UNAM Gā-aisib Repository (University of Namibia)
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Evaluation of treatment outcomes in patients receiving Dolutegravir- containing first -line anti-retroviral therapy at the Katutura Intermediate Hospital in Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Pharmacy in Clinical PharmacyThere is currently insufficient information regarding the safety and effectiveness of
Dolutegravir (DTG)-based ART regimen in Namibia. This study was conducted to
evaluate the treatment outcomes of dolutegravir containing first line antiretroviral
therapy (ART).
Methods: This was a retrospective quantitative study that included ART-naïve adults
who initiated dolutegravir containing first-line ART from January 2020 to March 2021
at the Intermediate Hospital Katutura (IHK) in Namibia.
Results: 120 patients were included in the study. Most (n=89, 74%) experienced
weight gain, and 15 experienced treatment failure. At the end of 18 months, 75% of
the cohort remained virally suppressed. The prevalence of treatment failure was found
to be 12.5% with the prevalence rate of treatment failure of 8.3 cases per 100 patient
years. But considering the switching as confirmation of virological failure, the
prevalence rate was 2.2 cases per 100 patient years. Active tuberculosis (TB) was
found to be statistically associated with treatment failure with a P value ˂ 0.001.
PLWH co-infected with TB on TLD were 18 times more likely to have treatment
failure (OR=18.1,95% CI: 4.65,70.45). Only 3.3% (n = 4) had their DTG-based ART
regimen changed or switched due to treatment failure. The only reported adverse effect
observed in the study was weight gain. The proportion of patients who experienced
clinically significant weight gain (defined as weight gain ˃ 3kg) after 18 months of
ART initiated was 20.2%. The prevalence rate for clinically significant weight gain
was 13.5 cases per 100 patient years. The mean weight gain was found to be 4 kg (SD
59.45 ± 16.89). There was statistical significance between weight gain and gender with
a p-value =0.026 with females being four times more likely to have gained weight
(OR=3.9,95% CI: 1.3,12.4).
Conclusion: DTG-containing regimens effectively achieved viral suppression among
treatment-naive HIV patients, with weight gain reported as the only adverse effect.
More research with a larger patient sample across multiple centres is needed to explore
the long-term treatment outcomes of DT
Investigating the impact of rapid rural-urban migration on serviced land delivery in Okahao Town, Northern Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Degree of Masters of Arts in Development studiesThis thesis investigates the profound impact of rapid rural-urban migration on
serviced land delivery in Okahao town, Northern Namibia. Designated as a local
authority in 2004, Okahao town operates under the constitutional framework of the
Republic of Namibia and the Local Authority Act 23 of 1992, as amended. The
escalating rural-urban migration in Okahao has intensified the demand for suitable
housing, leading to a surge in informal settlements among urban residents. The Town
Council of Okahao faces the daunting task of securing financial resources to service
an estimated 377 plots annually. This effort is aimed at meeting the ambitious target
of 3,770 serviced plots within a decade, commencing in 2021. Adopting a
phenomenological perspective, this study employs a qualitative research design,
utilizing structured interviews with fifteen participants drawn from the target
population, including rural-urban immigrants, local authority councillors, and
administrators. The study illuminates key drivers of rural-urban migration in Okahao
Town, encompassing factors such as rural poverty, limited job opportunities, access
to advanced technology, proximity to essential services like schools, hospitals, and
shops, as well as improved infrastructure like sanitation services and roads. The
demand for serviced land emerges as a pressing concern, with participants
emphasizing the need for swift and effective responses to address the housing deficit.
Recommendations stemming from the research findings advocate for the introduction
of best practices to promote housing programs and foster Public Private Partnerships
(PPP) for critical developmental projects, including land servicing initiatives.
Additionally, the study urges the implementation of the Flexible Land Tenure Act 4
of 2012, emphasizing flexible land tenure approaches for the equitable distribution
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and allocation of land. This thesis contributes valuable insights into the complex
interplay between rural-urban migration dynamics and serviced land delivery
processes in Okahao Town. The practical recommendations offered aim to guide
policymakers, urban planners, and relevant stakeholders in formulating strategies that
foster sustainable development and address the challenges posed by rapid
demographic shift
Prescribing patterns and drug dosage adjustment in patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis at dialysis centres in Windhoek, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Pharmacy (Clinical Pharmacy)Patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) are in chronic kidney disease stage 5 with
a Glomerular Filtration Rate of <15 ml/min/1.73m2
. These patients have a high burden of
co-existing diseases. Consequently, they may take as many as six or more different drugs
to manage these conditions. The use of many medicines by these patients puts them at
significant risk of drug-related problems. The aim of the study was to investigate
prescribing patterns and explore appropriateness of drug therapy among ESRD patients
undergoing regular haemodialysis at dialysis centers in Windhoek. This was a quantitative
cross-sectional analytical study involving the review of clinical records of patients with
ESRD on maintenance haemodialysis at two dialysis centers in Windhoek. A total of 147
patients’ clinical records were reviewed and included in this study, 53.7% were males and
46.3% were females. More than half of the patients (53.1%) were state funded while
46.9% were privately funded patients. The mean age of the participants was 47.3±15.1
years. The majority of patients had between 3 to 4 comorbidities, with the most common
co-morbid conditions being hypertension, anaemia, diabetes mellitus, secondary
hyperparathyroidism and venous thromboembolism. A total of 163 different drugs were
prescribed to all patients, with an average of 11.50 (±3.5) drugs per patient. The most
common drug classes prescribed were cardiovascular drugs (38.3%) followed by
alimentary tract and metabolism drugs (25.6%) as well as drugs for blood and blood
forming organs (23.1%). Medications were appropriately selected in 80.3% of the
patients, while the remaining 19.7% had at least one or more inappropriately selected
drugs. Out of the total prescription entries, 15.6% required renal dosage adjustment,
48.7% of those that required adjustment were appropriately adjusted while 51.3% were
inappropriately adjusted. For the inappropriately adjusted entries, 21 (15.6%) prescription
entries were underdosed, 111 (82.2%) were overdosed, treatment duration was
inappropriately long for 3 (2.2%) entries. 18.0% of the patients had all (100%) of their
medications appropriately renally adjusted while 82.0% had at least one or more
inappropriately renally adjusted drugs. The number of drugs prescribed was significantly
associated with medication choice errors, while increasing age unexpectedly increased the
likelihood of appropriate dosage adjustment. In conclusion, patients with ESRD on
haemodialysis were being managed with a relatively large number of drugs and although
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the drugs were appropriately selected for their indications in most cases, the dose was not
appropriately adjuste
Assessment of the impact of tax reforms on the Namibia tax system
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Science in Master of Science in Accounting and FinanceThe study sought to assess the impact of tax reforms that were implemented from 2015 to
2021 on the Namibian tax system. The study was undergirded by the Theories of
Distributive Justice and Limitation on Taxation and employed a sequential exploratory
mixed-method research approach. Through purposive sampling, a total of hundred and
fifteen (115) participants from the NamRA Domestic Tax Department and NamRA Legal
Department participated in the study. Moreover, the study reviewed documents such as
the Government Gazettes of Namibia on the Promulgation of Income Tax Amendment
Act published from 2015-2021 and annual reports of the Ministry of Finance and Public
Enterprises for the same period. The study administered a structured questionnaire to
collect primary data on the impact of reforms on the three tax heads Individual Income
tax, Corporation Income, and Value-Added tax. Consistent with other scholars, the study
found that tax reforms in Namibia have improved the revenue mobilisation capacity,
expanded the tax base, and enhanced public internal revenue generation. Value Added
Tax Reforms in Namibia sought to boost the country’s manufacturing capacity and attract
foreign investment to Namibia and these findings were in addition to those noted by
researchers in other countries. Furthermore, the study findings indicated that Individual
Income Tax reforms in Namibia tend to be positively correlated with revenue with a 2.92
correlation coefficient and p-value= 0.075, while Corporation Income Tax reforms are
statistically insignificant and reforms on Value Added Tax were positively correlated with
Value-Added Tax Revenue with a 2.85 correlated coefficient and p-value= 0.034. The
study also confirmed that the powers and functions of NamRA were not fully utilised
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towards individuals, corporations’ income and Value Added Tax reforms on the Namibian
tax system. The study further recommends the board of directors for NamRA to ensure
that the agency exercises its duties and power to its full capacity by implementing internal
control measures to ensure that individuals, corporations, and Value value-added tax
reforms on the Namibian tax system are not stronger in words than in action
Fostering self-directed learning in blended learning environments: A constructivist perspective in higher education
No full textThis study advances the constructivist perspective to foster SDL for knowledge construction and management in HE.Higher education (HE) is considered to be the apex of all educational endeavours. Therefore, it is expected that student in various institutions of higher learning should be self-motivated for individualized synchronous and asynchronous learning. Lamentably, it seems that such expectation within the HE spaced is yet to be achieved. While stakeholders in HE are in search for an approach to ensure that students have sufficient self-directed learning (SDL) capacities needed for blended learning (BL), this article advance and propose the use of the constructivist framework to foster SDL to ensure that students develop their own understanding of learning, its meaning according to the context, and the ways to acquire it using BL as a mediator. Using the constructivist theory as a theoretical lens, we proposed the use of a three-ring-drag-in approach as a model to fostering SDL among students in various institutions of higher learning. We, therefore encourage the adoption or adaptability of the three-ring-drag-in approach as it promise to address and resolve the concerns and agitation of enthronement of SDL among students within the HE space
Water management practice for maize production in Chinchimane, Zambezi region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of masters of science in water resources managementAgriculture is the greatest water consumer in Namibia and the world at large, it is thus
necessary to know the water needs of the irrigated crops for better water management.
However, there is little scientific literature on crop water and irrigation requirements
in Namibia. Therefore, this study intended to contribute to the body of knowledge on
water needs for crops in general and maize in particular, since maize is a staple crop
in the selected study area. CROPWAT, a software which uses the Penman-Monteith
approach to compute reference evapotranspiration, crop water needs and irrigation
requirements, was employed in this study to estimate the water needs of maize in the
Chinchimane area of the Zambezi region. Subsequently, a maize irrigation schedule
was simulated in CROPWAT based on soil and long-term meteorological data. The
study found the minimum and maximum daily crop water requirements for irrigated
maize in the study area to be 1.74 mm and 7.49 mm, respectively. In contrast to the
seasonal crop water requirement, which was found to be 679.2 mm, the seasonal
irrigation requirement was found to be 628.8 mm. Furthermore, the study's estimates
of the water requirements for maize fall within the range of values that were reported
by some earlier studies in other locations. Additionally, the simulated maize irrigation
schedule suggested eight irrigation events in contrast to watering every day. This
study's findings can thus assist maize irrigators in Chinchimane to conserve water and
reduce unnecessary expenditure while still meeting agricultural water needs, because
knowing the water needs of irrigated crops and adhering to an optimized irrigation
schedule ensures that water resources are used sustainably, and irrigation water
demand is manage
Assessment of water footprint for better water management in Oshana region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of masters of science in water resources managementResearchers have created a variety of water footprint concepts and technologies in
response to growing concerns about the pressure on the world's water resources.
Water footprint involves the direct and indirect water use of a consumer or a
product. This study, therefore, examines the water footprint of an individual using
the concept of water footprint and questionnaire survey to establish a better
understanding of an individual’s water demand for better management of water
resources in the Oshana region. A simple random sample of 32 respondents from
two constituencies in Oshana region was used. The water footprint calculator was
used to determine the water footprint of individuals in the constituencies, and their
variations among constituencies. The findings show that Ongwediva constituency
is the largest water consumer in the region with a water footprint of 4079.19
m3
/capita/year whereas Okaku constituency is the least water consumer with a
water footprint of 1726.50 m3
/capita/year. Furthermore, one-way ANOVA was
performed to determine the relationships among the footprints in the two
constituencies. The analysis shows a significance level of 0.001 indicating that the
two constituencies varied significantly. Pearson correlation was used to determine
the link between the water footprints of individuals and their socio-economic
backgrounds. The results revealed that there was no correlation between water
footprint and socioeconomic factors. The findings of the study revealed the need
for public awareness on the use of water resources and incorporating water footprint
in the water resources management policies for better water resources managemen
Contribution of civilians towards the liberation struggle in Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions, Namibia, 1966 - 1989.
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in HistoryThe main purpose of the research was to look at how civilians contributed to the
liberation struggle of Namibia in the Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions from 1966 to
1989. This qualitative study delves into the intricate dynamics of civilian experiences
during Namibia's liberation struggle in the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions from
1966 to 1989. Utilizing structured interviews with 21 purposively and snowball-
sampled participants, the research unveils multifaceted civilian contributions, notably
the crucial sustenance provided to the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN)
guerrillas. Despite facing challenges like curfews and violence-related laws, civilians
exhibited resilience and adaptability, underscoring their unwavering commitment to
the liberation cause. Challenges encompassed heightened insecurity, shortages, legal
restrictions, and communication difficulties, revealing the complex realities faced by
civilians. The factors influencing civilian participation varied, including spirituality,
historical violence, conflicting theories of violence, material landscapes, constrained
liberation agendas, and economic considerations. This study contributes significantly
to the understanding of civilian agency in liberation movements, emphasizing the
nuanced and complex dynamics shaping historical narratives. Four keywords:
Namibia, Liberation Struggle, Civilian Contributions, Motivations. The study
recommended the engagement of individuals actively involved in the liberation
struggle to provide richer insights into personal experiences, motivations, and
challenges. These narratives can complement existing literature and deepen the study.
The study suggests expanding the exploration of the liberation struggle by
incorporating diverse perspectives from various ethnic, gender, and age groups. This
inclusive approach is essential for fostering a more representative understanding of
the varied experiences of civilians. Additionally, the research recommends further
delving into archival materials, official documents, and records from the Ohangwena
and Oshikoto regions. This additional investigative effort aims to gain valuable
insights into specific actions, policies, and events that transpired during the liberation
struggle, enhancing the overall depth and comprehensiveness of the historical
analysis
Reimagining the museum experience using augmented reality: A focus on a Namibian museum
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in information technologyThis study seeks to revolutionize the museum experience in Namibia through the
implementation of AR Specifically, a focus was made on the National Museum of
Namibia and developed an AR mobile application using ARKit and Reality Composer
on the iOS platform. To gain a deeper understanding of traditional museum visits, an
online survey was conducted which was targeted at various participants from different
geographical areas, totaling 63 respondents. Background: The researcher's
exploration of Namibian museums reveals the prevalence of two primary modes of
visitor engagement: self-guided tours and guided tours, the latter often customized to
suit the preferences and interests of international tourists. During personal visits,
visitors typically rely on brief summary notes next to artifacts for supplementary
information. Guided tours, while informative, often prioritize group interests, limiting
individual exploration. Methodology: In this study, a mixed research design was
employed to craft a software-based solution and gather insights from our target
audience. By combining quantitative data from surveys with qualitative feedback from
interviews and observations during AR application usage, we sought to gain a
comprehensive understanding of user perspectives. Findings: This research unveiled
that most museum goers had little to no prior exposure to AR applications during their
museum visits, indicating an untapped potential for enhancing museum engagement
through technology. The development and testing of the AR mobile application
generated excitement among users, who expressed keen interest in additional features
and interactive models. One challenge, however, was the application’s exclusivity to
iOS devices, as it required iOS 13 or newer for full AR functionality. This limited the
ability to collect feedback from a broader range of users.
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This study signifies a significant stride in reshaping museum experiences in Namibia.
By leveraging Augmented Reality, the aim is to elevate visitor engagement, facilitate
knowledge acquisition, nurture meaningful interactions, and forge emotional
connections with museum exhibits. To extend the reach and impact of AR-enhanced
experiences, exploring cross-platform compatibility to engage a wider audience is
recommende
Perceptions of the new grade 10 – 11 commerce curriculum: A narrative case study of teachers in the Ompundja Circuit, Oshana region of Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Curriculum Studies)Commerce education is vital for a nation's economic growth, but adapting to changing global,
technological, and economic trends requires continuous curriculum innovation. In Namibia, efforts
to develop new commerce curricula have faced challenges in implementation, leading to resource and
time wastage. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate teachers' perceptions of the new Grade
10-11 Commerce curriculum in the Ompundja Circuit, Oshana Region, Namibia. Adopting a
qualitative research approach, the study applied a narrative case study design. A sample of six teachers
and two HoDs from a population of 27 teachers and 4 HoDs teaching Commerce subjects were
selected by Convenience and Purposeful sampling respectively. The study deployed a semi structured interview on a face-to-face basis, with a duration between 20 to 30 minutes, and
complemented by document reviews comparing the old and new curricula. The collected data were
analyzed using inductive content analysis and the following three themes emerged: a) teachers’
perceptions of the new commerce curriculum; b) the fundamental difference between the new and old
curriculum; c) the strategies for the implementation of the new curriculum. The findings of the study
reveal both positive and negative teacher perceptions of the new curriculum. Some appreciate its
practical focus and adaptability, while others criticize the lack of teacher involvement, inadequate
training, and resource limitations. It underscores the importance of teacher engagement in curriculum
development, comprehensive training, ongoing professional development, onsite support, and access
to teaching materials for successful implementation. The study highlights teachers' pivotal role in
curriculum changes and emphasizes the need for collaboration among curriculum planners, teachers,
and school management. Recommendations aim to assist teachers, school administrators, and
curriculum planners in addressing curriculum change challenges to enhance commerce education
quality in Namibia's Grade 10-11 classroom