UNAM Gā-aisib Repository (University of Namibia)
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District‑level approach for tailoring and targeting interventions: A new path for malaria control and elimination
No full textDespite huge investments and implementation of effective interventions for malaria, progress has stalled, with
transmission being increasingly localized among difficult-to-reach populations and outdoor-biting vectors. Targeting difficult pockets of transmission will require the development of tailored and targeted approaches suited to local context, drawing from insights close to the frontlines. Districts are best placed to develop tailored, locally appropriate approaches. We propose a reorganization of how malaria services are delivered. Firstly, enabling district health officers to serve as conduits between technical experts in national malaria control programmes and local community leaders with knowledge specific to local, at-risk populations; secondly, empowering district health teams to make malaria control decisions. This is a radical shift that requires the national programme to cede some control. Shifting towards
a district or provincial level approach will necessitate deliberate planning, and repeated, careful assessment, starting
with piloting and learning through experience. Donors will need to alter current practice, allowing for flexible funding
to be controlled at sub-national levels, and to mix finances between case management, vector control and surveillance,
monitoring and evaluation. System-wide changes proposed are challenging but may be necessary to overcome stalled progress in malaria control and elimination and introduce targeted interventions tailored to the needs of diverse malaria affected populations
An investigation of the relationship between job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviour and satisfaction with life of employees in Windhoek, Namibia
No full textWhen employees are satisfied with their lives, the satisfaction spill over to their work life and help them to engage in helping behaviour. This study investigated the relationship between job satisfaction, organisation citizenship behaviour and satisfaction with life of employees in the Khomas Region. The sample consisted of n=151 secondary school teachers and n=150 NamPower employees. The questionnaire consisted of the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), the Organizational Citizenship Behaviour Checklist (OCB-C) and the Satisfaction with Life (SWL) scale. The findings revealed a negative relationship between job satisfaction and OCB-I (individual). A positive relationship was reported between job satisfaction and OCB-O (organisation). Job satisfaction reported a positive relationship with satisfaction with life. OCB-I and OCB-O reported positive relationships with satisfaction with life. This study recommends the need to focus on enhancing job satisfaction since it will increase satisfaction with life, OCB-I and OCB-O of employees. This can be done by implementing team building to strengthen relationships between supervisors and co-workers. Decision making, rewards, promotion and supervision should be fair and adequate. Possible interventions could focus on the increase of incentives, salaries or benefits, and recognition through employee of the month initiatives. It is further recommended that supervisors receive leadership training to enhance effective leadership at the workplace
Teacher-learner relationships and the effect on student learning at selected secondary schools in the Khomas region
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Leadership, Management and Policy Studies)Given the limitations of almost no research information in Namibia and Khomas region about teacher-learner relationships and its effect on student learning in secondary schools. This research study aimed at exploring and investigating factors affecting teacher-learner relationships and the effect on student learning at selected secondary schools in the Khomas Education region of Namibia. In particular the research study addressed research questions posed in chapter one in this study. This research study is informed and applied qualitative research approach/method and employed explanatory case study design within attachment theoretical framework. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions and classroom observations were used to collect the data. The study population consisted of 30 respondents (10 subject teachers and 20 grade 12 learners) from two selected secondary schools, and it was chosen by using purposive sampling techniques based on specified criteria and thematic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The study findings revealed that the majority of teachers and learners have common understanding and shared same sentiments that positive teacher-learner relationships can only develop in a conducive learning environment, and motivation, communication skills are among central key factors that enhance student’s learning in the secondary school. It also emerged that few learners argued having developed a negative relationships due to teachers’ personal attitudes in the classroom learning. Findings of the study indicated that teachers’ behaviours and level of education were vital factors affecting quality of teacher-learner relationships while the major factors were lack of physical resources and ill-disciplined learners. The study further reported that few teachers were failing to manage their classroom interactions due to lack of classroom management strategies and ignorant to implement school rules and ministerial educational policies. It also emerged that teachers have positive or negative influence on student’s learning, depending on how the interact with learners in the school environment. The study also found that employing learner-centred teaching approach/strategies could help to improve teacher-learner relationships and effective student learning in secondary schools. The research study further recommends that teachers should cultivate and build quite enabling and conducive learning atmosphere for effective teaching and learning. Thus, this improves the student academic learning in the school learning environment. Further, the study recommended that teachers must reinforce school rules and regulations and be an example to learners in the classroom learning situations, and apply learner-centred teaching strategy that calls for learners’ full participation in the classroom lessons. The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture should provide further extensive training to teachers regarding policies, directives and public service acts that informs and guides on teacher-learner relationships in schools. It is also critical to ensure that enough physical resources are availed in order to establish schools for enhancing students’ academic learning
Investigating the effects of government expenditure and money supply on unemplyment in Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in EconomicsOver the years, Namibia continue to experienced rapid growth of unemployment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of government expenditure and money supply on unemployment in Namibia. The annual data employed in the study covered the period from 1980 to 2018. The study applied the ARDL or bound cointegration approach which is said to be more appropriate for the estimation of small sample studies and variable combination of the order of integration (I (0) and I (1)). Granger causality tests were also performed in the study to establish existence of causality between the variables used in the models. The empirical results established cointegration relations between unemployment, government expenditure, money supply and inflation in Namibia. The results further indicated that both government expenditure and money supply have an impact on unemployment in the country. A negative and statistically significant at 5 per cent relationship was observed between government expenditure and unemployment as well as between money supply and unemployment at 10 per cent level of significant. Evidence of short-run causality between government expenditure and unemployment as well as between money supply and unemployment was also found. Finally, the study recommends that for an effective combat of the unemployment problem in Namibia, there is a need for the government to focus on investment, employment generation and provide basic business enhancing facilities such as stable power supply, water and operational facilities to trickle down to the masse
Expressions of exile and homecoming: A critical analysis of the selected Namibian poetry in English
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (English Studies)The main focus of this thesis was to analyse the thematic expressions of the exile and homecoming of selecting Namibia poetry in English. The study is guided by new historicism and post colonialism theories. The study adopted a qualitative approach and data was analysed using a thematic analysis. The study found that Namibians gained independence yet they are facing factors such as disillusionment, poverty, high rate of unemployment, alienation, identity crisis, corruption and there is a huge gap between the rich and the poor as portrayed in the selected poems. The study also paints a picture that shows the possibility of a change over that happens when one goes into exile. At the same time, the poets show that after all, exile is not that dreadful, although other poems might depict it as otherwise. The study contends that the poets portray independence as a total failure economically, culturally and politically. The political complaint portray how government has failed to deliver on most its promises due to corruption and how independent has co-operated the self-respect and identity that comes with being black and being poor. In overall, it appears that post-independence poets are disillusioned by the fruits of
independence. The poets echo the high aggression and low receptivity of the lives
experienced in the foreign lands. Also, these poems communicate, through the choice of words, insightful and frightening lived realities of exilic life
Re-evaluation of Kombat-style mineralisation and implications for exploration in the Otavi mountainland, Namibia
No full textA mini thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Applied Geology)This study re-evaluates the Cu-Pb and Fe-Mn ore mineralization of the Kombat Mine (ML-16, ML-73B) and Gross Otavi Mine (ML-73C), situated between 19 ̊41’ 30” S, 19̊ 39’ 00” S and 17 ̊40’ 00” E, 17 ̊35’ 00” E (WGS84) based on the field geology, fluid inclusions, petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry. This was to determine the genetic relationship between Fe-Mn and Cu-Pb mineralization. The study has established that the Cu-Pb ore at the Kombat Mine can be classified as an MVT-type deposit, whereas, the Fe-Mn ore can be classified as a stratiform-syn-sedimentary deposit. The formation of the MVT-type deposit is associated with a hydrothermal fluid system with a mean temperature of 183°C and mean salinity of 12.85 NaCl wt. % equivalent, as determined by fluid inclusion studies. Upward brine migration enabled leaching of metals from underlying sediments and precipitation of Cu-Pb ore at upper levels in the carbonate host rocks due to structural traps and chemical interaction. The syn-sedimentary Fe-Mn ore, which is largely associated with calc-silicate lithologies, consists mainly of magnetite and hematite with minor pyrite, hausmannite and jacobsite, was deposited by diagenetic and hydrogenetic processes under changing oxic and anoxic conditions within the sedimentary basin. Acceptable geochemical exploration indicators of the existing mineralization include anomalous values of 0.5% Cu, 0.2% S, 0.05% Pb, 0.03% As; 0.01% Zn; V, W, Mo and Ag is 0.002% each based on portable XRF sample analysis. Mineralogical indicators based on field observations, optical and XRD prospecting include major ore minerals such as chalcopyrite, bornite, covellite, and galena with minor chalcocite, sphalerite, and pyrobelonite, for the Cu-Pb MVT-type ores. For the Fe-Mn ores, hausmannite, hematite with minor, manganite may be are considered
Isolation and characterisation of bifidobacteria populations in infants in the Khomas region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Microbiology (Food Microbiology)Bacteria belonging to the genus bifidobacteria are reported to be the most abundant gut endosymbiotic flora in the intestinal tract of new-born infants, particularly those that
have been exclusively breast-fed. This high concentration of this gram-positive
anaerobic bacteria has been attributed to the prebiotic and bifidogenic factors present in human breast milk. Currently, there is limited information on the presence of
bifidobacteri aspecies in Namibia. The aims of this study were to identify and
characterize bifidobacteria, to profile their antimicrobial activity, test few of their
probiotic characteristics such as bile, lysozyme, acid and H2O2 tolerance capabilities and to assess their diversity in infant faeces detected by genus specific PCR and presence of the caseinolytic protease C (ClpC) gene.A total of 25 faecal samples collected from Khomas region showed total plate counts ranging from 32.00 × 105 to 204 × 107colony forming units (CFU)/mL, with mean bifidobacteria plate count ranging from 1.4 × 104 CFU/mL to 3.6 × 108 CFU/mL. Bifidobacteria genus was confirmed by F6PPk assay further identified by 16S rDNA sequencing. Fourteen (14) of the 25bifidobacterial isolates demonstrated the ability to withstand the antimicrobial effects of extremes pH (pH 3.2 and 9.2), with 52 % isolates demonstrating the ability to grow at 0.7% bile concentration. Furthermore, fourteen isolates demonstrated ability to withstand the inhibitory effects of lysozyme and H2O2. These isolates demonstrated antagonistic activity against indicator strains. Using the well diffusion method, cell free supernatant (CFS) exhibited a high degree of antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 13932, Candida albicans ATCC 13932, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 13048, Salmonella typhi ATCC 13311, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Clostridium perfringens .ATCC 13311, Enterococcus furans 6056, and Listeria innocuum ATCC 1450. Neutralized CFS with 1 M NaOH showed antimicrobial activity due to the action of bacteriocins or bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances (BLIS) against the same indicator strains. Antibiotic test revealed seven bifidobacterial isolates to be most susceptible to the effects of erythromycin, tetracycline and ampicillin. Six bifidobacteria isolates demonstrated good cell surface hydrophobicity and autoaggregation. Bifidobacteria present in stool samples are contemplated to have potential applications in food safety owing to the high antagonistic activities they have exhibited and may have probiotic applications in the dairy and food industries
An efficient method for the synthesis of dihydropyridine by hantzsch reaction with Fe/SiO2 nano heterogeneous catalysts
No full textAn efficient method for the synthesis of dihydropyridines (DHPs) by Hantzsch reaction with Fe/SiO2 heterogeneous catalysts was developed. The Fe/SiO2 catalysts was prepared by impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized by IR and SEM instruments. The SEM results indicated that Fe/SiO2 nano spheres were formed. The reaction procedure involved reaction of aldehyde, ethyl acetoacetate (EAA), ammonium acetate (NH4OAc) and ethanol under reflux. The study was focused on optimizing reactions conditions: Standardization of catalyst, substrate of study and solvent study. In order to iden-tify the best active catalysts, five different ratios of catalyst were synthesized and evaluated for the ti-tle reaction under similar conditions. To standardize the active catalysts, different temperature condi-tions (i.e. room temperature, 60 ºC and 80 ºC) as well as catalysts amounts were evaluated. Under these established conditions, 2.5% Fe/SiO2 was the best active catalysts that resulted. Benzaldehyde and p-anisaldehyde were used to study the effect of having various substrates on the conversion and reaction time, especially the substituted aldehydes. The best results were obtained by reacting p-anisaldehyde with EAA, NH4OAc, and ethanol at 60 ºC with 0.3 grams of 2.5% Fe/SiO2 heterogeneous catalysts. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) monitoring of the reaction mixture showed no selectivity at high temperatures (80 ºC) with 15% Fe/SiO2. Standardization of solvent study was executed with two solvents, ethanol and acetonitrile. The product dihydropyridines were analyzed using gas chroma-tography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The melting points of the products were compared with authen-tic samples reported in the literature. Hence, the Fe/SiO2 catalysts is eco-friendly and economically de-veloped for the title reaction
Dynamic models for time-varying outcomes: An application to the 2015-2017 patient cohort on antiretroviral therapy at Luderitz hospital, Namibia
No full textA mini thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in BiostatisticsPatients' adherence to a prescribed medication regimen is one of the most significant barriers to successful antiretroviral therapy (ART). In addition, adherence to ART is one of the key determinants of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) disease progression, while non-adherence severely compromises treatment effectiveness and leads to unsuppressed virus. The extent of the impact of poor adherence on resulting health measures is often unknown, and typical analyses ignore the time-varying nature of adherence. The main objective of this study was to model time-varying outcomes of patients, while accounting for data missingness and measurement error using dynamic models, with application to a cohort of 154 adult patients initiated on ART between January 2015 and December 2017 at the Luderitz hospital. The outcome variable of this study was viral load which was measured at scheduled follow-up visits of patients. Baseline CD4 count, baseline weight, age at start of ART and gender were the non-dynamic covariates which were measured at the ART initiation, while adherence to ART and weight at follow up were the dynamic covariates measured at follow up visits. This study used mixed effects model and Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to model longitudinally measured viral load as a function of the dynamic as well as non-dynamic covariates. To account for missingness in the outcome variable as well as potential measurement error in covariates, a Simulation Extrapolation Inverse Probability Weighted Generalized Estimating Equations (SWGEE) model that incorporates missing and measurement error was used to model the data. The study found that adherence was good in female patients as compared to male patients. Furthermore, the study found that patients with a good adherence rate achieved viral suppression within 12 months of treatment unlike non-adherent patients. In conclusion, viral load of patient’s on ART differ across the patients’ baseline demographic and clinical characteristics
An examination of the effects of government spending on interest rates and trade balance in Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in EconomicsThis paper aims to examine the effects of government expenditure on interest rates and trade balance in Namibia for the period, 1980 to 2018. An ARDL bounds cointegration technique and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) were employed for the analysis. As a precondition, the time series data used in the study were tested for stationarity using ADF, PP, and KPSS unit roots tests. The assessment found government spending and trade balance data with integrated of order zero I(0). However, interest rates data found with integrated of order one I(1). The ARDL cointegration technique confirmed a long-run relationship among government spending, interest rates, and trade balance in Namibia. The outcomes generated by VECM discovered a negative and significant influence of government spending on both trade balance and interest rates. The results confirmed the presence of both twin deficits and the crowd-out hypothesis in Namibia. A further outcome generated by Granger causality establishes that government expenditure, interest rates, and net exports Granger cause each other. Except that trade balance does not Granger cause government expenditure in Namibia. In conclusion, the study warned that Namibia may face an economic crisis soon if the implementation of fiscal policy continues to be applied in an uncontrolled and unsustainable manner. Moreover, the study advised the Namibian government to enforce financial integrity in both public and private sectors to create a sustainable government expenditure with a significant positive government multiplier that creates sustainable domestic economic growth and economic development to ultimately cause an improvement in Namibia’s trade balance