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☐ ☆ ✇ BMJ Open

Effectiveness of poliovirus environmental surveillance in Ghana: an indicator-based performance evaluation across seven regions, 2018-2022

Por: Obodai · E. · Asante Ntim · N. A. · Duker · E. O. · Gberbi · E. · Antwi · C. N. · Mensah · J. Y. · Odame · D. · Boakye · J. D. · Bimpong · S. A. · Agbotse · G. D. · Odoom · N. · Adams · P. L. · Acquah · N. K. · Dickson · A. E. · Odoom · C. · Achempem · K. K. · Baffoe-Nyarko · I. · Egbi — Enero 16th 2026 at 18:44
Objective

To evaluate the performance of Ghana’s environmental surveillance (ES) system for poliovirus (PV) detection from 2018 to 2022 using standardised indicators developed by the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Design

A retrospective performance evaluation using 10 key indicators benchmarked against global targets for PV surveillance.

Setting

Seven regions across Ghana, participating in the national ES programme implemented under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Surveillance coverage

Wastewater sampling was conducted at designated ES sites, supported by field collection teams and laboratory personnel responsible for sample acquisition, processing and reporting of PV detection results.

Outcome measures

Detection rates of PV and non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs), timeliness of sample collection and reporting, data quality and system stability.

Results

A total of 738 wastewater samples were collected. The system demonstrated high sensitivity, detecting circulating vaccine-derived PV type 2 in 51 (6.9%) of samples, Sabin PV types 1 and 3 in 61 (9.5%) and 114 (17.8%), respectively, and NPEVs in 491 (66.5%) of samples. Over 80% of samples met the recommended 21-day collection-to-reporting time frame. Data quality exceeded the ≥80% threshold, and workflows remained stable throughout the evaluation period.

Conclusions

Ghana’s ES system for PV was found to be flexible, stable and effective in generating high-quality data for early detection and public health response. These findings underscore the system’s critical role in supporting polio eradication efforts and highlight its potential as a model for surveillance in similar settings.

☐ ☆ ✇ BMJ Open

Occupational health outcomes of work in the gig economy: a systematic review protocol

Por: Agyemang · C. B. · Darkwah · E. · Acquah-Coleman · R. · Hansen-Garshong · R. · Nkansah · E. A. · Hagan · S. · Parimah · F. — Septiembre 22nd 2025 at 03:00
Introduction

The gig economy is a promising arena to reduce unemployment and provide other benefits such as the opportunity to earn supplemental income. Like all other forms of work, the gig space also presents occupational health issues for those working in it. This proposed review is aimed at identifying and describing the common occupational health outcomes reported within this workforce; second, to examine the risk factors that contribute to the development of these health issues; and third, to assess the interventions and support systems currently in place to promote the occupational health of gig workers.

Methods

A systematic review will be undertaken according to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement (2009). A search from 2015 to 2025 will be conducted on four global databases (Web of Science, SCOPUS, Academic Source Complete and Business Source Complete). Only records in English, full text and peer-reviewed journal articles will be included. Book chapters, thesis, reports and systematic reviews will be excluded. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools will be used to assess the methodological rigour of various studies prior to inclusion for the final analysis. The extracted data will be synthesised using a narrative synthesis approach, integrating findings from both quantitative and qualitative studies.

Ethics and dissemination

This research is exempt from ethics approval because the work will be carried out on published documents. We will disseminate this protocol in a related peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD420250654059.

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