12 research outputs found
Fiscal Asymmetric Decentralization Conundrum: Influence of County Cash Management on Household Effects in Kenya
Get PDFThis study aims at determining the influence of county cash management on household effects in Kenya. This is a qualitative research that has utilized both primary and secondary data from county governments and the National Treasury respectively. The sample has been developed from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics list of households in Kenya. The result indicates that effective cash management would enhance household welfare, leakages and lack of prioritization among others notwithstanding. The study concludes that there is need to enhance oversight of the treasury management across governments. The capacity of treasury managers should also be improved to secure fiscal discipline
Fiscal Asymmetric Decentralization and the Influence of County Fiscal Autonomy on Household Effects in Kenya
Get PDFFiscal asymmetric decentralization is seen as the panacea in solving persistent income inequalities facing developing economies. Despite efforts to finance County governments, about 42% of Kenyan’s 47.6 million people still live below the poverty level. This study evaluates the influence of County fiscal autonomy on household effects in Kenya. Both primary and secondary data, collected from households in 47 county governments and the Commission on Revenue Allocation, respectively. A Sample of 4,813 households was drawn from 96,251 lists of households developed by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Cochran's correction formula was used. The result finds an insignificant negative correlation between county fiscal autonomy and household effects in Kenya. Further studies are recommended with diverse indicators. Findings in this paper are generalizable and a point of reference for policymakers in Kenya
Prevalence of Cryptosporidiosis in Calves in Large Scale Dairy Farms in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
Get PDFBackground: Studies were conducted on prevalence and distribution of Cryptosporidium parvum in calves aged below 3 months in University of Eldoret farm and other farms in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya for a period of six months in 2009.During the study period, 241 and 80 dung samples were collected from diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic calves respectively and microscopically examined. Stool from the livestock was analysed for the presence of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts by Zinc sulphate floatation technique followed by Ziel-Neelsen staining method. Results: Prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum in diarrhoeic calves was 75%, 70.6%, 62.5% and 38.5% for Kobilo, Sirikwa B, University of Eldoret and Sirikwa A farms respectively. Prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum in the non-diarrhoeic calves was 45%, 15%, 10% and 5% for the same farms respectively. Conclusions: Cryptosporidium parvum was positively related to the diarrhoeic status of the calves (p< 0.05). The prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts was significantly higher in diarrhoeic animals than in non-diarrhoeic ones. It was concluded that the overall prevalence and distribution of Cryptosporidium parvum was associated with diarrhoea in calves. However, there is need for a long term study to elucidate the effect of other risk factors for Cryptosporidium parvum infection in calves, and the occurrence of diarrhoea in relation to cryptosporidiosis and other infections. Keywords: Cryptosporidium parvum, prevalence, diarrhoea, calve
Organizational Resources, External Environment, Innovation and Firm Performance: A Critical Review of Literature
Get PDFExplaining why organizations in the same industry and markets differ in their performance remains a fundamental question within strategic management circles.Researchers have partly attributed the variation to a number of factors among them industry structure, resources of a firm, and continuous innovation that keep a firm a head of competition. On a global scale, there is continued search for the sources of variation in firm performance. As part of this effort, this paper reviews literature on factors that have partial explanation to variation in organization performance namely: organizational resources, external environment and innovation. It is apparent from literature that organization resources have a direct impact on performance. However, this influence is subject to other factors key among them the external environment and innovation. In an attempt to bring out extant gaps on how the resource - performance relationship is influenced by the external environment and innovation, this paper observes that these factors have been found to have independent effect on performance. However, their role in his respect remain scanty, both conceptually and empirically. To contribute to the current state of knowledge in this front, the paper proposes a conceptual model that can guide an empirical investigation on the influence of external environment and innovation on the relationship between organizational resources and performance. The empirical research, it is hoped will address the identified gaps. Key Words: Resources, External Environment, Innovation, expected firm Performance
Knowledge among Drug Dispensers and Antimalarial Drug Prescribing Practices in Public Health Facilities in Dar es Salaam.
Get PDFIrrational prescribing and dispensing of antimalarials has been identified as a contributing factor in the emergence of malaria parasites resistant to existing antimalarial drugs. Factors that contribute to such irrational prescribing and dispensing should therefore be identified to address this problem. The aim of this study was to assess irrational antimalarial drug dispensing and prescribing practices in public health facilities. A descriptive-retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2011 in order to assess prescribing and dispensing practices for antimalarial drugs in three public hospitals and nine health centers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Thirty-two drug dispensers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. A total of 4,320 prescriptions for the period January to December 2010 were collected and assessed for antimalarial drug prescribing patterns. The majority (84.6%) of drug dispensers had poor knowledge regarding the basic information required from patients before dispensing artemether-lumefantrine. Seventeen of 32 drug dispensers did not know the basic information that should be given to patients in order to increase absorption of artemether-lumefantrine after oral intake. Most drug dispensers also showed limited knowledge about the dosage and contraindications for artemether-lumefantrine. Eighty-seven percent of all prescriptions contained artemether-lumefantrine as the only antimalarial drug, 77.1% contained at least one analgesic, and 26.9% contained at least one antibiotic, indicating unnecessary use of analgesics and antibiotics with antimalarial drugs. A substantial number of prescriptions contained antimalarial drugs that have already been declared ineffective for the treatment of malaria in Tanzania, providing additional evidence of inadequate knowledge among health care workers concerning treatment policy. Despite the government's efforts to increase public awareness regarding use of artemether-lumefantrine as first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria, there is still irrational prescribing, dispensing, and use of this combination. Based on the results of this study, it is proposed that regular on-the-job training and continuing education be provided to drug dispensers and prescribers in public health facilities
A win-win solution?: A critical analysis of tiered pricing to improve access to medicines in developing countries
Get PDFBackground: Tiered pricing - the concept of selling drugs and vaccines in developing countries at prices
systematically lower than in industrialized countries - has received widespread support from industry, policymakers,
civil society, and academics as a way to improve access to medicines for the poor. We carried out case studies
based on a review of international drug price developments for antiretrovirals, artemisinin combination therapies,
drug-resistant tuberculosis medicines, liposomal amphotericin B (for visceral leishmaniasis), and pneumococcal
vaccines.
Discussion: We found several critical shortcomings to tiered pricing: it is inferior to competition for achieving the
lowest sustainable prices; it often involves arbitrary divisions between markets and/or countries, which can lead to
very high prices for middle-income markets; and it leaves a disproportionate amount of decision-making power in
the hands of sellers vis-à-vis consumers. In many developing countries, resources are often stretched so tight that
affordability can only be approached by selling medicines at or near the cost of production. Policies that “de-link”
the financing of R&D from the price of medicines merit further attention, since they can reward innovation while
exploiting robust competition in production to generate the lowest sustainable prices. However, in special cases -
such as when market volumes are very small or multi-source production capacity is lacking - tiered pricing may
offer the only practical option to meet short-term needs for access to a product. In such cases, steps should be
taken to ensure affordability and availability in the longer-term.
Summary: To ensure access to medicines for populations in need, alternate strategies should be explored that
harness the power of competition, avoid arbitrary market segmentation, and/or recognize government
responsibilities. Competition should generally be the default option for achieving affordability, as it has proven
superior to tiered pricing for reliably achieving the lowest sustainable prices
Potential use of new cooling technologies during Tokyo 2020 Olympics and associated ethical dilemmas
Get PDFOrganizational Resources, Innovation and Performance of Insurance Companies in Kenya
Get PDFIn spite of a growing body of literature on firm performance, explaining why firms in the same industry and markets differ in their performance remains a fundamental question within strategic management field. While some researchers have attributed these differences to the resources owned and controlled by firms, others have argued that resources alone do not explain the differences in the firms’ performance. This debate still continues, hence providing room for further contributions. Underpinned by the postulations of resource based theory, dynamic capabilities theory and knowledge based theory; this study contributes to the debate. The study advances the proposition that resources influence performance through the intervening effect of innovation. The proposition is empirically tested using both primary and secondary data from 46 Insurance Companies in Kenya. The results reveal that both tangible and intangible resources have a statistically significant direct influence on non-financial performance despite mixed findings as regards to the independent effects of resources on various firm performance indicators. Innovation was found to have a statistically significant intervening influence on the relationship between resources and non-financial performance. The findings offer some support for the anchoring theories as well as partial support to previous similar studies. In spite of the inherent limitations, the study advances the frontiers of knowledge in confirming the anchoring theories while providing ground for policy direction and managerial practice.Key Words: Organizational Resources, Innovation, Firm Performance, InsuranceCompanie
Empowering Africa's food systems for the future
No full textAfrica, a continent of immense potential, stands at a crucial juncture. Home to some of the world’s most fertile lands, abundant resources, and a burgeoning young population, it remains paradoxically ensnared in the grip of food insecurity, malnutrition, and challenges such as climate change, post-harvest losses, and inefficient supply chains. The urgency to empower and transform African food systems is not merely an agricultural or economic imperative but a moral, social, and ecological one. The 2023 report, “Empowering Africa Food Systems for the Future,” highlights the ways in which Africa is uniquely positioned to redefine its future and pave a sustainable and resilient path for generations to come. In delving into the assessment of food systems failures, the report confronts some harsh truths. Despite being home to nearly 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, Africa remains a net food importer spending billions annually to meet its food demands. A large fraction of its population still grapples with chronic hunger and malnutrition. Yet, it does not stop at just assessing failures; it moves forward to take stock of the robust and diverse food systems that form the lifeblood of the continent
Empowering Africa's food systems for the future
No full textAfrica, a continent of immense potential, stands at a crucial juncture. Home to some of the world’s most fertile lands, abundant resources, and a burgeoning young population, it remains paradoxically ensnared in the grip of food insecurity, malnutrition, and challenges such as climate change, post-harvest losses, and inefficient supply chains. The urgency to empower and transform African food systems is not merely an agricultural or economic imperative but a moral, social, and ecological one.
The 2023 report, “Empowering Africa Food Systems for the Future,” highlights the ways in which Africa is uniquely positioned to redefine its future and pave a sustainable and resilient path for generations to come.
In delving into the assessment of food systems failures, the report confronts some harsh truths. Despite being home to nearly 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, Africa remains a net food importer spending billions annually to meet its food demands. A large fraction of its population still grapples with chronic hunger and malnutrition. Yet, it does not stop at just assessing failures; it moves forward to take stock of the robust and diverse food systems that form the lifeblood of the continent.PRIFPRI5; 1 Fostering Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Food Supply; 3 Building Inclusive and Efficient Markets, Trade Systems, and Food Industry; 4 Transforming Agricultural and Rural EconomiesDGO; AFR; Development Strategies and Governance (DSG); Transformation Strategie
