Emmie Mbale
A5068507060- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Global Maternal and Child Health
- Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Infant Development and Preterm Care
- Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare
- Malaria Research and Control
- Iron Metabolism and Disorders
- Early Childhood Education and Development
- Child and Adolescent Health
- Neonatal Respiratory Health Research
- Family and Disability Support Research
- Clinical Nutrition and Gastroenterology
- Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
- Infant Health and Development
- Quality and Safety in Healthcare
- Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Global Health and Surgery
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Child and Animal Learning Development
- HIV-related health complications and treatments
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
2021-2025
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital
2013-2025
University of Malawi
2015-2024
Kamuzu Central Hospital
2022-2024
Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme
2015-2024
Ministry of Health
2024
University of Liverpool
2015-2024
Center for Assessment
2024
University of Health Science
2021-2024
The Childhood Acute Illness and Nutrition Network
2021-2024
BackgroundMortality among children with acute illness in low-income and middle-income settings remains unacceptably high the importance of post-discharge mortality is increasingly recognised. We aimed to explore epidemiology deaths young across sub-Saharan Africa south Asia inform development interventions improved guidelines.MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, we enrolled aged 2–23 months illness, stratified by nutritional status defined anthropometry (ie, no wasting, moderate or...
Brain infections pose substantial challenges in diagnosis and management carry high mortality morbidity, especially low-income middle-income countries. We aimed to improve the early of patients admitted hospital (adults aged 16 years older children >28 days) with suspected acute brain at 13 hospitals Brazil, India, Malawi. With stakeholders, policy makers, patient public representatives, we co-designed a multifaceted clinical laboratory intervention, informed by an evaluation routine...
ABSTRACT Cerebral malaria (CM) is a major contributor to deaths, but its pathophysiology not well understood. While sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes thought be critical, the roles inflammation and coagulation are controversial. In large series Malawian children hospitalized with CM, HIV coinfection was more prevalent than in pediatric population estimates (15% versus 2%, P < 0.0001, chi-square test), higher mortality that seen HIV-uninfected (23% 17%, = 0.0178, test)....
<ns4:p>The term ‘executive functions’ (EFs) refers to a set of skills that support flexible control over thought and action. Classic EFs (working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility) do not show measurable stable function until after the third year life continue develop into early adulthood. However, even at earliest ages, these are shown have value for predicting school readiness academic achievement. They predictive success, mental health, general well-being across lifespan...
Abstract Background Each year an estimated 2.3 million newborns die in the first 28 days of life. Most these deaths are preventable, and high-quality neonatal care is fundamental for surviving thriving. Service readiness used to assess capacity hospitals provide care, but current health facility assessment (HFA) tools do not fully evaluate inpatient small sick newborn (SSNC). Methods Health systems ingredients SSNC were identified from international guidelines, notably World Organization...
Determining the likelihood of causation by a pathogen in brain infections such asencephalitis and meningitis is challenging. While case definitions published forencephalitis for UK-based study 2010 have been used widely, there havebeen advances diagnostic methods clinical understanding since then, theywere not designed use globally nor patients with or abscess. Wepresent an update to these definitions, based on systematic review theliterature each pathogen, extend them include pathogens...
BackgroundGrowth faltering is well-recognized during acute childhood illness and growth acceleration convalescence, with or without nutritional therapy, may occur. However, there are limited recent data on after hospitalization in low- middle-income countries.MethodsWe evaluated following among children aged 2–23 months sub-Saharan Africa South Asia. Between November 2016 January 2019, were recruited at hospital admission classified as: not-wasted (NW), moderately-wasted (MW),...
Infant cognitive development is related to how predictable a caregiver is, but themechanism driving this relationship unclear. Here, we show that natural variation in caregiverpredictability during caregiver-infant interactions shapes infants’ burgeoning attention. Caregiver-infant dyads (N=222, 2-6-months-old) South Africa and Malawi engaged naturalistic playbefore hand-annotated their measure predictability infantattention. Variation the of behavior shaped temporal dynamics ofinfant...
Abstract In sub-Saharan Africa, children with severe malnutrition (SM) and HIV have substantially worse outcomes than SM alone, facing higher mortality risk impaired nutritional recovery post-hospitalisation. Biological mechanisms underpinning this remain incompletely understood. This case-control study nested within the CHAIN cohort in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Burkina Faso examined effect of on six months post-discharge growth among those at malnutrition, assessed proteomic signatures...
Abstract Background As countries strive to achieve sustainable development goal 3.2, high-quality medical education is crucial for neonatal care. Women are encouraged deliver in health units attended by a skilled team. Traditionally, the team doctors and nurses, but they members of large group interdependent experts from other disciplines. Each discipline trains separately, yet good care common all. The use interprofessional breaks down these professional silos improving collaborative...
Progress has been made in tackling malaria however there are still over 207 million cases worldwide, the majority children. As survival rates improve, numbers of children with long-term neurodisabling sequelae likely to increase. Most outcome studies cerebral (CM) have focused only on body function and structure less outcomes within broader framework International Classification Functioning Disability (ICF). The aim this study was utilise qualitative methods identify relevant clinical CM...
A proportion of children with sickle-cell disease (SCD) demonstrate clinical findings consistent the diagnosis asthma. These are at increased risk complications, including acute chest syndrome.To assess lung function and symptoms asthma in SCD Blantyre, Malawi.Twenty-five aged 7-16 years electrophoretically confirmed were recruited to undergo spirometry questionnaire screening symptoms. Forced expiratory volume 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) FEV1/FVC ratio compared local...
Abstract This study aimed at determining the intra- and inter-rater reliability in ultrasound body composition measurements investigating differences between malnourished non-malnourished infants. Sonographic images for of fat muscle thickness were compared 9 hospitalized The mean sums 12.44 ± 7.58 mm 28.98 7.18 mm, respectively. intraclass correlation coefficient above 0.9 both measurements, indicating high reliability. Compared to infants, infants have 45% sum 71% sum. Ultrasound different...
Children in low and middle-income countries remain vulnerable following hospital-discharge. We estimated the incidence correlates of hospital readmission among young children admitted to nine hospitals sub-Saharan Africa South Asia.
Introduction Early childhood development forms the foundations for functioning later in life. Thus, accurate monitoring of developmental trajectories is critical. However, such often relies on time-intensive assessments which necessitate administration by skilled professionals. This difficulty exacerbated low-resource settings where professionals are predominantly concentrated urban and private clinics, making them inaccessible to many. geographic economic inaccessibility contributes a...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Acute illness with malnutrition is a common indication for hospitalization among children in low- and middle-income countries. We investigated the association between wasting recovery trajectories neurodevelopmental outcomes young 6 months after an acute illness. METHODS Children aged 2 to 23 were enrolled prospective observational cohort of Childhood Illness & Nutrition Network, Uganda, Malawi, Pakistan January 2017 2019. grouped on basis their using change...
Abstract Background Medical devices are critical to providing high-quality, hospital-based newborn care, yet many of these unavailable in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) not designed be suitable for settings. Target Product Profiles (TPPs) often utilised at an early stage the medical device development process enable user-defined performance characteristics a given setting. TPPs can also applied assess profile match existing context. Methods We developed initial 15 product categories...
In low- and middle-income countries, nutrition support strategies are often suboptimal or non-existent in hospital settings. This is further compounded by high rates of malnutrition these countries. The first four dietitians graduated Malawi 2017 providing a new opportunity to build capacity introduce an acute care setting. A paediatric program was implemented at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) Blantyre, including the hiring local dietitian. building paper explains development...
Although access to effective medical care for acutely sick children has improved globally, the number of surviving but who may not be thriving due disability, is increasing. This study aimed understand views health professionals, educators and caregivers pre-school with disabilities in Malawi, Pakistan Uganda regarding early identification, referral support. Using applied thematic analysis, we identified themes relating to; limited 'demand' by services; different local beliefs community...
Introduction Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) have successfully promoted recovery from severe wasting and increased treatment coverage. However, RUTFs do not sufficiently improve linear growth, leaving many survivors of at risk persistent stunting, which is associated with high mortality risk, poor child development non-communicable diseases in adulthood. High protein quantity quality can stimulate growth. Aim The trial aims to assess whether higher-protein-RUTF leads higher...
Children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) who require nutritional rehabilitation unit (NRU) treatment often have poor developmental and outcomes following discharge. The Kusamala Program is a 4-d hospital-based counseling program for caregivers of children SAM that integrates nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene psychosocial stimulation, aimed at improving these outcomes.