UNAM Gā-aisib Repository (University of Namibia)
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Perioperative medication errors among anaesthesia service providers in Namibia - A retrospective survey
No full textA thesis in partial fulfilment for the requirements for the Degree of Master of Medicine (Anesthesiology, Critical care and Pain management)Medication administration errors are widespread across the healthcare system
resulting in huge human and financial costs. Notably, drug administration errors are a
major reason for malpractice claim against anaesthesia service providers. The
outcomes of medication errors range from no harm and to the grievous events such as
intensive care admissions or death, nonetheless they are preventable. The study was
aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of the common perioperative
medication administration errors among anaesthesia service providers in Namibia,
identify the contributing factors and assess their outcomes on patients.
METHODOLOGY
This was a descriptive, retrospective survey among specialist anaesthesiologists,
anaesthesia registrars and medical officers across the 34 public hospitals and 18
private hospitals in Namibia over a period of one month. A confidential, self administered structured questionnaire was shared with participants via the email,
phone and as a web-based survey.
RESULTS
Out of 122 questionnaires shared, 112 (92%) anaesthesia providers responded. There
were slightly more female participants, 58 (52%) than males and mostly medical
officers (56%). Among the respondents, 88 (79%) indicated that they had committed
one or more medication errors during their anaesthesia practice. The commonest type
was omission (46%), followed by the administration of a wrong drug (27%). In 69%
cases, there was no harm to the patients while 6% had HDU/ICU admissions and 1
(0.9%) died.
CONCLUSION
This index study found a high prevalence of medication administration errors among
the practitioners, comparable with many studies. Majority of patients did not suffer
any harm. Most respondents blamed the occurrence of errors on distractions/fatigue.
It is important to increase awareness and training for prevention as well as set up a
nationally coordinated incident reporting system for perioperative drug administration
errors in Namibi
Examining the taxation–inflation Nexus in Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in EconomicsThis study investigates the complex relationship between taxation and inflation in
Namibia from 1990Q1 to 2023Q4 using Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag
(NARDL) methodologies. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips Perron
(PP) unit root tests suggest that the variables are integrated to order I(0) and I(1).
Unlike the traditional ARDL analysis which assumes linear associations, the Brock Dechert-Scheinkman (BDS) and Wald tests revealed an asymmetric association
between taxation and inflation in Namibia, justifying the suitability of the NARDL
model. The results suggest that positive shocks in taxation have distinct short-term and
long-term effects on inflation, challenging the assumption of a symmetrical
relationship. Furthermore, only for robustness purposes, the Fully Modified Ordinary
Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) estimates,
while exhibiting some variation compared to the NARDL's long-run estimates, suggest
a long-run relationship between taxation and inflation. The Vector Error Correction
method (VECM) analysis reveals no causal relationship between taxation and inflation
in Namibia in the short run but uncovers a long-run relationship. Additionally, the
analysis exposes a nuanced relationship between taxation and inflation in Namibia,
diverging from previous studies that often assume a linear connection. The study
uncovers a long-term, nonlinear nexus between taxation and inflation in Namibia.
Therefore,it is recommended that a gradual increase in taxation can effectively
mitigate inflationary pressures by curbing excessive spending, and may enable the
Bank of Namibia to sustain a stable interest rate environment in Namibi
Factors affecting effective teaching of life science practical activities in junior secondary schools in Okongo circuit, Ohangwena region
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of EducationThe purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting effective teaching of
practical activities in Life Science in Junior Secondary schools (JSS) in the Okongo
circuit, Ohangwena Region. The study answered the following research questions: 1).
What are the factors affecting effective teaching of practical activities in Life Science
at JSS in the Okongo Circuit in Ohangwena Region, Namibia? 2). How can the Life
Science teachers be assisted to improve the teaching of practical activities in Life
Science at JSS in the Okongo Circuit in Ohangwena Region, Namibia? Mixed methods research design involving both qualitative and quantitative approaches were
used in this study. Equally, a survey questionnaire, interview guide and observation
guide were used to collect data. The sample of the study included ten Principals, eight
Head of Departments and ten Life Science teachers from the ten JSS in Okongo
circuit. The participants were purposively selected using the total population
sampling. The results of the study revealed various factors that affect the effective
teaching of practical activities in Life Science in JSS in the Okongo circuit. These
factors include; lack of laboratories, lack of laboratory equipment and apparatus, lack
of timetable slot allocated to practical activities, teachers high workload, lack of
training workshop for teachers on how to conduct practical activities, lack of
electricity in some schools, and lack of laboratory manuals to guide the teachers on
how to conduct practical activities. In order to help the teachers to improve the
teaching of Life Science practical activities in Okongo Circuit in Ohangwena Region,
the participants suggested the need for the provision of: 1) well-equipped laboratories
at the JSS, 2) teachers’ training on how to conduct practical activities in Life Science,
3) adequate funds to procure equipment, and 4) dedicated timetable slots for Life
Science practical session
Climate change adaptation strategies among smallholder livestock farmers in Namibia's Omaheke Region, Namibia
No full textThe objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes,
and perceptions of livestock farmers to CC and the way they influence their level of mitigation and adaptation strategiesThe challenges of climate change are continuously increasing, constituting a major threat to livestock production, which
is more than a socio-economic cornerstone in Namibian rural communal farmers, contributing approximately two-thirds
of the country’s agricultural GDP. Climate variability, which may be in the form of drought, very high temperatures, floods
and frosts has been reported to have detrimental effects on feed and water availability, leading to reduced livestock
weight, growth, production and reproductive performance, and ultimately high mortality. Understanding smallholder
farmers’ socio-psychological antecedents such as knowledge, attitudes and perceptions and the way they influence their
level of adaptation to CC mitigation strategies needs to be assessed, as it guides CC policy formulation and intervention
programmes. The study investigated CC perception and adaptation strategies for livestock farmers in Omaheke Region.
Data were gathered from (n=80) purposively sampled farmers in Epukiro and Otjombinde constituencies based on
livestock ownership. The study revealed that 93.8% of the respondents were aware that the climate is changing, with
attributes such as very high and very low temperatures, high and low rainfall, and drought having been noticed. Climate
change has been attributed to both human and natural activity. The study observed that the implementation of CC
adaptation strategies in livestock agriculture is low, thus recommends that the improvement of adaptation techniques
involving employing extension services, promotion of farmer-to-farmer extension, and utilization of various information
sources of climate knowledge, such as farmers’ associations and social organizations, should be the future policy priorit
Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among students at the University of Namibia, main campus, Khomas region
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Public HealthThe emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic heightened global health concerns,
leading governments to engage in research endeavours focused on forecasting,
mitigating, and managing the disease. Despite the recognized efficacy of
vaccination in controlling the spread and severity of COVID-19, vaccine
hesitancy poses a significant challenge, particularly in low to middle-income
countries like Namibia.This study aimed to investigate the factors associated
with COVID-19 vaccination and vaccine hesitancy among students at the
University of Namibia's main campus in the Khomas Region,
Namibia.Employed a quantitative cross-sectional analytical approach, data was
collected from 331 students using a self-administered questionnaire. The
participants, selected through stratified random sampling, represented four
faculties at the University of Namibia's main campus. Informed consent was
obtained, and SPSS version 27 facilitated data analysis through univariate,
bivariate, and multivariate techniques.The study revealed a low vaccination rate
(24.2%) and high hesitancy (48%) among students, with females exhibiting more
hesitancy than males. Factors such as gender, faculty of study, safety and side
effect concerns, lack of trust in vaccine development and healthcare providers,
political influences, information from friends, and attitude were significantly
associated with vaccine hesitancy (p<0.05).This study contributes to existing
knowledge by highlighting a low vaccination rate and high hesitancy among
university students. While various factors showed associations with vaccine
hesitancy, concerns about safety (OR=3.278: CI;1.403-7.659), concerns about
side effects (OR=7.374: CI;3.709-14.658) and other concerns (OR=19.188:
CI;2.057-178.992) emerged as predictors of vaccine hesitancy.
Recommendations include targeted educational campaigns within faculties,
policy incentives for vaccination, fostering peer-led discussions, and ongoing
research collaboration. Implementation of these measures aims to address
vaccine hesitancy among University of Namibia students, promoting a safer
campus environment and contributing to broader public health effort
An investigation into the impact of board characteristics and variables on the performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in Namibia
No full textA dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public AdministrationThe study investigates the impact of board characteristics and variables on the performance of state 0wned enterprises in Namibia. SOEs play a crucial role in Namibia’s economic development,
providing essential services and contributing to national growth. However, many SOEs face
performance challenges, often attributed to governance issues. This research aims to explore how
specific board characteristics and variables such as board size, board composition, board
independence and diversity influence the operational and financial performance of SOEs.
Using a mixed methods approach, the study combines quantitative analysis of data from Namibian
SOEs with the qualitative insights from interviews with board members and industry experts. The
quantitative component employs regression analysis to assess the relationship between board
characteristics and variables and the performance metrics and operational efficiency. The qualitative
component provides contextual understanding of the governance dynamics within the SOEs.
Preliminary findings suggest that larger boards, comprising of nine (9) or more members, with diverse
and independent members tend to perform better as they bring varied perspectives and expertise.
However, excessive board size may lead to inefficiencies. The study also highlights the importance
of transparency and accountability in board operations, which are critical for improving SOE
performance.
B9(Board_LeadStruc) + B10(Managerial) + B11(Large_ShareHol) + B12(Board_Compo) +
B13(Gender_Div) + B14(Education) + B15(Board_meeting) + e
The study displays the regression coefficients findings from the analysis conducted to establish the
causal impact of board characteristics on performance of state-owned enterprises. On that basis, the
regression equation is shown as:
ii
SOEs_Performance = -0.344 -0.096(Board_Size) + 0.362(CEO_Duality) + 0.081(NED) +
0.342(Board_Indp) + 0.071(Board_ActvInt) -0.010 (CEO_Tenure) + 0.019(Adit_Comm) +
0.155(Ethic_Cond) + 0.064(Board_LeadStruc) + 0.147(Managerial) + 0.191(Large_ShareHol) +
0.169(Board_Compo) + 0.428(Gender_Div) + 0.669(Education) + 0.170(Board_meeting) + e
According to the results depicted by the analysis, the constant has a value of -0.344, which indicates
that when there are no boards of directors, performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) reduces
by 34.4%. Hence, the importance of SOEs to have boards of directors. However, the quality of these
boards of directors depends on the board characteristics, which their enhancement influence
performance of SOEs. Thus, education exhibit the highest coefficient of 0.669, which signifies a
positive impact of education of the boards of directors on performance of the SOEs.
In addition, other characteristics show positive small coefficients large shareholders (0.191), board
meetings (0.170), board composition (0.169), ethical conduct (0.155), and managerial (0.147)],
indicating little positive impacts on performance of SOEs. That is, a 1% enhancement in large
shareholders, board meetings, board composition, ethical conduct, and managerial is associated with
a corresponding improvement of 19.9%, 17%,16.9%, 15.5%, and 14.7% in performance of SOEs.
These results show consensus with other findings (Isk & Soykan, 2013; Soana et al., 2021), which
reveal that large shareholders stand a good chance of reducing risks, which enhances the firm’s
performance. The results also support the postulations of other studies (Al-Daoud et al., 2016; Eluya
et al., 2018), which highlight the essence of board meetings in addressing conflicts and enhance
decision-making processes, which maximises the firm’s performance.
In exception of the board activity intensity and CEO tenure, the rest of the variables, including the
board size, non-executive directors, board leadership structure, and auditing committee indicate very
low positive coefficients of 0.096, 0.081, 0.064, and 0.019, respectively. That implies that, when the
board size expands by 1%, performance of the SOEs increases by 9.6%. These results align with the
findings of earlier studies (Kalsie & Shrivastav, 2016; Mishra & Kapil, 2018), which suggest that
there is a notable positive relationship between the size of the board and the success of the enterprise.
This indicates that the inclusion of a bigger board with a diverse range of experience and perspectives
might be advantageous for the enterprises in developing effective strategies and ultimately improving
performance (Li et al., 2021; Murtaza et al., 2018; Orozco et al., 2018).
This research will contribute to the existing literature on corporate governance by providing evidence
from a developing country context. It will offer practical recommendations for policy makers and
stakeholders to enhance the governance framework of SOEs, ultimately aiming to improve their
performance and sustainability. Finally, the study will provide recommendations on policy as well as
suggestions for future studie
Best practices in whole child development at pre-primary school level - A multiple case study of selected pre-primary schools in Windhoek
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Early Childhood Education)The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of pre-primary teachers in
Namibia about best practices in whole child development (WCD) at four pre-primary
schools in Windhoek, Namibia. The study was underpinned by Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs under the concepts of the Association for Curriculum Development and
Supervision’s (ASCD) whole child approach to education. This study employed a
qualitative research approach, specifically adopting a collective case study design to
explore the WCD practices in pre-primary classrooms in Windhoek. The sample for
this study comprised 12 voluntary pre-primary teachers at four pre-primary schools in
Windhoek. The chosen data collection instruments to determine popular teaching
methods among volunteer teachers included individual interviews and observations.
These research instruments were checked beforehand for trustworthiness and
authenticity. Results showed that best practices in WCD were compromised by lack of
skills and inadequate teacher training, incomplete teaching guides, insufficient
teaching aids, time constraints and insufficient playground equipment. Despite these
adverse circumstances, all teachers were aware of the concept of WCD as well as what
it entails. However, they found that the factors listed above proved an obstacle to
implementing the WCD approach. As a result, in applying best practices in holistic
education for pre-primary classrooms, certain domains of child development were
emphasised at the cost of others.
Implications for enhancing a holistic approach in the four schools include compulsory
workshops on holistic child developmental practices for all teachers and providing
Namibian pre-primary schools with a practical WCD manual.
The study thus recommends that future research should target studies into holistic child
development in rural Namibia. A quantitative study is also recommended to
investigate the availability of proper teaching equipment or resources at pre-primary
schools throughout Namibi
School-based studies and supervision in teacher training at the University of Namibia
No full textThis study presents the context of the
teaching practicum at UNAM with respect to the perspectives of mentor
teachers, lecturers, and student teachers on the SBS quality. The findings of this
study highlight the views on the empowerment and mentorship of supervisory
teachers in schools, developing a network of SBS schools, collaboration
between the school community and teacher education institutions, and
bridging the gap between theory and practice in teacher educationThis study aimed to inform the development and revision of practices, as well as
the content and processes, to strengthen teacher education modules to
enhance SBS at UNAM.
A group of lecturers from the School of Education and a researcher from the
Multi-disciplinary Research Services fostered collaboration to collect
quantitative data. This study was funded by UNAM to extend the project
between UNAM and the University of Oulu to strengthen teacher education
through joint research in areas of mutual interest, mobility, and joint
development of online courses/materials. Under this agreement, a component
of the research was undertaken, leaving out the survey aimed at exploring
relevant teacher-education practices
Feed intake, growth performance and carcass characteristics of Damara lambs fed bush-based rations from four encroacher bush species
No full textThe objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding the four encroacher bush species as alternative roughage source on the feed intake, growth performance and carcass characteristics of Damara lambsThe effect of feeding bush-based finishing rations on the performance of Damara lambs was studied. Thirty weaned lambs weighing 16.7 ± 1.9 kg were allocated to five treatments in a completely randomized design over a 90-day feeding period. The control diet (T1) consisted of Lucerne (10%), grass hay (30%) and concentrate mix (60%). The other diets consisted of roughage (40%) from the milled bushes Senegalia mellifera (T2), Dichrostachys cinerea (T3), Terminalia sericea (T4) and Rhigozum trichotomum (T5) and concentrate mix (60%). At the end of the feeding trial, the lambs were slaughtered and carcass characteristics were evaluated. The average daily feed intake (ADFI) was affected (P 0.05) at weeks 6 to 10, but differed (P < 0.05) at other time points. The average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were affected (P < 0.05) by sex and treatment. The ADG (g/day) least squares means (± S.E) for T1 – T5 were 148.0 ± 6.9, 156.4 ± 6.9, 124.2 ± 6.9, 133.7 ± 6.9 and 133.7 ± 6.9, respectively. Treatment T2 had a better (P < 0.05) FCR compared to other bush-based treatments. Males had heavier (P < 0.05) final, hot and cold carcass weights than females. Lambs fed T4 had greater (P < 0.05) rib eye area than T1 (8.3 ± 0.5 vs. 5.9 ± 0.5 mm2). Bush-based diets can serve as production diets for weaned sheep and result into acceptable weight gain and carcass qualit
Investigating the effects of using improvised instructional materials on grade 11 learners’ achievement in biology at a selected remote school in Omuthiya circuit
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of EducationThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of using improvised instructional
materials on Grade 11 learners’ achievement in Biology at a selected school in
Omuthiya circuit, Oshikoto region. The study also sought to uncover how improvised
instructional materials contribute to learners’ achievement in Biology and the views of
the learners in the experimental group on the effect of using improvised instructional
materialsin the teaching and learning of Biology. The study employed a mixed-method
approach which used a qualitative case study and a quasi-experimental design. The
population of this study was all nine (9) secondary schools in Omuthiya circuit with a
population of about 758 learners. Purposive sampling method was used to select one
secondary school that offers Biology from nine secondary schools in the circuit. The
selected school had one Grade 11 class with thirty (30) learners doing Biology, which
were then further randomly divided into two groups (Experimental group and Control
group). This was done by picking pieces of papers mixed up in jar written their names.
The first fifteen names picked were placed in group A, while the remaining fifteen
were placed in group B. A Biology Achievement Test (BAT) of a pre-test and post-test
was used to gather quantitative data, while focus group discussions were used to collect
qualitative data. Furthermore, data were analysed using Microsoft Excel and thematic
data analysis. Triangulation was also used to allow validation of data through a cross verification of findings from qualitative and quantitative approaches.
The key findings of the study show that using improvised instructional materials in the
teaching and learning of Biology has a positive effect on Grade 11 learners’
achievement in that subject. In addition, it was established that improvised
instructional materials help learners to understand the content easily because it brings
fun to the lessons and learners are familiar with the materials being used. The findings
ii
further revealed that improvised instructional materials provide learners with an
opportunity to visualise the subject content being taught, which then makes it easy for
learners to remember the content. However, the study revealed that some of the
improvised instructional materials can be dangerous depending on the materials they
are made from. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education Arts and Culture
invest more in procuring the usual traditional instructional materials as well as
acquiring and supplying more raw materials that teachers can use at schools to make
improvised instructional materials. In addition, the Biology Senior Education Officers
should facilitate workshops to train teachers on the needed skills in setting up
improvised instructional materials and precautions that teachers need to be aware of
when dealing with such material