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Factors associated with tuberculosis treatment success rates in Kalungu District
No full textIntroduction
Tuberculosis (TB) treatment success rate (TSR) is an indicator of the quality of TB treatment programs. To end the TB pandemic, it is crucial to scrutinize the TSR determinants especially in the mostly rural high HIV prevalence areas, like Kalungu district which has reported low TSR over the years.
Objective
To assess the determinants of TB TSR in 2023 in Kalungu district to inform TB treatment strategies.
Methods
A cross-sectional design was used and the outcome variable was TB TSR in 2023. Patients 18 years and above diagnosed with drug susceptible TB, with treatment outcomes documented in Kalungu in 2023 were included. A total of 385 patients were sampled and health facilities were selected by stratified sampling. Data were collected from facility records and patient interviews and analyzed using Stata version 14. TB TSR was computed using proportions, and modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used for bivariate and multivariable analyses.
Results
The study included 385 participants, with a median age of 40 years (IQR: 31-53). Majority, 53.8% (n=207) were males and 60.3% (n=232) had HIV coinfection, slightly above the district’s 56%. The TB TSR was 75.6% (95%CI: 71.0%-79.6%) with 96 (24.9%) patients cured and 195 (50.7%) completed. Males had 15% lower likelihood [aPR = 0.85, 95%CI: (0.76-0.96)] of TSR compared to females. Patients with formal education had higher prevalence of TSR than those without [primary: aPR = 1.31, 95%CI: (1.08-1.59); secondary: aPR = 1.32, 95%CI: (1.05-1.67); tertiary: aPR = 1.48, 95%CI (1.16-1.89)].
Conclusion
TB TSR in Kalungu district is considerably below the national average (89.4%) and the WHO target (90%). Males were associated with lower treatment success while formal education facilitated the contrary. The district health team and facility health workers are urged to enhance support for males on treatment and devise strategies of better health education for patients without formal education
Applicability of the entrepreneurial university model to Makerere University
No full textA dissertation submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management of Makerere UniversityHinged on the HEInnovate Framework, this study scrutinized Makerere University’s leadership and governance, organizational capacity, incentives, entrepreneurship in teaching and learning, pathways for entrepreneurs, university-business relationships, internationalization, and impact measurement of entrepreneurial activities. The goal of the scrutinization was to determine the applicability of the entrepreneurial university model to the University. The study followed a mixed methods design. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires and interviews. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis. The study found that entrepreneurship is echoed in the University’s strategic documents. However, obstacles to implementation of various entrepreneurial activities were noted. These included; limited strategic execution of entrepreneurial interventions and gaps in organizational capacity. It was also found that efforts are being made to integrate entrepreneurial approaches into the curriculum. However, a notable discrepancy exists in the encouragement of faculty participation in entrepreneurial activities. The University is committed to entrepreneurship through mentorship, funding, and practical application. However, there is a disconnection between entrepreneurial initiatives and perceived engagement among students and staff. The University is dedicated to entrepreneurial collaborative efforts. However, challenges such as understaffing and inadequate research infrastructure persist. Internationalization is recognized as integral to the university's entrepreneurial strategy, emphasizing its potential for promoting entrepreneurship in teaching, research, and community engagement. However, challenges persist in supporting international mobility and attracting entrepreneurial staff, highlighting areas for improvement. It is concluded that the Entrepreneurial University Model is not readily applicable to Makerere University. Although teaching and learning, and university–business relationships for knowledge exchange at Makerere University portray strength in entrepreneurial capacity, gaps in leadership and governance, pathways for entrepreneurs and University internationalization constrain entrepreneurial success. It is recommended that the University Council grants the various Units of the University more autonomy to devise and implement their entrepreneurial agenda. It is also recommended that University Management develops systematized, intentional and targeted strategies for entrepreneurial stakeholder engagement and internationalization
Exploring the use of instructional materials to support the teaching of composition writing in one secondary school in Uganda.
No full textA Dissertation submitted to directorate of research and graduate training in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Education (Language and Literature Education) of Makerere University.The study was carried out to explore the use of instructional materials to support the teaching of composition writing in one secondary school in Uganda. This study was guided by the following objectives; to find out the different instructional materials used by teachers to support the teaching of composition writing, to find out how instructional materials are used by teachers
while teaching composition writing and to examine the challenges faced by teachers while using instructional materials to teach composition writing. Data collection was done using interviews, Focus Group Discussions, observations and documentary analysis. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes that emerged from interviews and focus group discussions. A single case
study design was conducted in School X relaying on a qualitative approach. Qualitative data was collected in search of answers to research questions. A total of twenty participants took part in the study, they comprised of four teachers of English where two were male and two were female as well as sixteen students of senior three. Results revealed that the different instructional materials used by teachers to teach composition writing included; textbooks, dictionaries, examination past papers, projectors and newspapers. It was also established that teachers used examples, assignments, free writing activities and a collection of new words. Finally, in regard to the challenges faced by teachers while using instructional materials to teach composition writing,
it was established that these teachers faced a myriad of challenges which included being exposed to different copies of learners’ books by different authors some of which comprise of outdated formats of writing compositions, the existence of composition examples with heavy vocabulary that the learners cannot understand depending on their level and distractions among students
while teaching composition writing. Basing on the experiences obtained during the study, the researcher recommended that Heads of English language department in secondary schools should source out for textbooks from renowned publishing houses and writers to avoid having textbooks with wrong formats of writing composition, they should also organize departmental
workshops with personnel specialized in competence based teaching of language to provide teachers with more knowledge on how they can teach composition writing, head teachers should avail projectors and more computers to teachers so that they integrate technology as they teach composition writing to learners and Heads of Department of English and school administrators
should source out for textbooks from other publishing houses and not focus on only textbooks published by one publishing house
Evaluation of outdoor environment and early childhood development promoting practices in kindergartens in Kawempe division
No full textA research dissertation submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a Degree of Master's in Public Health of Makerere University.Background: The outdoor environment is essential for physical, social, cognitive and emotional development of young children. However, the inadequate outdoor settings in Uganda kindergartens hamper progress towards the goals outlined in vision 2040, like having a healthy, skilled and productive population. Objective: This study evaluated the outdoor environment and early childhood development promoting practices in kindergartens within Kawempe Division. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, utilizing the Pre-primary Outdoor Environment Measurement Scale (POEMS) checklist to gather quantitative data on outdoor environment characteristics. In-depth interviews with six stakeholders provided qualitative insights into societal influences on outdoor quality. A sample of 46 kindergartens was selected using the Leslie Kish formula, with data analyzed using STATA version 16 for quantitative aspects and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: The majority of kindergartens (89%) were rated as sub-optimal, with only 11% meeting optimal standards. The evaluation revealed sub-optimal levels in key domains across a considerable proportion of kindergartens: physical environment (87%), program (97%), play and learning setting (96%) and teacher’s/caregiver’s role (52%). All kindergartens achieved optimal levels in the interaction domain. Factors negatively associated with outdoor quality included having fewer than 100 pupils (AOR 0.060; p=0.019) and teachers with 0-10 years of experience (AOR 0.042; p=0.020). Qualitative findings highlighted leadership commitment, staff competency, community involvement, resource constraints, inequality in access, urban pressures, and policy challenges as key societal influences. Conclusion and Recommendations: The study found that most kindergartens have sub-optimal outdoor environments, limiting children's holistic development. Recommendations include: improving outdoor quality through the development of a division-specific kindergarten curriculum and providing a policy framework specific with outdoor environment guidelines for pre-primary schools
Ministerial co-supervision regime(s) for the national social security fund: decision-making implications
No full textA dissertation submitted to the Graduate School in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Social Work Degree of Makerere UniversityThis study set out to investigate and analyse ministerial co-supervision regime(s) in the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) of Uganda and its decision-making implications. The NSSF was established by the NSSF Act (1985). From 1985-September, 2004, NSSF was under the Ministry responsible for Labour. It was transferred to the Ministry responsible for Finance in September, 2004 up to December, 2021. However, the NSSF Act (1985) was amended in January, 2022, creating a ministerial co-supervision by Labour and Finance Ministries. This study’s research approach was qualitative, with an exploratory design and, an organisational case-study approach. This study purposively selected Fifty Four (54) study participants from NSSF, Labour and Finance Ministries, National Planning Authority, Trade Unions, Federation of Uganda Employers, Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority, Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection, Parliament and, Platform for Labour Action. Structured key informant interviewing and a review of secondary data sources constituted this study’s data collection strategy. It used thematic and content data analysis techniques. This study found out that ministerial co-supervision largely had negative implications for decision-making in the NSSF; albeit, it also had some positive ones. Negatively, it was associated with delays in decision-making; difficulties in reconciling complex interests, coalescing into turf fights; and, in some cases, drawing in Oversight Offices to undertake probes, audits and investigations. These precipitated decision-making delays and deferments of critical decisions. Positively, ministerial co-supervision was pointed out to have improved checks and balances; transparency and accountability, while in some contexts, it had no perceived negative ramifications for decision-making. This study recommends a review of the NSSF (Amendment) Act (2022); enactment of regulations to operationalise the reviewed NSSF law; development of guidelines and a co-supervision policy and, balancing supervisory powers; et cetera. This study also recommends creation of an advisory-supervisory architecture, including giving the Ministry of Finance budget, finance and investment powers. It also recommends joint appointment of the top NSSF Executives to minimise bias and potential abuse of the hiring process. This study also recommends the reversion of NSSF to the MFPED’s singular supervision
From Nägarit to National Sovereignty: Lineages of Political Modernity in Ethiopia
No full textA dissertation submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a Doctor of Philosophy degree of Makerere University.This study shows that modern state power in Ethiopia emerged in a historical process of change and continuity marked by the colonial transformations of Italian East Africa (1936-1941). Theoretically conceived as a transformation from nägarit to national sovereignty, this historical process shows a shift in the form of state power from the premodern right and power of military authorities to issue professionally and provincially specific commands by drumbeats to the modern juridical power of a national sovereign body to make or suspend state laws in an official gazette. The study also shows that the violent political contestations witnessed in the history of the making of national sovereignty in Ethiopia since 1942 can be conceived as a postcolonial derivative dialectic between, on the one hand, state power that represents the sovereign national majority, and, on the other hand, minority resistance emanating from groups rendered political minorities through exclusion from the postcolonial project of national sovereignty in its centralized mode from 1942 to 1991 or its decentralized mode since 1995. The study’s methodological approach can be understood as conceptual and political historiography of the present. The theoretical discourses and empirical materials examined in the study are obtained through archival and library research and ethnographic fieldwork. Accordingly, a history of an existing political concept in Ethiopia, identified as “nägarit,” is reconstructed in the long duration to show how its intellectual articulation in different modes of political thought and its institutional use in different political practices transformed from as early as the thirteenth century to the present. The result of this historical account produces three major historical lineages of modern state power in Ethiopia: the first is the premodern lineage (or what the study conceives as the Aksimarosian lineage) from around the thirteenth to the early twentieth century, the second is the colonial lineage from 1936 to 1941, and the third is the postcolonial-contemporary lineage since 1942. The study can be read as a critique of the dominant literature in Ethiopian political theory and historiography impaired by the analytical straitjackets of colonial, liberal, Marxist, and nationalist interpretations drawn mainly from Western political thoughts and practices. In showing that the conceptual and the political are inseparable, the study emphasizes the need for a combined task of epistemic and political decolonization in Ethiopia.Carnegie Foundation, Social Science Research Council, Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundatio
Multilingual model for agro-information question answering
No full textA dissertation submitted to the Graduate School in partial fulfilment for the award of the Degree of Master of Science in Computer Science of Makerere UniversityThis Dissertation introduces the Multilingual Model for Agro-information Question Answering (MAQA), a novel solution designed to bridge language gaps in agricultural knowledge dissemination. Leveraging cutting-edge Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, MAQA is adept at processing queries in multiple languages, notably in English and Luganda, addressing a critical need within the global agricultural sector. The model was rigorously developed, trained, and fine-tuned on a specialized dataset encompassing 2500 questionanswer pairs that span a broad spectrum of agricultural knowledge, from crop management to livestock care. The evaluation of MAQA’s performance was detailed, focusing on both English and Luganda datasets to ensure comprehensive linguistic coverage. The model’s e↵ectiveness is underscored by its ability to provide accurate, contextually relevant answers, to questions in the stated languages. Among the six models trained, significant outcomes were observed: Afriqa Afroxlmr was selected as the best model with a F1 of 85.25% and an EM of 81.61% while other models obtained scores as follows: BERT F1 score of 89.36% and an EM score of 76.26% , MobileBert with an F1 of 87.95% and an EM of 74.71%. The models were further evaluated using ROUGE score: MobileBert had 0.63 in English and 0.61 for DistilBert for Luganda dataset. These showed that the models ability to generate text that matches references. These results illustrate the models’ superior capacity for interpreting and responding to complex queries in both targeted languages. The contributions of MAQA are numerous, o↵ering a transformative tool for the agricultural sector by facilitating access to vital information across linguistic divides. This research not only propels forward the field of NLP but also lays the groundwork for future innovations in multilingual query answering models. Looking ahead, the Dissertation outlines potential pathways for scaling MAQA and tailoring it to a wider array of agricultural contexts, reinforcing the model’s utility and adaptabilit
The effect of taxation on economic growth in Kenya (1993-2023)
No full textA research report submitted to the College of Business and Management Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a degree of Master of Economic Policy and Planning of Makerere University.The major aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of taxation on economic growth in Kenya specifically the impact of income tax, import duty tax, VAT and excise duty on GDP of Kenya from 1993-2023. The data used in this study was obtained from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and the World Bank. The time series data used in this study was tested for stationarity and cointergration. The data was Stationary at first difference which prompted the use a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) in order to establish the impact of these taxes on Kenya’s economic growth.
The findings indicate that all four taxes (import duty tax, VAT, excise duty tax and income tax) have positive and statistically significant effects on GDP with Income tax having the strongest positive effect on GDP in the short run followed by import duty tax, VAT in third and Excise duty tax having the smallest positive effect on GDP.
Therefore, based on the above findings, the study recommends that the government should firstly, enhance Income tax revenue since income tax has the strongest positive effect on GDP and this can be through expanding the tax base to include more taxpayers. Secondly, increase Import duty tax revenue given that import duty tax significantly contributes to GDP and this can be done by strengthening customs enforcement to minimize tax evasion. Thirdly, with VAT showing a positive contribution to GDP, the government should aim to enhance VAT revenue through implementing measures to improve compliance. Lastly, increase Excise duty tax revenue since excise duty tax positively impacts GDP by enhancing monitoring and enforcement of excise duty collection on targeted good
Prevalence and factors associated with inadequate dietary diversity among children with cerebral palsy at Katalemwa Cheshire Home for Rehabilitation Services, Uganda
No full textCerebral palsy (CP) poses a significant challenge to the development of motor control and oral
motor function in children, which leads to inadequate dietary diversity. Inadequate dietary
diversity among children with CP causes malnutrition, and despite global efforts to address
malnutrition, intervention strategies often overlook children with CP. This research determined
the prevalence of inadequate dietary diversity among children with CP and identified its
associated factors.
Methods
The Socio-Ecological model was used to explore the factors influencing dietary diversity and
the study was conducted at Katalemwa Cheshire Home for Rehabilitation Services in Uganda.
A cross-sectional study design was used; quantitative data were collected from 213 caregivers
of children between 2 to 12 years. The study determined the prevalence of inadequate dietary
diversity, and the factors associated with it. Descriptive statistics, simple and multivariate
logistic regressions were used to determine the prevalence of inadequate dietary diversity and
its associated factors.
Results
The prevalence of inadequate dietary diversity was 64.8%. The prevalence was higher among
females (67.4%) than males (62.8%), and among children above 5 years (72.1%) than those
below (62.9%). Factors that were associated with inadequate dietary diversity were child being
enrolled in school (AOR=0.2, CI=0.1-0.5, P=0.001), household food security (AOR=0.1,
CI=0.1-0.3, P=0.000), and urban residence (AOR=0.4, CI=0.2-0.9, P=0.028).
Conclusion
Inadequate dietary diversity is highly prevalent among children attending KCH and it’s
associated with household food insecurity, social support system in schools that encourage
healthy feeding and limited financial resources and access to nutritious foods in rural residenc
Evaluation of the effectiveness of water safety plan implementation in urban centers of Uganda
No full textA thesis submitted to the directorate of Graduate Studies for the award of Degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Makerere UniversityWater Safety Plans (WSP), as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the guidelines for drinking water quality, are the most effective risk-based management approach for water supply systems from the catchment to the consumer, ensuring consistent safe drinking water supply. Uganda was among the first countries in Africa that pioneered WSP development and implementation. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the factors influencing the effectiveness of WSP implementation in small towns of Uganda to achieve sustainable safe drinking water supply. This involved assessment of WSP status in Uganda, focusing on over 15 years’ implementation experience in 20 towns, operated by National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC). Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, field visits and Focus Group Discussions. The study also assessed the effects of hazardous events and risks on the water supply system of Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality over the period 2017 to 2020. Water quality data for the period 2013 to 2020 was analysed for pH, turbidity, total iron, free chlorine and faecal coliforms. An investigation of the processes responsible for perennial low pH in the Nyaruzinga wetland, the source of water supplied in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality was also carried out. The study lastly carried out performance evaluation of the Bushenyi-Ishaka WSP. Performance indicator data was collected before, during and after 18 months of WSP implementation to determine the resultant changes. Results showed that the development of the 20 WSPs largely focused on system assessment and improvement, but did not include WSP monitoring, verification and management The main barriers to WSP implementation were inadequate staff training, team formation, mistaken perception and inability to evaluate WSP effectiveness. Conversely, the WSP enabling factors were management commitment, public health responsibility, good customer relations, financial availability and reliable laboratories. Regarding risks to water quality, results showed that the quality supplied met the national standards for turbidity (93%), total iron (99%), free residual chlorine (90%) and faecal coliforms (96%), although pH was low (5.5-6.7). Water quality was negatively influenced by extreme seasonal weather variations at the source, treatment deficiencies and distribution management gaps. In Nyaruzinga wetland, pH and dissolved oxygen increased from 70 cm deep to the surface of the wetland. Concentrations of copper (0.123-0.152 mg/L), chromium (0.002-0.299 mg/L), nickel (0.07-0.119 mg/L) and cobalt (0.006-0.081 mg/L) were determined at 70 cm deep in the wetland. Furthermore, at the same depth, high concentrations of total organic carbon (14.7-28.3 mg/L) and dissolved organic carbon (0.03-0.71 mg/L) were detected. The study revealed that the low pH in the Nyaruzinga wetland is due to low molecular weight of humic substances under perennial water logged conditions. The overall evaluation revealed that WSP implementation led to improvement in infrastructure and operational monitoring, customer engagement meetings and training. The WSP however did not result in improved catchment management, development and review of standard operating procedures and holding of internal meetings. In terms of short-term impacts, there was a significant improvement in water quality compliance (p=0.037), supply continuity (p<0.001), and improved customer satisfaction (p=0.028) with reduced complains. There was however a significant reduction in the revenue-cost ratio (p=0.001), likely due to inadequate budget for implemented service expansion