AbstractCovid-19 posed little danger to children. Nevertheless, the South African government imposed lockdown measures that impeded children’s education, play and food. Schools were closed, feeding schemes were halted and organised sports were banned. In this study of South African children’s experience during the 2020–22 pandemic, we use the capabilities approach, particularly Nussbaum’s ten capabilities, to assess how the lockdown measures affected their development. The one-dimensional nature of the government response was evident in its focus on physical health and safeguarding adults and the health system, at the expense of children’s well-being. Children were masked and their voices were not heard. Despite being far less at risk of illness or death than adults, children and young people were disproportionately affected by government regulations. Children from low-income environments were particularly severely affected.
Lochner Marais, Abraham Matamanda, Frances Gbadegesin et al.
Nigeria is undergoing a demographic transition characterized by a rapidly growing older population, while healthcare systems historically oriented toward maternal and child health remain insufficiently equipped to address the complex needs of older adults. Although aging in place has emerged as a sustainable model of eldercare, Nigeria’s reliance on family-centered caregiving often imposes substantial financial, emotional, and physical burdens on caregivers in the absence of structured support. This study investigates the feasibility, outcomes, and challenges of Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) in Nigeria and evaluates its potential to advance aging in place by 2026, with particular attention to health outcomes, caregiver burden, hospital utilization, healthcare expenditure, cultural acceptance, and policy implications. A mixed-methods design was employed from January 2024 to December 2025. Quantitative surveys involved 500 adults aged 60 years and above from urban communities in Lagos and Abuja and rural communities in Oyo and Benue, while qualitative interviews were conducted with 50 older adults, caregivers, and healthcare providers. A pilot HBPC program provided routine medical check-ups, medication delivery, physiotherapy, and psychosocial support. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression, whereas qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis using NVivo. The findings show that 68% of participants reported improved chronic disease management, while hospital readmissions decreased by 32%. Functional independence scores increased by 15 points in urban areas and 10 points in rural areas, while psychological well-being and social relationship indicators improved by 21% and 18%, respectively. Caregiver strain decreased by 40%, and household healthcare expenditure declined by 27%. Qualitative findings further revealed strong cultural acceptance of HBPC, trust in community health workers, and reduced caregiver burden, although workforce shortages, funding constraints, and supply-chain inefficiencies remained significant barriers. The study concludes that HBPC represents a viable approach to advancing aging in place in Nigeria by improving health outcomes, reducing caregiver burden and healthcare costs, and supporting the dignity and independence of older adults. The findings contribute to geriatric and primary healthcare policy by demonstrating the potential value of integrating structured home-based services into Nigeria’s health system and highlight the need for strategic investment, workforce development, and institutional support, including through the National Senior Citizens Centre, to facilitate broader implementation.
Atabo Amodu, Isaac John Umaru, Chakfa Nanmar et al.
Malnutrition and anaemia among school-aged children, particularly in developing nations, are serious public health issues linked to soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). This study aimed to investigate STHs and their impact on the nutritional and anaemia status among school-aged children in some schools in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, Nigeria. A cross- sectional study involving 400 randomly selected school-aged children was conducted. All stool samples collected were examined for the presence of STHs using the formal-ether concentration technique. Anthropometric measurements were taken according to World Health Organisation (WHO) standards and haematocrit packed cell volume (PCV), respectively were used to determine the nutritional and anaemia condition of the sampled children. Questionnaire was administered to gather information on socio-demographic factors. The overall prevalence of STHs was 49.0% (196) in which three types of STHs were identified, Ascaris lumbricoides most dominant (50.5%) than hookworm (26.5%) and Trichuris trichiura (5.1%). A statistically significant association was observed between age group (χ² = 9.409, p = 0.009). Residing close to dumpsite, walking barefoot, and playing with sand, were not significantly associated with SHTs(p>0.05). However, washing hands with soap after toilet use was significantly associated with STHs(OR = 0.607, p = 0.017) provides a protective effect against STHs. The BMI for age shown that 26.3% were underweight and 2.8% overweight. Infected children were more anaemic though not statistically significant. Soil-Transmitted Helminthiases remains a public health concern among children and negatively affect children’s nutritional and anaemia status. Therefore, an integrated approach to STH management, nutrition, initiatives, iron supplementation and implementation of WASH are encouraged.
Maryam Yusuf, Adamu Isa, Esther Samuel Danjuma et al.
Kenyan youth increasingly seek psychosocial support through digital environments, yet little Kenya-specific evidence explains how online help-seeking unfolds as an ecosystem rather than as use of a single platform or intervention. This study adopts an exploratory, ecosystem-mapping approach to examine digital help-seeking pathways, trust dynamics, and ethical risks shaping youth psychosocial wellbeing in Kenya. The study triangulated three evidence streams: (i) a structured scan of commonly accessed digital platforms and web resources used by youth (including Google Search, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp communities, X/Twitter spaces, and institutional/NGO websites), (ii) rapid qualitative interviews with youth and mental health stakeholders (n = 28), and (iii) structured expert forum discussions involving practitioners and programme leads engaged in youth mental health and digital support. Findings show that youth help-seeking occurs within a distributed online support ecosystem dominated by mainstream commercial platforms rather than purpose-built mental health services. Five pathway typologies were identified: search-first self-triage, feed-based discovery and identity framing, peer-first confidential disclosure, influencer-guided meaning-making, and crisis-to-professional referral. Trust emerged as the primary determinant of sustained engagement, structured around confidentiality, relatability, non-judgment tone, responsiveness, cultural alignment, and community endorsement, often outweighing formal professional credentials or institutional affiliation. Ethical risks were pervasive and ecosystem-level, including privacy leakage (especially via forwarding and screenshots), misinformation and diagnostic confusion, unregulated counselling, exploitation through direct messaging, cyberstigma, algorithmic amplification of distress content, and safeguarding gaps for minors. Rather than evaluating intervention effectiveness, the study maps everyday digital practices and governance gaps, and proposes ecosystem governance priorities including credibility cues, moderation and peer-group norms, boundary standards for semi-formal counselling, and platform-integrated referral pathways. These findings reposition youth digital help-seeking in Kenya as both a psychosocial coping infrastructure and a risk environment, underscoring the need for youth-centred, ethics-informed governance rather than reliance on standalone digital mental health applications.
The South African family well-being is compromised by issues of child neglect, paternal absence, and gender-based violence (GBV), among other issues. The institution of family and its well-being are undergoing significant transformations globally, and South Africa is not exempt from these changes and challenges. Furthermore, the impacts of globalisation and urbanisation have forced many families to relocate from their native communities, driven by economic, political, and social motivations. From a Christian theological perspective God ordains families for flourishing; love, unity, and provision reflect His will through care (Psalm 127:1; Joshua 24:15; Ephesians 5:25). As familial structures and dynamics develop, their well being may adapt to remain relevant to societal needs, deliver effective care, and function as a social buffer against these detrimental and destructive issues. This research explored these realities through an interdisciplinary lens, recognising that improving family well-being requires collaboration between different disciplines. Drawing on contemporary theories and frameworks, it highlighted culturally responsive, contextually grounded, and strength-based approaches to understanding and supporting families in crisis. The discussion emphasised the importance of integrating professional practice, community-based support, and policy reform to promote protective and nurturing environments for children. Situating the South African experience within a global perspective, the research offered insights into how evidence-informed and collaborative interventions can enhance resilience, restore family functioning, and build more equitable systems of care. Ultimately, it called for collective responsibility and innovative, multidisciplinary responses to address the persistent social and structural factors threatening South African children and families’ well-being.
The phenomenon of broken families resulting from parental separation or divorce has emerged as a serious concern due to its substantial influence on children’s psychological and educational development, particularly among students in primary and secondary schools. Students experiencing family disruption may face various emotional and psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, diminished self-confidence, and reduced motivation to learn, all of which can negatively affect their academic performance. This study examines the psychological dynamics of students from broken home backgrounds and investigates the role of Islamic Education in providing intervention and support to facilitate their academic achievement. Employing a qualitative approach with a case study design, the findings reveal that students from broken families frequently encounter internal emotional conflicts that interfere with their concentration, classroom engagement, and learning processes. Nevertheless, the internalization of Islamic educational values, including tawakkal (reliance on God), patience, sincerity, and character formation through consistent religious practices, can contribute to strengthening students’ psychological resilience. Islamic Education therefore extends beyond the transmission of religious knowledge and serves as a spiritual and moral support system that enables students to respond to difficult family circumstances with greater emotional stability and inner peace. Furthermore, Islamic value-based learning can help students reinterpret their family experiences positively and transform adversity into motivation for academic improvement. Islamic Education teachers also serve as significant others by offering emotional support, moral direction, and encouragement, thereby helping students manage stress and maintain their commitment to educational goals. The study concludes that integrating psychological support with Islamic educational values is essential for mitigating the adverse effects of family disruption and fostering students’ resilience and academic success despite challenging family circumstances.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the livelihood approaches, socio-economic effects and challenges related to informal waste collection, focusing on informal women waste collectors in rural QwaQwa, South Africa. It addresses gaps in gender and rural–urban divides by positioning these women as active place-makers who, through their daily practices, transform marginalised rural spaces into cleaner, more functional and resilient environments. This spatial agency supports household survival, inclusive rural development, and reduced vulnerability while advancing circular economy principles. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in the sustainable livelihood framework (SLF) and place-making theory, the study adopted a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through focus group discussions, interviews, field observations and secondary sources and analysed thematically. Findings Informal waste collection serves as a vital livelihood strategy for women in rural QwaQwa, driven by poverty and unemployment. Leveraging social networks, local knowledge and child collaboration, these women generate income and contribute to sustainable waste management. Critically, their everyday practices of waste recovery actively reshape rural landscapes, reducing illegal dumping, improving public spaces and fostering environmental stewardship, positioning them as unrecognised place-makers. However, earnings remain insufficient for resilient livelihoods, and they face significant challenges including resource scarcity, institutional neglect, social stigma, child labour concerns and exposure to violence. Research limitations/implications This research examines rural QwaQwa as a case study, limiting the generalisability of its findings to other rural areas in South Africa and beyond. Nonetheless, it provides insights into women’s roles in informal waste collection, its impact on livelihoods and the relevance of the SLF in analysing gendered livelihood systems. The integration of SLF and place-making theory provides a novel lens for understanding how marginalised women exercise spatial agency to build more sustainable rural places. Practical implications The study highlights the need for policy changes to integrate women who collect waste informally into formal waste management systems. Providing equipment, infrastructure and capacity-building programmes enhances their income, productivity and safety while reducing exploitation. Empowering these women supports rural livelihoods and promotes poverty alleviation, gender equity and environmental stewardship through initiatives like formal registration and participatory policy forums. Social implications The results highlight significant societal issues like stigma, gender inequality and child labour. Addressing these through awareness campaigns, social protection programmes and inclusive governance can enhance the dignity and well-being of women in the informal sector. Originality/value This study makes a novel contribution by foregrounding rural contexts and demonstrating the interconnectedness of informal waste collection, gender, livelihoods and place-making in QwaQwa. Guided by the SLF and place-making theory, it reveals how women transform passive survival strategies into active processes of spatial transformation, generating income alongside broader social and environmental value. This nexus offers a framework for reducing vulnerability and promoting inclusive rural development.
Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, and this definition conforms to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal three (SDG 3). However, achieving this SGD remains a mirage in sub-Saharan Africa, as the region continues to possess the highest rates of maternal mortality across the globe. Large intraregional disparities in terms of coverage of basic maternal health still exist across the region, and the causes of these preventable deaths must be analyzed frequently to guide interventions if progress is to be made. The health status of pregnant women remains an important indicator of the general state of health of any given population and also influences the health of their babies. Hence, fetal and infant health is one of the main determinants of health in childhood and adulthood. Maternal health still faces multilayered challenges like inadequate infrastructure, low education, and financial constraints, yet also holds significant prospects for improvement through targeted interventions and policy changes. This chapter explores maternal health, contextualizing and localizing the sub-Saharan African perspectives, taking into consideration the region’s challenges and prospects for improving and mitigation strategies toward maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the impact of maternal health on both women and their children, and the need for a more holistic approach to improve services and address underlying social determinants.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Of 50 million people with epilepsy globally, up to 10 million with lesional drug resistance epilepsy may be able to achieve seizure control with surgical options. Although multidisciplinary surgical care for epilepsy is available in high-income countries, few programs exist in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In 2019, a global collaboration between CURE Uganda and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in the United States established a surgical epilepsy program in Uganda for the pediatric population. This study identifies key pillars for sustainable neurosurgical program development in LMICs. METHODS: Interdisciplinary health care providers from CURE and Lurie Children's who participated in the development of the surgical epilepsy program from 2019 to 2024 underwent semistructured qualitative interviews. A thematic analysis framework was used to identify themes from interviews related to program development, sustainability, and targets for future work. RESULTS: Nine participants were interviewed, with representation from roles of pediatric neurologist, pediatric neuroradiologist, electroencephalogram technologists, medical officer, and pediatric neurosurgeon. Thematic analysis revealed 4 themes (with subthemes) related to sustainable global surgical program development: (1) Intentional planning (integrating global policies into program development, rigorous case selection for great outcomes to build confidence for public/administrative support, defining barriers and optimizing solutions); (2) interdisciplinary collaboration (communication and trust are vital, new initiatives may require sacrifice, true partnerships allow for bidirectional learning, creative problem solving is crucial); (3) skill transfer and education (on-the-ground skill transfer needed, technology integration facilitates continuous learning, enable development opportunities for teammates); and (4) targets for future work (public education, expanding clinical capacity in LMICs, sustainable education centers, research dissemination). CONCLUSION: Global collaborations create opportunities to increase access to neurosurgical care. Creating interdisciplinary programs across borders requires trust and open communication by all members. Sustainable programs can be further enabled with intentional planning, humility, and bidirectional skill transfer.
Rya Muller, Omolabake Oyetayo, Emmanuel Wegoye et al.
