ABSTRACT Food safety is a key component of food security as food can only be considered to exist, if it is safe for human consumption. Food handlers play a massive role in food safety, it is for this purpose we conducted a study to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices of food safety among food handlers in Opuwo District. An analytical cross sectional study was conducted, using a multi-staged probability sampling method. A total of 137 food handlers participated in the study from 24 ki...
ABSTRACT Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among women after breast cancer, in Namibia. Human Papilloma Virus is the significant cause of cervical cancer prevalence worldwide with an estimation of 99.7%. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predict that Cervical cancer will kill >443,000 women worldwide every year by 2030, nearly 90% of them in Sub- Saharan Africa. Nevertheless, cervical cancer is potentially preventable through HPV vaccination, early diagnosis of pre-invasiv...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Malaria, though a preventable disease, remains a major public health problem worldwide, particularly in Africa where it causes high morbidity and mortality in pregnant women and children under five. Effective case management involving universal parasitological diagnosis and targeted treatment with Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) has been recognized as the cornerstone of malaria control strategies. Despite Ghana’s adoption of these recommendations, the tol...
ABSTRACT Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVAs) are one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. Namibia is one of the countries with the highest MVAs fatality rate, 23.9/100 000. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1.25 million people die every year due to MVAs. Despite having a well-developed road network, MVAs are the third highest cause of death in Namibia. This study was conducted in the Oshana Region, Namibia to determine the factors contributing to MVAs and the...
ABSTRACT Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial infection known to affect the different parts of the urinary tract and the occurrence is found in both females and males. Distribution and susceptibility of UTI-aetiologic agents change according to time and place. To ensure appropriate treatment, knowledge of these aetiologic agents and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern is mandatory. However, the extensive use of antimicrobial agents have invariably resulted in t...
ABSTRACT Introduction: One major challenge to the global agenda for the elimination of malaria is the extensive genetic diversity of the parasite population, resulting in the development of drug resistance and variation in antigens targeted for vaccine development. The aim of this study was to decipher any ecological difference in the evolution of drug resistance and to determine how much the increased use of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and other control interventions are ...
ABSTRACT Rabies kills over 55,000 people worldwide annually of which about 97% die resulting from the bite(s) of rabid dogs. Despite the free annual vaccination of dogs in Namibia and Ohangwena region in particular, rabies is still on the increase in both animals and humans. We conducted this study to establish the level of protection against rabies in the vaccinated domestic dogs through antibody testing. Furthermore, the study assessed the level of people’s knowledge on rabies. A descrip...
ABSTRACT Namibia is among the countries with the highest per capita burden of tuberculosis. The traditional San community that are living in northern Namibia are heavily burdened by the TB disease partly due to high household density. This study compares the risk of transmission of TB among close contacts with the community contacts. A retrospective cohort study was conducted and data, of index cases registered during 2014 and their close and community contacts, was collected using health fa...
ABSTRACT Immunisation is one of the most cost effective public health interventions that provide protection against infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess and describe the measles immunisation status and vaccine management in the Engela district. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using a proportionate and systematic sampling technique. A structured administered interview to participants, supplemented with an observational checklist to assess measles cov...
ABSTRACT The Hepatitis B is a viral infection caused by Hepatitis B virus (HBV) which is a double stranded DNA virus, a member of the Hepadnavidae family of viruses. World Health Organization estimates that about 257 million people are living with Hepatitis B virus infection. Namibia has a high prevalence of Hepatitis B infection (9%) among pregnant women and Kunene region prevalence of 8%. The researcher conducted an un-matched 2:1 case-control study to determine the associated risk factors...
ABSTRACT Breast cancer cases are on the increase globally. Studies have shown that breast cancer awareness is generally low in African women, thus most cases are detected late, indicating a low level of screening uptake. In 2011 there were a total of 291 breast cancer cases among Namibian women. In Zambezi region only 28% of women have ever been screened for breast cancer by a health care provider. Health care providers are key role players in awareness of breast cancer screening, as they ha...
Abstract Since the beginning of the outbreak of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, more than 78 million people have been infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and 39 million people have died globally (UNAIDS, 2014, p. 123). In Namibia, AIDS is the leading cause of death accounting for 23% of deaths (CDC in Namibia, fact sheet, 2013, & WHO Namibia, 2011). Adherence to medication refers to the extent to which a patient takes a medication in the way intended by a hea...
ABSTRACT Cryptococcus is the most incriminated fungal pathogen that causes cryptococcal meningitis in HIV-infected patients and is known to constitute a major cause of mortality in AIDS patients. Previous studies, mostly from Africa have indicated that positive serum cryptococcus may precede the development of cryptococcal meningitis and cause early mortality among patients with advanced HIV infection. There is no published data on the burden of cryptococcal infections among HIV patients in ...
ABSTRACT Background: Stillbirth is defined as a baby born with no signs of life (WHO). Globally, around 3.2 million stillbirths occur annually, of which, 98% are experienced in low and middle-income countries. By 2009, Namibia’s stillbirth rate was 15 per 1000 deliveries. Otjozondjupa Region toped the list of regions with high burden of stillbirth in Namibia in 2016. Like many other countries, stillbirths are not prioritized and fewer resources are mobilized to curb them in relation to neo...
Abstract Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease of warm-blooded animals caused by Lyssavirus of the Rhabdoviridae family that attacks the Central Nervous System, provoking fatal acute encephalitis. Domesticated dogs are the main vector, responsible for almost 99% of human rabies cases. Namibia with the rest of the world is engaged in fight to eradicate dog mediated rabies. There is a need to explore the knowledge gaps, attitudes and practices regarding rabies control among dog owners. The purpos...