ABSTRACT Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) are the most sustainable and effective malaria control tool currently available. Global targets are for ≥80% of the population living in malaria endemic areas to have access to and use a LLIN. However, current access to LLINs in endemic areas is 56% due to system inefficiencies and budget limitations. Thus, cost-effective approaches to maximize access of effective LLINs in endemic areas are required. This study evaluated whether LLINs that ha...
ABSTRACT Background: Family planning can avert nearly one-third of maternal deaths and 10% of child mortality when couples space their pregnancies more than two years apart. In Kagera Region the use of modern Postpartum Family Planning is uncommon. However, it is not known how much the facility preparedness and clients ‗readiness influence the uptake of Long-term ActingReversible Postpartum Family Planning [LAR PPFP]. Objective: To assess facility preparedness and clients‘ readiness on ...
Abstract Background: Cancer is among the three leading causes of death in low income countries and the highest increase with regard to incidence figures for cancer diseases are found in these countries. This is the first report of the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and needs of care and support of adult Tanzanians with cancer. Methods: A mixed-methods design was used. The study was conducted at Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. One hundred and one patient...
ABSTRACT Background: Anastomotic leak following gastrointestinal surgery is the most postoperative complication that causes significant morbidity and mortality. Its burden is high in low and middle income countries likes Tanzania with lack of supportive data on incidence of Anastomotic leak, predictors and outcome. Objective: This study aims to determine the predictors and early outcomes of anastomotic leak among patients who underwent primary bowel resection and anastomosis at Iringa Region...
ABSTRACT Background: Substance use in young people is significant public health concerns which need to be understood and addressed. Young adolescent is a period when substance use typically starts and patterns become established (NDARC, 2016). Objective: The study was aimed at determining predictors of substance use among undergraduate university students in Dodoma Municipal. Method: A cross-sectional study design was employed involving undergraduate university students aged from18 years and...
Abstract Heavy metals in soil and water were determined at four points along Msimbazi River valley in Dar es Salaam city, which is popular for vegetable farming. Results indicated that the concentration of chromium in water ranged from (1.414±0.922) to 0.01 mg/L. Maximum and minimum lead concentrations of 0.113 and 0.083 mg/L were detected. The concentration of copper was generally low at all sites, ranging from (0.013±0.005) to (0.016±0.005) mg/L. The concentration of lead in water throug...
ABSTRACT Background: It is widely accepted that community-based interventions are vital strategies towards reduction of maternal and neonatal mortalities in developing countries. This study has aimed at finding the effectiveness of a Community-Based Continuous Training (CBCT) project, on improving birth preparedness, male involvement and maternal services utilization in rural Tanzania. Method: The quasi-experimental study design with control was adopted to determine the effectiveness of CBCT...
Abstract Isolates of hepatitis B viruses were collected from 20 acute and chronic hepatitis patients in a highly endemic region of Nigeria. Sequencing classified the isolates to the ayw4, as they all contained the amino acid variations characteristic for that serolype. In the pre-S2 region of five isolates, three to seven amino acids were deleted, suggesting that immune escape mutations previously associated only with chronic HBV infection may be observed also in acute disease. Phylogenetic a...
Abstract The physicochemical equivalence of twenty-two brands of paracetamol and nine brands of ibuprofen tablets sourced from retail Pharmacy outlets in the Nigerian market to their respective innovator brands were investigated. The uniformity of weight, friability, crushing strength, disintegration and dissolution times and assay of active paracetamol ingredient were used as assessment parameters. All the brands of paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets complied with the official specification...
Introduction Malaria remains a major public health concern, especially in Africa, despite several years of research and billions of dollars spent on the development of drugs for the treatment of the disease. It is estimated that about 300 to 500 million cases of malaria occur globally every year, out of which 90% of the cases occur In Africa. It is also estimated that malaria is responsible for 1-2 million deaths annually in Africa (Toklohuimnnot, 2000). For over fifty years, the mainstay of ...
ABSTRACT The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is on the increase globally. Hypertension, a cause and consequence of CKD, is one of the leading risk factors that contribute to increased prevalence of CKD. Understanding the burden of CKD in hypertensive individuals will help promote preventive strategies and initiate measures to reduce the progression of CKD to end stage renal disease (ESRD). Estimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is one of the reliable means of investigating...
ABSTRACT In South Sudan like in many other developing countries, one to two thirds of the solid waste generated is not collected. There is a great problem in the household’ management of solid wastes in the rapid growing town of Bor in South Sudan. This study sought to generate information on solid waste handling practices, which could provide appropriate data that can be used to come up with strategies for managing solid waste. The research focussed on 384 respondents in Bor Town in order...
ABSTRACT Climate variability is an emerging global environmental issue of concern, posing a threat especially for pastoral livelihoods of communities in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), necessitating an understanding of the emerging climate variability effects on local ecosystems. This study sought to understand the effects of climate variability on pastoralism, focusing on Turkana Central Sub-County in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were: to analyse rainfall and temperature va...
The vast majority of Kenyans lack any form of health insurance. Thus, they find it difficult to raise money for health expenditure. As a result, studies elsewhere have shown an obvious disadvantage to uninsured individuals in terms of health care accorded to them when compared to patients with insurance. However, there is a scarcity of research in Kenya to evaluate whether lack of insurance affects the kind of health care they receive. The main objective of this study was to examine the prese...
ABSTRACT Given the subsequent degradation and potential encroachment of mangrove ecosystems, the slow recovery nature of these systems and huge restoration failure efforts (100% mortality after planting in some cases) of mangrove ecosystems, quantification of the role of early colonizing vegetation to mangrove systems recovery is necessary. While sea blight (Suaeda monoica) is common in the degraded sites of Mwache Creek mangrove forest in Kenya and within its growing patches a marked regene...