Callum McEwan, Donya Eghrari, Angeline S Ferdinand
{"title":"Publisher Correction: High acceptability of a national platform for public health genomic data sharing and surveillance in Australia: a mixed methods study.","authors":"Callum McEwan, Donya Eghrari, Angeline S Ferdinand","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00281-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00281-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13185346/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147978343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Publisher Correction: Venereology and the transformation of sexually transmitted infection services in Beirut, with lessons for the Eastern Mediterranean.","authors":"Moubadda Assi, Ismael Maatouk","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00282-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00282-x","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13182028/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147978362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bridging the gap: the Pasteur Network's approach to equitable vaccine development and manufacturing.","authors":"","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00272-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00272-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Equitable access to vaccines remains a cornerstone of global health security, yet persistent gaps in regional manufacturing capacity continue to undermine timely and fair distribution. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the risks of highly concentrated production systems and underscored the need for locally anchored manufacturing models capable of responding rapidly to public health emergencies. The Pasteur Network (PN)-a global consortium of 32 public health and research institutes across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas-offers an operational example of decentralized vaccine manufacturing embedded in national public health systems linking regional manufacturing capacity with public health priorities. Here, we examine the contributions and challenges of members within the PN engaged in vaccine manufacturing. Twelve members currently produce more than 525 million doses annually, covering a broad range of human and veterinary vaccines. Embedded within national health systems, the PN members combine research, development, and partial or end-to-end manufacturing capacities, ensuring close alignment with national public health priorities. Several members within the PN also contribute to global initiatives, including the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) manufacturing network, reinforcing their role in global preparedness efforts. Despite these strengths, common barriers persist across the PN, including workforce retention challenges, limited sustainable core funding, supply chain vulnerabilities, fragmented regulatory pathways, and insufficient coordination. We argue that the PN illustrates a scalable, public-health-embedded manufacturing model that complements existing industrial and technology-transfer approaches and should inform future global financing and governance.</p>","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13220411/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148059372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mpox vaccine acceptance and uptake in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Fabrice Zobel Lekeumo Cheuyem, Andreas Ateke Njoh, Chabeja Achangwa, Otfried Kistner, Rick Tchamani, Jessy Goupeyou-Youmsi, Davy Roméo Takpangdo-Le-Grand, Sory Kourouma, Mazou Ngou Temgoua","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00277-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00277-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mpox remains a significant public health threat in Africa, with recent outbreaks driven by newly emergent clades I and II. Vaccination is a critical intervention for outbreak control, yet detailed evidence on vaccine acceptance and uptake across the continent has not been comprehensively synthesized. This study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence and determinants of mpox vaccine acceptance and uptake in Africa during and after the global mpox outbreak.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), ScienceDirect, and African Journals Online. Studies conducted between 2022 and 2024 were included. Articles available in French and English were considered. A random-effects model was used to pool the estimates. Subgroup analyses explored heterogeneity. Key determinants of vaccine acceptance and uptake were systematically identified from the included report findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The pooled mpox vaccine acceptance rate in Africa was 54.97% (95% confidence interval (CI): 49.22-60.59; 15,613 participants; 22 records, 10 countries) with high heterogeneity (I² = 97.8%; p < 0.001). The pooled willingness to vaccinate differ significantly by participant type (p < 0.001). It was higher among the general population (62.02%; 95% CI: 52.86-70.39; n = 9 records; I² = 98.8%) than among healthcare workers (47.97%; 95% CI: 37.35-58.78; n = 6 records; I² = 97.1%). In contrast, pooled vaccine uptake was low at 3.40% (95% CI: 0.56-17.96; 5,740 participants; 8 records, 10 countries), indicating high heterogeneity (I² = 99.7%; p < 0.001). A significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed between studies conducted in the Central Africa region (2.24%: 95% CI: 0.46-10.14; n = 4 records; I² = 81.6%) and the Western zone (38.13%; 95% CI: 27.21-50.39; n = 2 records; I² = 97.5%). Key factors positively influencing acceptance included higher education, greater mpox knowledge, higher risk perception, and trust in health authorities and vaccine safety.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There is a substantial gap between mpox vaccine acceptance and actual uptake in Africa. Strategies to enhance vaccination must address both demand and supply challenges as well as equitable distribution. These findings underscore the need for context-specific, multi-level interventions to translate reported willingness into actual vaccine uptake.</p><p><strong>Systematic review registration: </strong>PROSPERO CRD420251126033.</p>","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13173906/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147936819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jane F Namuganga, Daniel P McDermott, Adrienne Epstein, Joaniter I Nankabirwa, Samuel Gonahasa, Jimmy Opigo, Isaiah Nabende, Catherine Maiteki-Sebuguzi, Moses R Kamya, Martin J Donnelly, Grant Dorsey, Sarah G Staedke
{"title":"Impact of indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated nets on malaria burden in 8 districts in West Nile and Acholi regions, Uganda: a quasi-experimental study.","authors":"Jane F Namuganga, Daniel P McDermott, Adrienne Epstein, Joaniter I Nankabirwa, Samuel Gonahasa, Jimmy Opigo, Isaiah Nabende, Catherine Maiteki-Sebuguzi, Moses R Kamya, Martin J Donnelly, Grant Dorsey, Sarah G Staedke","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00268-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00268-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In Uganda, where malaria transmission is high, insecticide treated nets (ITNs) have been distributed nationwide every 3 years since 2013. In West Nile, northern Uganda, indoor residual spraying (IRS) was first implemented with clothianidin-deltamethrin (Fludora Fusion®) in 2022, followed by pirimiphos-methyl (Actellic® 300CS) in 2023. We utilised a quasi-experimental study to assess the impact of IRS + ITNs on malaria incidence in West Nile.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were collected from three malaria reference centres (MRCs) in West Nile (IRS + ITNs, intervention) and five MRCs in neighbouring Acholi (ITNs only, control) over 4 years: (1) Baseline (December 2020-November 2022), prior to IRS; (2) IRS-1 (December 2022-December 2023) following IRS with clothianidin-deltamethrin; (3) IRS-2 (January 2024-December 2024) following IRS with pirimiphos-methyl. The primary outcome was monthly malaria incidence from each MRC target area per 1000 person-years. Data were analysed using negative binomial regression models with a difference-in-difference approach, comparing pre-post trends in malaria incidence between arms. Adjusted models accounted for 2-month lagged rainfall and seasonality.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During IRS-1, mean observed malaria incidence fell from baseline in both arms (intervention: 720.9 to 547.9; and control: 523.4 to 455.2 per 1000 person-years). We detected a 15% difference in predicted mean incidence between arms during IRS-1 relative to baseline, but this was not significant (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) = 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69-1.04, p = 0.11). During IRS-2, incidence in the intervention arm declined by 79.3% compared to baseline (720.9 to 149.1), and by 24.3% (523.4 to 396.2) in the control arm. We detected a 73% reduction in predicted mean malaria incidence in the intervention arm compared to control relative to baseline (aIRR = 0.27, 95% CI 0.22-0.34, p < 0.001). During IRS-2, there was strong evidence of an immediate and sustained reduction in incidence in the intervention arm over 1 year.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In West Nile, the reduction in malaria incidence after clothianidin-based IRS (plus ITNs) was modest and non-significant. Subsequent IRS with pirimiphos-methyl (plus ITNs) substantially reduced malaria incidence. These results highlight the importance of selecting context-specific insecticides for vector control programmes and the potential synergistic effect of dual interventions in areas of high pyrethroid resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13141431/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147848543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anil Fastenau, Alexandra Asboeck, Daniel Egbule, Issa Ally Garimo, Fabian Schlumberger, Hamideh Ebrahimi
{"title":"Cured but not healed: the mental health crisis in leprosy we continue to ignore.","authors":"Anil Fastenau, Alexandra Asboeck, Daniel Egbule, Issa Ally Garimo, Fabian Schlumberger, Hamideh Ebrahimi","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00273-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00273-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13137712/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147825580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Henry Delamain, Jonas Haslbeck, Madiha Shaikh, Joshua Eusty Jonathan Buckman, Renuka Jena, Rob Saunders, Joshua Stott, Jae Won Suh, Stephen Pilling, Ciarán O'Driscoll
{"title":"Investigating differences in common mental health symptom expression and co-occurrence across ethnicities.","authors":"Henry Delamain, Jonas Haslbeck, Madiha Shaikh, Joshua Eusty Jonathan Buckman, Renuka Jena, Rob Saunders, Joshua Stott, Jae Won Suh, Stephen Pilling, Ciarán O'Driscoll","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00274-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00274-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ethnic inequalities exist in the prevalence of mental disorders and their associated treatment outcomes. Cultural variation may influence psychological symptom expression; understanding this might inform care and ultimately reduce care disparities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were analysed from 147,037 individuals referred to psychological treatment services in London, England. Moderated network analysis was used to examine the expression and co-occurrence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social functioning. Age and gender were included as covariates, and ethnicity (11 categories) was entered as the moderating variable. Symptom-level differences and differences in symptom-to-symptom relationships were estimated across all ethnic group comparisons.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was substantial variation in symptom networks between ethnic groups. White British individuals showed the most differences compared to other ethnic groups, particularly with higher endorsement of anxiety-related symptoms (e.g. nervousness and excessive worry) and greater reported functional impairment in work and social domains. Differences in symptom co-occurrence (the relationships between symptoms) were less frequent than differences in individual symptom levels. Across groups, several symptoms showed consistent relationships, suggesting shared aspects of distress alongside culturally patterned variation in symptom expression.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The influence of ethnicity on both symptom levels and symptom co-occurrence underscores the importance of culturally informed assessment. These findings highlight the need for services to consider culturally relevant symptom presentations to promote more equitable and appropriate mental health care.</p>","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13134100/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147825529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicole Kim, Edoghogho Ighodaro, Madison Temple, Aaron Cleveland, Diva Kc, James C Dickerson
{"title":"Improving human papillomavirus vaccine uptake in low- and middle-income countries: a narrative review of implementation and education strategies.","authors":"Nicole Kim, Edoghogho Ighodaro, Madison Temple, Aaron Cleveland, Diva Kc, James C Dickerson","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00269-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00269-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is a safe and cost-effective strategy for preventing cervical cancer, yet uptake remains low worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Numerous interventional studies in LMICs have attempted to improve vaccine uptake or knowledge, with mixed success. In this narrative review, we synthesize the evidence on implementation and education strategies and highlight best practices to guide future vaccination efforts. School-based vaccination programs have the strongest evidence for achieving high coverage, but alternative approaches are required to reach out-of-school youth and high-risk adult populations. While access to the HPV vaccine remains the most critical determinant of uptake, coupling this with education and awareness campaigns is essential to drive uptake. The most effective educational strategies are culturally adapted and grounded in learning theory. Overall, the evidence suggests that simply providing the HPV vaccine along with culturally relevant education will lead to broad vaccine acceptance across most populations. Future research should prioritize rigorous evaluation of unique educational and implementation strategies, such as mother-daughter approaches or culture-specific educational formats, with a focus on quantifying the impact these strategies have on endline vaccination status and not surrogate outcomes. Such studies will advance the evidence base, strengthen HPV vaccination strategies, and help reduce the global burden of HPV-associated cancers.</p>","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13126926/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147794196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hassan Hachem, Houssein H Ayoub, Laith J Abu-Raddad
{"title":"Sex-specific biological susceptibility and sexual mixing patterns in herpes simplex virus type 2 transmission: a mathematical modeling study.","authors":"Hassan Hachem, Houssein H Ayoub, Laith J Abu-Raddad","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00270-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00270-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection is a lifelong sexually transmitted infection with substantial disease and economic burdens. Despite its global impact, key features of its transmission dynamics-including sex-specific biological susceptibility (the inherent likelihood of acquiring infection upon exposure, independent of behavioral factors) and sexual mixing patterns (how individuals form sexual partnerships across age and risk groups)-remain poorly quantified.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A population-level mathematical model of HSV-2 transmission dynamics was applied to heterosexual transmission in the USA and calibrated to nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted between 1988 and 2016. Bayesian inference was used to estimate: (1) relative biological susceptibility of women compared to men, (2) degree of assortativity in age group mixing, and (3) degree of assortativity in sexual risk behavior group mixing. Assortativity reflects the tendency of individuals to form partnerships with others who share similar characteristics, such as age or level of sexual risk behavior, and was quantified on a scale from 0 (no preferential mixing) to 1 (exclusive within-group mixing).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The model demonstrated robust fits to sex-specific, age-specific, and temporal trends in HSV-2 prevalence across NHANES rounds, supporting the validity of the inferred transmission dynamics. Women were estimated to be 7.12 times (95% credible interval (Crl) 4.36-10.17) more biologically susceptible to HSV-2 infection than men, indicating a substantially higher likelihood of acquiring infection upon exposure. The degree of assortativity in age group mixing was high at 0.83 (95% Crl 0.75-0.88), indicating that most transmission occurs between individuals of similar age. In contrast, assortativity in sexual risk behavior group mixing was moderate at 0.49 (95% Crl 0.43-0.55), indicating that transmission frequently occurs across different risk groups rather than being confined within the same group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Women are much more biologically susceptible to HSV-2 infection than men. HSV-2 transmission mostly occurs within similar age groups but often crosses different sexual risk groups, reflecting strong age-assortative and moderate risk-assortative mixing patterns.</p>","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13107675/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147794193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Teresa Bell, Jean Marie Uwitonze, Michael Oravic, Rebecca Maine, Jeanne d'Arc Nyinawankusi, Andrea N Davis, Jean Nepomuscene Sindikubwabo, Robert Rickard, Melissa H Watt, Justine Davies, Menelas Nkeshimana, Sudha Jayaraman
{"title":"Validation of a mobile application for prehospital transport time data collection in Kigali, Rwanda.","authors":"Teresa Bell, Jean Marie Uwitonze, Michael Oravic, Rebecca Maine, Jeanne d'Arc Nyinawankusi, Andrea N Davis, Jean Nepomuscene Sindikubwabo, Robert Rickard, Melissa H Watt, Justine Davies, Menelas Nkeshimana, Sudha Jayaraman","doi":"10.1186/s44263-026-00271-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44263-026-00271-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Emergency medical services (EMS) are critical for patient outcomes during emergencies. Organised EMS systems that can promptly locate patients, deliver on-scene care, and transport patients to appropriate facilities are lacking in low- and middle-income countries. Through a long-standing partnership with Rwanda's Service d'Aide Médicale d'Urgence (SAMU), we developed and implemented an electronic application to capture prehospital times in Kigali, Rwanda. This study validates the accuracy of electronically captured data and establishes baseline response times for emergencies in Kigali.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Prospective data on prehospital transport times in Kigali collected from July 2022 to December 2023 were captured using a novel electronic application custom-built by Rwanda Build program (RWB), a local software accelerator in Kigali. RWB data were compared to SAMU's manually collected data to validate the accuracy of the electronically captured data. Datasets were deterministically linked using patient identifications (ID). Cases with missing patient ID were probabilistically linked using RWB deploy time compared to the paper dataset's leave time. The primary outcome was total prehospital time, from ambulance deployment to healthcare facility arrival. Secondary outcomes included time intervals of deployment to scene, on scene, scene to healthcare facility, and handoff times. Additional analyses compared response times of subgroups captured by RWB, including emergency type, severity, and prehospital delays.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After SAMU and RWB data linkage, 6209 patients were included. The primary outcome, total time of ambulance deployment to hospital arrival, took an average of 54.5 min (standard deviation (SD) = 22.2) with a 0.53-min difference between paper records and the electronically captured dataset. The 30-s difference suggests the newly implemented electronic collection system is consistent with data recorded manually on EMS run reports. Trauma represented the most common emergency (65.2%), with an average prehospital time of 52.2 min (SD = 21.4). \"Severe\" emergencies took an average of 20 min longer to reach hospitals than \"mild\" cases (p < 0.001). Transit delays and districts with fewer transports were also associated with longer prehospital times.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>EMS is critical to healthcare systems. This study validated an electronic data-collection system to improve EMS services in Rwanda. This is one of the first studies to document EMS quality benchmarks in a sub-Saharan African country.</p>","PeriodicalId":519903,"journal":{"name":"BMC global and public health","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13104385/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147794209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}