Nutritional and socio-economic determinants of cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren in rural Malaysia

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among Aboriginal schoolchildren aged 7-12 years living in remote areas in Pos Betau, Pahang, Malaysia to investigate the potential determinants influencing the cognitive function and educational achievement of these children. Cognitive function was measured by intelligence quotient (IQ), while examination scores of selected school subjects were used in assessing educational achievement. Blood samples were collected to assess serum Fe status. All children were screened for soil-transmitted helminthes. Demographic and socio-economic data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires. Almost two-thirds (67·6?%) of the subjects had poor IQ and most of them (72·6?%) had insufficient educational achievement. Output of the stepwise multiple regression model showed that poor IQ was significantly associated with low household income which contributed the most to the regression variance (r2 0·059; P?=?0·020). Low maternal education was also identified as a significant predictor of low IQ scores (r2 0·042; P?=?0·043). With educational achievement, Fe-deficiency anaemia (IDA) was the only variable to show significant association (r2 0·025; P?=?0·015). In conclusion, the cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren are poor and influenced by household income, maternal education and IDA. Thus, effective and integrated measures to improve the nutritional and socio-economic status of rural children would have a pronounced positive effect on their education.     

Influenza surveillance in Middle East,North, East and South Africa: Report of the 8th MENA Influenza Stakeholders Network

The Middle‐East and Africa Influenza Surveillance Network (MENA‐ISN), established in 2014, includes 15 countries at present. Country representatives presented their influenza surveillance programmes, vaccine coverage and influenza control actions achieved, and provided a list of country surveillance/control objectives for the upcoming 3 years. This report details the current situation of influenza surveillance and action plans to move forward in MENA‐ISN countries. Data were presented at the 8th MENA‐ISN meeting, organized by the Mérieux Foundation that was held on 10‐11 April 2018 in Cairo, Egypt. The meeting included MENA‐ISN representatives from 12 countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates) and experts from the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology, and the World Health Organization. Meeting participants concluded that influenza remains a significant threat especially in high‐risk groups (children under‐5, elderly, pregnant women and immunosuppressed individuals) in the MENA‐ISN region. Additional funding and planning are required by member countries to contain this threat. Future meetings will need to focus on creative and innovative ways to inform policy and initiatives for vaccination, surveillance and management of influenza‐related morbidity and mortality especially among the most vulnerable groups of the population.