% (n = 105) of those with good of knowledge of preconception care, lacked awareness on possibilities of talking to a health care provider on intentions of getting pregnant. About 74.7% (n = 189) of women had a positive perception towards preconception care. Knowledge of preconception care was a good predictor of positive perception (AOR = 2.5; 95% CI 1.2–5.0), however its predictability was influenced by the academic level attained. Those with secondary (AOR = 10.2; 95% CI 3.2–26.2) and tertiary (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI 1.1–4.9) were more likely to have good knowledge of preconception care than those with primary school education level. About 95% (n = 19) of health workers lacked details about preconception care but they admitted their role in preconception care. Conclusion Preconception care practice among health workers and women of reproductive age in Mzuzu City was low. However there was positive perception towards preconception care in both parties. There is an opportunity in existing platforms for implementation of interventions targeting identified predictors for increased knowledge and uptake of preconception care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12978-021-01282-w., Plain Language summary World health organization defines preconception care as the provision of biomedical, behavioral and social interventions to women and couples before the occurrence of conception. In sub-Saharan Africa, there is poor preconception care practices which has resulted into high infant and maternal mortalities. This study examined the knowledge and perceptions of preconception care among health workers and women of reproductive age in order to provide evidence based outcomes for tailored interventions and policy direction. A semi-structured questionnaire and structured interviews were used to assess the knowledge level and perceptions of preconception care among women of reproductive age and health workers respectively. Of the 253 women, 57.7% showed good level of knowledge of preconception care while 42.3% had poor knowledge. Most (72%) women with good knowledge level lacked awareness that they can talk to a health worker before getting pregnant. Most (74.7%) women showed a positive perception towards preconception care which was strongly linked to having good knowledge based on the academic level attained. Those with secondary and tertiary backgrounds were more likely to have good knowledge than those with primary school level education. The majority (95%) of health workers were unable to explain well about preconception care but they admitted their role in preconception care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12978-021-01282-w.

We estimated the seroprevalence of anti‐severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) antibodies in residents of African countries and explored its associated factors. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, CINAHL, DOAJ and Google Scholar databases for peer reviewed articles and pre‐prints that reported anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody seroprevalence of general or specific human populations resident in Africa. The eligible studies were evaluated using Joana Briggs Institute prevalence critical appraisal tool. Twenty‐three studies involving 27,735 individuals were included in our paper. The pooled seroprevalence of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies in Africa was 22% (95%CI: 14–31) with very high heterogeneity (I 2 = 100%, p

Background Postnatal care (PNC) service is a neglected yet an essential service that can reduce maternal, neonatal and infant morbidity and mortality rates in low and middle-income countries. In Malawi, maternal and infant mortality rates remain high despite numerous efforts by the government and its partners to improve maternal health service coverage across the country. This study examined the determinants of PNC utilization among mothers in Mangochi District, Malawi. Methods A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 600 mothers who gave birth in the past 2 years preceding January 1–31; 2016. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select respondents from nine randomly selected villages in Mangochi district. A transcribed semi-structured questionnaire was pre-tested, modified and used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics and maternal related factors. Data was coded in EpiData version 3.1 and analysed in Stata version 12. A multivariable logistic regression adjusted for confounding factors was used to identify predictors of PNC utilization using odds ratio with 95% confidence interval and p-value of 0.05. Results The study revealed that the prevalence of PNC service utilization was 84.8%. Mother’s and partner’s secondary education level and above (AOR = 2.42, CI: 1.97–6.04; AOR = 1.45, CI: 1.25–2.49), partner’s occupation in civil service and business (AOR = 3.17, CI: 1.25, 8.01; AOR =3.39, CI:1.40–8.18), household income of at least MK50, 000 (AOR = 14.41, CI: 5.90–35.16), joint decision making (AOR = 2.27, CI: 1.13, 4.57), knowledge of the available PNC services (AOR = 4.06, CI: 2.22–7.41), knowledge of at least one postpartum danger sign (AOR = 4.00, CI: 2.09, 7.50), health facility delivery of last pregnancy (AOR = 6.88, CI: 3.35, 14.14) positively associated with PNC service utilization. Conclusion The rate of PNC service utilization among mothers was 85%. The uptake of PNC services among mothers was mainly influenced by mother and partner education level, occupation status of the partner, household income, decision making power, knowledge of available PNC services, knowledge of at least one postpartum danger signs, and place of delivery. Therefore, PNC awareness campaigns, training and economic empowerment programs targeting mothers who delivered at home with primary education background and low economic status are needed.

Cowpea is an important source of food and income for small scale farmers in Uganda. Production is, however, affected by both biotic and abiotic stresses. Drought stress has recently emerged as a serious concern due to the effects of climate change. This study was therefore undertaken to estimate the general and specific combining ability effects of parents and crosses as well as estimate the heritability of delayed leaf senescence, seed yield and its components under drought stress. Five drought tolerant genotypes were crossed with four drought sensitive genotypes in a North Carolina II mating design. The study revealed that drought tolerance is conditioned by both additive and non-additive genetic effects with the predominance of non-additive genetic effects for seed yield, 100 seed weight and number of pods per plant. Delayed leaf senescence was however, controlled by additive genetic effects, implying that progenies performance could be predicted from parents General Combining Ability (GCA) effects. The cultivars SECOW 5T, IT93K-452-1 and IT98K-205-8 were good combiners for drought tolerance. The F2 families: SECOW 3B x IT98K-205-8, SECOW 5T x IT98K-205-8, SECOW 4W x IT98K-205-8 and SECOW 1T x IT98K-205-8 had positive Specific Combining Ability(SCA) effects in seed yield, number of pods per plant and 100 seed weight, implying that they performed better than what was predicted by their parents GCA effect. As such, they are promising cross combinations that can be advanced for later generation selection. Key words: Drought stress, combining ability, water use efficiency.

Moisture stress is a challenge to cowpea production in the drought prone areas of eastern and north eastern Uganda, with yield losses of up to 50% reported. Genotypes grown by farmers are not drought tolerant. This study was therefore, undertaken at Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo to identify cowpea genotypes tolerant to drought. Thirty cowpea accessions comprising of Ugandan landraces and released varieties, Brazilian lines, Makerere University breeding lines, elite IITA germplasm and seven IITA drought tolerant lines as checks were screened for drought tolerance at vegetative and reproductive stages. The experiment was designed as a 2 × 37 factorial and laid out in a split-plot arrangement, 37 genotypes of cowpea at two soil moisture stress levels (T1, no stress and T2, severe stress) with all factorial combinations replicated two times in a screen house. The genotypes showed considerable variability in tolerance to drought. Genotypes were significantly different for chlorophyll content (P ≤ 0.01), efficiency of photosystem II (P ≤ 0.05), non-photochemical quenching (P ≤ 0.05), recovery (P ≤ 0.01), delayed leaf senescence (P ≤ 0.01), grain yield (P ≤ 0.01), 100 seed weight (P ≤ 0.05), number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod (P ≤ 0.001). There was a highly significant positive correlation between chlorophyll content and efficiency of photosystem II (r = 0.75, P ≤ 0.001) implying that chlorophyll content and efficiency of photosystem II could be used as efficient reference indicators in the selection of drought tolerant genotypes. Genotypes SECOW 5T, SECOW 3B, SECOW 4W, WC 30 and MU 24 C gave relatively high yields under stress and no stress conditions, maintained above mean chlorophyll content, efficiency of photosystem II and had good recovery scores from stress and thus were tolerant to drought stress induced at both vegetative and reproductive stages.