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Cancer patient’s experience of long COVID-19 at the cancer diseases hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
Full text linkThesis of Master of Science in Oncology Nursing.Cancer patients are particularly vulnerable to the effects of Long COVID-19 due to their immunecompromised state. The intersection of cancer and Long COVID-19 presents unique challenges, including disruptions in treatment, heightened psychological distress, and financial burdens. In Zambia, the impact of Long COVID-19 on cancer patients remains under-explored. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of cancer patients with Long COVID-19 at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. A qualitative descriptive phenomenological design was employed to explore the subjective experiences of cancer patients diagnosed with Long COVID19. The study purposively included 14 participants using data saturation technique. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically to identify key themes related to the experiences of patients. The findings yielded four themes: impact of long COVID-19 on cancer treatment, Psychological distress from long COVID-19, healthcare access and support challenges. It revealed that Long COVID-19 significantly disrupted cancer treatment, leading to delayed chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Participants reported severe psychological distress, including heightened anxiety, depression, and fear of worsening cancer prognosis. Coping
mechanisms varied, with some patients relying on social support, spirituality, and resilience strategies. However, healthcare access remained a major challenge, with limited resources, financial burdens, and delays in treatment exacerbating the difficulties faced by patients. Long COVID-19 has compounded the challenges faced by cancer patients in Zambia, affecting their physical and mental well-being. The study highlights the need for integrated healthcare approaches, improved mental health support, and policy interventions to ensure uninterrupted cancer care during pandemics. Addressing these gaps is crucial for enhancing the quality of life and treatment outcomes for cancer patients experiencing Long COVID-19.
Keywords: Long COVID-19, cancer patients, healthcare access, psychological distress, coping mechanisms, treatment disruption
Experiences of escort nurses on waiting time and associated challenges in the emergency department at Princess Marina hospital in Gaborone, Botswana.
Full text linkThesis of Master of Science in Emergency and Trauma Nursing.Emergency Departments are vital in providing timely care to patients. However, these departments face persistent and prolonged waiting times, which affect patient satisfaction, staff welfare, and healthcare delivery. Escort nurses play a crucial role in inter-facility patient transfer by accompanying, supporting, and caring for patients throughout their emergency department visits. Therefore, they are well-positioned to provide insights into
the effects of waiting times. The study explored the experiences of escort nurses on waiting times and associated challenges in the emergency department at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. A qualitative, phenomenological, descriptive design was adopted to thoroughly understand and gain detailed insights into the experiences of escort nurses on waiting times, associated challenges and the overall referral system. Data was collected from 11 escort nurses through in-depth interviews, then analysed thematically and coded using ATLAS.ti software. The study findings revealed three main themes: resource limitations in the Princess Marina Hospital emergency department, operational challenges in the Princess Marina Hospital emergency department, and effects of long waiting times. The study elaborated on several challenges associated with
prolonged waiting times, such as the structure of the emergency department, equipment and staff shortages, lack of essential facilities, inefficient referral and triage processes, and inefficient emergency communication. These findings elucidate the adverse effects of prolonged emergency department waiting times on escort nurses, highlighting how this affects their physical and emotional well-being and reduces job satisfaction. Extended waiting times affect escort nurses and the entire healthcare system, potentially exacerbating mistrust and negative perceptions of the system. This insight is vital for promoting change through process reengineering and enhancing the referral system to reduce waiting time, improve patient care and nurses’ wellbeing.
Keywords: Emergency Department, Waiting Time, Escort Nurses, Experiences, Challenges
Experiences and perceptions of non-intensive care trained nurses in caring for patients on mechanical ventilators in Mahalapye district hospital, Botswana.
Full text linkThesis of Master of Science in Critical Care Nursing.There is increasing patient acuity in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in Botswana, with a growing demand for mechanical ventilation. As a result, non-intensive care-trained nurses are increasingly involved in caring for patients on mechanical ventilators in the ICUs. There seems to be little research on non-intensive care trained nurses’ experiences and perceptions in caring for patients on mechanical ventilation in Botswana, yet they play a significant role in the care of ventilated patients. This poses a gap in understanding these nurses' specific experiences and perceptions in their roles in caring for patients on mechanical ventilators. This study explored the experiences and perceptions of non-intensive care trained nurses caring for patients on mechanical ventilators in Mahalapye District Hospital in Botswana. A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological design was used in this study. The researcher purposively selected eight non-intensive trained nurses who had cared for patients on mechanical ventilators for at least one year. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step approach. Five major themes and eleven sub-themes emerged from this study. Theme one, emotional burden and exhaustion in caring for patients on mechanical ventilators, had a sub-theme: stress and burnout. Theme two, perceived lack of knowledge and learning on the job, had three sub-themes: knowledge and skill gaps in ventilator management; coping strategies employed for knowledge and skill development; and the need for training and professional development. Theme three isresource and organisational challenges, while theme four, support and teamwork in ventilated patient care delivery, had two sub-themes: support and collaboration, and challenges in collaboration. Theme five, positive perceptions of caring for ventilated patients and professional fulfilment, has two sub-themes. Non-intensive care-trained nurses face challenges in caring for mechanically ventilated patients, including emotional distress, knowledge gaps, and resource limitations. Addressing these issues through targeted training, emotional support programmes and improved resource allocation is essential to enhancing the quality of nursing care for ventilated patients and could improve patient outcomes.
Keywords: Non-intensive care trained nurses, mechanical ventilation, Intensive care unit, experiences, perceptions, ventilated patient
An exploration into effective collective bargaining: a case study of public service trade unions in Zambia.
Full text linkArticleThe purpose of the study was to explore how Public Service trade unions can effectively bargain for terms and conditions of service for employees in Zambia. The objectives of the study included to investigate the factors affecting the bargaining power of the Public Service Unions in Zambia and to propose guidelines that can improve the Collective Bargaining process between Government and Public Service Unions. The qualitative design was used in this study. The study used purposeful and stratified random sampling to select participants. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and was analyzed using the in vivo Software to enable the researcher conduct thematic content analysis of interview transcripts. The study identified major challenges that weaken the bargaining power of unions, such as the multiplicity of unions leading to fragmentation, lack of capacity and skills among union leaders, and political interference and corruption that shift focus away from employee welfare. The study conclusively revealed that unions' lack of coordination and professionalism in managing the collective bargaining process undermined their influence and limited their capacity to secure tangible gains for their members. These persistent issues reflected the broader ineffectiveness of Public Service Unions in navigating government constraints and regulatory challenges, leaving workers' demands largely unmet. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that the
Industrial and Labour Relations Act Cap 269 of the Laws of Zambia should be amended to provide clear guidelines for collective bargaining and prevent multiplicity of trade unions. Further, Trade Unions should invest in capacity building of the union leaders to improve their negotiation skills among others
Social vulnerabilities and adaptation options to climatic hazards affecting rural water supply in Barotse floodplain catchment.
Full text linkThesis of Master of Science in Environmental and Natural Resources Management.Climate change is altering hydrological patterns, leading to extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, intense floods, and shifts in precipitation patterns threatening water supply systems in the Barotse Floodplain. This has adversely affected the rural communities in the Barotse floodplain as water supply systems are crucial for their livelihoods and well-being. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the susceptibility of rural communities in the Barotse Floodplains to climatic hazards affecting their water supply and identify adaptation options for ensuring sustainable water supply in the face of climate change. The study adopted a mixed method approach with a convergent parallel mixed method research design and a sample size of 205 households and 6 key informants. To collect the data a household survey was conducted in Malengwa, Lealui and Nakanya villages in Mongu District using a semi-structured interview. The quantitative data was used to assess the social vulnerability of the rural communities using the social vulnerability index. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The findings of the study show that Nakanya village is the most vulnerable, having an SVI score of 0.52 followed by Lealui village with an SVI score of 0.45 and finally Malengwa village with an SVI score of 0.39. Economic factors largely influenced the social vulnerability in all
the three villages as they had the highest values. The findings also show that effects of climate change being experienced include an increase in the frequency of drought, increase in temperatures and lack of rainfall, floods, and heavy winds. The effects of climate change are negatively affecting the rural water supply of the Barotse floodplains in various ways with increase in frequency and severity of drought making water scarcer escalating water insecurity issues. This has led to adverse effects such as loss of crops, loss of livestock, drinking contaminated water, water shortages, hunger and starvation, diseases, reduced fishing activities and human wildlife conflict. The study found that rural communities were adapting to climate change impacts through measures such as digging and deepening wells, traveling longer distances to fetch water, limiting water usage, borehole drilling and construction of water supply mini schemes. The study identified adaptation options that can help enhance the local communities’ resilience against climate change impacts on water supply. These include drilling of boreholes, introduction of irrigation schemes, household clustering, recharge mapping and riverbank infiltration. The findings of the study reveal that development of climate change resilient water infrastructure is critical in enhancing the rural communities’ resilience against
the impacts of climate change on water supply systems.
Keywords: Barotse floodplains, Climate change, Rural water supply, Adaptation, Social vulnerabilit
Formal teacher competence and its effect on learner reading achievement in multilingual learning contexts of Livingstone district in Zambia.
Full text linkThesis of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics.This study examined formal teacher competence and its effect on learner reading achievement in multilingual learning contexts of Livingstone District in Zambia. Guided by the Expertise, Translanguaging, and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) theories, the study addressed the following objectives: to examine the effect of teacher professional qualifications on learners' reading achievement in multilingual learning contexts, to analyze
how professional qualifications influence the pedagogical content knowledge of teachers in primary schools, to identify challenges teachers face in teaching learners from multilingual learning contexts, and to examine strategies to enhance teacher competence. Adopting a mixed-methods research approach with a convergent parallel design, the study collected data through teacher interviews, classroom observations, and learner achievement tests. Findings revealed significant variations in learners' reading achievements based on teacher qualifications. Teachers holding Bachelor’s degrees in Primary Education demonstrated the highest effectiveness (Cohen's d = 1.33), followed by those with Primary Diplomas (Cohen's d = 0.85) and those with degrees in English Language/History (Cohen's d = 0.84). These results highlight that higher qualifications specifically tailored for primary education lead to improved learner reading achievement in multilingual classrooms. Furthermore, the study found that teachers with relevant primary education degrees possessed better pedagogical and content knowledge to enhance reading achievement, compared to those with general
secondary education degrees. Statistical analyses supported these findings, with the dependent variable approximating a normal distribution (p = 0.583) and the Levene test confirming homogeneity of variances across teacher qualification groups (p > 0.05). The One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) further revealed significant differences in learner performance based on teacher qualification. Learners taught by teachers with a Bachelor’s
degree in Primary Education had the highest mean score (37.57), followed by those taught by teachers with a Primary Diploma (36.04), and those instructed by teachers with a Bachelor’s degree in English and History (35.20). These results reinforce the importance of teacher qualifications in shaping learner outcomes, emphasizing the advantage of teachers with a primary education background in multilingual settings. Additionally, the study identified key challenges affecting instruction, including resource shortages, language barriers, and overcrowded classrooms. To address these issues, the study recommends tailored teacher training programs, continuous professional development initiatives, and the development of
multilingual teaching resources. The findings underscore the critical role of teacher competence in improving learner reading achievement, particularly in complex multilingual contexts.
Keywords: Teacher Competence, Reading Achievement, Multilingual Learning, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Teacher Qualification
A negative binomial ingarch model for overdispersed count time series structure, parameter estimation and application to real data.
Full text linkThesis of Master of Science in Statistics.This dissertation develops a negative binomial integer-valued generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic model of order p, q (negative binomial INGARCH(p, q)) for overdispersed count time series data with potential extreme values. The model is formulated such that its conditional distribution follows the negative binomial distribution, allowing the conditional variance to exceed the conditional mean and dynamically adjust for overdispersion based on past observations. Furthermore, the unconditional variance exceeding the unconditional mean demonstrates the model’s capability to capture extreme values in the data. A simulation study evaluates the finite sample performance of the Yule–Walker, conditional least squares, and maximum likelihood estimation methods for the three sparsely parameterized negative binomial INGARCH(p, q) models. Results indicate that maximum likelihood estimation is the most efficient and reliable approach. The conditional log-likelihood function is maximized numerically using MATLAB’s fmincon function, with constraints to ensure stationarity and non-negativity of parameters. Conditional least squares estimates serve as initial values to facilitate convergence and enhance stability. For application, the negative binomial INGARCH(p, q) model is applied to syphilis count data from the R ZIM package, originally sourced from the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report CDC MMWR. The dataset consists of weekly syphilis cases in Maryland, United States, from January 2007 to May 2010, with 209 observations. The empirical mean (3.47) and variance (9.28) confirm overdispersion, justifying the use of the negative binomial distribution. Model performance is assessed and compared to the Poisson INGARCH(p, q) and double Poisson INGARCH(p, q) models using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). Additionally, tail probabilities of residuals are analyzed to evaluate the models’ ability to capture extreme values. Results from AIC, BIC, and tail probability analysis indicate that the negative binomial INGARCH(p, q) model outperforms the Poisson INGARCH(p, q) and double Poisson INGARCH(p, q) models
Diminishing agricultural land and food production in Makeni, Lusaka district.
Full text linkThesis of Master of Science in Spatial Planning.Change in land-use, which causes a decrease in agricultural land, has an impact on food production. This situation is a major concern and a subject of many studies around the globe. The objectives of this study were to estimate the proportion of originally zoned agricultural land in Makeni, to determine the proportion of land converted from Agriculture to other land uses between 1990 and 2017 and to determine the implications of land-use change from agriculture to other uses on food production. In-depth Interviews with 5 key informants from different institutions were conducted. Landowners in Makeni were also interviewed. Surveys with traders in the surrounding markets were also conducted. Unsupervised classification in GIS was used to analyze the spatial data collected. The results obtained from interviews and surveys were analyzed using thematic analysis and the quantitative one was analyzed in SPSS. Land in Makeni was originally zoned for agriculture purposes; however, the results obtained show that the proportion of area covered by built-up land is on the increase, whilst there is a decline in land for Agricultural production. Built-up land increased from 5.1 km2 in 1990 to 7.4 km2 in 2000 and a sharp increase to 11.9 km2 in 2017 was recorded. There was a drastic decrease in Agricultural land from 24.2 km2 in 1990 to 17.8 km2 in 2000 and in 2017 it reduced drastically to 13.9 km2. These results also show that 84 percent of the farmers in Makeni experienced reduced Agricultural production. The survey conducted among the traders revealed that 90 percent of the traders witnessed reduced purchase of agricultural produce. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the farmers who maintained agricultural land-use reported a decrease in crop yield, potentially due to factors such as soil degradation or changing climate conditions, while the study indicates that only 16% observed an increase. Approximately 300 properties changed land-use from agriculture to residential in Makeni between 2010 and 2016. The desire for more accommodation as the city expands has influenced the land-use changes, which have led to a drastic reduction in agricultural land in Makeni. This has negatively affected the amount of agricultural production in the study area and has led to increased food prices in Lusaka as most food is sourced from other districts. Therefore, there is need for strict compliance to zoning regulations in the City. There is also a need for farmers in the city to be incentivized to continue engaging in agriculture production as this will help to improve food security in Lusaka.
Key Words: Diminishing Agricultural land: Land-use change; Food production
An analysis of the strategies teachers use to integrate children’s home languages in the teaching process in selected preschools in Luampa district of Zambia.
Full text linkThesis of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics.The study analyzed the strategies teachers use to integrate children’s home languages in the teaching process in selected preschools in Luampa district of Zambia. The study sought to address five research objectives: the first aimed to establish the language situation in preschool classes of Luampa district of Zambia. The second was to determine the strategies teachers use to integrate children’s home languages in their teaching processes in preschools of Luampa. The third was to ascertain the print language environment in the school settings. The fourth was to determine language application challenges that teachers and learners face in the teaching and learning processes and the fifth was to propose guidelines that teachers can use on the integration of children’s home languages in the teaching processes. Using a qualitative mode of inquiry, the study adopted a descriptive research design. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires, interview guides, class observations and document analysis. The study used a homogeneous and convenient type of purposive sampling technique and was restricted to 6 preschools. The total sample size was 36 respondents comprising 6 Headteachers from each preschool, 12 preschool teachers (all teachers from the six preschools), and 18 parents to preschool learners. Lessons were also observed from 6 classes of preschool learners comprising 28 to 42 learners in each class. Content analysis was used to analyze the data where themes, codes and key words were generated from. The findings of the study show that Luampa district has several local languages spoken including Silozi, Mbunda, Chokwe,Luchazi, Luvale and Nkoya. Mbunda has the highest number of speakers and it is the majority language. The study also show that teachers used a number of strategies to integrate children’s home languages and these included translanguaging, codeswitching, creation of learning corners, storytelling and picture reading as well as translation. The results on the third objective show that much of the print environment in Luampa is Silozi Language. The results for forth objective show that some learners of Mbunda background had challenges learning in Silozi and some teachers were unable to codeswitch from Silozi to Mbunda and others did not even know both Mbunda
and Silozi. The study recommended that the government should consider a trilingual language in education policy in Luampa where Mbunda, Lozi and English can be used simultaneously in classes to reflect what is happening on the ground.
Keywords: translanguaging, codeswitching, translation, bilingualism, multilingualis
The biomagnification impact of discharging elevated levels of iron in mine effluent on human health: a case of Nampundwe mine, central province of Zambia.
Full text linkThesis of Master of Science Degree in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development.This study investigated the biomagnification impact of elevated iron levels in mine effluent on human health around Nampundwe Mine area in Shibuyunji District of Zambia. Nampundwe
Mine produces massive Pyrite (FeS2) with minor Pyrrhotite (FeS) and chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) used in copper smelters. Pyrite plays a crucial function in copper smelting process, providing a source of sulfur, iron, and fuel that aids copper recovery, reduce slag viscosity and increases smelting efficiency. Due to processing of the mineral, iron is transformed from ferrous to ferric form which is bioavailable to plants when released to the environment through the mine effluent and dust fallout from the tailings dam. The study was motivated by the extensive use of land and mine effluent for small scale farming by the local community. The study objective was to assess the impact of elevated levels of iron in mine effluent on the health of the Nampundwe Mine community. The use of land near mines and mine effluent for agriculture purposes could result in biomagnification of heavy metals. Biomagnification is the increase in concentrations of a substance, in the tissue of an organism in a higher level of a food chain. The study used a mixed-method approach which included laboratory data collection of iron content in soil, mine effluent, vegetable leaves, vegetable soup and blood samples. Blood samples were collected from guinea pigs to represent the animal model. The study discussed the prevalence of diseases associated with elevated iron levels such as acute hepatitis A, B and C, liver damage, cancer, haemolytic anaemia, liver injuries, and dry skin disorder using a questionnaire. The study used stata and excel in analysing laboratory data, and descriptive statistics of iron content in serum and vegetable in determining the iron content. The finding was that iron content in effluent was within the ZEMA threshold of 2mg/l for effluent water but above the WHO/FAO threshold of 0.5mg/l for irrigation water. Further, the iron content showed and increase in the leafy vegetables from 24.67 mg/l to 32.8 mg/l, from 26.31mg/l to 45.4mg/l and from 27.13mg/l to 32.1mg/l. Furthermore, iron levels in guinea pig serum equally increased by 23 per cent, 67 per cent, 13.5 per cent and 55 per cent. The results confirmed a pass-through effect of iron biomagnification in shoots of fresh vegetables via the food chain. Similarly, the guinea pigs exhibited signs of iron overload in form of a dry skin disorder. With these findings, of effluent water results being above the WHO/FAO threshold for irrigation water, it is recommended that authorities such as Zambia Environmental management Agency consider enforcing compliance with Mining Regulations at source. With \the observed biomagnification in effluent irrigated vegetables, ZEMA to consider restricting the use of plant effluent for agriculture purposes. In a multi-sectoral intervention, ZEMA is recommended to work with Ministry of Health, and to sensitize the catchment population on
the dangers of consuming mine effluent irrigated vegetables and improve the cancer status in mining communities