Welcome to AfricArXiv
This initiative showcases UbuntuNet's commitment to fostering knowledge sharing, collaboration, and accessibility within the African research community. With AfricArxiv, researchers across the continent have a dedicated platform to disseminate their findings, making them accessible to a global audience. By facilitating open access to scholarly work, UbuntuNet Alliance plays a pivotal role in advancing the principles of open science, enhancing research visibility, and driving innovation across Africa.
Communities in DSpace
Select a community to browse its collections.
- The general repository is open for individual submissions by researchers, librarians and research administrators.
- Showcase of project activities, presentations, and scholarly contributions curated by the AfricArXiv initiative.
- A Rapid Grant Fund to address research questions and implement science engagement activities associated with COVID-19
- An initiative to support the development of a harmonised quality assurance and accreditation system at institutional, national, regional and Pan-African continental level.
Recent Submissions
Transforming Maternal and Child Health through Skilled Birth Attendance in Pastoral Ethiopia: Evidence from South Omo Zone
(2025-05-15) Mrs. Roman Tesfaye Abneh
This article presents empirical evidence on the impact of the Hailemariam & Roman Foundation (HRF)’s Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) interventions implemented between 2021 and 2024 in the Hamar and Bena Tsemay districts of South Omo Zone, Ethiopia. The initiative achieved a 53.8% increase in skilled birth attendance in Hamar Woreda (from 34% to 52.3%) and an 8.6% increase in Bena Tsemay (from 86% to 94.6%), surpassing Ethiopia’s national target of 90% (FMoH, 2020). Over 140 health professionals, 20 health managers, and 23 community leaders were trained, while 64 Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) were integrated into the formal referral system —a strategy aligned with WHO recommendations for engaging informal providers to expand maternal health service coverage (WHO, 2015). Additionally, antenatal care (ANC) coverage increased, with over 80% of women attending at least one ANC visit, and 60% completing four or more—a significant improvement from baseline levels. Postnatal care (PNC) within 48 hours rose from under 20% to over 50%, and ambulance referrals quadrupled, enhancing emergency obstetric response. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of combining health system strengthening, community-based engagement, strategic advocacy, and culturally tailored solutions to significantly improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes in underserved and remote regions, offering a compelling case for scaling up context-specific RMNCH strategies across pastoralist settings in sub-Saharan Africa.
ALTERNATIVE SPLICING AND THE AGING BRAIN IN AFRABIA: NEW FRONTIERS IN DEMENTIA RESEARCH
(2025) Suliyat Abiodun Aremu
AfrAbia, encompassing the Sub‑Saharan Africa and the Arab world, is undergoing rapid demographic change. Although still a relatively young region, its population aged ≥60 years is projected to rise from approximately 74 million in 2020 to over 235 million by 2050 (United Nations, 2019). Dementia prevalence is increasing in parallel, yet epidemiological estimates and care infrastructure remain far below global needs. Here, we highlight the urgent need to integrate molecular biology, especially alternative pre‑mRNA splicing, into AfrAbian dementia research. Alternative splicing (AS) generates proteomic diversity in the brain and undergoes characteristic shifts with aging. AS dysregulation has been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and related disorders. However, Africans and Arabs are markedly underrepresented in transcriptomic studies, and virtually no data exist on splicing patterns in AfrAbian brains. We outline key demographic and dementia trends in AfrAbia, summarize current knowledge of AS in aging and neurodegeneration, identify gaps in AfrAbian populations, and propose strategic recommendations: profiling AS in local cohorts to discover region‑specific biomarkers, resilience factors, and therapeutic targets. By framing the splicing landscape in AfrAbia, this perspective calls for regionally focused molecular research to meet the coming challenge of dementia.
Nano-Biosensors in Clinical Neuroscience: Opportunities, Challenges, and 2Translational Milestones
(2025) Suliyat Abiodun Aremu
The intersection of nanotechnology and neuroscience has catalyzed the development of nano-biosensors capable of real-time, high-resolution monitoring of brain activity. These nanoscale devices, utilizing materials such as graphene, nanowires, and flexible polymers, offer unprecedented potential for diagnosing and managing neurological disorders by enabling continuous neural recording with minimal invasiveness. This Perspective explores the clinical applications of nano-biosensors, including their use in epilepsy monitoring, Parkinson’s disease management, and brain-computer interfaces. We critically evaluate the opportunities nano-biosensors present for personalized medicine, closed-loop therapies, and minimally invasive diagnostics, alongside the significant challenges related to biocompatibility, device stability, data management, and ethical concerns. Finally, we highlight future directions for interdisciplinary collaboration and regulatory strategies necessary to safely and effectively translate nano-biosensors into clinical practice. While hurdles remain, nano-biosensors may herald a paradigm shift in the way we monitor, understand, and treat brain disorders.
Neuro-Metabolic Disparity Model (NMDM): A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Cognitive Decline in Underrepresented Populations
(2025) Suliyat Abiodun Aremu
Global disparities in brain and mental health are not solely a consequence of genetic or neurobiological factors. Instead, they reflect the cumulative effects of metabolic dysfunction, chronic psychosocial stress, environmental exposures, and systemic inequities that disproportionately affect underrepresented populations. This theoretical paper introduces the Neuro-Metabolic Disparity Model (NMDM), an integrative framework that situates cognitive decline at the intersection of biological and social adversity. Drawing from syndemic theory, population neuroscience, and the exposome framework, the NMDM emphasizes the synergistic effects of metabolic disorders and structural disadvantage on brain aging. The model outlines four core components, embodied biological factors, embedded social determinants, neurocognitive vulnerability pathways, and population-level context—and proposes neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and blood-brain barrier disruption as key mediators. Cultural resilience and social support are considered potential buffers. This framework provides a foundation for more inclusive and equity-focused neuroscience research, with implications for global brain health policy and practice.
Cervical Cancer Care Seeking Journey: A Qualitative Study of Care-seeking Experiences Among Zambian Women Living With and Without HIV
(2025-05-06) Misinzo Moono; Anjali Sharma; Albert Manasyan; Julia Bohlius; Katayoun Taghavi; Chanda Mwamba; Ntenje Katota; Kabwe Mwamba; Mwati Chipungu; Esther Hamweemba; Mulindi Mwanahamuntu
Background
Zambia has the third highest cervical cancer incidence rate globally, which remains the leading cause of cancer related death among women. We explored the experiences of Zambian women who accessed cervical cancer services to understand care seeking behavior and factors influencing access to care in urban, peri-urban and rural settlements in Zambia.
Materials and Methods
We conducted eight focus group discussions with women living with and without Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) who had been screened for cervical cancer, and eighteen in-depth interviews with healthcare workers providing antiretroviral treatment (ART) or cervical cancer screening and treatment services at government health facilities in 2020. We coded and analyzed transcripts using thematic analysis.
Results
The majority of women were knowledgeable about cervical cancer and sought care promptly upon recognizing the need for screening, except for a few women who delayed seeking care until they overcame their fear through encouragement from their social networks. Despite a few reported challenges such as distance to the facility, transport costs, and waiting time, screening experiences were largely positive as women were received well and guided through the screening process by healthcare workers. However, for women who needed histopathology services, laboratory inefficiencies and financial constraints particularly in the rural areas delayed diagnosis and prevented timely access to treatment.
Conclusion
To improve uptake and access to cervical pre-cancer services, interventions should intensify cervical cancer sensitization, capitalize on the positive influence of social networks and healthcare workers, address health system inefficiencies, and allocate resources to counter structural barriers.