Cape Peninsula University of Technology, a university in Cape Town, South Africa, is the only university of technology in the Western Cape province, and is also the largest university in the province, with over 32,000 students. It was formed by merging the Cape Technikon and Peninsula Technikon as well as a few other independent colleges.
Urban soils in Africa are increasingly contaminated by toxic heavy metals due to rapid urban expansion, industrialisation, traffic emissions, and inadequate waste management. Toxic heavy metals such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) are of major concern because of their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and ecological risks for the environment and humans. This systematic review synthesises evidence from 38 peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2024 on the concentrations and sources of toxic heavy metals in urban soils of Africa. The results demonstrated an uneven research distribution on toxic heavy metals across different countries of Africa, with Nigeria and Ghana most represented, while large regions, including countries such as Egypt and Ethiopia, remain poorly studied. Industrial activities (27%) and traffic emissions (26%) accounted for more than 50% of the reported contamination sources, followed by domestic waste disposal (18%) and agricultural inputs (10%). Weighted mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cr in many countries exceeded FAO permissible limits, indicating a significant threat to humans and the environment. Microwave digestion was the most commonly used extraction method, while X-ray fluorescence has gained increasing application. The findings demonstrate widespread contamination from rapid urbanisation and industrialisation but highlight limited research done on toxic heavy metals in urban areas of most African countries. Future research should focus on quantifying the metal concentration in African countries, where limited work has been done; the bioavailable fractions of toxic heavy metals and possible remediation strategies to improve soil quality in urban areas.
As GenAI technologies become more pervasive in higher education (HE), scholars call for guidance on AI governance. To meet this need, a Delphi technique and collective writing was used in gathering expert perspectives from across 22 countries/locations and six continents. This resulted in the development of a HE GenAI policy/guidelines framework with eight core areas: (1) academic integrity, (2) ethical use and responsible use, (3) privacy and protection, (4) equitable access, (5) GenAI literacy, (6) integration strategy, (7) human oversight and accountability, and (8) institutional support and infrastructure. In addition, a six-part framework was developed to ensure that policies remain current and relevant: (1) creating a dedicated GenAI Committee, (2) conducting regularly scheduled policy reviews, (3) providing ongoing professional development and support, (4) communicating with all stakeholders, (5) evaluating the effectiveness and impact of GenAI, and 6) monitoring external developments. By providing a robust, eight-part framework for policy and guidelines, alongside a six-part mechanism for continued review, this study offers faculty, students, administrators, educational leaders, policymakers, and funders a responsible, adaptable, and consensus-driven blueprint for navigating the integration of GenAI in HE, ensuring that technological innovation serves pedagogical excellence.
Background: The end of the COVID-19 public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in May 2023 marked a transition from disruption to recovery and rebuilding of health systems. The WHO African Region entered this period with declining routine immunization coverage, widening inequities, and fragile surveillance systems. We conducted a critical narrative synthesis of post-PHEIC recovery and the transformation of immunization systems in the region from 2023 to 2025. Methods: We thematically analyzed publicly available data from the WHO and other sources using a systems-oriented framework covering immunization coverage, equity, vaccine introductions, disease control, governance, financing, and data systems. Results: Regional coverage for most antigens was restored to 2019 pre-pandemic levels by 2024, e.g., three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-containing vaccines at 76%. However, progress remains insufficient to meet the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) target of 90% coverage. In addition, there were 6.7 million zero-dose children in the 2024 birth cohort (6.3% higher than the 6.3 million in 2019), concentrated in a few countries. The IA2030 target is a 50% reduction in the number of zero-dose children by 2030, compared to 2019. Recovery initiatives have restored services, while accelerated introductions (e.g., malaria vaccines introduced in 20 new countries in 2024–2025) signal renewed system momentum. Yet, progress has plateaued at pre-pandemic levels, reflecting structural constraints rather than sustained transformation. Concurrently, recurrent outbreaks of measles, yellow fever, and other vaccine-preventable diseases highlight persistent immunity gaps and surveillance limitations. Structural constraints (including financing fragility, subnational inequities, and system fragmentation) continue to limit sustained progress. Conclusion: This study offers important insights that can inform immunization policymaking in the WHO African Region and beyond. Current post-PHEIC trends reflect recovery without transformation. Achieving IA2030 targets will require a shift from broad coverage expansion to precision delivery approaches that prioritize zero-dose and underserved populations. Immunization must be positioned as a central pillar of primary health care and health security systems.
IntroductionThe ever-increasing global malnutrition, environmental degradation, and food insecurity challenges have intensified interest in sustainable food systems and underutilized crops. Fermentation improves the nutritional quality, digestibility, shelf life, and sensory attributes of plant-based foods. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) and soybean (Glycine max) are promising for functional food development due to their complementary nutrient profiles. Finger millet is rich in minerals, fibre, and polyphenols, while soybean provides high-quality protein and bioactive compounds. Their synergistic amino acid profiles and the benefits of fermentation—such as improved micronutrient bioavailability and reduced antinutritional factors—make them suitable for developing innovative fermented foods. Therefore, this review evaluates the nutritional value, fermentation potential, and health-promoting properties of finger millet and soybean for sustainable nutrition and food security.MethodsA narrative review following PRISMA principles was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. Literature from 2000–2025 on finger millet, soybean, fermentation, and functional foods was searched, yielding 116 records. After screening, 59 peer-reviewed studies were included. Two reviewers independently extracted and analysed data through thematic synthesis on nutritional composition, fermentation methods, microbial ecology, functional properties, and health benefits.ResultsThe literature shows that fermentation significantly enhances the nutritional and functional value of both crops. Fermentation reduces antinutritional factors such as phytates and tannins, improves protein digestibility, and increases mineral bioavailability. Lactic and acetic acid fermentation also enhance flavour, texture, and shelf stability. However, the review identified a major research gap: few documented fermented foods combine finger millet and soybean despite their complementary nutritional profiles.DiscussionFinger millet and soybean present strong potential for developing next generation fermented functional foods that address malnutrition, lactose intolerance, and dietary protein deficiencies. Nevertheless, several challenges remain, including fermentation standardization, sensory acceptance, limited infrastructure, and insufficient characterization of microbial communities and bioactive metabolites. Advancing multi-omics research, improving fermentation technologies, and promoting supportive policies and value chains will be critical for translating these crops into scalable, sustainable food innovations.
Background Inappropriate antibiotic use in the community is a primary driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where ambulatory care, including primary healthcare (PHC) facilities, is the main point of contact. While stewardship efforts in South Africa have focused largely on prescribers and hospitals, the behavioral drivers of community antimicrobial use, specifically the 'demand side', remain poorly understood. This study aimed to address this gap by applying the newly developed Community Antimicrobial Use Scale (CAMUS) to quantify the prevalence of misuse and identify potential independent sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with inappropriate antibiotic use among ambulatory care patients in South Africa.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,283 adult patients attending 25 ambulatory care public-sector facilities in two provinces. Data was collected using the Community Antimicrobial Use Scale (CAMUS) and the Health Literacy Test for Limited Literacy Populations (HELT-LL). We quantified patterns of knowledge, social norms, expectations, and non-prescribed use. Multivariable logistic regression models examined determinants of misuse and antibiotic demand.Results General awareness of antibiotics existed, but major misconceptions persisted regarding their role in viral infections. Notably, 76.5% of participants attending public-sector facilities believed antibiotics can treat colds and influenza. Non-prescribed use was reported by nearly a quarter of participants, with community pharmacies identified as the primary source (81.7%). While factual knowledge gaps were present, multivariable models revealed that social norms favoring non-prescribed use and inadequate health literacy were the strongest predictors of misuse. Patients with inadequate health literacy were significantly more likely to try and obtain antibiotics without a prescription compared to those with adequate literacy (aOR=13.86; 95% CI: 2.60-73.93).Conclusion In this large sample of ambulatory care public-sector patients, inappropriate antibiotic use appeared to be linked with permissive social norms and health literacy gaps rather than knowledge deficits alone. Interventions that focus solely on correcting factual misconceptions may be insufficient to address inappropriate antibiotic use. Future stewardship strategies must explicitly target social norms, family influences, and pharmacy behavior, alongside strengthening patient-prescriber-pharmacy communication.
