Search results for: Hermen Cléusia Dabo

Authors: Hermen Cléusia Dabo

Abstract:

Traffic congestion remains a persistent challenge in urban centers worldwide, leading to economic inefficiencies, increased pollution, and diminished quality of life. While congestion pricing has proven effective in high-income countries, its implementation and outcomes in low- and middle-income cities (LMICs) are not as well understood. These cities often face unique challenges, including inadequate public transportation systems, informal transport networks, and socioeconomic inequalities that complicate the adoption of congestion pricing policies. This study evaluates the effectiveness of congestion pricing in LMICs, with a particular focus on Maputo, Mozambique, and its impacts on traffic patterns, environmental sustainability, and equity. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analyses of traffic flow and emissions with qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews and policy reviews. Maputo serves as the primary case study, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of urban growth, informal transport dependency, and the socioeconomic dynamics prevalent in LMICs. Supporting data from other cities, such as Lagos and Bogotá, provides a comparative framework to contextualize findings. Key variables analyzed include reductions in vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT), changes in air quality indices, revenue generation, and the redistribution of funds to improve public transit infrastructure. The study also examines behavioral responses to congestion pricing, including shifts to alternative modes of transport and changes in travel patterns. Findings indicate that congestion pricing can significantly reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in Maputo when designed with attention to local conditions. However, challenges such as public resistance, limited administrative capacity, and the need for robust enforcement mechanisms are critical barriers to successful implementation. The research underscores the importance of equitable policy design, particularly in a city like Maputo, where significant income disparities and reliance on informal transport systems complicate mobility solutions. Programs that include exemptions, tiered pricing, or revenue reinvestment in affordable public transit are more likely to gain public acceptance and achieve long-term benefits. Moreover, the study highlights the necessity of integrating congestion pricing within a broader urban mobility framework. Complementary policies, such as investments in non-motorized transport infrastructure, modernization of public transit systems, and public education campaigns, enhance the overall efficacy of congestion pricing initiatives. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable urban mobility in LMICs by providing actionable insights for policymakers and urban planners in Maputo. It emphasizes that while congestion pricing is a powerful tool for managing urban traffic, its success in Maputo depends on context-sensitive implementation, inclusive policymaking, and sustained public engagement.

Keywords: congestion pricing, urban mobility, transport equity, Low and middle income countries

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Authors: S. H. Arnaud Kanga, O. Hili, S. Dabo-Niang

Abstract:

Spatial prediction is an issue appealing and attracting several fields such as agriculture, environmental sciences, ecology, econometrics, and many others. Although multiple non-parametric prediction methods exist for spatial data, those are based on the conditional expectation. This paper took a different approach by examining a non-parametric spatial predictor of the conditional quantile. The study especially observes the stationary multidimensional spatial process over a rectangular domain. Indeed, the proposed quantile is obtained by inverting the conditional distribution function. Furthermore, the proposed estimator of the conditional distribution function depends on three kernels, where one of them controls the distance between spatial locations, while the other two control the distance between observations. In addition, the almost complete convergence and the convergence in mean order q of the kernel predictor are obtained when the sample considered is alpha-mixing. Such approach of the prediction method gives the advantage of accuracy as it overcomes sensitivity to extreme and outliers values.

Keywords: conditional quantile, kernel, nonparametric, stationary

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Authors: F. Sarkinfada, Dabo N. Tukur, Abbas A. Muaz, Adamu A. Yahuza

Abstract:

Appropriate Quality Assurance (QA) of parasite-based diagnosis of malaria to justify Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) is essential for Malaria Programmes. In Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC), resource constrain appears to be a major challenge in implementing the conventional QA system. We designed and implemented a modified LQAS model for QA of malaria parasite (MP) microscopy and RDT in a State Specialist Hospital (SSH) and a University Health Clinic (UHC) in Kano, Nigeria. The capacities of both facilities for MP microscopy and RDT were assessed before implementing a modified LQAS over a period of 3 months. Quality indicators comprising the qualities of blood film and staining, MP positivity rates, concordance rates, error rates (in terms of false positives and false negatives), sensitivity and specificity were monitored and evaluated. Seventy one percent (71%) of the basic requirements for malaria microscopy was available in both facilities, with the absence of certifies microscopists, SOPs and Quality Assurance mechanisms. A daily average of 16 to 32 blood samples were tested with a blood film staining quality of >70% recorded in both facilities. Using microscopy, the MP positivity rates were 50.46% and 19.44% in SSH and UHS respectively, while the MP positivity rates were 45.83% and 22.78% in SSH and UHS when RDT was used. Higher concordance rates of 88.90% and 93.98% were recorded in SSH and UHC respectively using microscopy, while lower rates of 74.07% and 80.58% in SSH and UHC were recorded when RDT was used. In both facilities, error rates were higher when RDT was used than with microscopy. Sensitivity and specificity were higher when microscopy was used (95% and 84% in SSH; 94% in UHC) than when RDT was used (72% and 76% in SSH; 78% and 81% in UHC). It could be feasible to implement an integrated QA model for MP microscopy and RDT using modified LQAS in Malaria Control Programmes in Low and Middle Income Countries that might have resource constrain for parasite-base diagnosis of malaria to justify ACT treatment.

Keywords: malaria, microscopy, quality assurance, RDT

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