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Effect of fiscal deficit on unemployment in Uganda
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 UniversityThis study examines the relationship between fiscal deficits and unemployment in Uganda from 1984 to 2023, with specific objectives to assess the impact of tax revenue, government expenditure, public debt, and inflation on unemployment. Grounded in Keynesian economics, the research utilizes regression analysis, supported by diagnostic tests such as stationarity checks, autocorrelation tests, and coefficient stability assessments, to ensure robust and reliable findings.
The analysis reveals that tax revenue and government expenditure significantly reduce unemployment, highlighting the importance of efficient tax systems and targeted public spending. Conversely, public debt exhibits a positive relationship with unemployment, emphasizing the risks of excessive borrowing that crowds out private-sector investment. Inflation demonstrates a marginally negative relationship with unemployment suggesting that moderate inflation can stimulate economic activity and reduce joblessness.
Data from reputable government reports and international financial institutions are analyzed within Uganda’s fiscal history, disaggregated across policy periods, including the structural adjustment era, the post-liberalization phase, and the COVID-19 recovery period. The findings inform actionable recommendations, such as improving tax administration, prioritizing productive government spending, adopting prudent debt management strategies, and maintaining moderate inflation through coordinated fiscal and monetary policies.
While the study highlights the critical role of fiscal policy in shaping labor market outcomes, it acknowledges limitations, including the exclusion of informal employment and the use of annual data. Future research should explore sector-specific impacts, gender and youth dimensions, and comparative studies across Sub-Saharan Africa. By addressing these gaps, the findings contribute to Uganda’s sustainable development goals, particularly Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth.
Key Words: Fiscal deficits, Unemployment, Tax revenue, Government expenditure, Public debt, Inflation, Keynesian theory, Uganda Sustainable Development, Labor marke
Assessing the effectiveness of contact tracing for multi drug resistant tuberculosis in Uganda
No full textA dissertation submitted to the School of Public Health in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Public Health Degree of Makerere University.Introduction: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) poses a big threat in to the management of Tuberculosis (TB) disease in many countries including Uganda. MDR - TB can be transmitted from one person to another through prolonged exposure to a known case that has not been initiated or not responding to treatment. Globally in 2022, an estimated 410,000 people developed MDR/RR-TB and only 176,000 were started on treatment with a gap of 57% not initiated. Contact tracing activities have been implemented hence the need to assess the effectiveness of contact tracing among index cases to generate information and inform policy. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study, all data of 224 MDR TB Index cases enrolled in care between January 2021 and December 2022 at the Mulago National Referral hospital Hospital (MNRH) MDR-TB treatment was extracted from DHIS 2 of the Ministry of health Health in excel Excel and contact tracing details were manually entered from the registers, exported to Stata Version 17 software and analyzed. Descriptive statistics were generated and multivariable analysis using poison regression to predict crude and adjusted prevalence ratios. Qualitative data was collected using 4 key informants’ interviews, that which were recorded, transcribed Verbatim, coded, and thematic analysis done was done using Atlas TI version 24 software. Results: Of the 224 index cases, 73% were male with a median age of 34.5years34.5 years with an interquartile range (IQR) of 26-44 years. Treatment outcomes for 78% of the index cases were recorded as culture negative culture-negative as an indication for of treatment success. Contact tracing coverage was 80% (180/224). A total of 905 contacts were identified and 251 tested and 26 confirmed positive with a yield of 10.4% (26/251). The factors associated with contact tracing were informal employment (aPR 0.59, 95% CI 0.45-0.77, p valuep-value <0.001) and the cured treatment outcome (aPR 1.13, 95% CI 1.00-1.27, p valuep-value <0.05). Health care worker attitude, support from the hospital administration, index case acceptability, housing, community involvement, and treatment adherence
Prevalence and grading of meconium-stained amniotic fluid plus associated puerperal sepsis within 7 days at Kawempe National Referral Hospital.
No full textA dissertation submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training as a fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Makerere University.Background: Meconium-stained amniotic liquor remains both a maternal and neonatal health challenge globally as it is associated with higher rate of caesarean delivery, increased need for neonatal resuscitation, puerperal sepsis and meconium aspiration syndrome and poor biophysical profile. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and grading of meconium-stained amniotic fluid and its association with puerperal sepsis. Methods: A prospective cohort study design was employed at the labor suite and obstetric theater of Kawempe National Referral Hospital. The study population comprised of 348 expectant mothers admitted to the labor ward and obstetric theatre. Recruitment was conducted daily, and mothers were followed up for 7 days postpartum. Univariate analysis was used to compute the prevalence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid and its grading. Bivariate analysis using Chi-square analysis was used to assess the relationship between meconium-stained amniotic fluid and puerperal sepsis while logistic regression analysis was used to assess the factors associated with puerperal sepsis among meconium-stained amniotic fluid mothers. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 348 women in labor were recruited with an average age of 26.45 (SD 5.26) years. The prevalence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid was 24.1%, of which majority (53.6%) had grade II meconium-stained amniotic fluid, 23.8% had grade1 and 22.6% had grade III meconium-stained amniotic fluid. The overall incidence of puerperal sepsis among all parturient mothers was 27.3% but notably higher among the meconium-stained amniotic fluid mothers (28.5%) as compared to the non-meconium-stained amniotic fluid mothers (26.9%). The odd ratio of developing puerperal sepsis in mothers with meconium-stained amniotic fluid was 1.087 (95% CI 0.630-1.877) and this was not statistically significant before (P=0.764) and after controlling for confounding factors (P=0.754). Conclusion: Meconium-stained amniotic fluid is a common complication in Uganda occurring in approximately a quarter of the deliveries. Although women with meconium-stained amniotic fluid may be at an increased risk of puerperal sepsis, there was no association between puerperal sepsis and meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Heightened monitoring for the mothers in labor should be done by health workers to prevent or diagnose early any meconium-stained amniotic fluid and prevent any potential complications
Prevalence of perceived occupational injuries and associated factors among factory workers in Mogadishu, Somalia
No full textA research dissertation submitted to the School of Public Health in partial fulfilment for the requirement of the award of Master of Environmental and Occupational Health Degree of Makerere University.Introduction: Occupational injuries are a significant public health concern, particularly in developing countries where the burden is 10 to 20 times higher than in industrialized nations. In Somalia, factory work is considered the most hazardous sector, with limited data on injury prevalence. Reliable data would enable the government and relevant agencies to develop evidence-based occupational safety and health policies and implement targeted interventions to address the most common injury causes, such as burns or falls, ultimately reducing injury rates and improving worker safety. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of occupational injuries and identify individual and workplace-related factors contributing to these injuries among factory workers in Mogadishu district, Somalia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 623 randomly selected factory workers in Mogadishu. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire uploaded in Kobo Collect software and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression to identify significant factors associated with occupational injuries. Variables with a p-value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Majority 72.8% (454/623) of the study participants were manual labourers and less than half 41.3% (257/623) had reached tertiary level. Participants’ mean age was 31 years (SD±9.7). About 29.7% (185/623) reported to have experienced an occupational injury in the last 6 months; of which majority 55.7%S(103/185) were burns. Several factors were found to be significantly associated with the outcome. Older workers [AOR=0.37, p=0.003, CI=0.05-0.81] were at a lower risk of suffering from occupational injuries. Individuals who had friends who suffered from injury before [AOR=2.87, p=0.02, CI=1.16-7.11], those with disabilities [AOR=3.45, p= 0.004, CI=1.49-7.99] were at a higher risk of experiencing injuries. Additionally, workers experiencing sleep disturbances [AOR=5.01, p<0.001, CI=2.31-10.84 were more likely to be injured. Those with higher education levels [AOR=0.64, P=0.04, CI=0.18-0.90], in factories with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) guidelines [AOR=0.78, p=0.01, CI=0.25-0.81], providing PPE to workers [AOR=0.57, p=0.03, CI=0.51-0.91] and undergoing medical examination at workplace [AOR=0.71, p=0.04, CI=0.19-0.98] were less likely to have occupational injuries. Those who reported noise at workplace [AOR=3.82, p=0.001, CI=1.32-4.91) were more likely to have occupational injuries. Conclusion: There was high prevalence (29.7%) of occupational injuries among factory workers in Mogadishu. Age, education level, disability, having friends who had suffered injuries, those experiencing sleep disturbances, and those who sometimes slept at the workplace, the presence of occupational safety and health (OSH) guidelines like Somalia guidelines for machine operation in milling factories, safety rules and regulations for machine operators and the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, safety glasses, earplugs and muffs were associated with a reduced likelihood of injuries, emphasizing the importance of implementing and adhering to safety protocols. Additionally, excessive workplace noise significantly increased injury risk, while undergoing medical examinations prior to employment was associated with a lower risk of injuries. This emphasizes the need for comprehensive occupational safety interventions addressing both individual and workplace factors
Factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women aged 18 - 45 attending antenatal care in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Isingiro District – Uganda
No full textA research dissertation report submitted to the Department of Community and Behavioral Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Public Health Disaster Management Degree of Makerere University.Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated global vaccination efforts, with particular attention to vulnerable populations, including pregnant women (Amimo, Lambert, Magit, & Hashizume, 2021). Despite these efforts, vaccine uptake remains inconsistent, especially in low-resource settings like refugee settlements (Rosen, Waitzberg, Israeli, Hartal, & Davidovitch, 2021). This study aimed to assess the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women aged 18 to 45 years attending antenatal care in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study that utilized both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative: structured questionnaires were administered to 444 pregnant women, aged 18–45 years to obtain data which was then analyzed using STATA v 15.0. Qualitative: for the qualitative component, we employed Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). 10 FGDs were held, 5 with vaccinated pregnant women and 5 with unvaccinated ones, divided into younger women 25 years. Additionally, 10 KIIs were conducted with healthcare providers, including EPI/nurse in-charges, and community health workers (VHTs), to explore vaccine hesitancy and acceptance in greater depth. Collected data was then transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Atlas. ti 8.0 software. Results: Out of the 444 pregnant women surveyed, 56% (248/444) had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with Johnson & Johnson being the most commonly administered, accounting for 33.1% (82/248) of those vaccinated. The primary motivation for vaccination was the belief that it would protect both pregnant women and their unborn babies. The most commonly reported side effects were muscle pain and fever, with 19.4% (86/444) of respondents reporting muscle soreness after the first dose. 81% (201/248) of the vaccinated women were knowledgeable about COVID-19 vaccines, compared to 55% (108/196) among the unvaccinated group. Healthcare workers were the primary source of their vaccine awareness. 34% (84/248) of the vaccinated women had a positive perception of the vaccine, compared to only 12% (24/196) of unvaccinated women. The primary reason for their positive views was the perceived protection for themselves and their unborn babies. Health workers were the main source of information on COVID-19 vaccination for 67.3% (298/444) of respondents. Qualitative data highlighted significant barriers to vaccination, including fears of harm to the baby, the belief that COVID-19 was no longer a threat, and the unavailability of vaccines. Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women in Nakivale Refugee Settlement stands at a moderate 56%, with key factors significantly influencing uptake being household vaccination status, testing positive for COVID-19, educational attainment, knowledge of community vaccination, and vaccine preferences. However, major barriers, such as vaccine unavailability, and safety concerns continue to hinder vaccine uptake. To improve vaccine uptake, public health initiatives should prioritize increasing vaccine access, addressing safety concerns, and utilizing health workers as vital influencers within the community
Teachers' environmental pedagogical content knowledge in the teaching of environmental education from selected government aided primary schools in Adjumani west county, Adjumani District.
No full textA dissertation submitted to the directorate of research and graduate training in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of degree of Masters of Science Education of Makerere University.This study investigated teachers’ environmental pedagogical content knowledge in the teaching of
Environmental Education from selected government aided primary schools in Adjumani West County, Adjumani district. Specifically, the study sought to establish teachers’ environmental and pedagogical content knowledge and the relationship between teachers’ Environmental Knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. The study used a cross sectional design with mixed method approach. One hundred and ninety-six (196) teachers in twenty-eight (28) government aided primary schools were sampled. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires, observation guide, document analysis and interview guides. The quantitative data was analyzed using the SPSS. Descriptive data was analyzed using relative frequencies or percent statistical tool in SPSS. Pearson’s Linear Correlation was used to determine relationship between categories. The findings show that teachers have good environmental knowledge 65.7 % and pedagogical knowledge 63.9% to teach environmental education except ICT integration 25.8% and project 4.3% remained low. The study also found that, environmental content and environmental pedagogical knowledge had a positive significant relationship with teaching of environmental education. The study has shown that teachers possess the requisite environmental content and pedagogical knowledge to teach environmental education effectively in schools. The results of this study recommend in-service training, seminars, workshops and conferences on environmental issues and ICT integration to enrich teachers’ environmental pedagogical knowledge for effective teaching of
environmental education. Further research in the environmental changes, attitude of teachers, climate change, attitudes of the community members, the nature of the available policies among others was recommended
Investigating the briquetting and pelletising potential of avocado seeds
No full textA Thesis submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate training in partial fulfillment for the award of Master of Science in Renewable Energy of Makerere UniversityAvocado being one of the edible fruits in Uganda, there is waste associated with its consumption. The study therefore, aimed at evaluating the potential of briquetting and pelletising avocado seeds in an effort to resolve the issue of reducing amounts of traditional biomass energy resources of firewood and wood-derived charcoal, and also provide background information for other researches in composite briquettes. Major emphasis was put on evaluating the effect of microbial action on the properties of the developed briquettes and pellets for short storage periods, that is to say, one to five days. The developed briquettes and pellets underwent various tests such as thermo-gravimetric analysis, bomb calorimetry, and drop test, with statistical evaluation on a 95% confidence level. The experimental results revealed that the moisture content, volatile matter, fixed carbon and ash content of the avocado seed briquettes ranged between 4 % to 27 %, 11 % to 19 %, 57 % to 77 %, and 5 % to 8 % respectively. Whereas those of the avocado seed pellets ranged between 8 % to 16 %, 66 % to 72 %, 15 % to 17 %, and 1.9% to 2.2% respectively in the same order of parameters as for briquettes in the preceding statement. The study also revealed that microorganisms generally have very little effect on the properties of avocado seed briquettes and pellets for short storage periods. The economic evaluation revealed that it is not economically viable to produce avocado seed briquettes or pellets on an industrial scale as evidenced by the NPV of UGX -12,550,442, BCR of 0.81 and IRR of -10%
Application of nanotechnology in the development of briquettes from selected biomass in Uganda
No full textA thesis submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Makerere University.The development of biomass briquettes remains relevant to communities in developing nations, as they offer a cost-effective and sustainable means of producing energy from solid waste. However, the low quality of the briquettes in comparison to traditional cooking fuels hampers their widespread adoption. The main objective of this research was to develop nanocomposite briquettes with improved ignition and combustion properties. The biochar matrix was obtained from Senna spectabilis, a fast-growing invasive species, while the nanocomposite binder incorporated Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from yellow thatching grass (Hyparrhenia filipendula) and Poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA). Novel biochar-CNC-PVA nanocomposite briquettes were developed using the solution casting method, with the CNC/PVA nanocomposite serving as a binder. A total of five biochar/binder nanocomposite briquette ratios were developed: 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50 and designated BCP (9/1), BCP (8/2), BCP (7/3), BCP (6/4), and BCP (5/5) respectively. The nanocomposite briquettes were characterized for thermal stability, mechanical properties, elemental composition, surface morphology, proximate composition, and combustion characteristics using standard scientific techniques. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to study the combustion characteristics of the nanocomposite briquette decomposition in an oxygen atmosphere at three heating rates of 5,10 and 20 °C/min. The kinetic parameters were determined using the Coats–Redfern method. A production facility for the nanocomposite fuels was modeled using ASPEN Plus software and the economic evaluation conducted using net present value (NPV) and Internal rate of return (IRR) analysis.
The briquettes produced had a very low ash contents of less than 2 %, and low moisture content average of 8 %. The fixed carbon and volatile matter content of the briquettes were also within acceptable standards for biomass briquettes. The surface morphology of the briquettes showed a well-distributed nanocomposite binder in the biochar matrix. The nanocomposite fuel blends exhibited calorific values in the range of 16 to 27 MJ/kg, surpassing the calorific values of most organic binder-based biomass briquettes developed earlier. The ignition performance and combustibility indexes in oxy-combustion conditions were highest for the BCP (6/4) blend followed by BCP (8/2) nanocomposite blend. Therefore up to 40 % of the PVA-CNC binder can be added in the biochar matrix without affecting combustion performance. The kinetic studies also showed that the apparent activation energy was lowest for BCP (7/3), with a value of 13.30 kJmol-1 at a heating rate of 5 °C/min. The activation energy at a low heating rate was considered because the heating of the biomass particles occurs gradually, leading to a more effective heat transfer to the material bed and between the particles.
The selling price of the nanocomposite fuel, as determined from the techno-economic analysis, was 13.5 million and a projected payback period of 4.65 years. The calculated Internal rate of return (IRR) of the project is 82 %, indicating a robust level of economic viability.
In conclusion, this study provides a detailed protocol for the development of a nanocomposite briquette with improved ignition and combustion properties using locally available biomass and nanomaterials. The use of such briquettes can potentially offer a cost-effective and sustainable means of producing energy from solid waste in developing nations. Further research can focus on optimizing the fuel blends, conducting feasibility studies for scaling up production of nanocomposite briquettes and devising strategies to enhance consumer adoption.Africa Center for Materials, Product Development, and Nanotechnology (MAPRONANO
Working capital management, financial skills and business performance of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMES) in Nakawa Division
No full textThe purpose of the study was to assess the relationship of working capital management, financial skills and business performance of MSMEs in Nakawa Division. The study used quantitative approach to help the researcher in generating numerical data and use causal-comparative and correctional design. The unit of analysis were MSMEs and the unit of inquiry were the owners of these businesses. About 132 questionnaires were administered, a total of 130 questionnaires were filled and returned. This represented a 98.480% response rate, which is quite suitable to make a finale for the study. The study was dominated by female respondents, married individuals mostly involved in business activities are had education background. Most MSMEs were registered though employing less than 5 employees. Parametric methods such as Pearson correlation and linear regression were deemed suitable for the analysis. The study found out that the moderating effect of financial skills on the relationship between working capital management (inventory management) and business performance is statistically significant. The findings suggest that strengthening financial skills (Debt management skills, Book-keeping skills, Budgeting skills) through education, training, and partnerships with financial institutions was found to enhance the ability of MSME owners to effectively manage working capital, leading to improved business performance. The study recommended that MSME owners in Nakawa division should invest in developing their financial skills. This can be achieved through training programs, workshops, or partnerships with financial institutions or business development organizations. To further enhance the understanding of financial skills, working capital management, and business performance in the context of MSMEs, future research could explore additional variables, such as marketing strategies, innovation capabilities, or access to technology
PAH derivatives in sediments and fish from white Nile near Melut oil fields, South Sudan: bioaccumulation and source apportionment
No full textA dissertation submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfillment of requirements for the award of Master of Science (Chemistry) of Makerere UniversityThis study was aimed at determining the occurrence and distribution of Nitro-PAHs, Oxy-PAHs and Hydroxy-PAHs in three different fish species (Oreochromis niloticus, Lates niloticus and Clarias gareepinus) and sediments from White Nile in vicinity of Melut oil fields, South Sudan. Extraction of analytes in fish and sediment samples was done using accelerated solvent extraction and an ultrasonic extraction, respectively. Analysis of the concentrations of PAH derivatives was done using Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Hydroxy-PAHs were first derivatized by using BSTFA/TMCS,99-1 prior to instrumental analysis. Total concentrations of PAH derivatives (∑15NPAHs, ∑5OPAHs and ∑3 OHPAHs) in sediments were and (319.28, 312.68, and 184.21), (54.05, 34.31 and 30.85), (53.07, 47.02 and 17.81) ng g-1 dw at A, B and C, respectively. In Clarias gareepinus fish species, the mean levels NPAHs, OPAHs and OHPAHs were (215.7, 24.9 and 32.6), (340.1, 30.6 and 44.5), and (208.4, 22.3 and 18.6) ng g-1 ww at A, B and C, respectively. They were (347.7, 97.2 and 68.2), (392.5, 66.8 and 117.9), and (214.5, 78.2 and 105.2) ng g-1 ww at A, B and C, respectively in Lates niloticus and (276.5, 52.7 and 36.3), (241.3, 47.2 and 73.1), and (230.1, 59.3 and 94.7) ng g-1 ww at A, B and C, respectively in Oreochromis niloticus. Lower molecular weight (LMW) PAH derivatives (2-3 rings) were more abundant in the samples (77% of the ∑PAH derivatives for fish and 81% for sediments). 1-Nitronaphthalene was the most abundant congener (contributing 33% and 26% of the ∑LMW-PAH derivatives sediments and fish, respectively). The levels of PAH derivatives did not differ significantly in sediments of different sites, and this is indicative of a common source of pollution. Among fish species, O. niloticus had the highest concentrations of PAH derivatives. The total carcinogenic risk of PAH derivatives showed that, consumption of fish from White Nile could have an effect on human health.
The major sources of PAH derivatives are petrogenic in nature, based on diagnostic ratios. Biota-sediment accumulation factor values ranging from 0.03-2138 g OC g-1lipid in fish, showed high bioaccumulation of lower molecular weight PAH derivatives compared to high molecular weight derivatives. The results further showed that, bioaccumulation of PAH derivatives decreases as the number of fused aromatic rings increases. This study makes suggestions and recommendations about data needs and future research on NPAHs, OPAHs and OHPAHs.Partially sponsored by MAK-RI