https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/338 Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:45:02 GMT 2026-04-05T04:45:02Z https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6322 Title: Leveraging data science and machine learning for urban climate adaptation in two major African cities: a HE2AT Center study protocol Authors: Christopher Jack; Craig Parker; Yao Etienne Kouakou; Bonnie Joubert; Kimberly A McAllister; Maliha Ilias; Gloria Maimela; Matthew Chersich; Sibusisiwe Makhanya; Stanley Luchters; Prestige Tatenda Makanga; Etienne Vos; Kristie L Ebi; Brama Koné; Akbar K Waljee; Guéladio Cissé; HE2AT Center Group Abstract: Introduction African cities, particularly Abidjan and Johannesburg, face challenges of rapid urban growth, informality and strained health services, compounded by increasing temperatures due to climate change. This study aims to understand the complexities of heat-related health impacts in these cities. The objectives are: (1) mapping intraurban heat risk and exposure using health, socioeconomic, climate and satellite imagery data; (2) creating a stratified heat–health forecast model to predict adverse health outcomes; and (3) establishing an early warning system for timely heatwave alerts. The ultimate goal is to foster climate-resilient African cities, protecting disproportionately affected populations from heat hazards. Methods and analysis The research will acquire health-related datasets from eligible adult clinical trials or cohort studies conducted in Johannesburg and Abidjan between 2000 and 2022. Additional data will be collected, including socioeconomic, climate datasets and satellite imagery. These resources will aid in mapping heat hazards and quantifying heat–health exposure, the extent of elevated risk and morbidity. Outcomes will be determined using advanced data analysis methods, including statistical evaluation, machine learning and deep learning techniques. Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by the Wits Human Research Ethics Committee (reference no: 220606). Data management will follow approved procedures. The results will be disseminated through workshops, community forums, conferences and publications. Data deposition and curation plans will be established in line with ethical and safety consideration Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6322 2024-06-18T00:00:00Z Christopher Jack Craig Parker Yao Etienne Kouakou Bonnie Joubert Kimberly A McAllister Maliha Ilias Gloria Maimela Matthew Chersich Sibusisiwe Makhanya Stanley Luchters Prestige Tatenda Makanga Etienne Vos Kristie L Ebi Brama Koné Akbar K Waljee Guéladio Cissé HE2AT Center Group https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6289 Title: The PRECISE-DYAD protocol: linking maternal and infant health trajectories in sub-Saharan Africa Authors: Rachel Craik; Marie-Laure Volvert; Angela Koech; Hawanatu Jah; Kelly Pickerill; Amina Abubakar; Umberto D’Alessandro; Benjamin Barratt; Hannah Blencowe; Jeffrey N Bone; Jaya Chandna; Melissa J. Gladstone; Asma Khalil; Larry Li; Laura A Magee; Liberty Makacha; Hiten D Mistry; Sophie E. Moore; Anna Roca; Tatiana T Salisbury; Marleen Temmerman; Danielle Toudup; Marianne Vidler; Peter von Dadelszen; The PRECISE-DYAD Network Abstract: Background PRECISE-DYAD is an observational cohort study of mother-child dyads running in urban and rural communities in The Gambia and Kenya. The cohort is being followed for two years and includes uncomplicated pregnancies and those that suffered pregnancy hypertension, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and/or stillbirth. Methods The PRECISE-DYAD study will follow up ~4200 women and their children recruited into the original PRECISE study. The study will add to the detailed pregnancy information and samples in PRECISE, collecting additional biological samples and clinical information on both the maternal and child health. Women will be asked about both their and their child’s health, their diets as well as undertaking a basic cardiology assessment. Using a case-control approach, some mothers will be asked about their mental health, their experiences of care during labour in the healthcare facility. In a sub-group, data on financial expenditure during antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal periods will also be collected. Child development will be assessed using a range of tools, including neurodevelopment assessments, and evaluating their home environment and quality of life. In the event developmental milestones are not met, additional assessments to assess vision and their risk of autism spectrum disorders will be conducted. Finally, a personal environmental exposure model for the full cohort will be created based on air and water quality data, combined with geographical, demographic, and behavioural variables. Conclusions The PRECISE-DYAD study will provide a greater epidemiological and mechanistic understanding of health and disease pathways in two sub-Saharan African countries, following healthy and complicated pregnancies. We are seeking additional funding to maintain this cohort and to gain an understanding of the effects of pregnancies outcome on longer-term health trajectories in mothers and their children. Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6289 2024-04-01T00:00:00Z Rachel Craik Marie-Laure Volvert Angela Koech Hawanatu Jah Kelly Pickerill Amina Abubakar Umberto D’Alessandro Benjamin Barratt Hannah Blencowe Jeffrey N Bone Jaya Chandna Melissa J. Gladstone Asma Khalil Larry Li Laura A Magee Liberty Makacha Hiten D Mistry Sophie E. Moore Anna Roca Tatiana T Salisbury Marleen Temmerman Danielle Toudup Marianne Vidler Peter von Dadelszen The PRECISE-DYAD Network https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6269 Title: Geographical accessibility to functional emergency obstetric care facilities in urban Nigeria using closer-to-reality travel time estimates: a population-based spatial analysis Authors: Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas; Kerry L M Wong; Tope Olubodun; Peter M Macharia; Narayanan Sundararajan; Yash Shah; Gautam Prasad; Mansi Kansal; Swapnil Vispute; Tomer Shekel; Olakunmi Ogunyemi; Uchenna Gwacham-Anisiobi; Jia Wang; Ibukun-Oluwa Omolade Abejirinde; Prestige Tatenda Makanga; Ngozi Azodoh; Charles Nzelu; Bosede B Afolabi; Charlotte Stanton; Lenka Beňová Abstract: Background Better accessibility for emergency obstetric care facilities can substantially reduce maternal and perinatal deaths. However, pregnant women and girls living in urban settings face additional complex challenges travelling to facilities. We aimed to assess the geographical accessibility of the three nearest functional public and private comprehensive emergency obstetric care facilities in the 15 largest Nigerian cities via a novel approach that uses closer-to-reality travel time estimates than traditional model-based approaches. Methods In this population-based spatial analysis, we mapped city boundaries, verified and geocoded functional comprehensive emergency obstetric care facilities, and mapped the population distribution for girls and women aged 15–49 years (ie, of childbearing age). We used the Google Maps Platform's internal Directions Application Programming Interface to derive driving times to public and private facilities. Median travel time and the percentage of women aged 15–49 years able to reach care were summarised for eight traffic scenarios (peak and non-peak hours on weekdays and weekends) by city and within city under different travel time thresholds (≤15 min, ≤30 min, ≤60 min). Findings As of 2022, there were 11·5 million girls and women aged 15–49 years living in the 15 studied cities, and we identified the location and functionality of 2020 comprehensive emergency obstetric care facilities. City-level median travel time to the nearest comprehensive emergency obstetric care facility ranged from 18 min in Maiduguri to 46 min in Kaduna. Median travel time varied by location within a city. The between-ward IQR of median travel time to the nearest public comprehensive emergency obstetric care varied from the narrowest in Maiduguri (10 min) to the widest in Benin City (41 min). Informal settlements and peripheral areas tended to be worse off compared to the inner city. The percentages of girls and women aged 15–49 years within 60 min of their nearest public comprehensive emergency obstetric care ranged from 83% in Aba to 100% in Maiduguri, while the percentage within 30 min ranged from 33% in Aba to over 95% in Ilorin and Maiduguri. During peak traffic times, the median number of public comprehensive emergency obstetric care facilities reachable by women aged 15–49 years under 30 min was zero in eight (53%) of 15 cities. Interpretation Better access to comprehensive emergency obstetric care is needed in Nigerian cities and solutions need to be tailored to context. The innovative approach used in this study provides more context-specific, finer, and policy-relevant evidence to support targeted efforts aimed at improving comprehensive emergency obstetric care geographical accessibility in urban Africa. Funding Google. Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6269 2024-05-01T00:00:00Z Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas Kerry L M Wong Tope Olubodun Peter M Macharia Narayanan Sundararajan Yash Shah Gautam Prasad Mansi Kansal Swapnil Vispute Tomer Shekel Olakunmi Ogunyemi Uchenna Gwacham-Anisiobi Jia Wang Ibukun-Oluwa Omolade Abejirinde Prestige Tatenda Makanga Ngozi Azodoh Charles Nzelu Bosede B Afolabi Charlotte Stanton Lenka Beňová https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6117 Title: Socio-spatial equity analysis of relative wealth index and emergency obstetric care accessibility in urban Nigeria Authors: Kerry L. M. Wong; Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas; Tope Olubodun; Peter M. Macharia; Charlotte Stanton; Narayanan Sundararajan; Yash Shah; Gautam Prasad; Mansi Kansal; Swapnil Vispute; Tomer Shekel; Olakunmi Ogunyemi; Uchenna Gwacham-Anisiobi; Jia Wang; Ibukun-Oluwa Omolade Abejirinde,; Prestige Tatenda Makanga; Bosede B. Afolabi; Lenka Beňová Abstract: Background Better geographical accessibility to comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmOC) facilities can significantly improve pregnancy outcomes. However, with other factors, such as affordability critical for care access, it is important to explore accessibility across groups. We assessed CEmOC geographical accessibility by wealth status in the 15 most-populated Nigerian cities. Methods We mapped city boundaries, verified and geocoded functional CEmOC facilities, and assembled population distribution for women of childbearing age and Meta’s Relative Wealth Index (RWI). We used the Google Maps Platform’s internal Directions Application Programming Interface to obtain driving times to public and private facilities. City-level median travel time (MTT) and number of CEmOC facilities reachable within 60 min were summarised for peak and non-peak hours per wealth quintile. The correlation between RWI and MTT to the nearest public CEmOC was calculated. Results We show that MTT to the nearest public CEmOC facility is lowest in the wealthiest 20% in all cities, with the largest difference in MTT between the wealthiest 20% and least wealthy 20% seen in Onitsha (26 vs 81 min) and the smallest in Warri (20 vs 30 min). Similarly, the average number of public CEmOC facilities reachable within 60 min varies (11 among the wealthiest 20% and six among the least wealthy in Kano). In five cities, zero facilities are reachable under 60 min for the least wealthy 20%. Those who live in the suburbs particularly have poor accessibility to CEmOC facilities. Conclusions Our findings show that the least wealthy mostly have poor accessibility to care. Interventions addressing CEmOC geographical accessibility targeting poor people are needed to address inequities in urban settings Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6117 2024-02-28T00:00:00Z Kerry L. M. Wong Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas Tope Olubodun Peter M. Macharia Charlotte Stanton Narayanan Sundararajan Yash Shah Gautam Prasad Mansi Kansal Swapnil Vispute Tomer Shekel Olakunmi Ogunyemi Uchenna Gwacham-Anisiobi Jia Wang Ibukun-Oluwa Omolade Abejirinde, Prestige Tatenda Makanga Bosede B. Afolabi Lenka Beňová