Academic literature on the topic 'Province de Tshopo'

Recent years have seen increasing momentum towards task shifting of basic health services, including using community health workers (CHW) to diagnose and treat common childhood illnesses. Yet few studies have examined the role of traditional healers in meeting families’ and communities’ health needs and liaising with the formal health system. We examine these issues in Tshopo Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country with high rates of child mortality (104 deaths per 1000 live births). We conducted 127 in-depth interviews and eight focus group discussions with a range of community members (mothers, fathers and grandmothers of children under 5 years of age) and health providers (CHWs, traditional healers, doctors and nurses) on topics related to care seeking and case management for childhood illness and malnutrition, and analysed them iteratively using thematic content analysis. We find significant divergence between biomedical descriptions of child illness and concepts held by community members, who distinguished between local illnesses and so-called ‘white man’s diseases.’ Traditional healers were far less costly and more geographically accessible to families than were biomedical health providers, and usually served as families’ first recourse after home care. Services provided by traditional healers were also more comprehensive than services provided by CHWs, as the traditional medicine sphere recognised and encompassed care for ‘modern’ diseases (but not vice versa). Meanwhile, CHWs did not receive adequate training, supervision or supplies to provide child health services. Considering their accessibility, acceptability, affordability and ability to recognise all domains of illness (biomedical and spiritual), traditional healers can be seen as the de facto CHWs in Tshopo Province. National and international health policymakers should account for and involve this cadre of health workers when planning child health services and seeking to implement policies and programmes that genuinely engage with community health systems.

AbstractWe elucidate the value orientations (VOs) towards wild meat/wildlife in the Tshopo Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, distinguishing between the provincial capital and rural areas. Based on stories prompted by four primary emotions, the most frequently encountered VOs were: concern for safety, nutrition and taste, and caring/respect. Rural people were more likely to express anthropocentric VOs. However, their stories did not necessarily associate negatively with caring/respect, suggesting that wildlife users may also be sensitive to biocentric values. Age, gender, and wealth were good predictors for biocentric VOs, with young women from the city more likely to express biocentric values. VOs and emotions related differently to specific wildlife species. Mutualism was not frequently elucidated in the stories. The associations we found provide crucial information to understand differences in value orientations across groups, identify barriers to change, and tailor behavior change campaigns to the local context.

The participation of local communities in the governance of protected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo is challenged by several external and local factors. This article aims to understand the representation of local communities and factors that influence their participation in the governance of the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve. Three principal sources of information (archival records, focus group and semi-structured interviews) were used to collect data. The results indicate a top-down participatory approach. The cumulative failure of several projects in the context of local development has led to different perceptions by local communities of their role in the participative governance of Yangambi Biosphere Reserve. Initiatives in participatory management and local development only function during the lifetime of externally-funded projects when initiators are present in the intervention area. The results call into question formal claims made by both conservation projects and the Congolese government regarding the actual participation of local communities in the governance of Biosphere Reserves. Furthermore, although Biosphere Reserves in DRC are recognized as part of the national network of protected areas since 2002, their management is still not aligned to either the Seville Strategy or the statutory framework of the world network of Biosphere Reserves. To achieve this, local development initiatives need to focus on poverty alleviation (through the diversification of income sources, entrepreneurship, farmer training and the creation of employment opportunities) and a better understanding of local practices and cultures in the design of such projects.

Cette étude vise deux objectifs, à savoir : dégager les problèmes liés au parcours juridique des victimes de violences sexuelles dans la province de la Tshopo et, proposer ce qui doit être fait pour élaguer ces problèmes et permettre une prise en charge efficace et équitable. Pour y arriver, l’étude qui s’inscrit dans le contexte de la théorisation ancrée a mobilisé comme sources les dossiers des victimes des violences sexuelles en justice, les comptes rendus des réunions, les groupes de discussion, les récits de vie des victimes et la littérature grise. Partant, il se dégage que les problèmes identifiés sont multiples et de diverses natures. On répertorie notamment : le dysfonctionnement des services judiciaires ; l’absence des preuves par des parties concernées (médecins, police, agents pénitentiaires, etc.) ; une pauvreté extrême des victimes ; les manœuvres dilatoires tendant à repousser perpétuellement les audiences pour freiner le procès ou bloquer l’action par des procédures irrégulières ; l’arrangement à l’amiable ; l’insuffisance et l’éloignement géographique des juridictions compétentes en matière de violence sexuelle ; l’environnement social des victimes ; et l’insécurité et la crainte de représailles. Que faire ? Le problème des violences sexuelles nécessite l’implication de toutes les communautés. Aussi, les campagnes de sensibilisation, les sessions de formations ainsi que des actions concrètes qui pourraient apporter des solutions aux problèmes répertoriés. This study has a dual objective which firstly aims to identify the problems associated with the legal process of victims of sexual violence in the province of Tshopo, and followingly to share recommendations to eliminate the identified problems to ensure that victims’ are dealt with effectively and fairly along the criminal proceedings. To achieve this, the study, using a Grounded Theory methodology, used the files of victims of sexual violence in the courts, the minutes of meetings, discussion groups, the life stories of victims and grey literature as sources. The problems identified are multiple and varied and include: dysfunctional judicial services; lack of evidence from the parties concerned (doctors, police, prison officers, etc.); extreme poverty of the victims; delaying tactics that tend to perpetually postpone hearings in order to slow down the trial or block the action through irregular procedures; out-of-court settlements; the inadequacy and geographical remoteness of the jurisdictions competent in matters of sexual violence; the social environment of the victims; and insecurity and fear of reprisals. What can be done? The problem of sexual violence requires the involvement of the whole community. Given that the problem of sexual violence requires the involvement of the whole community, this research proposes awareness-raising campaigns, training sessions and concrete actions as solutions to the problems identified.

Introduction In 2018, Malaria accounted for 38% of the overall morbidity and 36% of the overall mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This study aimed to identify malaria socioeconomic predictors among children aged 6–59 months in DRC and to describe a socioeconomic profile of the most-at-risk children aged 6–59 months for malaria infection. Materials and methods This study used data from the 2013 DRC Demographic and Health Survey. The sample included 8,547 children aged 6–59 months who were tested for malaria by microscopy. Malaria infection status, the dependent variable, is a dummy variable characterized as a positive or negative test. The independent variables were child’s sex, age, and living arrangement; mother’s education; household’s socioeconomic variables; province of residence; and type of place of residence. Statistical analyses used the chi-square automatic interaction detector (CHAID) model and logistic regression. Results Of the 8,547 children included in the sample, 25% had malaria infection. Four variables—child’s age, mother’s education, province, and wealth index—were statistically associated with the prevalence of malaria infection in bivariate analysis and multivariate analysis (CHAID and logistic regression). The prevalence of malaria infection increases with child’s age and decreases significantly with mother’s education and the household wealth index. These findings suggest that the prevalence of malaria infection is driven by interactions among environmental factors, socioeconomic characteristics, and probably differences in the implementation of malaria programs across the country. The effect of mother’s education on malaria infection was only significant among under-five children living in Ituri, Kasaï-Central, Haut-Uele, Lomami, Nord-Ubangi, and Maniema provinces, and the effect of wealth index was significant in Mai-Ndombe, Tshopo, and Haut-Katanga provinces. Conclusion Findings from this study could be used for targeting malaria interventions in DRC. Although malaria infection is common across the country, the prevalence of children at high risk for malaria infection varies by province and other background characteristics, including age, mother’s education, wealth index, and place of residence. In light of these findings, designing provincial and multisectoral interventions could be an effective strategy to achieve zero malaria infection in DRC.

Etude des effets des relations commerciales qui existent entre la ville de Kisangani et la collectivite rurale de Bamanga, fournisseur de denrées alimentaires pour la ville. . "Une premiere partie traite d'abord des conditions du petit commerce urbain a Kisangani, a savoir l'espace géographique, le marché de consommation, les types de commercants, informations complétées de données socio-démographiques, éthnographiques (tribales). . . Puis les équipements commerciaux offerts par la ville, ou sont énumérés tous les types de localisations ou d'activités commerciales (cafés, centres commerciaux, marchés, ateliers divers. . . ) font l'objet d'une deuxième partie. La 3ème partie traite de la commercialisation des produits selon leur catégorie (produits agricoles, peche, chasse, elevage, boissons, produits energtiques, habillement, objets d'art et d'artisanat). Dans la 4ème partie, l'auteur étudie la production de la collectivité de Bamanga, puis les moyens de transport des marchandises vers la ville. L'auteur conclut en montrant l'intérêt réciproque de ces interrelations : en ville, création d'emplois, source de revenus complémentaires, prolongement des circuits modernes ; en zone rurale, distribution de monnaie, élaboration d'un système de transport approprié, intégration de l'artisanat dans le circuit commercial, mise en oeuvre de nouvelles cultures recherchées par la société urbaine (bananes)

AIM AND OBJECTIVES The main aim of this thesis was to explore the possibilities of promoting the cultivation, utilisation and consumption of indigenous and traditional plant foods (ITPF) among urban and rural communities in the North West Province of South Africa that could possibly lead to increased IK and dietary diversity. The objectives were the following: Assess consumption of TLV in the rural and urban communities. Compare nutritional status of consumers and non-consumers of TLV using data obtained from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE-SA) study. Assess the availability, cultivation and consumption patterns of ITPF. Assess indigenous knowledge (IK) within the rural and urban communities. Assess consumers’ views of ITPF in the rural and urban communities. Assess consumers’ acceptance of, preference for and consumption intent of dishes made from cowpea leaves. To compile recipes for the most important ITPF commonly consumed in the study areas in order to promote the cultivation and consumption of ITPF (see Addendum D). STUDY DESIGN Health profile study: For the health profile study, a comparative study was conducted on the baseline data of the population that participated in the PURE-SA study (1004 urban and 1006 rural participants) which follows the health transition in urban and rural subjects over a 12 year period. The baseline data for the North West Province of South Africa were collected from October to December 2005. Utilisation of ITPF study: The study on the utilisation of ITPF used a sequential explanatory study design which involved the collection of quantitative and qualitative data and analyses. The consumer acceptance study consisted of an explorative and experimental phase. Participants were male and female, aged older than 20, residing in the selected communities and knowledgeable on the indigenous and traditional foods of the area. METHODS A variety of quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used. Data were generated through questionnaires, focus groups and individual - and group interviews. Health profile study: Demographic characteristics and frequency of consumption of TLV data were collected by the researcher from 396 randomly selected subjects from participating subjects in the PURE-SA study. An extensive nutritional profile of these subjects was compiled including blood samples, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements and total dietary intake by means of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Utilisation of ITPF study: A comparative study was conducted in rural and urban populations of the North West Province. Data were collected by the researcher using a questionnaire (n=396 households), key informant interviews (n=4), and four focus groups. Consumer study: Four focus groups were conducted by the researcher, two in rural and two in urban communities, to investigate consumers’ views about ITPF. Eighty-seven participants were recruited based on a specific purpose rather than randomly. Consumers’ acceptance of, preference for and intended consumption of products made with cowpea leaves were assessed. A 5-point hedonic scale and a 7-point food action rating scale were used for sensory evaluation. RESULTS Health profile study: As expected, rural inhabitants were more likely to consume TLV. However, no household reported to consume TLV more than ten times a month. Factors such as price (affordability) and availability and easy-to-get-to points of purchase were found to be major constraints in the consumption of TLV, especially in urban communities. Urban respondents had significantly higher macronutrient intakes than rural subjects. There was no significant difference between the selected micronutrient intakes between consumers and non-consumers of TLV. Non-consumers of TLV had higher blood lipid levels than consumers from both the rural and urban areas. In the urban subjects the relative risk to develop high blood pressure was higher in non-consumers of TLV than in the consumers. However, the risk ratios of raised serum cholesterol and triglycerides were not significantly different. Utilisation of ITPF study: More plant foods were available and consumed in the rural area than the urban area. However, fewer species were available than expected due to insufficient rainfall, poor soil quality, deforestation and over harvesting. Consumption of indigenous foods was influenced by price, culture, seasonality/availability, accessibility and diversity in markets. A lack of markets for indigenous crops, insufficient rainfall and diseases and pests were cited as the major cultivation problems, followed by a lack of capital to buy farming implements, veld fires and poor soil quality. Consumer study: Based on the qualitative focus group discussions, factors that influence the consumption of ITPF were identified. These factors included benefits and barriers of ITPF consumption. Ways to increase ITFP consumption were also identified. Health and nutrition; tradition and culture; and food safety emerged as drivers for ITPF consumption. A lack of knowledge and skills of food preparation and negative images and unfamiliarity of ITPF acted as barriers. Differences in views existed between older and younger consumers. In general younger consumers found ITF rather revolting and undesirable, humiliating to consume. Sensory evaluation of food samples for the pooled data of the total study population showed that significant differences existed between the acceptability of all attributes, overall acceptance and consumption intent. Socio-demographic backgrounds such as place of residence (urban or rural), levels of education and age were shown to influence the acceptability of food samples and consumption intent. There was no positive association between acceptability of food and gender. CONCLUSIONS Health profile study: This study showed the possibility of beneficial effects of rural diets, however, the lack of knowledge concerning the bioavailability of nutrients from TLV and lack of information on food consumption database, of these vegetables constitute main barriers to obtaining information on nutrient intake. The low frequency of consumption of TLV is of concern. Taking into consideration safe agricultural practices, the promotion of TLV might be a solution towards healthier diets and combating poverty. More research is needed to investigate the health effects of these vegetables. Utilisation of ITPF study: It is evident that there was a limited number of ITPF species cultivated and consumed. Consumers, especially older people, were found to possess extensive knowledge regarding the availability of ITPF species, their habitat and uses, seasonality and potential health benefits. There is a need to intensify education on conservation of natural resources and more studies should be undertaken to document and disseminate traditional food systems. In addition, there is a need to integrate existing health and nutrition interventions with traditional food promotion. Consumer study: The results highlighted the importance of making use of a mixed method approach which made it possible not only to identify factors that influence the consumption of ITPF but also to understand the dynamics thereof from focus group discussions and how they influence acceptability, preference and consumption intent. Important benefits (drivers) of and barriers to ITPF consumption as well as suggestions on how to increase ITPF consumption were identified. Barriers to ITPF consumption and low scores of acceptability provided by younger participants can be connected to misconceptions about ITPF and lack of familiarity with the products. Therefore, a combination of strategies aimed at enhancing individual awareness of the health benefits of ITPF, decreasing barriers and conducting more acceptability studies may have a positive impact on the younger segment of the population.
Thesis (Ph.D. (Consumer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012