ABSTRACT Environmental concerns, production costs, reprocessability, and weight of traditional polymer-based composites are major issues that have heightened research in the field of materials science. Thus research on the development of new classes of composites called self-reinforced polymer composites has intensified. Self-reinforced polypropylene composites prepared by compression moulding were examined in this study. This study produced composites (SRPPCs) reinforced with polypropylene f...
ABSTRACT The study was occasioned by the resultant effect of poor quality service provision in most health institutions in Kenya. Patient satisfaction after physician consultation, health literacy and patient compliance to medication have been noted to be very low at
ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus-1(HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection are two rapidly growing epidemics and health concerns strongly driven by injection drug use (IDU) in Kenya and the entire world. Inflammatory cytokines are important mediators of the host response to HIV-1 and HCV infections including injection drugs. However, the molecular interaction between HIV-1 and HCV co-infection and correlation with injection drug use is largely undefined. Therefore, this cross-sec...
ABSTRACT The four fixed dose combination (FDC) anti-Tuberculosis (TB) drugs that the Kenyan government supplies through the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Programme (NLTP) to the health facilities must be of high quality and effective in order to ensure success in TB treatment. According to Global Drug Facility (GDF), treatment of TB with poor quality anti-TB drugs could result in treatment failures as well as leading to drug resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It also has deleteriou...
ABSTRACT Family planning (FP) is one of the fundamental pillars of safe motherhood and a reproductive health right. However, the Northern arid lands of Kenya, where Moyale Sub- County lies, have continued to record low levels of family planning services uptake. This situation has led to poor health outcomes among women, children and the general population thus poor progress towards achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Consequently, this study set out to determine the modern con...
ABSTRACT In sub-Saharan Africa, malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Detailed knowledge of spatial variation of malaria epidemiology and associated risk factors is important for planning and evaluating malaria-control measures. This study therefore investigated an approach in the development and application of a GIS-based healthcare management system with abilities to incorporate climate-based risk predicators of malaria transmission in Nyanza Province. Two sites, Siaya...
ABSTRACT Malaria is a major contributor of ill health and death particularly among infants and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. The infected erythrocytes sequester in the placenta and may be present throughout the whole pregnancy period. Although microscopy is the gold standard method currently acceptable in diagnosis of malaria in hospital, it is unreliable because during pregnancy, malaria parasites disappear from peripheral circulation and remain undetectable through microscopic exami...
ABSTRACT Fish feed is one of the critical components in aquaculture production and accounts for over 60% of total operational costs with protein component being the most expensive ingredient. Traditionally, fishmeal (FM) has been the primary dietary animal protein source. However, with dwindling capture fisheries, FM has become increasingly scarce and expensive due to its demand from human consumers and livestock feed manufacturers. This in turn makes the cost of fish feeds expensive leading...
ABSTRACT Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has been successful in dramatically decreasing the morbidity and mortality caused by HIV infection. Levels of adherence in excess of 95% are required to ensure treatment success, adequate viral load suppression, improved immune status and slowing of the disease progression. It has also been reported that a lot of complacency during ART and feeling of reduced infectivity by the patients on ART could lead to high risk sexual behaviour and enhance transmiss...
ABSTRACT Lake Victoria has experienced eutrophication problems. These problems may be attributed to pollution due to expanding population, a rapidly developing technology and increased industrial and food production. Eutrophication in Lake Victoria is evident from the average total nitrogen to total phosphorus (TN: TP) ratio in Winam Gulf Lake Victoria of 5.89 which is below 16.1 the ratio of a balanced aquatic system. Low TN: TP ratio promotes excessive growth of algae which during decomposi...
ABSTRACT There is an increasing need for food security assessment in the wake of today’s challenge of climate change and variability. This study aimed at assessing the impacts climate change and variability on food security in West Pokot County for the period 1980-2012. Objectives of the study were to: characterize rainfall and temperature data for the specified years, evaluate spatial variability in relation to climate change and variability in the county using remote sensing and Geograph...
ABSTRACT There is an increasing need for food security assessment in the wake of today’s challenge of climate change and variability. This study aimed at assessing the impacts climate change and variability on food security in West Pokot County for the period 1980-2012. Objectives of the study were to: characterize rainfall and temperature data for the specified years, evaluate spatial variability in relation to climate change and variability in the county using remote sensing and Geograph...
ABSTRACT The World Health Organization’s global strategy on public health aims to support Member States to improve access to essential medicines. The desire of Kenya Government to implement this is expressed by formulation of Kenya National Pharmaceutical Policy (2010) which encourages local production of essential medicines for self-sufficiency. The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Kenya is engaged in production of various types of dosage forms but its capacity and capability to p...
ABSTRACT Advocacy of the female condom emerged in the context of growing evidence that heterosexual intercourse was placing women at increased risk of HIV infection. Since the approval of the Female Condom (FC) in the United Kingdom and the United States of America in 1992 and 1993 respectively more than 90 developing countries have introduced the FC to the public. The study objectives were to identify the perceptions of the women in Kiambaa Division towards use of the FC, to establish their ...
ABSTRACT The existence of slums has posed a huge problem for achievement of sustainable urban development in most ACP countries. Slum upgrading and redevelopment measures have been adopted worldwide as key components of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) under goal number seven which emphasizes the need to tackle the problems posed by slums. In the Kenyan context, slum upgrading and redevelopment as intervention measures are critical to the attainment of both Vision 2030 and Millennium ...