UKZN Academic Co-Authors Ground-Breaking Collection on COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa

UKZN Academic Co-Authors Ground-Breaking Collection on COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa

Professor Khathutshelo Percy Mashige, Dean and Head of the School of Health Sciences, has co-authored and co-edited a significant compendium of studies on the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the African Translational Research Group (ATReG).

This pioneering work provides an in-depth analysis of the pandemic’s impact on sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and offers vital insights and recommendations for future public health strategies.

The book, published by Western Open Books, is a compilation of 17 peer-reviewed papers. It serves as a comprehensive examination of the various effects of COVID-19 on the region; addressing issues such as mental health, demographic disparities, vaccine perceptions, and compliance with public health measures amid the unprecedented global crisis.

One notable paper in the collection explores international research collaboration during the pandemic by ATReG. The group, consisting of 13 English-speaking and one French-speaking researcher from SSA, specialises in fields such as public health, epidemiology, optometry, information technology, supply chain management, psychiatry, community health, general medical practice, nutrition, and biostatistics. Despite the informal but well-co-ordinated structure, the group conducted all meetings online, with some members never having met in person.

ATReG researchers collected data from Africans and published 10 peer-reviewed articles on COVID-19, presented their findings at international conferences, and secured national competitive funding in Nigeria.

This collaboration significantly contributed to the career progression and promotion of its members. The study highlighted the challenges faced in sustaining the collaboration, which were overcome through a collaborative problem-solving approach. It underscores the importance of operational and methodological flexibility, central co-ordination, and funding sources for the group’s sustainability.

This ground-breaking collection stands as a vital resource for understanding the multifaceted repercussions of the pandemic in SSA and will undoubtedly inform future public health strategies in the region.

The open source book can be found here.

Words: MaryAnn Francis

Photograph and image: Supplied