Browsing by Author "Sobngwi, Eugene"
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- ItemDevelopmental origins of health and disease in Africa - influencing early life(Elsevier, 2018) Davies, Justine Ina; Macnab, Andrew John; Byass, Peter; Norris, Shane A.; Nyirenda, Moffat; Singhal, Atul; Sobngwi, Eugene; Daar, Abdallah S.It is well established that Africa is undergoing rapid transitions resulting in a triple burden of malnutrition, infectious diseases, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).1,2 That health systems are unlikely to be able to cope with this burden is also widely noted.1,2 What is less often discussed outside academic circles is the degree to which infectious diseases and malnutrition in Africa are exacerbating the burden of NCDs, and the implications of this exacerbation for individuals and populations.
- ItemHyperglycaemia in pregnancy(African Sun Media, 2020) Sobngwi, EugeneAccording to the International Diabetes Federation, the burden of diabetes is progressively rising worldwide with an expected doubling of prevalence in most low- and middle-income settings within twenty-five years. The projected surge in diabetes prevalence to epidemic proportions reflects the ongoing so-called epidemiological transition experienced across most of the fastestgrowing economies. The concept of epidemiological transition is characterised by the reduction in infectious disease burden and a quasi-parallel rise in chronic non-communicable disease burden as the result of better health care, reduced fertility, lifestyle changes, increased life expectancy and changing age structure of populations. The specificity of epidemiological transition in most African nations is its accelerated character compared to most Western countries where the transition took place over two to three centuries. As a result, chronic non-communicable diseases frequently occur at a lower age than previously reported, including in women of childbearing age. This chapter reviews key knowledge about the pathophysiology and consequences of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy, and their implication for screening, diagnosis and management strategy in high risk but resource-limited populations, with special emphasis on Africa.
- ItemMapping of developmental origins of health and disease to 'Sustainable Development Goals' and implications for public health in Africa(African Sun Media, 2020) Kajee, Nabeela; Daar, Abdallah; Macnab, Andrew J.; Sobngwi, EugeneA call for new approaches and knowledge systems has emerged, to map the way forward for the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ in Africa.6 Public health on the continent, calls for an approach to effect changes to reach the goals proposed by the World Health Organization.7 It is against this backdrop that the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) are proposed as a framework of implementation for specific Sustainable Development Goals.8 The DOHaD concept identifies the origins of health and disease, and also elucidates early mechanisms for achieving these goals. Numerous Sustainable Development Goals are specifically applicable to the DOHaD concept, and DOHaD and Sustainable Development Goals have immense synergistic potential. The chapter identifies gaps in which DOHaD may offer direct, informed solutions to the hurdles encountered in Sustainable Development Goals achievement strategies, and these have direct public health implications for the continent.
- ItemUnderstanding 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, CariData 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.