15288 research outputs found
Sort by
BRAIN DRAIN AMONG HEALTH WORKERS AND RETENTION STRATEGIES IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL, IBADAN, NIGERIA
Get PDFThe brain drain among health workers from developing to developed countries remains a critical
issue on healthcare systems, notably at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. In this
regard, this study gave practical and evidence-based recommendations geared at reducing the brain
drain among health workers and improving the strategies for retaining them within UCH, Ibadan.
The subsidiary objectives highlighted the existing retention strategies, evaluated their
effectiveness, identified the deficiencies within the strategies, and how the institution's policies
relate to the implementation. In this explanatory mixed-method design study, quantitative data
were collected from 225 doctors and nurses using structured questionnaires, and some qualitative
insights were obtained from 19 Key Informants namely, surgeons, senior consultants, assistant
chief nursing officer amongst others. The findings were interpreted using SPSS software 27 for
statistical analyses and ATLAS.ti 24 software for the thematic analysis. The findings indicated
that UCH Ibadan retention strategies are limited and have yet to effectively mitigate the brain drain
among its health workers. However, from the regression analysis it shows that the more the
effective retention strategies are, the less occurrence of brain drain among health workers. The
study also revealed a high positive relationship between identifiable gaps in current retention
strategies and the continuous brain drain, with a correlation coefficient of 0.221, p < 0.05. On the
contrary, institutional policies were not significantly associated with brain drain and maintained
an extremely weak positive relationship, evidenced by the correlation coefficient of 0.092 (p >
0.05). This study was limited to UCH, Ibadan, and 2021-2023. Hence, generalisability to other
healthcare institutions is limited. This research adds to understanding healthcare worker retention
and brain drain dynamics at UCH, Ibadan. It provides empirical evidence for the implementation
of context-specific retention strategies. Relevant stakeholders, including hospital management and
institutional policymakers, must collaborate to implement targeted interventions that address
identified gaps in retention strategies and institutional policies. These are efforts to stabilise
healthcare workforce dynamics and ensure enhanced organisational performance. Evidence-based
retention strategies can then be implemented at the UCH, Ibadan, to avert the brain drain, leading
to improved job satisfaction and healthcare delivery. Among the recommendations, an overhaul
of institutional policies on compensation, career development, and work-life balance is needed.
This study concludes that there is a significant relationship between brain drain and retention
strategies and also this study reiterates that the need for such retention strategies to be enhanced at
UCH, Ibadan, is evident, as great urgency is required in the face of this brain drain among
healthcare workers
INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AND PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY OF THE NIGERIA IMMIGRATION SERVICE
Get PDFThe study examined the relationship between ICT infrastructure and service delivery by Nigeria Immigration Service; access to ICT and enhanced accountability in the Nigeria Immigration Service in public service delivery; sought to determine how ICT has brought about responsiveness in the Nigeria Immigration Service and to find out the current state of ICT facilities provided to enhance public service delivery by the Nigeria Immigration Service. The study utilized the survey method through the use of questionnaire and interviews. Data for this study were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Findings from this study revealed that the integration of ICT infrastructure with other government agencies would enable efficient data interchange and cross-verification. Further findings reveal that strong ICT infrastructure is a key factor in determining how consistently NIS provides its services. This demonstrates how crucial information and communications technology is to delivering dependable, error-free services. The study, not only validates previous discoveries on the significance of ICT in improving Nigerian public services, but it also emphasises the urgent need for reliable and top-notch ICT infrastructure across all levels of government. The study recommends the possibility of integrating ICT infrastructure with other government institutions to provide efficient exchange of data, cross-verification, and improved accountability. The NIS should aggressively engage in collaboration with key authorities, such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to build safe data-sharing frameworks and compatible systems. The study concludes that the adoption of ICT is the way to improve public service delivery of governmental agencies like the Nigeria Immigration Service
Dynamic Retention Strategies for Mitigating Health Workers Brain Drain
Get PDFThe departure of skilled health workers from Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Pacific poses a significant
challenge for the global health workforce, exacerbating healthcare accessibility issues, labour shortages, and
vulnerabilities within healthcare systems worldwide. This study aims to identify brain drain drivers and
propose dynamic retention strategies tailored to the unique circumstances of each region, relying solely on
secondary data. Drawing upon the Push-Pull and Social Exchange Theory frameworks, the study reviews
existing literature, and it was revealed that there is an interplay of push factors, such as low pay, limited
professional development opportunities, and challenging working conditions, alongside pull factors,
including better income prospects and career advancement opportunities. This study advocates for dynamic
retention strategies like enhancing employee engagement, implementing flexible work arrangements,
promoting work-life balance, offering competitive compensation, facilitating professional development, and
fostering supportive work environments tailored to each region's circumstances were imperative to mitigate
the health workers brain drain syndrome. It also suggests the importance of strategic, context-specific
interventions in mitigating brain drain and ensuring sustainable healthcare delivery worldwide and ongoing
research and evaluation to assess their effectiveness. This can be achieved through collaborative efforts of
stakeholders towards safeguarding the global health workforce and promoting equitable access to healthcare
services for all
Transformative Strategies to Combat Brain Drain and Retain Public Health Personnel
Get PDFBrain drain among public health employees is one of the potent threats to healthcare systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This paper reviews transformative strategies designed to address and mitigate the loss of skilled health workers and increase their chances of retention within the public sector. Key strategies identified include an extensive review of existing literature and theoretical frameworks. These include creating PPPs to tap into the resources and expertise in the private sector, making the current regulatory frameworks effective through transparency and accountability, modernisation of health infrastructure to working environments, reviewing remuneration and benefits packages to make them competitive globally, fostering continuous professional development culture, and improvement in employee engagement and recognition. Such strategies would make the environment of these countries more supportive and attractive to health workers and reduce the brain drain, hence strengthening public health systems. The insights and recommendations thus help guide policymakers and other stakeholders toward sustainable health workforce retention and improved healthcare delivery across the globe
ASSESSMENT OF INCLUSION IN REAL ESTATE PRACTICES AMONGST REAL PROPERTY VALUERS IN KICUKIRO DISTRICT, RWANDA
Get PDFThe term inclusion describes how workers feel about their workplaces and how much a corporation values each individual worker and gives them the opportunity to contribute significantly to the company’s development. By embracing inclusion in real estate practices, real estate professionals can better understand the unique needs and preferences of different segments of the population, leading to more tailored and inclusive contributions. However, it appears obvious that real estate sector continues to struggle with a lack of inclusion in its practices. For instance, real estate sector is one of the fields where female and other groups such as poor, disabled, minors, etc. are currently under represented. The aim of the study was to assess inclusion in real estate practices amongst real property valuers. A survey used questionnaires in collecting data directly from the field amongst the respondents. Simple random sampling technique was applied, and the collected data were processed with SPSS and analyzed using frequency and percentage distribution, mean and spearman’s rank correlation, ANOVA, Relative Importance Index (RII) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Results show that most of the real property valuers in Kicukiro District are quite aware of inclusion in real estate practices. However, there is still need for further sensitization on what inclusion is all about. This will aid everyone coming on board in accepting inclusion as a good strategy among real property valuers. It also revealed that most of them always apply inclusion in real estate practices. However, there is still need for further encouragement on the importance on frequent application of inclusion in real estate practices. From results, the study can conclude that property development is the highest aspect of real estate practices where inclusion is been adopted. However, the presented results show that most respondents gave a yes answer to the aspects of property development at 87.1%, property management at 83.9%, property valuation and property taxation at 80.6% as the aspects of real estate practices where inclusion is been adopted by real property valuers. The study recommends that, there should be creation of partnerships and teamwork within public and private organizations, and other participants which will deal with driving inclusion real estate practices
GENETIC PROFILING OF K13 ARTEMISININ-RESISTANT Plasmodium falciparum AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN OTA NIGERIA
Get PDFMalaria stands out incessantly as a potential concern to public health systems in Africa, particularly with the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum characterized with resistance to artemisinin alongside kelch13 (Pfkelch13) gene alterations. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection, genomic profiling and clonal diversity of PfKelch13 among patients attending selected health facilities in Ota, Nigeria. 479 patients with severe P. falciparum infection were engaged and their demographic status were collected. The blood samples from the patients were examined for P. falciparum infective stages and enumerated for parasitemia using Microscopy. DNA was isolated from high parasitemia P. falciparum samples and genotyped for Pfkelch13 using Primary and Nested PCR assays and examined with 1% agarose gel electrophoresis. Identified PfK13 samples were sequenced using Sanger sequencing method and further analyzed for clonal diversity. Overall, P. falciparum malaria identified by microscopy was 265 (55.33%). Significant prevalence of 33.61% was observed among 11-20 years age group, and 29.44% rates among male based on gender demography (p200 parasites per 100uL) were higher among male than female populations and increases among age groups (0-10 and 11-20 years). Of 10.57% PfKelch13 genotypes, higher rates of 5.66% were observed among the male compared to female. Pf strains encoded with K13 from Nigerian population clustered with other global strains identified in UK, France, China and Kuwait. PfK13 strains obtained from this study clustered separately with strains previously reported in African countries including Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. There is evidence of Pfkelch13 strains in Ota Southwest Nigeria having clonal relatedness with P. falciparum K13 markers Y494H and C580Y (Ghana), A578S (Kenya) and A675V (Nigeria). There is need for urgent geno-surveillance and public oriented preventive strategies to curb possible spread of PfK13 strains and identification of PfK13 markers for diagnosis and drug target
IMPLEMENTING BIOMORPHIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES IN AN URHOBO CULTURAL MUSEUM FOR SAPELE, DELTA, NIGERIA
Get PDFBiomorphic design principles are architectural principles that create objects, structures, and systems by taking inspiration from the natural world. The word “biomorphism” comes from the combination of the terms “bio,” which refers to life or living things, and “morph,” which describes form or shape. The biomorphic design aims to mimic, duplicate, or absorb the structures, patterns, forms, and functions present in the living world. The biomorphic design principles include Fluidity, Use of Natural Forms, Geodesic Considerations and Technological Advancements. On a global scale there has been growing awareness of biomorphism and its implementation has been greatly encouraged due to the trend of design steering towards sustainability and energy efficiency, whereas nationally in the Nigerian construction industry the implementation of biomorphism is not as widespread, and this phenomenon has affected the way buildings have been designed/constructed which also affects museums. The aim of this study was to identify the most efficient way to implement biomorphic design principles in the design of a museum to enhance user comfort/artefact preservation in Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria with the following objectives to help achieve this; Examine the factors that determine biomorphic design principles in cultural museums in Delta, Nigeria, Examine the biomorphic design principles that enhanced artefact preservation in cultural museums, Delta, Nigeria., Examine the biomorphic design principles that improve user comfort in the cultural museum design, Delta, Nigeria and to Design a cultural museum incorporating biomorphic design principles to improve artefact preservation and user comfort in Delta, Nigeria. The methodology employed for this study was the mixed-method approach, this was done through the use of questionnaires and an observation guide to be able to get the full perspective when carrying out field work. According to the data collected it was found in the study that Technological Advancements was the most important factor that determined biomorphic design principles, Fluidity was the most effective biomorphic design principle when it came to enhancing artifact preservation and the use of natural forms was the most effective at improving user comfort. The results acquired from this study was information that would adequately inform the design of an Urhobo cultural museum that embodies the biomorphic design principles. In conclusion this study shows the importance of biomorphic design principles and how it can be implemented in the design of museums and any other building type. This study contributes to understanding biomorphic design principles in museum design, sheds light on its challenges and opportunities in Delta State’s cultural context, and proposes a replicable model for its application in Africa. Questionnaires gathered data from residents of the study area, and case studies were used to collect information on selected museum
CHARACTERISATION OF Plasmodium falciparum PFMDR1 GENE MUTATIONS IN MALARIA PATIENTS FROM SELECTED HOSPITALS IN OTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
Get PDFMalaria continues to be a significant global health problem, especially in tropical and
subtropical areas. The 2023 World Malaria Report by the World Health Organization reveals
that there were 249 million cases of malaria and 608,000 fatalities in 2022. A significant
obstacle in malaria control is the rise and spread of resistance to antimalarial drugs, which
endangers the efficacy of current therapies and undermines worldwide endeavours to eradicate
the illness. The efficacy of routinely used antimalarial medicines, such as artemisinin-based
combination treatments (ACTs), is increasingly endangered by the formation and spread of
multi-drug resistance (MDR). The Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance 1 gene
(Pfmdr1) is frequently linked to multi-drug resistance. This study was conducted to detect the
presence and prevalence of the Pfmdr1 gene in Plasmodium falciparum isolated from malariapositive
blood samples to understand its role in anti-malaria drug resistance within Ota, Ogun
State, Nigeria. Ethical approval was obtained from the Covenant Health Research Ethics
Committee, Ogun state, Nigeria, before the commencement of the study. Three hundred and
fifty-six blood samples were obtained from outpatients attending Covenant University Medical
Centre and the General Hospital, Ado-Odo Ota, Ogun State. Microscopy was used to identify
P. falciparum in all samples. The prevalence of malaria was recorded at 66%, with the age
group of children ≤ 10 having the highest prevalence at 80%. DNA extraction was performed
to isolate P. falciparum from 50 malaria-positive blood samples. Nested PCR was performed
to identify and amplify the Pfmdr1 gene and determine its mutations. The prevalence of the
Pfmdr1 was recorded at 66% among samples amplified using two-step Nested PCR. Sanger
Sequencing was carried out on 10 samples to provide a detailed genetic characterization of the
Pfmdr1 gene and three mutations of the Pfmdr1 gene the F74L, Y184F and S164S were
identified
MODELLING AND STRENGTH ASSESSMENT OF CONCRETE MADE WITH FINE SAND MINED IN LAGOS STATE
Get PDFThe utilization of locally sourced materials in concrete production is pivotal for sustainable construction practices, particularly in regions with abundant natural resources. This research proposal aims to assess the strength properties of concrete produced using fine sand mined in different locations in Lagos State. The physical and chemical properties, as well as the grading characteristics, of sand samples from Bariga, Badagry, Epe, and Ikorodu were determined using standard procedures. Additionally, concrete samples were produced using aggregates from these selected locations. The concrete cubes were cured in water for periods ranging from 7 to 56 days. The constituents were modeled using Fuzzy logic, and the experimental values were compared with analytical models (linear, and polynomial), and Fuzzy logic model (Artificial Intelligence). The modeling predicted the compressive strength with a very high degree of accuracy. The results indicated that all the sand samples contained high levels of silica. Furthermore, the fine aggregates had pH values between 7.01 and 7.41, chloride contents ranging from 0.002% to 0.028%, and sulphate contents between 0.0025% and 0.0039%. The compressive strength of concrete made with all the fine sands exceeded 25 N/mm² at 28 days of curing. It was observed that fine aggregates from Bariga gained strength more slowly in the early days compared to those from the other locations. These findings provide valuable insights into the different types of locally available sand materials, thereby promoting sustainable and cost-effective construction practices in Lagos State and similar regions. Ultimately, this research contributes to the development of guidelines for the effective use of fine sand in concrete production, ensuring both structural durability and environmental sustainability. Some improvement would be required during the use of some fine aggregate with impurities to cast concrete. Given the significant role of sand quality in determining the structural integrity of concrete, this study seeks to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the mechanical performance of concrete incorporating these mined fine sands
