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Realizing Public Accountability In Uganda's Public Service Delivery System - A Myth or Reality?
Get PDFCorruption can be defined as misuse of office for personal gain. It includes; Offering, giving, promising, solicitation or acceptance of any goods of monetary value or benefit or undue advantage in exchange for any act or omission in the performance of a person’s duties.Corruption can be defined as misuse of office for personal gain. It includes; Offering, giving, promising, solicitation or acceptance of any goods of monetary value or benefit or undue advantage in exchange for any act or omission in the performance of a person’s duties.
It also takes the forms of; neglect of duty, corruptly procuring tenders, bribery, diversion of public resources.
Accountability refers to the obligations of public enterprises and agencies (who are entrusted with public resources) to be answerable for fiscal and social responsibilities, to those who have assigned such responsibilities to them.
Accountability can also involve citizens holding their leaders accountable for their actions, most especially if the actions are against the public good. It can as well be defined as being responsible to someone for actions taken.
Transparency refers to openness and ease within which information can be accessed by the public. Transparency is needed for accountability and is an indicator of a government that is citizen focused and service oriented. It implies a proactive effort to make information accessible to the citizens
Using particpatory design technique in the design of the mobile phone-based health application for patients: a case from Uganda
No full textMobile health represents a relatively new trend in the field of health and involves the use of mobile devices to support healthcare. Despite this, there are still open challenges with respect to design, functionality and implementation aspects. The aim of this paper is to illustrate how to involve patients in the design and testing of the mobile phone-based Personal Health Record (PHR) system called M-Health App, and report our two-hour participatory design sessions with patients at Allan Galpin Health Centre - Uganda. The paper further presents insightful results from our formative evaluations, which will be used in the further implementation of M-Health App
Assessment of blood levels of heavy metals including lead and manganese in healthy children living in the Katanga settlement of Kampala, Uganda
Get PDFAn assessment of the burden and potential causes of metal exposure is a critical first step in gauging the public health burden of metal exposure and in guiding its elimination.Background: Exposure to environmental heavy metals is common among African children. Although many of
these metals are known neurotoxicants, to date, monitoring of this exposure is limited, even in countries such as
Uganda that are undergoing rapid industrialization. An assessment of the burden and potential causes of metal
exposure is a critical first step in gauging the public health burden of metal exposure and in guiding its elimination.
Methods: In May 2016, we enrolled 100 children between the ages of 6 and 59 months living in the Katanga
urban settlement of Kampala, Uganda. We measured whole blood concentrations of antimony, arsenic, barium,
cadmium, cesium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, nickel, selenium, and zinc. Applying reference
cutoffs, we identified metals whose prevalence of elevated blood concentrations was > 10%. We also administered an environmental questionnaire to each child’s caregiver to assess potential exposures, including source of drinking water, cooking location and fuel, materials used for roof, walls, and floor, and proximity to potential pollution sources such as main roads, garbage landfills, and fuel stations. We compared log-transformed blood metal concentrations by exposure category, using t-test for dichotomous comparisons and ANOVA for comparisons of three categories, using Tukeys test to adjust for multiple comparisons.
Results: The prevalence of high blood levels was elevated for six of the metals: antimony (99%), copper (12%), cadmium (17%), cobalt (19.2%), lead (97%), and manganese (36.4%). Higher blood manganese was significantly associated with having cement walls (p = 0.04) or floors (p = 0.04). Cadmium was greater among children who attended school (< 0.01), and cobalt was higher among children who lived near a garbage landfill (p = 0.01).
Conclusions: Heavy metal exposure is prevalent in the Katanga settlement and may limit neurodevelopment of children living there. Future studies are needed to definitively identify the sources of exposure and to correct potential nutritional deficiencies that may worsen metal absorption
Design of an Improved Cooking Stove Using High Density Heated Rocks and Heat Retaining Techniques
Get PDFThis is a research article on improved cooking stove using high density
heated rocks and heat retaining techniquesIn sub-Saharan Africa, dependence on wood fuel has caused significant depletion of vegetative resources. Whereas there exist
hundreds of improved cooking stoves, many have not reached their maximum potential because their designs are predominantly
focused on either fuel efficiency or reduced smoke. This research designed and fabricated an improved charcoal stove using high
density rocks and heat retaining techniques.The aim was to retain heat and minimise heat losses in cooking devices with a sole
purpose of reducing the amount of fuel used during cooking. The stove design herein incorporates the interaction of physical and
thermal properties of granite rocks with heat loss theories to give a thermal efficient unit. The stove was estimated to cost US 3–50 US$). This study
revealed that, by introducing the new stove design and insulation, the granite rocks depicted high thermal storage properties with
potential for reducing fuel use by over 78% with reference to the open fire stove.The designed granite rock stove therefore paves way
for the use of high density rocks in improved cook stoves to achieve high performance energy efficient systems that can sustainably
put to use vegetative resources
Language, the Sustainable Development Goals, and Vulnerable Populations
Get PDFThis is a Conference Paper on a topic Language, the Sustainable Development Goals, and Vulnerable PopulationsCultures that use indirect language today face the challenge of being misunderstood. Indirection is often associated with lack of self-esteem, zeal, truthfulness and sincerity. Yet, it is for some, a style of language communication intended to save face and keep peace. As such, people who use indirection may be misunderstood to the extent of being excluded, undermined, and dismissed as unsophisticated and disregarded by those who “speak straight to the point.” A case in point is the Basoga in the Eastern part of Uganda, whose language of communication is dominated by riddling and proverbiage. Defined by colonialists and neighbours as “abempwitu” meaning belligerent, their educational and economic performance is comparably dismal and deteriorating by the year largely because of language. Although many Basoga have served in high positions of power, authority and influence since 1910, their power of negotiation and influence has been low because their language of articulation of the matters of Busoga is engrossed in imagery. An understanding of such a people’s language and what it seeks to communicate calls for specific attention to language diversity. The Basoga, like many indigenous and African people, continue to lose out on many opportunities, because they are misunderstood by their partners in development also because they have a low self-concept. I have found out that the economic stagnation and social frustration of the people in Busoga is largely due to low levels of Lusoga language appreciation. Hence, their detached duty to and use of their direct resources both material and human
Omusomesa wange asinga
Get PDFThis book demonstrates the favorite female teacher for ChildrenThis book demonstrates the favorite female teacher for Childre
Omugab' omuhaango nakabwa kakye
Get PDFThis book narrates a story of a King and his small dog.This book narrates a story of a King and his small dog
Risk factors associated with cystic echinococcosis in humans in selected pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of Uganda
Get PDFIt was to determine the risk factors responsible of occurrence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) of humans in the pastoral and agro-pastoral (PAP) in Uganda.Aim: It was to determine the risk factors responsible of occurrence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) of humans in the pastoral and agro-pastoral (PAP) in Uganda.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in districts: Moroto, Napak, Nakapiripirit and Amudat in Karamoja region; in agro-pastoral communities of Teso region, in the districts of Kumi and Bukedea; Nakasongola district in Central region and in Kasese district in the Western region. People were subjected to voluntary ultrasound screening for CE. Those found positive to CE on ultrasound screening were interviewed using a special designed form to find out the probable predisposing factors for acquisition of CE infection. Predisposing factors considered were location, age, sex, dog ownership, occupation, water source, and religion. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify key risk factors.
Results: In Karamoja region, being female, age beyond 40 years and open spring water sources were the risk factors. While for Nakasongola age beyond 40 years was a risk factor. In Kasese dog ownership, age >60 years and being a Muslim were risk factors. In Teso region dog ownership and age >60 years were the risk factors.
Conclusion: Being a pastoralist, a female, increasing age beyond 40 years, open spring water sources, dog ownership and being a Muslim were the risk factors for CE in PAP areas in Uganda
The Wellbeing of Somali Refugees in Kampala: Perceived Satisfaction of their Human Needs
Get PDFAlthough there is substantial research on the psychological wellbeing of refugees in psychology, especially in acculturation research, there is very little research assessing refugees‘ objective conditions of living. This study aims to bridge this gap by assessing the perceived satisfaction of Somali refugees‘ objective elements in Kampala, Uganda. Drawing on qualitative data from 92 Somali refugee and Ugandan participants, the paper shows that the participants assessed the perceived satisfaction of Somali refugees‘ four objective wellbeing elements (peace and security, housing, education, and employment). These objective elements can be seen to represent human needs when analysed in relation to Doyal and Gough‘s (1991) theory of human need, particularly the intermediate needs. The study participants perceived most Somali refugees as having adequate satisfaction to these objective elements. In this paper, I argue that this is the case because of the non-discriminatory and accepting host environment, Somali refugees‘ financial resources and the culture of social support. These are instrumentally important in promoting Somali refugees‘ wellbeing since they guarantee adequate satisfaction of the human needs of Somali refugees