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Veterinary fence condition and permeability to buffalo (syncerus caffer) and cattle movement in Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe
Full text linkComparison of self-testing outcomes between model that are driven by communities and those led by paid distributors: A cluster randomized trial in rural Zimbabwe communities
Full text linkHIV self-testing (HIVST) is recommended as a testing strategy by the World Health Organization. Various models of distributing HIV ST kits have been implemented and/or evaluated, including community-based, health facility-based, workplace and secondary distribution. There is evidence that community-based HIVST is acceptable and can increase uptake of testing and linkage to HIV treatment, however its provision can be resource-intensive, particularly when kits are delivered door-to-door. As programs prepare for full scale up, there is need to identify and evaluate sustainable and/low cost models of providing HIVST in communities. A potential model is the community-led approach. Community-led interventions are designed and implemented by communities, usually with support from program implementers. They have been used to drive various health interventions, with success depending on extent to which communities take ownership of the intervention and and motivated by perceived community benefits to take collective action forwards ensuring implementation. A community-led HIVST approach might be able to improve engagement of communities with awareness of HIV prevention messages and target distribution of kits towards people who to test. In addition, community-led HIVST has potential to reduce resource requirements the provider’s perspective
AkkoGlobal
No full textA Linux Foundation Certified Engineer (LFCE) is prepared to install, configure, manage, and troubleshoot network services in Linux systems, and is responsible for the design and implementation of system architecture.
Research on pre-slaughter stress and meat quality: A review of challenges faced under practical conditions
No full textTransportation and handling of animals are important components in meat production systems. Animals destined for slaughter are stressed by factors such as loading, transportation, restraint, handling, and novelty of the slaughter environment, adverse weather conditions, hunger, thirst and fatigue. When an animal is stressed in the pre-slaughter environment, there is a rapid release of enzymes, cortisols and catecholamines which may lead to depletion of glycogen, high meat ultimate pH (pHu) and dark cuts. Pre-slaughter stress also affects the physiology of the animal resulting in an increase in creatine kinase (CK) activity, glucose, lactate and other blood metabolites. Pre-slaughter stress and meat quality is a wide topic and some research have been done albeit was conducted under experimental and controlled conditions. In real life situations many variables are not controlled. Data collection in practical conditions is complex because it is difficult to accurately take some of the measurements; for example the onset of the release of the enzymes and hormones. Moreover, there are difficulties in taking measurements from slaughterhouses and butcheries. Challenges that researchers, marketers and consumers face under practical conditions either on-farm, research stations, transfer centres, slaughter plants, abattoirs or butcheries; with regard to pre-slaughter stress and meat quality may affect the quality of the final products developed under such conditions. This review therefore aims to give a detailed outline on pre-slaughter stress, meat science research and challenges under practical conditions.
Keywords: Abattoirs, animal behaviour, animal welfare, meat industry, meat science, practical conditions, pre-slaughter stres
FDI AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION IN AFRICA: Quantifying Multinational Companies’ spillovers in the SSA region
No full textForeign direct investment (FDI) is widely considered an essential element for achieving sustainable growth. This has resulted in a pervasive stampede, by both the developed-to- developing countries as well as countries whose economies are in transition, to attract more FDI envisaged to backstop their development strategies. Alongside this is the most celebrated growth trajectory in Africa, whereby in the International Monetary Fund (October, 2014) language ‘the world is in a mess, but not Africa’. This paper seeks to establish how much of the FDI activities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been translated into economic benefit for the host countries. It extends the analysis of aggregate FDI- growth relationships to intra and inter-sector spill-over effects, thereby reconciling the often inconclusive evidence on the growth impact of FDI in SSA.
An interrogation of the figures in an econometric estimation of the FDI-growth relationship reveals that while FDI may seem like the flavor of the century when measured by the rate it has been growing in Africa, this international interest in the region is yet to be translated into generation of livelihood and growth opportunities for recipient countries
Delays in performing emergency caesarean sections at Harare maternity hospital and Mbuya Nehanda hospital: Causes and outcomes
No full textIntroduction
The ideal decision-to-delivery interval (DDI) for emergency Caesarean sections (ECS) quoted in international guidelines is 30minutes. Achieving this DDI is anticipated to improve perinatal outcomes. It has however been found in several institutions that it is not achievable in routine practice. There had not been a study in Zimbabwean institutions to determine our achieved DDI for ECS. In the event that we fail to achieve a 30minute DDI, there was no data on what were the influences or causes of delay in performance of ECS, and the maternal and perinatal outcomes thereof.
Objective
What is the achievable DDI for ECS performed at Harare Maternity Hospital (HMH) and Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital (MNMH). What are the causes of delay in performing ECS and what are the perinatal and maternal outcomes.
Design
Hospital based prospective descriptive study.
Setting
Harare Maternity Hospital and Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital
Study population
Consenting women that had undergone emergency Caesarean section.
Methods
Convenience sampling of women who had had ECS and were able to give consent to participate in the study was done.
Data was collected by the researcher using a questionnaire on the day after they had ECS. On day 7 after the operation, a follow-up interview was conducted to check on the condition of both mother and baby. Data analysis was done using EPI INFO version 3.22 statistical software. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics boards of each institution.
Main outcomes of measure
The indication of the ECS and the achieved DDI were explored. We also looked at the demographics and obstetric history of the participants, the stated causes of delayed DDI, the maternal morbidity and perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with delayed DDI.
Results
The total number of deliveries performed at both hospitals during the study period was 3 724 of which 1 050 (28.2%) were performed as Caesarean sections. Of all Caesarean sections, 866 were ECS (82.5%). The calculated sample size was 183. The study included 200 participants. The median age of participants was 25.5years. The majority of participants were married (94.5%), educated to secondary level or better (74%), Christian (68.5%), housewives (67.5%). 81 participants were primiparous. 13 participants delivered twins, therefore the total number of delivered infants was 213. Of these, 38 (17.8%) were delivered prematurely and 130 (16.9%) were term. 177 participants (88.5%) had booked their pregnancies. On admission, 147 (73.5%) were referred from within the Greater Harare Maternity Unit (GHMU), 26 (13%) were self-referrals and 27 (13.5%) were from outside the GHMU. The majority of participants had not had previous uterine surgery (75.5%). Most had successful regional anaesthesia (68%). In the study group, 92 participants (46%) had category 1 ECS and 108 (54%) had category 2 ECS. The median DDI for the whole group was 201.5minnutes (3hours 21minutes). Notably MNMH achieved a median DDI which was 1hour less than that at HMH. The top five causes of delay were delays in pre-operative preparation of the patient, theater being otherwise occupied, laboratory delays, delays in accessing blood products and delays in obtaining consent for theater. Of the 200 participants, only 14 (7%) had postpartum haemorrhage, and only 3 (1.5%) of these were still admitted 7days after the ECS while awaiting blood transfusion, the rest were home and in satisfactory condition. Of the 213 infants born, 186 (87.4%) had a 5minute Apgar of >7, 89 (41.8%) were admitted to neonatal unit and 27 (12.7%) suffered perinatal death.
Conclusion
A 30 minute DDI is not achievable in our institutions but with minimal adverse effects on the parturient or her infant
The effect of institutional leadership on quality of higher education provision
No full textThe study was carried out with the aim of examining the effect of institutional
leadership on the quality of educational provision in higher education institutions in
Zimbabwe. The study analysed the indicators determining provision of quality higher
education in state and private universities and how they are influenced by institutional
leadership. The major techniques used were documentary analysis, questionnaires, interviews
and direct observation. The results showed that institutional leaders who promote intellectual
growth of both staff and students and who create a culture of learning make it easy for their
institutions to uphold high quality standards. The study also highlighted the need for an
effective national quality assurance agency in making sure institutions are supported in the
global quest for quality.
Keywords: institutional leadership, quality, higher education provisio