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Introduction: Fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries are one of the most important public health problems all over the world. Its number greatly varies from country to country over the years. Worldwide approximately 4% of global gross domestic product (GDP) is lost due to occupational injuries. It has also been estimated that daily, approximately 1 million workers get injured, and more than 5000 workers die due to their occupation. In this research work, using modern data analytics techniques, we have tried to explore the current situation and time trend of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries globally and in India. Materials and Methods: Using the open-source data available at the International Labour Organization (ILO) database and the Government of India open database, analysis was performed systematically using R and Python programming languages. Data have been accessed by December 31, 2022. To make a representative sample population for this article, four countries from Europe and Central Asia region (Russia, France, Germany, and United Kingdom), four countries from the Asia-Pacific region (India, Australia, Japan, and Republic of Korea), and two countries from Americas (United States and Argentina) are selected for a meaningful comparison purpose. Results: Since 2000, the time trend of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries has been increasing trend globally. The yearly average (± standard deviation) of fatal and non-fatal injuries per country per million population was 256 (±68) and 83380 (±41280). The number of fatal injuries in India has increased over the years, but the number of non-fatal injuries in India is decreasing trend. Discussion: According to the ILO database, it has been revealed in this article that, on average yearly, 83380 per million population total occupational injuries are reported worldwide. Among them, yearly, 256 per million population (0.3%) workers per country succumbed to injuries. According to Government of India database, there was an average of 271 deaths per year between 2000 and 2021. For evidence-based decision and policy making and subsequent program implementation, the availability of timely, good-quality data from every industrial sector of society is most important. It can only be achieved by implementing integrated occupational injury surveillance programs at national and global levels. Keywords: Asia, Europe, gross domestic product, ILO, India, occupational injuries, United States, Author(s): Arkaprabha Sau (corresponding author) [1,2]; Santanu Phadikar [2]; Ishita Bhakta [3]; Arindam Chatterjee [4] INTRODUCTION An occupational injury is defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as 'any personal [...]

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), once fully implemented, provides the basis for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects to become the most appropriate means to facilitate and contribute to meeting the economic development goals of individual African states. However, the agreement emerges against the backdrop of chronic institutional governance failures in matters of public resource management, which continue to affect the service delivery mandate of governments in developing states. Therefore, any such project needs to guarantee accountable, efficient, effective, and result-driven outcomes. This is to safeguard against such initiatives not depriving citizens of benefitting. The article presents regulatory compliance as a crucial component in the role of private and public entities to assist governments to realise developmental goals through suitable joint venture projects. A case study analysis presents the causal link between governance failures and incidents of governance interventions on such development instruments. The case study approach is appropriate due, largely, to its interpretive and inductive qualities. It uses South Africa as the primary real-life setting to appraise the issue, particularly as certain findings from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption, and Fraud in the Public Sector, including Organs of State, expressed an opinion on instances where joint projects were to ensure that benefits equally accrue to the citizenry. An ethics theoretical framework facilitates the exploration of the subject matter, more so, as regulatory compliance advances institutional integrity and ethical practices. Findings made also attest to certain limitations in matters of governance oversight. For example, the implementation of regulatory compliance strategies is a concerning part of project governance. Conclusions uphold that even with the extensive nature of regulatory compliance requirements, along with perceptions of the burdensome nature aligned to it, compliance management remains a vital governance component. Keywords: African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), ethics, governance, Public-Private Partnership (PPP), regulatory compliance, service delivery, 1. Introduction With the adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement as central to advancing the economic development goals of African states, the initiative underscores the African [...]

This study investigates the productivity gap between foreign-owned and domestic Arms in Viet Nam. Using quantile regression estimation for the period of 2011-2020, the study first examines the impact of Arms' specifics and of provincial governance quality on firms' total factor productivity at different points of the productivity distribution. The results show that labour productivity, market share and return on assets appear to significantly affect firm productivity regardless of firm groups or quantiles. To understand the productivity gap between foreign and domestic firms, the study uses the quantile decomposition approach to differentiate the factors that contribute to the gap at different quantiles. Our findings reveal that across quantiles most of the productivity gap is explained by firms' specifics, especially labour productivity. To address the productivity gap between foreign-owned and domestic firms in Viet Nam, policymakers should focus on enhancing domestic firms' access to technology, firms' experience and human capital development, as firm-specific factors appear to be major contributors to the productivity differential. In addition, improving provincial governance quality and creating an enabling environment for both foreign-owned and domestic firms can further stimulate productivity growth and foster healthy competition in the manufacturing sector. Keywords : domestic firms, foreign direct investment, quantile decomposition, total factor productivity gap, Viet Nam JEL classification codes : F63, L25, L60, O53, 1. Introduction Foreign direct investment (FDI) has played a pivotal and transformative role in shaping the economic landscape of Viet Nam throughout the past few decades. Viet Nam is known [...]

The globalized world is witnessing increasing dominance of the financialization of the economy and society. A rapidly changing association among finance capitalists, individuals, the economy, geography, and society, with financialization at the center of these relationships, has been observed recently. However, existing research on this subject is primarily concentrated on advanced capitalist economies of the Global North. As global finance is penetrating the Global South as well, there is a necessity to understand the features, nuances, and theoretical debates surrounding financialization in the context of countries from the Global South. A comprehensive review of the literature reveals that studies on financialization exhibit unsettled and inconclusive debates in relation to the genesis, characteristics, causes, and consequences of the phenomenon. In the case of India, it is particularly difficult to establish strong evidence on the financialization of the Indian economy since the macro-evidence of financialization is not robust in comparison to evidence from the developed capitalist economies in the Global North. However, some recent micro-studies have cited traces of financialization in microfinance, manufacturing firms, and digital banking in India. This micro-evidence, despite being a sector-specific phenomenon, is crucial to the larger debate on financialization. This article argues that in cases of blurred features of financialization, macro-findings may not be completely reliable or even relevant. A better approach is to collate both macro- and micro-data and contextualize the findings in specific contemporary socioeconomic structures. KEYWORDS: financialization; heterodox economics; Global South; India, INTRODUCTION A movement across the globe has been initiated in favor of the usage of finance and the expansion of digital finance and mobile payment services. In the case of [...]

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Despite innumerable government policies to reduce youth unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa, the problem persists. This study examines the extent to which the hysteresis effect exists in the youth unemployment rate in Sub-Saharan African countries during the period 1991 to 2021, disaggregated according to territorial delineation, income, and gender. First, we employ the univariate and panel unit root tests including the Augmented-Dickey-Fuller, Phillips-Perron, the Dickey-Fuller-Generalized Least Square by Elliott, Rothenberg, and Stock (1996), the ADFmax by Leybourne (1995), and the Kwiatkowski, et al. (1992) test, to enable comparison with previous studies. The Pesaran's (2007), test is then applied to account for cross-sectional dependence. Finally, the Zivot--Andrews single structural break by Zivot and Andrews (1992), Clemente--Montane--Reyes two structural breaks unit root tests by Clemente, Montanes, and Reyes (1998), as well as the Karavias-Tzavalis panel unit root test with structural breaks by Karavias and Tzavalis (2014) are employed. The univariate unit root tests generally support the hysteresis hypothesis (within a band of 60% to 97%) for almost all countries, and sub-regions in SSA. However, accounting for structural breaks, the hysteresis effect in total youth unemployment is only visible in 19 countries (40%), with evidence of gender disparities pointing to the hysteresis effect in females only in 16 countries (34%), and, in males only in 10 countries (21.3%). The lower-middle-income countries reject the natural rate hypothesis in total and both male and female youth unemployment rates. While only male youths suffer from the hysteresis in low-income countries, the total youth in upper-middle-income countries shares this effect. Accounting for cross-section dependence alters the finding of the hysteresis effect only in males in Southern Africa and upper-middle-income countries. A one-size-fits-all policy may not work. Instead, we recommend an integral approach aimed at the creation of employment opportunities for youth and females, including but not limited to diversification of economic activities in rural areas to reduce urbanization, skills training, political and economic stability, cultural transformation to remove unnecessary gender-related employment discrimination, as well as improved economic integration policies. For countries found to exhibit the natural rate hypothesis, it may not be necessary to engage in costly policies to return the youth unemployment rate to equilibrium since the shock is only temporary. JEL Classifications: E20, E24, J60, N17, R10, R23 Keywords: Structural break, Hysteresis, Unit root, Cross-section dependence, Youth unemployment rate, SSA., INTRODUCTION Persistent youth unemployment has unquestionably proved to be one of the biggest threats to many developing economies. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in particular has suffered enormously from several labor market [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every sphere of life and livelihoods around the world. Many migrant workers from the Global South, such as Bangladesh, working in the Gulf countries were reported to be impacted by COVID-19, but the direct voices and views of migrant workers themselves and their households are largely unknown. This research adopts a mixed-method approach to assess the impact of the pandemic on foreign remittances to Bangladesh and the well-being of migrant households. The primary data collection involved fieldwork conducted in four migrant-dense villages, situated in Mymensingh and Meherpur districts of Bangladesh. A set of 221 household surveys was administered. In addition to the surveys, 52 semi-structured interviews were carried out, engaging with key individuals at community, district, and national levels such as heads of migrant households, returnee migrants, managers of migration financiers, owners of labor recruiting agencies, officials of the district manpower office etc. Results show that although a significant number of Bangladeshi migrant workers returned home since the COVID-19 pandemic and the outflow of Bangladeshi migrant workers shrank by 69 percent in 2020, remittance inflows at the national level witnessed a growth of 18.5 percent in 2020, which did not resonate with the negative prediction made by the World Bank. However, this research found a macro-micro mismatch, indicating a substantial decline in remittances at the household level. This might be due to the existence of a robust unofficial channel for remittance sending. Approximately 62% of migrant households in the case study sites experienced a 32% reduction in remittances during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. In response to the decline in remittance income, a majority of migrant households (77%) resorted to utilizing their accumulated savings. Additionally, approximately 20% of households sought financial support and borrowing from friends, relatives, and community members. At the community level, the local economy experienced a sharp downturn, leading to a ripple effect that affected everyone within the community. To address the unofficial remittance sending, the Government of Bangladesh should implement effective measures to curb unofficial remittance channels. Upskilling initiatives have the potential to alleviate the vulnerability of Bangladeshi migrant workers, fostering increased income stability. Policymakers should place greater emphasis on crafting savings instruments tailored to the specific needs of migrant households. It is also imperative to prioritize an income diversification policy at the community level to mitigate dependence on remittances. JEL Classifications: F24, F22 and J15 Keywords: COVID-19, remittances, Bangladesh, Gulf countries, migrant workers, INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated health and economies across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 [...]

Rubella virus is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable birth defects. Infection during pregnancy can result in miscarriage, fetal death, stillbirth or a constellation of birth defects, known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), which includes cataracts, deafness, heart defects and developmental delay. A single dose of rubella-containing vaccine can provide lifelong protection against rubella. The Global Vaccine Action Plan 2011-2020 set a target to achieve elimination of rubella in at least 5 of the 6 WHO regions by 2020, and rubella elimination is a critical goal of the Immunization Agenda 2030. This report updates a previous report and describes progress towards rubella and CRS elimination in 2012-2022. During this period, the number of WHO Member States that included rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) in their immunization schedules increased from 132 (68%) to 175 (90%), and the percentage of the world's infants were vaccinated against rubella increased from 40% to 68%. The reported number of rubella cases decreased by 81%, from 93 816 in 2012 to 17 407 in 2022. Verification of rubella elimination was achieved in 98 (51%) of 194 countries by 2022, an increase from 84 (43%) countries in 2019. Despite significant progress in introduction of RCV into routine immunization programmes worldwide, nearly 25 million infants annually still do not receive RCV. Nevertheless, the increasing number of countries that have achieved and sustained rubella elimination, even in complex settings, represents progress towards global rubella elimination. L'infection par le virus de la rubeole est l'une des principales causes de malformations congenitales evitables par la vaccination. Lorsqu'elle survient pendant la grossesse, elle peut entrainer une fausse couche, la mort foetale, une mortinaissance ou une constellation de malformations congenitales (notamment cataracte, surdite, malformations cardiaques et retards de developpement) connue sous le nom de syndrome de rubeole congenitale (SRC). Une dose unique de vaccin a valence rubeole peut conferer une protection a vie contre la rubeole. Parmi les cibles fixees dans le Plan d'action mondial pour les vaccins 2011-2020 figurait l'elimination de la rubeole dans au moins 5 des 6 Regions de l'OMS a l'horizon 2020. L'elimination de la rubeole fait en outre partie des objectifs cles du Programme pour la vaccination a l'horizon 2030. Le present rapport actualise les informations fournies dans le rapport precedent et decrit les progres accomplis vers l'elimination de la rubeole et du SRC dans la periode 2012-2022. Au cours de cette periode, les nombre d'Etats Membres de l'OMS ayant inclus le vaccin a valence rubeole (RCV) dans leur calendrier de vaccination a progresse, passant de 132 (68%) a 175 (90%); et le pourcentage de nourrissons dans le monde vaccines contre la rubeole est passe de 40% a 68%. Le nombre de cas notifies de rubeole a recule de 81%, passant de 93 816 en 2012 a 17 407 en 2022. En 2022, l'elimination de la rubeole avait ete verifiee dans 98 (51%) des 194 Etats Membres de l'OMS, contre 84(43%) en 2019. Toutefois, meme si l'introduction du RCV dans les programmes de vaccination systematique a fortement progresse a l'echelle mondiale, pres de 25millions de nourrissons sont encore prives de ce vaccin chaque annee. Le nombre croissant de pays ayant reussi a eliminer durablement la rubeole, meme parmi ceux confrontes a des situations complexes, temoigne neanmoins des progres realises vers l'elimination de cette maladie a l'echelle mondiale., Introduction Rubella virus is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable birth defects and can cause epidemics. Rubella virus infection usually produces a mild febrile rash illness in children and adults; however, [...]

Despite innumerable government policies to reduce youth unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa, the problem persists. This study examines the extent to which the hysteresis effect exists in the youth unemployment rate in Sub-Saharan African countries during the period 1991 to 2021, disaggregated according to territorial delineation, income, and gender. First, we employ the univariate and panel unit root tests including the Augmented-Dickey-Fuller, Phillips-Perron, the Dickey-Fuller-Generalized Least Square by Elliott, Rothenberg, and Stock (1996), the ADFmax by Leybourne (1995), and the Kwiatkowski, et al. (1992) test, to enable comparison with previous studies. The Pesaran's (2007), test is then applied to account for cross-sectional dependence. Finally, the Zivot--Andrews single structural break by Zivot and Andrews (1992), Clemente--Montane--Reyes two structural breaks unit root tests by Clemente, Montanes, and Reyes (1998), as well as the Karavias-Tzavalis panel unit root test with structural breaks by Karavias and Tzavalis (2014) are employed. The univariate unit root tests generally support the hysteresis hypothesis (within a band of 60% to 97%) for almost all countries, and sub-regions in SSA. However, accounting for structural breaks, the hysteresis effect in total youth unemployment is only visible in 19 countries (40%), with evidence of gender disparities pointing to the hysteresis effect in females only in 16 countries (34%), and, in males only in 10 countries (21.3%). The lower-middle-income countries reject the natural rate hypothesis in total and both male and female youth unemployment rates. While only male youths suffer from the hysteresis in low-income countries, the total youth in upper-middle-income countries shares this effect. Accounting for cross-section dependence alters the finding of the hysteresis effect only in males in Southern Africa and upper-middle-income countries. A one-size-fits-all policy may not work. Instead, we recommend an integral approach aimed at the creation of employment opportunities for youth and females, including but not limited to diversification of economic activities in rural areas to reduce urbanization, skills training, political and economic stability, cultural transformation to remove unnecessary gender-related employment discrimination, as well as improved economic integration policies. For countries found to exhibit the natural rate hypothesis, it may not be necessary to engage in costly policies to return the youth unemployment rate to equilibrium since the shock is only temporary. JEL Classifications: E20, E24, J60, N17, R10, R23 Keywords: Structural break, Hysteresis, Unit root, Cross-section dependence, Youth unemployment rate, SSA., INTRODUCTION Persistent youth unemployment has unquestionably proved to be one of the biggest threats to many developing economies. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in particular has suffered enormously from several labor market [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every sphere of life and livelihoods around the world. Many migrant workers from the Global South, such as Bangladesh, working in the Gulf countries were reported to be impacted by COVID-19, but the direct voices and views of migrant workers themselves and their households are largely unknown. This research adopts a mixed-method approach to assess the impact of the pandemic on foreign remittances to Bangladesh and the well-being of migrant households. The primary data collection involved fieldwork conducted in four migrant-dense villages, situated in Mymensingh and Meherpur districts of Bangladesh. A set of 221 household surveys was administered. In addition to the surveys, 52 semi-structured interviews were carried out, engaging with key individuals at community, district, and national levels such as heads of migrant households, returnee migrants, managers of migration financiers, owners of labor recruiting agencies, officials of the district manpower office etc. Results show that although a significant number of Bangladeshi migrant workers returned home since the COVID-19 pandemic and the outflow of Bangladeshi migrant workers shrank by 69 percent in 2020, remittance inflows at the national level witnessed a growth of 18.5 percent in 2020, which did not resonate with the negative prediction made by the World Bank. However, this research found a macro-micro mismatch, indicating a substantial decline in remittances at the household level. This might be due to the existence of a robust unofficial channel for remittance sending. Approximately 62% of migrant households in the case study sites experienced a 32% reduction in remittances during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. In response to the decline in remittance income, a majority of migrant households (77%) resorted to utilizing their accumulated savings. Additionally, approximately 20% of households sought financial support and borrowing from friends, relatives, and community members. At the community level, the local economy experienced a sharp downturn, leading to a ripple effect that affected everyone within the community. To address the unofficial remittance sending, the Government of Bangladesh should implement effective measures to curb unofficial remittance channels. Upskilling initiatives have the potential to alleviate the vulnerability of Bangladeshi migrant workers, fostering increased income stability. Policymakers should place greater emphasis on crafting savings instruments tailored to the specific needs of migrant households. It is also imperative to prioritize an income diversification policy at the community level to mitigate dependence on remittances. JEL Classifications: F24, F22 and J15 Keywords: COVID-19, remittances, Bangladesh, Gulf countries, migrant workers, INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated health and economies across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 [...]

Byline: S. M. Hussain, A. I. Hussain, S. Ali, N. Ahmad, M. Hussain, D. Riaz, U. Rashid, Z. Yousaf and H. H. Shafqat Keywords: Plant oils, Fish oil, Crude protein, [...]

This study aims to empirically explore the nexus between foreign direct investment (FDI) and other factors for global value chain (GVC) participation (backward and forward) in Vietnam, a transitional economy. The estimation shows that the economic size and market development of Vietnam and its trading partners are the main determinants of the nation's GVC participation. Inward FDI flows into the country have a positive impact on its GVC participation in both forward and backward linkages. Geographical distance is an impediment to Vietnam's backward GVC participation, whilst engagement in free trade agreements is advantageous to its GVC participation in both backward and forward linkages. We find that the logistics performance of Vietnam and its trading partners also positively affects the country's GVC participation. The paper provides policy implications for Vietnam to better use FDI and other factors to enhance its GVC participation, such as by attracting large supplier firms in upstream industries across the multinational enterprises' (MNEs) value chains, promoting trade liberalization and improving logistical efficiency. Keywords: Vietnam, global value chains (GVCs), foreign direct investment (FDI)., 1. Introduction Research by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (2013) has estimated that about 80 per cent of global trade (in terms of gross exports) is [...]

Objective To evaluate resource allocation and costs associated with delivery of human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services In Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Methods We used time-driven activity-based costing to determine the resources consumed and costs of providing five HIV services in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania: antiretroviral therapy (ART); HIV testing and counselling; prevention of mother-to-child transmission; voluntary male medical circumcision; and pre-exposure prophylaxis. Findings Country-based teams undertook time-driven activity-based costing with 1119 adults in Uganda and 886 adults in the United Republic of Tanzania. In Uganda, service delivery costs ranged from 8.18 United States dollars (US$) per visit for HIV testing and counselling to US$ 43.43 for ART (for clients in whom HIV was suppressed). In the United Republic of Tanzania, these costs ranged from US$ 3.67 per visit for HIV testing and counselling to US$ 28.00 for voluntary male medical circumcision. In both countries, consumables were the main cost driver, accounting for more than 60% of expenditure. Process maps showed that in both countries, registration, measurement of vital signs, consultation and medication dispensing were the steps that occurred most frequently for ART clients. Conclusion Establishing a rigorous, longitudinal system for tracking investments in HIV services that includes thousands of clients and numerous facilities is achievable in different settings with a high HIV burden. Consistent engagement of implementation partners and standardized training and data collection instruments proved essential for the success of these exercises. Objectif Analyser l'allocation des ressources et les couts lies a la fourniture de services de prise en charge du virus de l'immunodeficience humaine (VIH) en Ouganda et en Republique-Unie de Tanzanie. Methodes Nous avons utilise un systeme de calcul des couts par activite pilote par le temps (TDABC), pour identifier les ressources consommees et les couts engendres par cinq services de prise en charge du VIH en Ouganda et en Republique-Unie de Tanzanie: le traitement antiretroviral (TAR); le depistage du VIH et les conseils en la matiere; la prevention de la transmission de la mere a l'enfant; la pratique volontaire de la circoncision masculine medicalisee; et enfin, la prophylaxie preexposition. Resultats Des equipes deployees dans chaque pays ont mene un calcul des couts par activite pilote par le temps aupres de 1119 adultes en Ouganda et 886 adultes en Republique-Unie de Tanzanie. En Ouganda, les couts de prestation des services etaient compris entre 8,18 dollars americains (USD) par visite de depistage du VIH et de conseils en la matiere, et 43,43 USD pour un TAR (sur les patients chez qui la charge virale a ete supprimee). En Republique-Unie de Tanzanie, ces couts variaient entre 3,67 USD par visite de depistage du VIH et de conseils en la matiere a 28,00 USD pour la pratique volontaire de la circoncision masculine medicalisee. Dans les deux pays, les consommables representaient le principal facteur de cout, avec plus de 60% des depenses. Les schemas de procedure ont montre que, dans les deux pays, l'enregistrement, la mesure des signes vitaux, la consultation et l'administration du traitement constituaient les etapes les plus frequentes chez les patients faisant l'objet d'un TAR. Conclusion Il est possible d'etablir un dispositif longitudinal rigoureux pour suivre les investissements realises dans les services de prise en charge du VIH, qui inclut des milliers de patients et de nombreux etablissements dans differents endroits fortement touches par le VIH. Limplication constante des partenaires de mise en oeuvre et la standardisation des formations et instruments de collecte des donnees se sont revelees essentielles a la reussite de ces demarches. Objetivo Analizar la asignacion de recursos y los costes asociados a la prestacion de servicios por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) en Uganda y en la Republica Unida de Tanzania. Metodos Utilizamos los costes basados en el tiempo invertido por actividad, con el fin de determinar los recursos consumidos y los costes de la prestacion de cinco servicios por VIH en Uganda y en la Republica Unida de Tanzania: terapia antirretroviral (TAR); pruebas y asesoramiento sobre el VIH; prevencion de la transmision de madre a hijo; circuncision medica masculina de caracter voluntario y profilaxis previa a la exposicion. Resultados Los equipos fundados en el pais se encargaron de analizar los costes basados en el tiempo invertido por actividad con 1119 adultos en Uganda y 886 adultos en la Republica Unida de Tanzania. En Uganda, los costes por la prestacion de servicios oscilaron entre 8,18 dolares estadounidenses (USD) por visita destinada a pruebas y asesoramiento sobre VIH, y 43,43 USD por TAR (para clientes en los que se habia erradicado el VIH). En la Republica Unida de Tanzania, estos costes estuvieron comprendidos entre 3,67 USD por visita destinada a pruebas y asesoramiento sobre VIH, y 28,00 USD por circuncision medica masculina de caracter voluntario. En ambos paises, los consumibles fueron los principales generadores de costes, representando mas del 60% del gasto. Los mapas de procesos mostraron que en ambos paises el registro, la medicion de las constantes vitales, asi como las consultas y la dispensacion de medicacion fueron los pasos que mas se repitieron entre los clientes con TAR. Conclusion Implantar un sistema riguroso y longitudinal para realizar un seguimiento de las inversiones en servicios por VIH, lo que engloba a miles de clientes y numerosas instalaciones, es algo que se puede lograr en aquellos centros con una elevada incidencia de VIH. Quedo demostrado que el compromiso constante de los socios encargados de la implementacion, asi como la existencia de instrumentos estandarizados de formacion y de recopilacion de datos resultaban esenciales para el exito de estos ejercicios., Introduction Despite evolving epidemiological trends, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are still responsible for one of the largest disease burdens in sub-Saharan Africa. (1) In low-income [...]

Due to the importance of foreign direct investment (FDI), scholars are always keen to explore FDI determinants and analyze their implications. Nevertheless scholars have proposed mixed viewpoints of FDI and interpreted its determinants differently, which do not contribute to the knowledge advancement and amalgamation of FDI literatures. The current research, therefore, aims to advance the knowledge of FDI determinants in Nigeria through a new investigation on the key determinant factors affecting Nigeria's inward FDI. Data were collected from UNCTAD (1970-2014) and analyzed by auto-regressive distributed lag tests (ARDL). A comprehensive theory-based model was developed accounting for many variables, such as the interest rate, external debt, oil rents, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, trade and exchange rate volatility. The analysis of FDI determinants in the Nigerian economy yielded reliable, robust, and economically meaningful results thereby offering an insight into the driving factors of inward FDI. Findings indicate that the interest rate, external debt, oil rents, and GDP growth are all important determinants, possessing a long-run effect on FDI. Different from the literature, however, trade and exchange rate volatility are barely important to FDI. Several policy implications flow from the findings. From a policy point of view, regarding the GDP growth rate, there should be concerted efforts to boost the performance of the non-oil sector in Nigeria through more investments in the agricultural and industrial sectors making the growth of the economy spread across other sectors and, in turn, encouraging inward FDI in such areas. Countries such as Nigeria, endowed with natural resources, should pursue policies targeted at full deregulation (privatisation) of their natural resource sector to better utilize the abundance of their natural resources thereby attracting additional FDI. Nigeria should also pursue better debt management practices. When debts are acquired, they should be targeted towards future consumption and longer-term investments. Most importantly, as an import-dependent economy, the Nigerian government should also formulate export-driven and appropriate fiscal policies that will stabilize Nigeria's trade relationship with other world economies. The Nigerian government should create the necessary environment that will regulate macroeconomic and specifically monetary policy (interest rate) which is essential for the attraction of FDI inflows into the economy. Finally, Nigeria should ensure that the quality of exportable commodities is improved to enhance international competitiveness. JEL Classifications: E01, O19, Q34 Keywords: ARDL; Cointegration; Foreign Direct Investment; FDI; Model; Nigeria., INTRODUCTION Over the past three decades, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been subjected to considerable scrutiny in terms of its potential benefits (e.g., on employment, knowledge and technological spillovers) and [...]