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The prevalence and spectrum of brain MRI findings among children with developmental delay at selected hospitals in Kampala
No full textA dissertation submitted to the College of Health sciences, School of Medicine in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a Master's Degree of Medicine in Radiology Makerere University.Background: Developmental delay denotes significant delay in one or more developmental domains. In children ages 3–17 years, the global burden of developmental delay is ~1 to 3%. Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provides a high diagnostic yield in the evaluation of patients with developmental delay.
Objective: This study was aimed to determine the prevalence and spectrum of brain MRI findings in children with developmental delay at selected hospitals in Kampala, Uganda.
Methods: This was a retrospective study of brain MRI for children aged between six months and 14 years, with a diagnosis of developmental delay at the selected hospitals in Kampala. Participants were identified from the registry at the selected hospitals, their images retrieved and interpreted from the PACS system.
Results: One hundred and twenty-two images were included in our study, 81 (66%) were males and 41 females (34%). Their average age was 4 years (Range: 0.5 - 14), standard deviation (SD) +/- 3.5 years. The most common conditions prompting brain imaging were gross developmental (58 [48%]), developmental delay and epilepsy (24 [20%]) and delay in milestones (20 [16%]). Others were speech delay (11(9%)), abnormal movements (7(6%)), intellectual disability (6(5%)), abnormal head size (4(3%)), behavioral challenge (3(2%)) and those with gait abnormalities (3(2%)). The prevalence of abnormal MRI findings was 72%. The abnormal findings included grey matter (65%), white matter (56%), corpus callosum (56%), and ventricular system (55%), basal ganglia (24%), nonspecific 15%, cerebellum 13%, and brainstem 6%. Specific abnormalities included neurodevelopmental disorders like grey matter heterotopia and lissencephaly, white matter hyperintensities, corpus callosum hypoplasia/agenesis, and ventriculomegaly. Age (0.013), abnormal movement (0.023), motor delay (0.057), chromosomal and dysmorphic features (0.106) were significant predictors of abnormal MRI in children with developmental delay in our study.
Conclusion: The majority of brain MR images were abnormal with a prevalence of 72%, comprising of grey matter, white matter, corpus callosum, and ventricular system structural anomalies. Therefore, Brain MRI is a valuable tool for early diagnosis of children with DD
Decision to delivery interval and associated factors among Lucas category 1 caeserean indications in Kawempe National Referral Hospital
No full textA dissertation submitted to Makerere University Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Masters of Medicine in Obstetrics & Gynaecology of Makerere University.Background: Emergency caesareans often face delays to start in developing countries like Uganda. This leads to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates to be much higher in developing countries than in developed ones It is recommended that all facilities that provide comprehensive obstetric care should respond to obstetric emergencies within a specified time frame. This study aimed to determine the decision to delivery interval and its associated factors among mothers with category 1 caesarian section indications which included placental abruption, cord prolapse, or severe fetal distress. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Kawempe National Referral Hospital. The study population comprised mothers with category 1 caesarian section indications. The decision-to-delivery interval was calculated as the difference between the time of cesarian section decision and the time the baby was delivered. A questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic, obstetric, and system factors that may have affected the decision-to-delivery interval. Ethical approval was sought from SOMREC; participation was voluntary, and privacy and confidentiality were maintained at all times. Results: The average DDI was 170.6 minutes and the median was 128 minutes. Only 115 (26.6%) had a DDI of ≤ 75 minutes and 21 (4.9%) had a DDI of <30 minutes. Prolonged DDI was found to be significantly associated with mothers age, less likely in younger age than old maternal age (aOR=0.5 (0.21 - 0.909), P=0.046) and was more likely in mothers with past obstetric complications of excessive vaginal bleeding (aOR=3.9 (1.092 - 13.668), P=0.036), prolonged labor (aOR=3.7 (1.043 - 12.894), p=0.043), fetal malpresentation (aOR=5.3 (1.044 - 26.614), P=0.044) and history of hypotensive disorders of pregnancy (aOR=4.8 (1.202 - 19.733), P=0.027). Conclusions: DDI exceeded 75 minutes in over three quarters of mothers with Category 1 cesarean sections with maternal age and past obstetric complications as the major ass associated factors. There is need to strengthen emergency obstetric care systems to allow swift interventions in obstetric emergencies in Uganda. Key words: Caesarean Section, Decision to delivery interval, Incision time, Lucas Category
Assessing potential impact of climate change on irrigation requirement of coffee : a case study of Greater Luwero, Uganda
No full textA thesis submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfilment of requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Science in Agricultural Engineering of Makerere University.Coffee irrigation enhances yields and contributes to the fight against poverty especially under Climate Change (CC). In Uganda, the impact of climate change on irrigation requirement of coffee is inadequately understood. This knowledge gap is critical for evidence-based policy development and the design of coffee irrigation systems. This study evaluates the impact of climate change on the irrigation requirement of coffee in the Greater Luwero between 2021 to 2080.The study objectives include; (i) to simulate climate variables for use in CropWat Model, (ii) to compute the irrigation requirement of coffee between 2021-2080 under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, and (iii) to investigate the perception of coffee farmers to climate change. LARS-WG.6 was used to simulate climate between 2021-2080 under climate scenario RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The simulated climate data was integrated into the CropWat.8 water balance model to analyze projected irrigation requirements. Additionally, a survey of 49 farmers was conducted to evaluate the farmers perception to climate change. Findings indicate significant changes in temperature and humidity but no significant change in rainfall and solar radiation for the study period P>0.05. Irrigation requirement under RCP4.5 increases from 668.06×104m3/ha/year to 1013.97×104m3/ha/year in Kiziba, 703.73×104m3/ha/year to 985.87×104m3/ha/year for Katugo and 755.92×104m3/ha/year to 985.5×104m3/ha/year in Wakyato for the years 1991–2080. Under the RCP 8.5 climate scenario,
irrigation requirements increase from 673.06×104m3/ha/year to 1049.74×104m3/ha/year in Kiziba,867.61×104m3/ha/year to 1116.54×104m3/ha/year in Katugo and 876.73×104m3/ha/year to 1070.18×104m3/ha/year in Wakyato. Survey results agree with the simulations projecting significant increase in coffee irrigation requirement between 2021-2080 in the region. Existing irrigations systems need to be upgraded to meet future water requirements. The study recommends adoption of drip irrigation over sprinklers to optimize water use efficiency. Additionally, Government should support coffee farmers in irrigation infrastructure development through grants and subsidies. Further research on climate-smart coffee irrigation is recommended in Uganda for improved farmers livelihood
Modelling the performance of solar cookers: a case of box cooker from local materials
No full textA dissertation submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfillment for award of a Degree of Master of Science in Physics of Makerere UniversityThis study evaluated the performance of a solar box cooker made out of locally available
materials. A mathematical model, based on the heat transfer equations for the various
components of the box cooker was developed and used to simulate the temperature profile
inside the box cooker using solar irradiance, wind speed and ambient temperature as the
inputs. The model was optimised for performance to determine parameters of the box
cooker and then validated using experimental measurements. These dimensions from the
model were then used to construct the box cooker which was then tested forits performance
under two configurations (load test and no load test). The simulated results where on clear
day simulated air temperature peaked at 104 C and simulated water temperature peaked
at 98 C. Oncloudy day air temperature peaked at 70 C and simulated water temperature
peaked at 55 C. No load test was conducted from 10h00 to 15h00 giving first figure of
merit as 0.133 and second figure of merit as 0.53 for load test. Load tests were done for
both clear day and on a cloudy day by heating one litre of water from 10h00 to 17h00 while
monitoring the temperature profiles for air and water inside the box cooker. (end sentence
here). On a relatively clear sky day, measured air temperature reached a maximum value of
112 Cwhile measured water temperature was 95 C, enough for cooking by boiling . On
a cloudy day, however, the air temperature peaked at 82 C while water temperature peaked
at 65 Cwhich is adequate for warming but not boiling. The experimental results showed
good agreement with simulated results implying that the model was able to predict the
temperature profile closely to the experimental measurements. These findings underscore
the solar box cooker’s viability as a sustainable cooking solution in regions with abundant
sunlight. Further improvements in material selection, air gap optimization, and testing
across diverse environmental conditions are recommended to enhance performanceUGA 1 PROJEC
Assessment of the Impact of Climate Change on Water Supply Demand and Water Supply Distribution Network in Kiboga Town in Uganda
No full textA thesis submitted to the directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Science in Civil Engineering of Makerere University.This research study presents an assessment of the impact of climate change on water demand and water distribution network in Kiboga water supply system in Uganda. The objectives of the study were to establish monotonic trends, assess the future climate change, potential urban water demand variability and the reliability of the Water Distribution Network (WDN) in the face of climate change. Monotonic trends were established using Mann Kendall test. Future rainfall and temperature changes for the future periods were projected using General Circulation Model outputs (GFDL-ESM4 for precipitation and MPI-ESM-1-2-LR for temperature) downscaled with SDSM software, for two Shared Socio-economic Pathways. Future urban water demand variability due to climate change was assessed using linear regression. The climate change impact on the reliability of the WDN was assessed using a new Climate Change Impact Index based on the Resilience Index (RI) of the WDN. The results for monotonic trends showed non-statistically significant mixed trends for precipitation, positive trends in maximum temperature but with no statistical significance for most months while minimum temperature exhibited non-statistically significant upward trends for all months of the year. In terms of future climate change, the results indicated that precipitation will reduce by 8%-55% 10%-55% and 7%-52% in the 2021-2040, 2041-2060 and 2081-2100 periods respectively, under SSP245 and SSP585. Maximum temperature will increase by up to 2.75°C, 3.35°C and 2.70°C in the 2021-2040, 2041-2060 and 2081-2100 periods respectively, under SSP245 and SSP585. Minimum temperature will increase by up to 2.10°C, 2.20°C and 2.38°C in the 2021-2040, 2041-2060 and 2081-2100 periods respectively, under SSP245 and SSP585. Monthly urban water demand is projected to increase by up to 10.8%, 11.2% and 30.8% in the 2021-2040, 2041-2060 and 2081-2100 periods respectively, under SSP245 and SSP585. The reliability analysis of the WDN indicated that the MRI of the entire network reduced slightly by 0.053. The Climate Change Index for the WDN was 0.973 indicating that the water supply system design used sufficient design factors to mitigate demand uncertainties including climate change, that may arise during the lifespan of the water supply system. The study presents a robust approach for assessing how climate change may affect urban water demand and WDN and provides crucial information to decision makers to modify demand projections while taking into account climate change impact assessments
From spirit to silicon: Afritech and the Afriverse of consciousness in a quantum-driven synthetic future
No full textA bookIn the eternal dance between human imagination and technological evolution, where does the soul reside? What place does ancestral wisdom hold when artificial intelligence claims dominion over thought, and quantum computing blurs the very fabric of time and space? Welcome to the Afriverse—an infinite realm of innovation, culture, and consciousness that refuses to be bound by Western paradigms of progress. This book, From Spirit to Silicon, is a bold intellectual expedition across the uncharted territories of a quantum-driven, synthetic future. It fuses African spirituality with the cutting-edge frontiers of technology to imagine a world where the ancient harmonizes with the futuristic, and where humanity’s oldest traditions breathe life into the newest machines. It dares to ask: Can Ubuntu—the African philosophy of interconnectedness—reshape the ethics of artificial intelligence, making it more humane and just? What does sovereignty look like in a digital age when data is currency, and algorithms wield power more insidious than empires? How do African metaphysics and quantum theory merge to reimagine consciousness itself in a synthetic reality? This is no ordinary exploration of technology. It is a radical rethinking of civilization, seen through the lens of Afritech—where innovation arises not from extraction but from communion, where the future is not owned by Silicon Valley but co-created by a global African genius, and where synthetic realities pulsate with the vibrance of ancestral spirit. In these pages, you will encounter: The concept of the Spirit-Silicon Symbiosis, where ancient African wisdom systems become the moral and intellectual foundation for emergent technologies. The Quantum Ubuntu Paradigm, a revolutionary framework for integrating ethical AI governance rooted in communal justice and shared destiny. The Afriverse, a conceptual cosmos where digital frontiers are mapped not by borders but by culture, identity, and the unshackled imagination of African minds. This is more than a book—it is a manifesto for a new world order. Where others have merely adopted technology, Africa has the power to lead it. Where centuries of Western hegemony have shaped technology as a tool of domination, Afritech offers a counter-narrative: technology as a vessel of liberation, connectivity, and soul. The grand narrative of technological evolution has too often been told through the voices of Aristotle, Descartes, Newton, and Turing—minds that dissected nature, reduced it to mechanisms, and crowned logic king. But the future calls for a new pantheon of thinkers—Nkrumah, Garvey, Achebe, and Mandela—who understood that true progress is measured not by machines but by the humanity they serve. In this unfolding synthetic age, will technology enslave us to profit-driven code, or will it become an extension of the human spirit, a guardian of freedom, and a force for the greater good? The answer depends on the choices we make now. The quantum future is a mirror of our collective consciousness—will it reflect integrity, justice, and unity, or greed, division, and exploitation? From Spirit to Silicon challenges the reader to think beyond the binary, beyond borders and algorithms, into a boundless realm of interconnected possibilities. It is a call to action for policymakers, technologists, philosophers, and visionaries to build a world where technology serves humanity, where artificial intelligence thinks with compassion, and where the soul of Africa pulses within every line of code. This book will break paradigms. It will ignite controversy. And it will shape conversations for a future yet to be written. Welcome to the revolution of Afritech—the future is African. The future is now
Factors associated with Rabies vaccination uptake by Dog owners in Butaleja Town Council, Butaleja District
No full textA research dissertation submitted to Makerere University School of Public Health in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a Master of Public Health.Introduction: Rabies, a deadly zoonotic disease, remains a global threat, especially in Africa and Asia. Despite being preventable through dog vaccination, low uptake persists, posing public health and economic risks. Uganda, including Butaleja District, reports high animal bite and suspected rabies cases. General Objective: This study examined factors associated with rabies vaccination uptake among dog owners in Butaleja TC. Methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed 173 dog owners using semi-structured questionnaires. Data collected (May 18–June 28, 2024) covered socio-demographics, health/veterinary systems, knowledge, and dog-related factors. Modified Poisson regression in Stata V14.0 analyzed associations via bivariate/multivariate analyses, correlation matrices, and model fitting (AIC/BIC). Results: Results showed 57.2% of owners vaccinated at least one dog, covering 166 dogs (54.6% of 304 total dogs). Only 48.4% of all dogs were vaccinated, below the 70% global target. Among vaccinating owners, 81.8% vaccinated all their dogs. Key factors associated to uptake included age, gender, education, religion, marital status, family structure, vaccine awareness, reminders, veterinary access, vaccination site knowledge, community education, and dog confinement. Conclusion: Despite above average of dog owners vaccinating dogs, vaccine uptake remains low. Raising awareness and veterinary access significantly influence uptake. Strengthened community engagement and targeted interventions are critical to achieving dog bite mediated rabies elimination goals
Assessing cash management and financial performance for private universities in Uganda. A case study of Kampala University
No full textThe major aim of this study was to empirically assesses the effectiveness of cash management on financial performance for private universities in Uganda. A case study of Kampala university. The study used primary data collected by the researcher from the staff and management of Kampala university. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire self-administered 70
respondents from which only 63 questionnaires were returned by respondents. The researcher generated various statistics such as frequency, percentages and regression analysis models using SPSS Version II.
The objectives of the study were; to assess the effect of cash planning on the financial performance; to examine the effect of controlling disbursements on the financial performance and to examine the effect of cash budgeting on the financial performance of selected private Universities in Uganda. The dimension of the dependent variable of the study is the extent of Financial Performance including Timely collection of tuition fees, Liquidity and Profitability in the selected Private Universities in Uganda. The independent variable on the other hand was cash management under which we analysed cash budgeting, cash controls and cash planning. The researcher found it necessary to obtain the bio data of the respondents and demographic characteristics in terms of academic qualifications, sex of the respondent, position held at the university and years of experience. This information was to mainly determine the ability of the respondent to offer reliable information that would help the researcher to understand the
respondents.
The findings showed that from the gender covered, the majority of the respondents, 38 were females with 60.3 percent of the respondents as opposed to males who were 25 with 39.7 percent. This was rated most important as it revealed that gender biasness was insignificant to cause poor financial performance. The researcher also correlated the responsibility of the
employees with financial performance and observed that the majority of respondents, 28 of them were accountants with 44.4 percent and Faculty Deans were the minority with only 08 respondents being 12.7 percent representation. Their qualifications were also correlated with financial performance in Kampala University and the researcher observed that the majority of respondents, 20 were bachelor’s degree holders with 31.8 percent, 16 of them were masters holders with 25.4 percent, 12 of them were PhD degree holders with 19.1 percent, 08 of them were post graduate holders with a percentage of 15.2 and the least were others with only 2 respondents and a percentage of 3.2 and 05 diploma holders with 7.9 percent representation. Finally, was their years of experience were most of the respondents amounting to 32 had worked for 6 years and above with a percentage of 50.8, 19 of them had worked for 1-5 years with a percentage of 30.2 and 12 of them had worked for less than one year with a percentage of 19.1. These were established by frequencies and percentages. The study revealed very critical areas of focus which they had thought were not important for the improvement of the University’s Financial Performance. The findings implied that the respondents held positions in higher offices and we’re not limited by qualifications to attain higher offices. Furthermore, that they had worked long enough at their workstations to help them execute their duties satisfactorily and hence had adequate knowledge about the organization. Basing on the above findings of the study, the researcher recommends that the private
Universities in Uganda re-evaluate their cash management controls disbursements, planning and budgeting and encourage collaborative, shared governance and ownership by all role-players in the universities, the government should also put in place better regulation, practices, and accountability measures of private universities, each programme should be set up with financial
viability in mind, they need to resolve the funding issues if they are to contribute to the sector. The researcher also recommends that further research could be carried out on “the impact of Cash management on Financial Performance in public universities in Uganda” and “Cash management and Financial Performance of Manufacturing Companies in Uganda”
Assessing anaerobic co-digestion of faecal sludge with sugarcane press mud and water hyacinth for biogas and biofertilizer production
No full textA dissertation submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Masters of Science in Environment and Natural Resources of Makerere University.In Uganda especially peri-urban areas, faecal sludge (FS) and agro-industry wastes are abundant, and their poor management poses environmental and public health risks. In a bid to find safe disposal and resource recovery, this study evaluated the potential of anaerobic co-digestion of FS with sugarcane press mud (SP) and water hyacinth (WH) for biogas production. It is postulated that co-digestion with carbon rich substrates (water hyacinth and press mud), could enhance digestibility, stabilisation of bio-solids and improve methane yield higher than from faecal sludge alone. The experiment involved characterization of the of feedstock and residual solids, determination of biogas yields, methane content, and eventual pathogen reduction. Moisture content, pH, total solids, volatile solids, ash content, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon, sodium, calcium, total coliforms, Escherichiacoli (E. coli), Salmonella, chemical oxygen demand, ammonium-nitrogen, lead and chromium were measured. Five experimental setups were ran for 51 days and included; FS (100%), SP (100%), WH (100%), FS+WH (1:1), and FS+SP (1:1) in 30L bio-digesters each with 20L of feedstock and 5L of inoculum (activated faecal sludge), with 5L left for gas accumulation. Biogas production was monitored using 20L gas collection bags, with cumulative and specific yields calculated based on volatile solids (VS) added and methane content analyzed using the Geotech BIOGAS 5000 gas monitor. By day 50, FS+SP had the highest cumulative biogas volume of 256 L, an average specific biogas yield of 89.3 L/kg VS with methane content of 64.7%. Following this, was SP that generated 218.7 L of biogas with an average specific biogas of 47.9 L/kg VS, methane yield of 50.9-56.2% peaking at 56.2% methane content by day 21. Water hyacinth alone produced 96.3 L of biogas, an average specific biogas of 46.9 L/kg VS and methane content of 51.5%. A combination of FS+WH produced 178.8 L of biogas, yielding an average specific biogas of 80.3 L/kg VS, with methane content beginning at 49.4% on day 7 and decreasing to 44.3% by day 49. Finally, FS alone had the lowest yield, with 15.4 L of biogas and an average specific yield of 3.7 L/kg VS, peaking at 39.3% methane content by day 49. .Escherichia coli were completely removed in all setups. Substrate SP had the highest nitrogen and calcium content among the substrates. Co-digested substrates FS+SP and FS+WH demonstrated significant enhancement in nutrient composition, with enhanced concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, making them suitable for agricultural applications. The assessment of digestate substrates for fertilizer potential revealed a ranking from highest to lowest as follows: SP, FS+SP, FS+WH, FS, and WH. While all substrates demonstrated potential as fertilizers due to their nutrient content, they required further treatment to lower pathogen numbers, particularly total coliforms, before safe application. The study concludes that co-digestion, enhances methane production and nutrient recovery. Recommendations include use of continuous mixing, explore other substrates, optimal substrate ratios, ammonia mitigation strategies, and field trials for digestate utilization
Experiences of adult patients with cancer at a specialized cancer care facility in Uganda
No full textBackground: The experiences of adult cancer patients in low-income countries regarding health care and infrastructure are largely undocumented. This study aimed to describe the experiences of adult men and women receiving treatment at a specialized cancer facility in Uganda.
Method: Thirty-two adult patients with cancer (≥18 years) with varying cancer diagnoses participated in 5 focus group discussions and a key informant interview at Uganda's specialized oncology facility. The interactions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: The participants had both advanced and early stage cancers of varying ages (19–79 years). Four themes emerged: the Organization of care, Personal challenges, Mental suffering, and Satisfaction with care. The Organization of Care theme included categories describing rough sleep, poor food supply, inadequate facilities, and drug shortages. Personal challenges include high treatment costs and delays in accessing care. Mental suffering comprises of 4 categories: stigma, isolation, abandonment, and emotional distress. Satisfaction with care included improve health outcomes and professionalism.
Conclusion: Participants predominantly reported negative experiences, whereas those with early-stage disease primarily emphasized positive experiences. Nurses must heighten their awareness of cancer and its treatment, cultivate empathy, and engage positively with both patients and their families. Further research on healthcare professionals' experiences regarding cancer care is needed to understand cancer care in Uganda comprehensively.The Uganda Cancer Institute,
The African Development Bank