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Exploring child abuse and protection interventions amidst public health emergency in Lusaka district, Zambia.
Get PDFThesis of Doctor of Philosophy in Education Psychology.The study explored child abuse risks and protective measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lusaka District, Zambia. It employed Urie Bronfenbrenner's Ecological model and a mixed-methods approach. An exploratory sequential research design was adopted for the current study. Data were collected from a total of 193 respondents and comprised 92 child protection Service Providers, 54 parents or caregivers and 47
children.Questionnaire and interview guide and were used to collect data. Qualitative data underwent thematic analysis to identify codes and common themes. The data were coded into categories which included Service Providers (SP), parents (P), children (C), and focus group discussions (FGD). While quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate frequencies, percentages and one-way ANOVA tests to assess significance. Multiple regression and T-test were also used to test the hypothesis as well as Pearson correlation. Key findings indicated a significant decrease in reported child abuse cases during the pandemic (t-value = -7.315, p = .006). Child neglect and sexual abuse were prevalent, emphasising girls’ vulnerability. Child protection services played a crucial role but 48 per cent of providers reported unpreparedness for emergencies. Child risk factors included age (46.1%), community substance abuse (45%), and parental absence (40%). Child neglect was high during COVID-19 (45% and 43% in 2020 and 2021), followed by sexual abuse (32% and 30%). Re-integration showed a cyclic pattern, with differing
perceptions among Service Providers, parents, and children. Recommendations included integrating child protection in emergency planning, investing in online services, collaborating with community organisations, implementing a national multi sectoral approach, and providing mandatory counseling for abused children
Investigating the co-relation between recruitment criteria and organisational performance : a case of Kitwe, Ndola teaching hospitals and Roan Antelope general hospital.
Get PDFThesis of Master of Business Administration (MBA-General)This research study delves into the intricate relationship between recruitment criteria and organizational performance within the context of healthcare settings, specifically focusing on Kitwe, Ndola Teaching Hospitals, and Roan Antelope General Hospital. With a sample size of 100 participants comprising healthcare professionals, administrators, and support staff, the study aims to elucidate the nuances of recruitment practices and their impact on the overall performance of these institutions. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the research uncovers the perspectives, experiences, and insights of participants regarding the recruitment criteria employed by the hospitals and their perceived effects on organizational effectiveness. Through purposive sampling, diverse perspectives were gathered to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Findings of the study suggest a multifaceted relationship between recruitment criteria and organizational performance, highlighting various factors such as qualifications, skills, experience, cultural fit, and alignment with organizational goals. The study identifies both strengths and shortcomings in the existing recruitment processes, shedding light on areas for improvement and optimization. The research also reveals the influence of recruitment practices on employee morale, retention, and engagement, underscoring the pivotal role of effective recruitment strategies in
fostering a conducive work environment and enhancing overall organizational performance. Moreover, it explores the challenges encountered in aligning recruitment criteria with evolving healthcare demands and the need for continuous adaptation to meet changing organizational needs. Ultimately, this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering insights into the dynamics of recruitment criteria and their implications for organizational performance in healthcare settings. The findings hold significance for hospital administrators, human resource practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, informing strategies aimed at enhancing recruitment practices and optimizing organizational outcomes. Further research avenues are suggested to delve deeper into specific aspects of recruitment and their impact on organizational dynamics
The effectiveness of internal controls on the management of internally generated funds at the university teaching hospital.
Get PDFThesis of Master of Science in Accounting and Finance.While there exist internal controls in the public health institutions in Zambia, several inconsistencies; violation of established financial management guidelines and procedures, contracts and services are not being rendered in accordance to set-out procedures, cost overruns due to delays in project completion, inappropriate payments for equipment supplied, equipment and goods procured at a much higher cost than market value, have been observed and cited by stakeholders and the Auditor General’s report. It is not clear therefore, why these irregularities would exist in public health institutions when the internal controls system exists. To assess the Effectiveness of internal Controls on internally generated funds in Public Health Institutions using the University Teaching Hospital as a case study. This study employed a cross sectional descriptive study design. It was conducted at the University Teaching Hospital. The sample for the study was 40 composing of the finance/revenue and procurement officers. Purposive sampling procedure was used selected the respondents and primary data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using
SPSS version 26.0 at three levels: Univariate, Bivariate and multivariate. Findings show that the internal controls implemented at UTH are; control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information and communication, and monitoring activities. The factors which were found to influence the implementation of internal controls are; age of the employees, having employees with Certificate, Degree, Masters levels of education, having employees with an accounting profession and having employees with 1+ years of experience. Age of the employees, having employees in tertiary education; Degree, Masters levels of education, having employees with an accounting profession and having employees with 1+ years of experience influenced the effectiveness of internal controls positively while having employees with certificate influenced the effectiveness of internal controls negatively. Furthermore, findings indicate that internal controls at the University Teaching Hospital are quite effective. There is greater need of improving them especially in the areas of information technology, information and communication, and Monitoring activities, they need more
improvement in audits and accountability as this would make the system very effective
Assessment of the psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 among healthcare practitioners at two major hospitals in Lusaka district.
Get PDFThesis of Master of Social Work and Community Development.The present study assessed the psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 among healthcare practitioners in selected hospitals in Lusaka District. A survey research design was adopted in this study where 207 respondents were sampled from both UTH and Levy Mwanawasa Hospitals using simple random sampling. Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Participants Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used for data collection. Being a descriptive statistics analysis, organized data was analyzed by means of frequency distributions and percentages to describe the characteristics of the healthcare practitioners and presented in tables, pie and bar charts. The analysis of data was done using SPSS version 26. Further, the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics like mean and standard deviation. Furthermore, bivariate and multivariate analysis were performed to assess precautionary measures which improved the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 among healthcare practitioners. The results revealed that the majority of the participants reported fearing the disease and its consequences, especially death due to COVID-19. Further, the study showed that 60.9% of
the participants reported to be depressed, 70.1% were stressed and 76.8% experienced anxiety. The level of severity of depression categorized as none, mild, moderate, severe and extreme severe stood at 15.5%, 5.3%, 12.6%, 33.3% and 33.3%, respectively. With respect to the severity level of stress, the majority were severely stressed followed by those who were moderately stressed (None 21.2%, mild 9.2%, moderate 23.2%, severe 40.6%, and extreme severe 5.8%). In addition, the results of the study revealed that most of the respondents severely developed symptoms of anxiety followed by those with moderate symptoms of anxiety. The findings of the study also showed that the respondents agreed that positive attitudes from colleagues, hand washing and wearing of face mask, observing social distancing protocols, avoiding social gatherings, exercising regularly, were commonly reported as ways of coping with the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, precautionary measures such as handwashing, exercise regularly, leisure activities in free time and seek help from a psychologist were significantly associated with improved psychosocial impact of COVID-19 among healthcare practitioners in a multiple logistic regression model. Thus, the study recommended the need for the Government through the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to put in place measures to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare practitioners. In conclusion, many health workers experienced stress, anxiety and depression during the COVID-19. This calls for mitigation measures
because continued anxiety and depression can affect their work of taking care of the patients
Antischistosomal structure-activity relationships of nitrated n-phenyl benzamide derivatives.
Get PDFThesisSchistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease caused by blood-dwelling trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. It ranks second on a list of neglected tropical parasitic diseases. Globally, about 280,000 deaths are recorded annually while more than 240 million people get infected and more than 700 million people risk being infected. The disease is associated with approximately 3.3 million disability-adjusted life years. It also causes a total estimated annual
global economic loss amounting to US$641,790,130. Africa alone accounts for more than 90% of schistosomiasis cases with Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium species being the most prevalent. For over 40 years, praziquantel has stood out as the principal drug of
choice in the treatment and control of schistosomiasis. It is efficacious and safe. It has also been very instrumental in preventive chemotherapy. However, it faces emerging drug resistance, lacks antischistosomal activity against juvenile worms, does not provide a 100% cure, and does not prevent re-infection. N-phenylbenzamides have shown potential as antischistosomal agents although they have not been extensively studied. This study was
inspired by one compound, MMV687807, which was active against Schistosoma mansoniworms and was 100% lethal at 10 µM against Schistosoma haematobium adult worms whose further medicinal chemistry exploration, identified MK1-11, from the recent study that
reported its exhibited potency against Schistosoma mansoni adult worms attributed to trifluoromethyl group (CF3), an electron-withdrawing group. This study, therefore, sought to further enhance activity by nitrating the core-scaffold of the front-runner compound, MK1-11.The analogs of this compound were thus synthesized and tested in vitro on Schistosoma mansoni juvenile worms. The successfully synthesized analogs were confirmed by HPLC-MS,
1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectroscopic techniques. The 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR results were analyzed using a spectral data analyzing software called MestReNova. The %-death-of-worms effect produced by the tested compounds were 62%, 28%, 56%, and 42% at 50 µM with
reduced effects of 41.67%, 25%, 54.17%, and 25% at 10 µM respectively. Structure-activity relationships (SARs) appeared to confirm earlier findings being electron-withdrawing groups are essential for potency. Generally, analogs containing nitro and trifluoromethyl groups on the phenyl rings as depicted in JS-03 and JS-05 exhibited enhanced activity. However, regioisomerism (ortho or meta substitution) in these two analogs did not seem to affect activity. Due to low activity on juvenile worms, the analogs could not be tested on adult worms. Consequently, enhancement or decrease in activity with respect to the front-runner compound,MK1-11 which was only tested on adult worms and also using a different in vitro biological assay method could not be deduced. There is need, therefore, to consider resynthesizing the front-runner compound by further research, test it on both juvenile and adult worms using the same in vitro assay method as the newly synthesized analogs in order to assess to what extent activity is improved upon or compromised
A stylistic and thematic analysis of Zambian prison poetry: the case of Mwembeshi maximum security prison.
Get PDFMaster of Arts in LiteratureSeveral studies have established inmates chronicle their lived experiences in the works of art they produce such as poetry. Studying artworks produced by inmates therefore provides critical information that can help inform policies, programmes, and activities for rehabilitation. The Zambia Correctional Service provided arts platform for inmates to write and perform poetry. However, there were neither known studies that took interest to study this poetry nor a deliberate policy by the service to use this poetry to appreciate the lived experiences of inmates especially that the service was transforming from custodial prison system to a correctional service. Using a mixed methods inquiry anchored on the stylistic, social constructionism and structuralism study analysed selected poems written by inmates from the Mwembeshi Maximum Correctional Facility. The analyses of these poems focused on their stylistic and thematic content and how these had a bearing on the Zambia Correctional Service. The study established that inmate poets used a wide range of stylistic content to bring out themes in a creative and appealing manner that gives a reader a vicarious experience of their lived experiences in the Zambia correctional facilities. The themes in the poems reflected the lived experiences of inmates in terms of the circumstances that led them to prison, the crimes they committed, what prison life had been like, their coping strategies and perception about the correctional activities as well as their fears and hopes for a post-prison future. Like studies that have been conducted elsewhere, this demonstrates that poetry in Zambia can be one of the most beneficial treatments in rehabilitation as it aids the understanding of the lived experiences of inmates. It can equip inmates, correctional officers, social workers, health care providers, educators and parents or guardians with tools of how they can create strategies of
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helping inmates rehabilitate and how inmates can be integrated into society after release without a preconceived approach to the individual self that committed the crime
Factors affecting tax administration in the informal sector: a case study of Lusaka district.
Get PDFThesis of Master of Science in Human Resource ManagementThe Study is an evaluation of Factors Affecting Tax Evasion in the Informal Sector: A case Study of Lusaka. The study was guided by the following objectives, To establish factors that lead to non-compliance on tax remittance in informal sector. To identify the challenges that affect revenue mobilization by Zambia Revenue Authority from the informal sector and to determine how ZRA can improve upon tax collection in the informal sector by incorporating good tax Administration principles,procedures and practices in Zambia. The study adopted a mixed method design that was used in this study was a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. An approach to inquiry that embeds both qualitative and quantitative methods concurrently, prioritizing both methods almost equally throughout the process of data collection. A total of sixty – eight (68) respondents were interviewed and with closed and open-ended questions. A total of three (3) ZRA key informants were interviewed with open ended questions. The research used mixed method research design in order to come up with the findings. The research also used both secondary and primary data. The empirical result obtained from the study showed that tax evasion in the informal sector is mainly influenced by low incomes, illiteracy, complicated tax processes and the tax rate been too high. The study also established that the non-permanent place of work of informal sector participants, cash-based transactions and poor record keeping in the sector were among the many challenges that the Zambian Revenue Authority faced in taxing the informal sector. The study also found out that Tax advertisement and education, increase of ZRA pay points, Mandatory registration of informal businesses would encourage the informal sector to pay tax. Finally, study has recommends among othe that the Zambian government in conjuction with ZRA should reduce tax rates, expand tax pay points, embark on serious tax education and advertisement, employ more tax administrators and simplify the process of
remitting tax in order to increase tax revenues from the informal sector
Impact of monetary policy rate on money supply in Zambia (2012-2020).
Get PDFMaster of arts in economicsMoney supply is one of the key variable any monetary policy framework aims at influencing. Central banks all over the world have several instruments at their disposal to control the supply of money in their economies and one such instrument is the monetary policy rate. This study provides an analysis of the impact of monetary policy rate on money supply in Zambia. Quarterly time series data for monetary policy rate, money supply-2, lending rate and exchange rate covering the period from second quarter 2012 to fourth quarter 2020 was used. The study focused on channels through which monetary policy rate directly and indirectly affects money supply. Vector Autoregression (VAR) and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach were used to analyse the indirect and direct impact of monetary policy rate on money supply respectively. Empirical results revealed that monetary policy rate has a significant positive impact on lending rate in the short run only. Its impact on lending rate is weak as after 8 quarters, only 21 percent of the variations in lending rate is attributed to monetary policy rate while 79 percent is explained by own shocks in lending rate. With regards to exchange rate, the results showed the absence of pass-through effect from monetary policy rate to exchange rate. In the short run, monetary policy rate has no impact on money supply while exchange rate has both positive (i.e. wealth effect) and negative (i.e. currency substitution effect) impacts, with positive impact outweighing the negative impact. In the long run, both monetary policy rate and exchange rate have significant effect on money supply with a positive elasticity attributed to exchange rate being greater than the negative elasticity attributed to monetary policy rate in absolute terms. These elasticities have far reaching implications on the effectiveness of monetary policy rate on money supply as its impact is overshadowed by the exchange rate wealth effect. In view of the aforementioned, to improve the effectiveness of monetary policy rate, policies that ensure competition in the banking sector and stability of exchange rate should be strengthened.
Keywords: Policy Rate, Exchange Rate Pass-through effect, Structural break, ECM, Impulse Respons
An evaluation of the organizational performance of the department of national parks and wildlife using the balance score card model.
Get PDFJournal ArticleAbstract: Public organisations play a key role in fostering national development, protecting national assets and
facilitating business for the private sector to operate hence generate a lot of public interest. This study was motivated
by concerns raised by stakeholders including its own employees on the performance of the Department of National
Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) with respect to its mandated functions of generating revenue, protecting wildlife and
its habitats and facilitating community participation. DNPW’s share of the tourism market stands at 4% thus it only
generates a measly USD 146/Km2
compared to USD878-1,028/Km2 by private sector and the neighbouring countries.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the organisational performance of the Department and to identify the key
problem factors affecting its performance. A quantitative method design was used in the study. The target population
was the entire Department. Purposive sampling was used to select 120 respondents for administering the
questionnaire. Data was analysed in Microsoft Excel using descriptive and inferential statistics to test the influence
of the Independent variables on the dependent. Using the Balance Scorecard model, the study analysed the
performance of the Department from 2016 to 2021. The overall performance of the Department was measured and
the factors that affected its performance identified using the four perspectives of the Balance Scorecard. The study
also measured the influence of each problem factor on the overall performance of the Department using Pearson’s
Chi-square. The study found that the overall performance of the Department was between average to below average.
Poorly set revenue targets, lack of innovation, low corporate image, inefficient internal processing systems and low
human capital were identified as the main problem factors that contributed to the poor performance of the
institution. The study concluded that the Department was not effective in executing its functions of protecting
wildlife, generating revenue, controlling and managing habitats, issuing of licenses or in conducting research. The
study identified improving goal setting, increasing staff numbers, automating systems and reviewing the Wildlife
Act to enhance decision making, among the solutions to its poor performance.
Keywords: Balance Scorecard, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Organisational performance,
Performance Management, Performance Measurement
Diversity of fungal and fungi-like pathogens of tomato (solanum lycopersicum) from selected parts of Lusaka province.
Get PDFThesis of Master of Science in Molecular Biology.Fungal and fungi-like pathogens including Cladosporium fulvum, Alternaria alternate, and Alternaria solani class dothideomycetes are major pathogens of solanaceous crops such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) where they cause significant losses. To contribute to the understanding
of the extent to which fungal pathogens affect tomato productivity in a major tomato-growing part of Zambia, the study tested the hypothesis that various fungal and fungi-like pathogens are circulating in tomato-growing areas of Lusaka and show morphological, molecular and virulence
diversity. Tomato tissue showing diverse disease symptoms including leaf spotting, stem rotting and fruit damage were collected from farmers’ fields in various parts of Lusaka Province. Surface-sterilised tissue was cultured on potato dextrose agar to analyse the morphological diversity of isolates.
Purified isolates were used in infection studies to fulfill Koch’s postulates and to analyse the variations in virulence of the isolates. Genomic DNA was extracted from the purified fungal isolates and PCR-amplified using primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS). The Sanger dideoxy chain termination sequencing method was used to sequence the PCRamplified genomic DNA. Taxonomic identification of isolates from this study indicate that Alternaria alternata, Epicoccum nigrum and Cladosporium fulvum are some of the tomato pathogens circulating in the study area showing diversity in virulence and morphological characteristics. Selected isolates were found to have varying levels of virulence on Tengeru tomato variety. From 20 plants whose leaves were inoculated with pathogens from each study site, the means lesion diameters were found to be 5.9mm for samples from University of Zambia agriculture research field, 8.29mm for isolates from 13Miles and 6.095mm for those from Kafue. Molecular phylogeny analysis of the sequenced ITS amplicons by the maximum likelihood criterion revealed relatedness between isolates from similar regions of the study area as well as those from various regions of the study area. Results from this study will be useful for tomato breeders and farmers as they conduct breeding projects and use fungicides to control the pathogens circulating in the study area