UNAM Open Access Journal University of Namibia
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Isolation and identification of selected bacterial pathogens from various markets in Windhoek
No full textThis study assessed the microbiological quality of fresh fish, specifically focusing on bacterial contamination. Fish samples, including Merluccius species (hake) and Trachurus species (horse mackerel), were collected from wholesalers and retailers in Windhoek, Namibia. The key bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella species, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, were isolated and identified through standard microbiological methods. The presence of these pathogens indicates potential health risks, such as foodborne illnesses and underscores the need for stringent quality control in fish handling, processing, and storage. The findings highlight the importance of public health interventions and quality assurance measures to ensure consumer safety and maintain industry reputation.
 
Expounding the Nama - Herero genocide of 1904-1908: A cognitive metaphor approach
Full text linkThis study examined four Namibian Nama-Herero literary texts about the genocide in Namibia through the application of the cognitive stylistics theory as a framework for analysis. These are, namely, Lauri Kubuitsile’s The Scattering (2016), Jaspar D. Utley’s Lie of the Land (2017), Rukee Tjingaete’s The Weeping Graves of our Ancestors (2017) and Zirk van den Berg’s Parts Unknown (2018). The four novels were chosen because they present the Nama-Herero genocide, which took place from 1904-1908, where over 65,000 Ovaherero and 10,000 Nama people died in what is known as the first genocide of the twentieth century. The study promotes new discourses on cognitive stylistics studies of Namibian literary works. The study is significant to researchers and readers as it is a useful reference tool for students, politicians and researchers conducting studies in the field of cognitive stylistics. Cognitive linguistics argues that a particular situation in a literary text can be interpreted in different ways. Observations from nuanced readings of the texts indicated that themes in the selected texts largely centre on the natives’ experiences of the genocide during this period of colonial occupation and encounter. This was achieved through the examination of literary creativity through the use of cognitive metaphor, genocidal trauma, and mental and physical oppression. It was concluded that reading, analysing and schematising genocidal fictional works can reflect a negative past for current world citizens to understand and adopt ways that can be used to prevent genocide
Dysfunction in society and its amelioration
Full text linkThis issue of the Journal for Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences features scholarly contributions that call to question the present ordering of our societies. We have sad cases of high school dropout rates among the San community in Namibia, underachievement by male learners as opposed to female learners who seem to thrive on the back of the affirmative action policies that has been put in place, adolescent becoming parents when they still qualify to be called children, politicians invoking God and divine retribution on their opponents and the media, that is supposed to shine a light on these inequities, not been able to put its house in order
Parents’ conceptions of Namibian boys’ underachievement and under-participation in education
Full text linkTo create awareness on gender disparity in academic achievement between boys and girls, a study on Namibian boys’ educational underachievement was conducted (Zimba, et al. 2023). This article is based on data from this study that pertained to parents’ conceptions of boys’ educational underachievement. Using a pragmatic parallel mixed methods research design, systematic, and criterion sampling techniques, data were collected by administering structured questionnaires to 182 parents and by conducting focus group discussions with 85 parents. More than half (57%) of the parents agreed that boys performed worse than girls at school because they were less motivated to work than girls, girls worked harder than boys and that boys needed more help than girls to achieve their full potential. In focus group discussions, about 60% of the parents indicated that boys were less motivated to work at school than girls because they were NOT responsible, goal directed, aiming to achieve anything in life, interested in education, concerned about education, and they were NOT willing to do their schoolwork without being closely supervised. Boys who educationally underachieved did not want to be told what to do, had negative attitudes towards school, did not challenge themselves, had no will power, were lazy, uncooperative, and did not understand the value of education. To support boys’ education, it is recommended that ‘parents should act as real parents’ for boys during socialization by treating them as persons who need help and guidance and not as persons who are self-sufficient. They should also monitor and exercise control over their sons’ misbehaviour and misdeeds
Microbial load and mycotoxins from malted pearl millet and sorghum
Full text linkMicrobial contamination of pearl millet and sorghum grains during the process of malting can compromise the safety of their resulting products. In Namibia, malts of pearl millet and sorghum are used in making oshikundu/ontaku, omalovu (opaque beer) and exclusively sorghum malts for other alcoholic traditional brews. There is limited research on microbial load and mycotoxins from malts of pearl millet intended for making oshikundu and possibly omalovu. Varieties of pearl millet (Okashana2, Kantana, and Kangara) and sorghum (Macia and Red sorghum) grains were germinated at 30°C for 4 days before drying at 50–55°C for 24 hours. Results showed that malts total microbial load was above the South African recommended limit 6.3 Log cfu/g (2 ×107 cfu/g). However, cereal malts showed no contamination by Salmonella spp., Shigella and coliforms. Regulated mycotoxins aflatoxin, deoxynivalenol, fumonisin and zearalenone were detected from malts irrespective of the cereal. However, detected mycotoxins were below the legal limit set by the European Commission. These suggests that malts may potentially not be of safety concern when it comes to coliforms. Nonetheless, aerobic bacterial load, fungal load and mycotoxins need to be further reduced should the malt be used for oshikundu, omalovu and other low alcoholic brews
Health Risk Assessment of Natural Radioactivity in Wasteland Soils in Helao Nafidi dumpsite, Namibia
No full textHumans are exposed to radiation in the soil of wasteland areas because radiation occurs naturally in the environment through cosmic and terrestrial rays. Children and residents from the neighborhood use dumpsites every day to scrounge for food and other items, increasing their exposure to radiation. The aim of the study is to ascertain whether the radioactive compounds found in the Helao Nafidi dumpsite pose a threat to human health. In this work, the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in 19 soil samples were measured using a gamma-ray spectrometer. Several radiological parameters were computed from these actions. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were 4.83 ±0.58, 4.72 ±0.62 and 51.31±5.41, respectively. The average Raeq value from the Wasteland soil was 15.53 Bq/kg. All of the soil samples had Raeq values that were less than the average global value of 370 Bq/kg. The average AEDE value was 0.01 mSv.y-1, less than the 0.48 mSv global recommendation. The Wasteland soil's Annual Gonadal Dose Equivalent (AGDE) value was 50.77 Sv.y-1, which was found to be less than the 298 Sv.y-1 global critical value. The average values of RLI and Hex were found to be 0.11 and 0.04, respectively. These indices were less than the world accepted-limit values. The average value of the excess lifetime cancer risk (ECLR) was found to be 0.03 and lower than world average of 2.9 x . These findings indicate that natural radioactivity in the soil of the Helao Nafidi wasteland area is not now a health risk
Prevalence and socio-demographic factors associated with lower-extremity peripheral neuropathy among HIV-infected adult patients on antiretroviral therapy.
Full text linkAbstract This study analysed data from a large cohort of HIV-infected persons to determine the proportion of adult patients who developed peripheral neuropathy (PN) of the lower extremities after initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and further identify the socio-demographic factors associated with the condition. A retrospective cohort study was conducted analysing prospectively and routinely-collected demographic and clinical data of HIV-infected adults initiated on ART at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospital Family Care Center (PGH-FCC). Participants’ data were extracted from an electronic patient management database (ePOC). A total of 1 546 records were eligible for the retrospective analysis. The majority of the data records were from female patients (61.5%), and the age range of patients was between 18 and 81 years. The majority of the data extracted was from HIV-infected patients who were married (53.0%), living in the high-density suburbs (52.0%), had reached secondary school (71.7%), and were employed (67.5%). Of the1 546 patient records analysed, 190 (12.3%) HIV-infected patients on ART had a physician-based diagnosis of PN (95% CI=10.8%-14.0%). The most common symptoms reported by patients with PN were sensations of burning type of pain in the legs/ feet and paraesthesia. Being divorced (OR=1.66; p=0.001), unemployed (OR=2.86; p<0.01), residing in high density suburbs (OR=1.98; p<0.01), no education (OR=8.21; p=0.014) and having attained primary education (OR=1.92; p=0.014 were all associated with reports of PN. The study findings link the occurrence of PN among HIV-infected persons on ART with advancing age, socio-economic and educational status.
 
Assessing welfare, conditions of service and trauma in Nigerian journalism
Full text linkThis study examined journalistic practice in Nigeria with a view to determining welfare, conditions of service and associated traumatic experience of serving and retired journalists. The study proceeded on the assumption that for journalism to serve its purpose of the pursuit of truth, professionals must have job satisfaction. A convergent mixed method design involving a questionnaire with open and close-ended items was used to gather the study’s data from a random sample of 64 respondents. The study found out that the welfare/conditions of service of journalists had degenerated badly. The study found out further that retired journalists may wait for years before being paid their gratuities and entitlement. It was further discovered that retirement in journalism is a sentence to poverty. The study found that journalists in privately owned media houses are being exploited by their employers and denied freedom to join professional unions that can protect and fight for their welfare. These and other challenges have led to Nigerian journalists having traumatic experiences including mental illness and depression. The study concluded that the present situation should be arrested to save the future of journalism. It recommends improved remuneration and better welfare package for journalists to reduce unethical practices to the barest medium. Nigerian media organizations should also comply with the compulsory health and pension schemes to encourage journalists to stay on the job until retirement
Why do they quit? : Educational Stakeholders’ perspectives on early school dropout among the San learners in the Ohangwena region of Namibia
Full text linkThe early school dropout rate among San children in the Ohangwena region of Namibia is a significant concern, as it represents a waste of resources and undermines the potential for community and national development. Integrating Critical Theory with Critical Indigenous Pedagogy, this study investigates the factors contributing to the premature dropout of San learners from primary schools, focusing on the perspectives of educational stakeholders. A qualitative case study design was employed, utilizing purposive, criterion, and convenience sampling techniques to select participants from four circuits in the Ohangwena region. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. The findings reveal two main categories of factors influencing dropout rates, namely school based factors and socioeconomic/home-based factors. School-related factors include long distances to school, bullying, excessive schoolwork, irrelevant curriculum content, and an unconducive learning environment. Socioeconomic/home-based factors include nomadic lifestyle, hunger and poverty, early marriage and pregnancy, and domestic work. Based on these findings, the study recommends the review and effective implementation of policies related to school feeding programmes, transportation for San learners, and free education. Additionally, it suggests the development of a tailor-made educational programme for San parents and learners to raise awareness of the value of education
Perceptions of Healthcare Workers and Caregivers regarding Parenting and Co parenting Among Adolescent Parents in Windhoek, Namibia
Full text linkAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 16 million adolescents aged 15 to 19 become pregnant each year, with 95% of these pregnancies occurring in developing countries including Namibia. This study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of healthcare workers and adolescent parents’ caregivers regarding parenting and co-parenting among adolescent mothers and fathers (aged 16 to 19 years) in Namibia. A qualitative, exploratory design was employed. The population included all caregivers or guardians co-parenting with adolescent parents, as well as healthcare workers involved in adolescent care, such as nurses, midwives, and social workers. Data was collected from five caregivers and six health care workers through semi-structured focus group discussions and in depth interviews and analyzed using Tesch’s method. Findings revealed that participants valued the importance of parenting and co-parenting and emphasized the need to support adolescents in these roles. Caregivers highlighted the importance of educating adolescent parents on baby care and called for multidisciplinary healthcare teams to provide support. Healthcare workers also noted the need for emotional support for adolescent parents, improved family relationships, and increased education on parenting skills. Overall, the study highlighted the challenges faced by adolescent parents and the crucial role of caregivers and healthcare professionals in supporting parenting and co-parenting efforts