ABSTRACT Globally, the projected number of foods found to be contaminated from street vendors particularly in developing countries is on the increase. It is however unclear; the contribution unhygienic practices make to food contamination. This study sought to determine the practices of food vendors regarding food hygiene, safety and assessed the level of knowledge of street food vendors with regard to food hygiene and safety, as well as to determine the attitudes of street food vendors towa...
ABSTRACT Southern Africa has the highest HIV prevalence rates among adults in the world. Namibia has not been spared the scourge of this pandemic. In Oshakati, where this study was conducted, the HIV prevalence rate is 25.2%, the second highest in Namibia. There are not many large industries in Oshakati. The greater part of the labour force is employed in the informal sector. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) provide a social safety net for the poor, the uneducated, for women and chi...
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...
ABSTRACT Despite mass media campaigns to provide information on how to promote healthy lifestyle and sexual behaviour among the population, especially among the youth, there is evidence that risky sexual behaviour are more prevalent among males than females (UNAIDS, 2013c), putting them at the risk of acquiring Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Not much is known about the knowledge, attitude and practices of male learners in secondary schools in Namibia on HIV prevention and their practice...
ABSTRACT Defaulting from treatment remains a challenge for most HIV/AIDS control programmes. It may increase the risk of drug resistance, prolonged infection or death. The aim of this study was to explore and describe factors that contributed to patients defaulting in taking Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) in Oshakati and to propose appropriate interventions. The method used in the study was a combined quantitative and qualitative approach (mixed method). A cohort of patients w...
ABSTRACT Background: In an effort to reduce the prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition among Ghanaian infants after the period of exclusive breastfeeding when complementary food (CF) is introduced, Weanimix, which is a blend of non-dehulled maize, groundnut and non-dehulled soyabean/cowpea, was introduced in Ghana, in 1987 through collaboration between the Nutrition Division, Ministry of Health, Ghana and the United Nations Children’s Fund. Weanimix is an improvemen...
ABSTRACT This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Objective: This study investigated the treatment outcomes and determinant factors likely to be associated with recovery rate. Methods: A retrospective chart review (RCR) was performed on 348 patients who were enrolled in the outpatient care (OPC)during the study period....
ABSTRACT The intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD/IUCD) is a safe, effective and long-acting reversible contraceptive method commonly used worldwide. Despite its proven safety, efficacy and its reversibility, the IUD/IUCD is one of the contraceptive methods that is under-utilized in many African countries, including Namibia. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding the IUD/IUCD among family planning (FP) providers and acceptors ...
ABSTRACT Continuing formal education is essential to the growth of the nursing profession due to the dynamic environment of the health industry. Nurses after their initial training received at school, have the opportunity to engage in continuing formal education. The study sought to have an in - depth exploration of the perceptions, motivators, barriers and measures to enhance the continuing formal education of non - professional nurses. The qualitative descriptive design was employed and the...
ABSTRACT Physical Activity, a core component of weIIness promotion, does not command intense research interest in Africa in general and Ghana in particular. Data on physical activity prevalence in Ghana is lacking despite the apparent knowledge, belief, attitude and practices on its potential benefits. Physical activity promotion seems to be the least of the priorities of public health surveillance interventions in Ghana. This cross-sectional, exploratory academic enquiry sought to determine ...
ABSTRACT Background: Pn". . Vtnlion ofmother-ID-child transmission ofHlV (PMTCn is delivered in stages (or cascades) and high level of retention at each cascade step by mother and lalcrb ymother-infant pairs is required to eliminate maternal transmission of HIV which occurs through pregnancy. childbirth andbreastfeeding. Reasons for low rates of retention in Ghana are nOI well understood though HIVsentinel sites situated across the country serve as good resourcefo rcollectingdatafor generatin...
ABSTRACT Health emergenc ies occur everywhere from the market place to the house to by the roadside, and each day they consume resources regardless of whether there are systemsca pableofachieving good outcomes or not. Ina low resource country like Ghana policy and guidelines will play a very integral role in ensuring quality and efficiency of emergency servic es at all tiersofservicc. In 2011,the Accident and emergency policy was introduced to helpstren gthen the capatitiesof facilities in em...
ABSTRACT Apart from contributing to the degradation of lagoons, litter on the banks of coastal lagoons reduces their aesthetic values and denies them of their functions in ecosystem conservation and sustainability – a condition that results in the disappearance of coastal lagoon. The main objective of the study is to assess the litter load on the banks of coastal lagoons (Kpeshie, Mukwei, Sakumo II, Gao and the Keta) located along the eastern coast of Ghana over a six month period (i.e. fro...
ABSTRACT This study was carried out to investigate socio–cultural factors that influence male partner’s participation in antenatal care and its impact on maternal health care. Qualitative method was employed to explore socio-cultural determinants of male partners’ participation in antenatal care services in the Wa municipality of the Upper West Region. A total of 15 male partners were purposively selected from communities in the Wa Municipality. Thematic content analysis was employed fo...
population is expected to triple from the current estimate of 700milliont02 billion by the year 2050. In Ghana, the ageing populat ion as at 2010 was 6.T'1o ofthetotaJpopuJationand it is projected that by the year 2050, the aged population would have increased to 11 .9. Unfortunately, these people have limited knowledge of how to manage their health conditions and whereto seek appropriate help resulting in untim ely deaths. The National Health Insurance Scheme (N HIS), a fonn of health financ...