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Coronavirus (COVID-19) has rapidly spread across many countries in pandemic proportions since the first case was reported in Hubei, China in December 2019. Understanding transmission, susceptibility and exposure risks is crucial for surveillance, control and response to the disease. Knowing the geographic distribution of health resource scarcity areas is necessary if a country is to adequately anticipate and prepare for the full impact of infections. We explored the potential to undertake a spatial risk assessment of an emerging pandemic under data scarcity in Eswatini. We used a set of socio-economic and demographic variables to identify epidemic risk prone areas in the country. Three risk zone levels for COVID-19 were identified in the country. The analysis showed that about 29% (320 818) of the population were located in the high risk zone and these were people who could potentially be infected with COVID-19 in the absence of mitigation measures. A majority of cases and deaths attributed to COVID-19 would likely remain unknown but our estimate could be used to gauge the full burden of the disease. Approximating and quantifying the number of people who may be potentially infected with COVID-19 remains impossible under data scarcity and limited healthcare capacity especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We provided an estimation method that could support the pandemic risk forecasting, preparedness and response measures in the midst of data scarcity. The resultant map products could be used to guide on-the-ground surveillance and response efforts., Highlights • About 321 000 people are located in the COVID-19 high risk zone in Eswatini. • A majority of COVID-19 cases and deaths are likely to remain unknown due to poor testing in Eswatini. • Minimizing movement from high risk zones to low risk areas could help control the spread of COVID-19.

Children comprise a large proportion of the population in sub-Saharan Africa. The burden of paediatric surgical disease exceeds available resources in Africa, potentially increasing morbidity and mortality. There are few prospective paediatric perioperative outcomes studies, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).We conducted a 14-day multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study of paediatric patients (aged16 yrs) undergoing surgery in 43 government-funded hospitals in South Africa. The primary outcome was the incidence of in-hospital postoperative complications.We recruited 2024 patients at 43 hospitals. The overall incidence of postoperative complications was 9.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.4-11.0]. The most common postoperative complications were infective (7.3%; 95% CI: 6.2-8.4%). In-hospital mortality rate was 1.1% (95% CI: 0.6-1.5), of which nine of the deaths (41%) were in ASA physical status 1 and 2 patients. The preoperative risk factors independently associated with postoperative complications were ASA physcial status, urgency of surgery, severity of surgery, and an infective indication for surgery.The risk factors, frequency, and type of complications after paediatric surgery differ between LMICs and high-income countries. The in-hospital mortality is 10 times greater than in high-income countries. These findings should be used to develop strategies to improve paediatric surgical outcomes in LMICs, and support the need for larger prospective, observational paediatric surgical outcomes research in LMICs.NCT03367832.

Little is known about the grass species type, composition and nutritive value in the semiarid savannas that sustain most of Swaziland\'s cattle population through the seven-month-long dry season. This study was conducted to investigate the nutritional characteristics of grasses collected from two grazing areas (Big Bend and Simunye), which differed mainly in soil types. Mature grass species were harvested and evaluated for chemical composition (organic matter, neutral detergent fibre [NDF], acid detergent fibre [ADF], crude protein [CP] and minerals) and in vitro ruminal fermentation ( in vitro gas production, in vitro organic matter degradability and partitioning factors). The most common grass species in the Big Bend grazing area were Bothriochloa insculpta , Cenchrus ciliaris and Urochloa mosambicensis . In the Simunye grazing area the most common species were B. insculpta , U. mosambicensis , Heteropogon contortus , Panicum deustum and P. maximum . For grasses harvested from Simunye, the most ( p –1 dry matter) was B. insculpta , which also had the least fibre (597 g kg –1 NDF and 351 g kg –1 ADF) and the highest CP content (79.8 g kg –1 ). The most common grass species harvested from the Big Bend area did not differ ( p > 0.05) in their Mg, P, Cu, Fe, Zn, CP and NDF content. However, U. mosambicensis had the highest ( p –1 gas) was observed for U. mosambicensis as a result of low DOM coupled with high cumulative gas production. It was concluded that all the grasses investigated in this study show a deficit for Ca, P and protein. Therefore, supplementation is needed to ensure maximum forage utilisation and to satisfy nutrient requirements of ruminant livestock. Keywords: cumulative gas production; organic matter degradability; ruminant livestock; tropical grass species African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2009, 26(1): 9–17

A descriptive correlational research was designed to identify factors perceived to explain supervision effectiveness of senior secondary school heads of agriculture department in Botswana. A valid and reliable instrument was used to collect data. Findings revealed that, heads of agriculture department were effective in their supervisory roles. Variables that explained supervision effectiveness were adequacy of supervision time, interpersonal qualities possessed, work experience, amount of time spent in other engagements, and amount of time spent teaching. The conclusions drawn from findings of the study were that, adequate time of supervision is important for heads of agriculture department to perform their supervisory roles effectively, and heads of agriculture department value supervision, and therefore, need little supervision from school heads to perform their supervisory roles. The teaching service management in Botswana should consider reducing teaching time for heads of agriculture department to afford heads of agriculture department more time to focus on supervision tasks.

A descriptive survey type of research was conducted to determine level of competence and training needs in statistical procedures of university academic staff in Botswana and Swaziland. Findings showed that staff were competent in the use of basic statistical procedures, and that, they were in need of training in intermediate and advanced statistical procedures. The cumulative variance in competence level in statistical procedures was explained by six characteristics, namely: number of journal articles published, attitude toward statistics, sex, level of education, teaching experience and number of research projects supervised. Forty-one percent of the variance was explained by the number of journal articles published. The researcher recommends that an in-service training program be designed to upgrade university academic staff in statistical procedures, and that, a manual on the use of intermediate and advanced statistical procedures in research activities be developed to serve as quick reference for university academic staff in Botswana and Swaziland.

A descriptive-correlational study explored reasons for girls to choose agriculture or other science and technology programs at high school and tertiary levels. Findings revealed respondents’ reasons were: economic, personal, educational, family, and social. Negligible to low associations were found between background characteristics of respondents and their reasons to enroll in scientific programs. However, three background characteristics showed influence in the domain reasons for choice: place of birth, location of high school attended, and, type of school attended. A t-test analysis procedure of high school and tertiary girls’ reasons showed no significant differences. Additional information provided revealed girls aspired for careers in health fields and, applied sciences, including agriculture. Among the recommendations made were that, career guidance teachers should play a major role in showing girls how to choose subjects combination in high school which suits their aptitudes and, family members should encourage girls to take up scientific programs.

A descriptive survey research employing triangulation procedures was conducted to determine curriculum content that needed incorporation in the Swaziland secondary school agriculture curriculum. The study found that all the 29 content areas identified were rated important for inclusion in the conceived agriculture curriculum for secondary schools in Swaziland. More than half of the total number of the highly ranked areas was in production agriculture and the remainder was in business management, entrepreneurship and information technology. The demographic characteristics of the respondents did not influence their ratings. Using the model developed by Borich, the study identified thirteen ranked content areas that agriculture teachers needed in-service training.

A descriptive survey study, employing triangulation procedures, was conducted to determine the extent to which the modern agriculture program in Swaziland secondary schools has achieved its objectives, and whether statistically significant differences existed among respondent’s perceptions. The study revealed that the program has facilitated the demonstration and practice of business aspects of farming and created awareness of career opportunities in farming and its associated technologies. The program has laid a foundation for further academic studies in agriculture, and provided a basis for understanding the role and methods of extension agencies. Statistically significant differences in program rating were observed between the perceptions of teachers and students, and by place of regular residence (rural, peri- urban and urban). The study further found that the statistically significant differences were small, and of no practical value. Thus, demographic characteristics of respondents were eliminated as confounding the results of this study.

The annual incidence of urethritis can be estimated to be at lest 3750 per 100,000 population in Swaziland. In a study of 109 males with symptomatic urethritis 80% had gonorrhoea, 6% non-gonococcal urethritis (ngu) and 14% were classified as having no 'objective' urethritis (less than 5 polymorphonuclear leucocytes per highpower field in the urethral smear). The relative frequency of gonorrhoea was 80 to 95% and of non-gonococcal urethritis 5 to 20 according to which criteria are used for patient selection and/or diagnosis of ngu. Chlamydia trachomatis was cultured in 3.4% of the cases with urethritis, comprising one positive culture in 70 patients with gonorrhoea, one in 5 with ngu, and one in 12 with no 'objective' urethritis. Seventy-one percent of patients, with a comparable percentage in each diagnostic group, had chlamydial antibodies when tested by the micro immunofluorescence test to pooled chlamydial antigens. Interpretation of the chlamydial serologic results indicates that lymphogranuloma venereum is probably endemic in the country, and that oculogenital chlamydial infections are not a problem; this corresponds with the low isolation rate of Chlamydia trachomatis in the urethritis cases. The study shows that the epidemiology and causes of urethritis are clearly of a different pattern to that seen in industrialised countries. This type of study is a sound basis for a simplified but effective urethritis control programme which can be implemented in the para-urban and rural health centres in developing countries.