Misconceptions and associated factors of COVID-19 infection among internally displaced persons in Sudan

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global public health threat that has spread rapidly and caused morbidity and mortality worldwide. Reducing the myths about infectious diseases is vital for controlling transmission. This study explored the level of misconceptions and associated factors of COVID-19 among internally displaced persons in Sudan. This study is a cross-sectional, descriptive design and community-based study. We collected the data using a self-administered questionnaire via the convenience sampling technique among internally displaced persons in the camps of Zalingei town in the central Darfur region of Sudan. The total mean score of the respondents' misconception was 3.1725 (SD=0.59) with 63.2%, indicating moderate misunderstanding of COVID-19. Multiple linear regression revealed the independent variables together had a significant impact on a misconception, F(14,116)=2.429, p<0.005. The regression model explains 22.7% of the variance in misunderstanding. Analysis of the influence of single factors on the dependent variable showed that people aged 31­40 years had significantly higher levels of misconception, 0.381 (t=2.116, p<0.037), than those aged over 60 years, and university graduates had considerably lower levels of misunderstanding, −0.061 (t=−2.091, p<0.03) than non-graduates. This study found a moderate level of misconception of COVID-19. Non-graduates had higher levels of misunderstanding than graduates. The results suggest that an education campaign should focus on people with low levels of education to correct their misconceptions regarding the prevention of COVID-19 infection

PMTCT Service Uptake among Pregnant Women in 3 Internally Displace Persons Camps in Borno State Northeast Nigeria

Background: Humanitarian emergencies upset and wreck existing healthcare services and systems. Pregnant women and infant are incredibly defenseless, as these infants are exposed to the risk of preventable childhood disease which includes HIV that is transmitted from their HIV positive mother. In the absence of any intervention, the risk of HIV transmission increases to about 40% among infant born to HIV positive mothers.Objectives: To examine the prevalence and uptake of HIV services among pregnant women and to assess the level of Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) by PCR uptake for children under 2 months born to HIV positive mothers.Methods: A sentinel case study approach conducted in 3 internally displaced people (IDP) camps in 3 LGAs (Banki, Dikwa and Ngala) of Borno state Nigeria, from January 2018 to May 2019. Data collected using standard tools and DHIS 2.0 used for data extraction and MS Excel used for analysis.Results: Prevalence of HIV among pregnant women (1st ANC Visits) in the 3 IDP camps were 1.22% (Ngala), 0.44% (Banki) and 0.16% (Dikwa) with an average of 0.61% compared to the 2018 National zonal average for the North East of1.1%. Uptake of HIV testing service among pregnant women in the 3 IDP camps were 90.65% (Ngala), 100% (Banki) and 100% (Dikwa), with an average uptake of 96.9%; while EID uptake for HIV exposed children within 2 months of age were: 50.0% (Dikwa), 12.5% (Banki) and 0% (Ngala).Conclusions: The study also shows that none of the 3IDP camps were able to optimize Early Infant Diagnosis at 2 months of birth. It is hereby recommended that Care-giver Focused Approach should be prioritized in preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) service delivery

Possession, Attitudes and Perceptions of Insecticide-treated Bed Nets among Pregnant Women in a Post Conflict District in Northern Uganda.

Background: The use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) is one of the main strategies to control malaria in Uganda. The Uganda’s Ministry of Health had set a target of 50% of households to be covered with ITNs by the year 2007. This study aims at determining ITN possession, attitudes and perceptions among pregnant women who were living in internally displaced persons’ (IDP) Camps where buildings offered little or no protection against mosquitoes in Gulu district. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in 20 randomly selected IDP camps in Aswa and Omoro counties, Gulu district, Northern Uganda. Probability proportion to size cluster sampling technique was used to determine the numbers of expectant mothers in the selected camps. Consecutive sampling method was used by moving to the next nearest household until the required numbers of respondents were generated from each camp. Data was collected using well designed pretested questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered by trained research assistants who were fluent in the local language (Acholi). Results: ITN possession: 42% of respondents (95% CI 0.39 – 0.46) possessed ITN. 98% of the respondents reported that it was good to use ITN. 97% of the respondents perceive ITN as being effective at preventing mosquitoes bites which transmit malaria. 96% of the respondents who owned ITN were willing to continue using ITNs. Factors associated with ITN possession were; Having attended antenatal services (aOR 1.92, 95% CI 1.24 – 2.98, P-value 0.004); Having attained formal education (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.03 - 2.35, P-value 0.036); Willingness to buy ITN (aOR 1.98, 95% CI 1.22–3.21, P-value 0.006) and Willingness to recommend ITN use to others (aOR 3.77, 95% CI 1.12 – 12.77, P-value 0.033). Conclusion: Majority of the respondents had positive attitudes and perceptions towards ITN use. However, more than half of the respondents lacked ITN which was below the target set by Uganda Ministry of Health. Therefore government and other stakeholders should scale up free ITN distributions among the vulnerable groups if the Ministry of Health and the Roll Back Malaria Global Partnership Target is to be achieved.

Cooperação internacional e deslocamento interno na Colômbia: Desafios à maior crise humanitária da América do Sul / International Cooperation and Internal displacement in Colombia: facing the challenges of the largest humanitarian crisis in South America / Cooperacion internacional y desplazamiento interno en Colombia: Desafíos a la mayor crisis humanitaria de América del Sur

O objetivo deste artigo é compreender a interação entre o Alto Comissariado das Nações Unidas para os Refugiados (ACNUR) e o governo colombiano nos esforços de mitigação do deslocamento interno forçado, bem como os principais desafios enfrentados na abordagem do problema. Este artigo privilegia a leitura adotada pelos atores mencionados acima, a qual vincula o deslocamento ao conflito armado vivenciado pelo país há mais de quarenta anos. Embora se trate de um problema observado há décadas, as formulações políticas nacionais com vistas à sua mitigação surgiram tardiamente, mais precisamente, em meados da década de 1990. Da mesma forma, a atenção do ACNUR ao problema somente foi intensificada em finais dessa mesma década. O artigo conclui que existe uma grande assimetria entre o desenvolvimento normativo de atenção aos deslocados observado na Colômbia e a execução de tais normas. Por exemplo, falta coordenação entre entidades nacionais e sub-nacionais, assim como entre as nacionais e as internacionais. No que diz respeito à prevenção do deslocamento interno e avaliação do impacto das políticas, o desafio é ainda maior, na medida em que são embrionários os esforços neste sentido. Sustenta-se que o ACNUR tem empregado os mesmos critérios que o governo na execução de suas tarefas, quando estes poderiam ser repensados e redefinidos à luz da experiência do Alto Comissariado.

The objective of this article is to understand the interaction between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Colombian government in their attempts to mitigate forced internal displacement, as well as the main challenges faced in addressing this problem. This article focuses on the interpretation adopted by the forementioned actors, who link this displacement to the armed conflict the country that has endured for more than forty years. Although this issue has been discussed for decades, the formulation of national policies intended to mitigate its effects came late, in the mid-1990s. Similarly, the UNHCR began paying more attention only in the late 1990s. The article concludes that there is a significant disparity between the development of norms regarding the internally displaced and the execution of such norms. For example, there needs to be greater coordination between national and local organizations, and national and international organizations. With respect to the prevention of internal displacement and the evaluation of the impact of these policies, the challenge is even greater; as such efforts are in the beginning stages. The UNHCR has used the same criteria as the Colombian government in executing its tasks; these criteria should be rethought and redefined in light of the High Commissioner's experience.

El objetivo de este artículo es comprender la interacción entre el Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados (ACNUR) y el gobierno colombiano en los esfuerzos para mitigar los efectos del desplazamiento interno forzado. Este artículo privilegia la lectura adoptada por los actores antes mencionados, la cual vincula el desplazamiento al conflicto armado por el que atraviesa el país hace más de cuarenta años. Aunque se trate de un problema observado hace décadas, las formulaciones políticas nacionales con miras a su mitigación surgieron tardíamente, más precisamente, a mediados de la década de 1990. De la misma forma, la atención del ACNUR al problema no se intensificó hasta fines de esa misma década. El artículo concluye que existe una gran asimetría entre el desarrollo normativo de atención a los desplazados observado en Colombia y la ejecución de tales normas. Por ejemplo, falta coordinación entre entidades nacionales y subnacionales, así como también entre las nacionales y las internacionales. En lo que atañe a la prevención del desplazamiento interno y a la evaluación del impacto de las políticas, el desafío es todavía mayor en la medida en que son embrionarios los esfuerzos en este sentido. Se sostiene que el ACNUR ha empleado los mismos criterios que el gobierno en la ejecución de sus tareas, cuando estos podrían ser repensados y redefinidos a la luz de la experiencia del Alto Comisionado.

A Report on Medical Support and Health Education Activities for Internally Displaced Persons in Dili Area, East Timor / 国際保健医療

 SHARE started Health Education Promotion Project in East Timor in 2002 and has been actively engaged for over 4 years. The political and social unrest in the spring of 2006 produced as many as 150,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), almost one sixth of the total population of the country. Viewing a dire situation in which people were placed, SHARE launched humanitarian assistance in 20 camps from August through December 2006. The interventions carried out were, among others, monitoring malnourished children with UNICEF, health education/promotion and mobile clinic in IDP camps, and supportive activities for Bairo Pite Clinic.<br> The health education cumulatively reached 753 persons in 20 camps. Main health topics covered were sanitation, nutrition and skin infections. The mobile clinic in the Metinaro Camp was carried out 12 times seeing 1,227 persons. Main diseases identified were upper respiratory tract infections, skin infections and acute watery diarrhoea.<br> We think that; i) coordination with donors in compliance with East Timorese national policy on IDPs is essential, ii) NGOs with experience in long-term health promotion can have an important role to play in emergencies, iii) even in an emergency situation, focusing on primary health care is important from the early stage of humanitarian assistance, iv) it is vital to take sustainability of those activities into account from the planning stage.