The number of Master of Public Health (MPH) programmes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is increasing, but questions have been raised regarding the relevance of their outcomes and impacts on context. Although processes for validating public health competencies have taken place in recent years in many high-income countries, validation in LMICs is needed. Furthermore, impact variables of MPH programmes in the workplace and in society have not been developed.

The human resources for health crisis has highlighted the need for high-level public health education to add specific capacities to the workforce. Recently, it was questioned whether Master of Public Health (MPH) training prepared graduates with competencies relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to examine the influence of the MPH programs geared towards LMICs offered in Vietnam, China, South Africa, Mexico, Sudan, and the Netherlands on graduates’ careers, application of acquired competencies, performance at the workplace, and their professional contribution to society.

The expression of lactase which digests lactose from milk in humans is generally lost after weaning, but selected mutations influencing the promoter of the lactase gene have spread into the human populations. This is considered a classical example of gene-culture co-evolution, and several studies suggested that the lactase gene has been under strong directional evolutionary selective pressure in the past 5000 to 10,000 years. In the present study we investigated the distribution of three gene variants leading to lactase persistence in 12 different East African populations as well as one European population. Our results show that with the exception of Copts and Nilotic populations who are fully lactose non-persistent, the majority of populations of East Africa show at least partly lactose persistence, with both ethnic and socio-economic aspects playing an important role in the distribution of genetic variants. In this study, the variants C/G-13907 and T/G-13915, which are the major variants among the nomadic Arabs in the Arabia and Beja of East Africa, showed remarkable frequencies in Sudanese populations, especially those of pastoralists, in line with the historical links and bidirectional migration of nomadic populations between Arabia and East Africa. The C/T-13910 variant, generally associated with European populations is uniquely present among the Fulani. These data indicate that a combination of socio-economic, ethnic and evolutionary factors converged to shape the genetic structure of lactase persistence in East African populations.

Background: Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) is a significant complication of long-term diabetes in Sudan. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy among Sudanese individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are taking oral antidiabetic medication. Methods: This cross-sectional, facility-based study recruited 196 individuals with type 2 diabetes at the Jabir Abu Eliz Diabetes Health Center in Khartoum State. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, which patients filled out after providing informed consent. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Logistic regression was performed to predict factors associated with diabetic retinopathy. Results: The mean age of the patients was 50.1 ± 10.7 years. The prevalence of NPDR was 78 (39.8%). Bivariate analysis revealed that age, education level, and residence (Pvalue < 0.05) were significantly associated with diabetic retinopathy. Additional factors that were significantly associated with diabetic retinopathy included the duration of diabetes, the presence of other comorbidities, HbA1c, and fasting blood glucose in 68 (87.2%) individuals (P-value < 0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed a prevalence of 39.8% for NPDR in this cohort. A longer duration of diabetes and poor control are the primary risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in Sudan. Further research is necessary to determine whether intensifying therapy or administering insulin may reduce the prevalence of retinopathy.

Introduction: Onchocerciasis is one of the most devastating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and it is mostly prevalent in Africa. The disease has important heavy social and economic burdens on the infected populations including low productivity, unemployment, social isolation, and stigma. Methodology/Principal Findings: The socio-economic impacts of the Onchocerciasis elimination in Abu-Hamed, River Nile State, Sudan; were investigated using a well-established questionnaire, 512 participants in ten affected communities were interviewed. Our findings revealed that these communities are recovering from the social and economic burden of the diseases, with 90% of the research participants reported general satisfaction about the elimination of the disease in their community, and about 48.3% of them attended secondary school or university. Only 0.6% reported unemployment, and 25.3% and 24.7% of the participants were workers and farmers respectively. Except about the vector biting and nuisance, the majority of the respondents (90%) had no complain after the elimination of the disease in the area. Also, 90.5% of the participants reported either stable or increase in their work performance during the last twelve months. About 93.8% of the respondents were engaged in normal daily activities and involved in happy events like marriage and giving birth during the last twelve months. Conclusions/Significance: Overall, we conclude that the elimination of Onchocerciasis in Abu-Hamed has several positive impacts on the economy and social life of Abu-Hamed local communities, but this could be maximized by controlling the vector, which is still having a negative impact on the populations. Establishing local developmental projects will help these communities greatly to recover and become more productive. Author Summary: Onchocerciasis, also known as the river blindness, is a disease that caused by a parasitic worm which could infest people eyes or skin causing a blindness or sub-dermal disease. This worm is transmitted to human by the bite of an insect, the black fly. Although the disease is not fatal in most of the patient but it presents a significant economic and social burden on the infected people, their families and communities. This burden is a result of the social stigma associated with the skin form of the disease, and the lack of vision in case of blindness (ocular manifestation). Onchocerciasis was a public health problem in the study site, Abu-Hamed. In 2015, the disease was officially has been declared eliminated from the area. We investigated the socio-economic impacts of this success on the local communities. We have interviewed randomly selected 512 participants to understand their perspective and highlighting their experience regarding the disease elimination. Our research aimed to fill the gap of knowledge between the public health and social science by highlighting the social and economic benefits of health interventions and diseases elimination/eradication. Furthermore, to urge intervention programs to empower the local communities in the planning and implementation of health interventions for a better success.