Browsing by Author "Balasubramanian, Dorairajan"

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    An approach to reduce the blindness burden in sub-Saharan Africa : special focus on childhood blindness
    (African Sun Media, 2020) Marmamula, Srinivas; Bharadwaj, Shrikant R.; Keeffe, Jill; Balasubramanian, Dorairajan
    Sub-Saharan Africa is afflicted with high levels of blindness burden, affecting the quality of life and productivity of its people. While cataracts account for over 40 per cent of blindness, uncorrected refractive error leading to vision loss is over 50 per cent. The number of ophthalmologists and optometrists in the region, who can restore vision by surgery, and provide corrective eyeglasses for uncorrected refractive error, respectively, is woefully inadequate. However, most of these countries have primary health care centres. Workers in these centres have played remarkably successful roles in working with professionals in helping to reduce the burden of blindness due to onchocerciasis and trachoma.
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    Understanding and acting on the developmental origins of health and disease in Africa would improve health across generations
    (Taylor & Francis Open, 2017) Norris, Shane A.; Daar, Abdallah; Balasubramanian, Dorairajan; Byass, Peter; Kimani-Murage, Elizabeth; Macnab, Andrew; Pauw, Christoff; Singhal, Atul; Yajnik, Chittaranjan; Akazili, James; Levitt, Naomi; Maatoug, Jihene; Mkhwanazi, Nolwazi; Moore, Sophie E.; Nyirenda, Moffat; Pulliam, Juliet R. C.; Rochat, Tamsen; Said-Mohamed, Rihlat; Seedat, Soraya; Sobngwi, Eugene; Tomlinson, Mark; Toska, Elona; Van Schalkwyk, Cari
    Data from many high- and low- or middle-income countries have linked exposures during key developmental periods (in particular pregnancy and infancy) to later health and disease. Africa faces substantial challenges with persisting infectious disease and now burgeoning non-communicable disease.This paper opens the debate to the value of strengthening the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) research focus in Africa to tackle critical public health challenges across the life-course. We argue that the application of DOHaD science in Africa to advance life-course prevention programmes can aid the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and assist in improving health across generations. To increase DOHaD research and its application in Africa, we need to mobilise multisectoral partners, utilise existing data and expertise on the continent, and foster a new generation of young African scientists engrossed in DOHaD.