The changing demands on the health sectors in lowand middle-income countries especially sub-Saharan African countries continue to challenge efforts to address critical shortages of the health workforce. Addressing these challenges have led to the evolution of “non-physician clinicians” (NPCs), that assume some physician roles and thus mitigate the continuing shortage of doctors in these countri...

BACKGROUND Current data on cardiac surgery capacity on which to base effective concepts for developing sustainable cardiac surgical programs in Africa are lacking or of low quality. METHODS A questionnaire concerning cardiac surgery in Africa was sent to 29 colleagues-26 cardiac surgeons and 3 cardiologists in 16 countries. Further, data on numbers of surgeons practicing in Africa were retrie...

BACKGROUND Hypertension was once considered rare in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but currently it has become a widespread problem with immense socioeconomic importance. The purpose of this review is to summarise new information on hypertension in SSA that has been published since the last major review in 2008. METHODS AND RESULTS A literature search was performed in Pubmed, Embase, WHO Global Ca...

Yam is a major staple in West and Central Africa and an important supplementary food in East Africa. Three varieties of yam are grown in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), though only two are indigenous to the region. White yam (D. rotundata) and yellow yam (D. cayenensis) are native to West Africa, and the production area stretches from central Cote d‘Ivoire to Cameroon. East African production of wate...

Objectives. To review epidemiologic studies on the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of dementia in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods. A MEDLINE search (from January 1992 to December 31, 2013) of epidemiologic studies, with no language restriction, was conducted using the keywords "dementia" or "Alzheimer's" and "Africa." We selected for review population and hospital-based studies that r...

The burden of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is not well known. We carried out a systematic review of the literature to identify published work from SSA. We have systematically searched four databases, namely, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Child Development & Adolescent Studies, through EBSCO and identified studies from across SSA. Based on predefined inclusion cr...

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) consists of 47 countries with a population of 910 million (http:/worldbank.org/region/SSA). There are presently 168 Medical Schools in SSA, with 26 in Nigeria and 8 in the Republic of South Africa (3). SSA is plagued by multifarious factors that present an uphill task to achieving acceptable milestones to developmental objectives. The region contains the largest number ...

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) consists of 47 countries with a population of 910 million (http:/worldbank.org/region/SSA). There are presently 168 Medical Schools in SSA, with 26 in Nigeria and 8 in the Republic of South Africa (3). SSA is plagued by multifarious factors that present an uphill task to achieving acceptable milestones to developmental objectives. The region contains the largest number ...

The increasing burden of chronic kidney disease and end stage kidney failure presents a challenge for both developed and emerging countries. While dialysis and transplantation consumes an ever-increasing proportion of the health budget in countries such as the United States, Japan and Taiwan, there is limited availability of these expensive therapies in the majority of emerging countries and mo...

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) consists of 47 countries with a population of 910 million (http:/worldbank.org/region/SSA). There are presently 168 Medical Schools in SSA, with 26 in Nigeria and 8 in the Republic of South Africa (3). SSA is plagued by multifarious factors that present an uphill task to achieving acceptable milestones to developmental objectives. The region contains the largest number ...