Effect of electronic commerce on output and total factor productivity in Kenya

Abstract. Kenya seeks to transform into a middle-income country by 2030 with target annual growth rates of 10 percent. However, this has not been realized since growth rates are under 10 percent while 36 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Various studies interpret this as an underperformance. However, this study held the view that the economic growth witnessed in the years 2007 to 2018pointed to a resilient economy characterized by average steady growth rates of 5.4 percent despite the deterioration of the global economic outlook. This resilience coincided with the adoption of e-commerce, increased output in absolute values and emphasis of Information and Communication Technology as a key industry under the economic pillar of the Kenya Vision 2030. The period also saw the emergence of mobile payment gateways, which is a key enabler for E-commerce among others. E-commerce activities increase efficiency and ease of doing business by reducing costs and barriers of operation, which are important for achieving economic growth in transition countries such as Kenya. The main objective of the study was to investigate the effect of e-commerce on output and total factor productivity. The study developed a framework following the neoclassical and endogenous growth theories. The study used quarterly time-series data from the period 2007 to 2018 and applied Ordinary Least Squares regression models. The results showed that e-commerce had a positive effect on output. The effect of e-commerce on Total Factor Productivity was positive when considering the value of mobile payments while that of card payments was negative. The results suggest that continued investments towards e-commerce in terms of capital and mobile payments technology will be important for Kenya to sustain output growth and productivity increase.Keywords. E-commerce, ICT, Output, Mobile payments, Total factor productivity.JEL. 011, 033, 041, 047, P24

Assessment of knowledge on self-care practices by Diabetes Mellitus Type II attending Diabetes clinic at Kakamega County Referral Hospital

Introduction: In 2012, more than 371 million people presented with Diabetes Mellitus Type II worldwide. Approximately 4.8 million people died in 2012 due to the complications of Diabetes Mellitus Type II (American Diabetes Association 2013). In 2012, in sub-Saharan Africa, Diabetes Mellitus Type II was estimated at 6 percent of total mortality, this reflects an increase from 2.5 percent in 2000. Rapid urbanization leading to sedentary lifestyle and diet changes is a big contributing factor to the rapid increase of Diabetes Mellitus Type II in Sub-Saharan Africa.Kenya presents with heavy disease burden with life expectancy averaging 56 years. Despite the commendable successes to curb CDs (Communicable Diseases), health problem status has stagnated as a result of increase in NCDs causing 28% of all patients deaths in 2010; Diabetes Mellitus Type II accounting for 2% of the total death.Study area: Kakamega County Referral Hospital is approximately 400 kilometers from Nairobi the capital city of Kenya. It is the main referral hospital in western Kenya and receives referrals from neighboring counties e.g. Vihiga County, Bungoma County and various hospitals within the County. Target Population: Diabetes Mellitus Type II patients attending Kakamega County Referral HospitalAim: To assess adequate self-care practice by Diabetes Mellitus Type II patients attending the Diabetes clinic at Kakamega County Referral Hospital.Methods and Materials: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Researcher administered questionnaires based on W.H.O Diabetes Mellitus Type II self-care guidelines were used to collect data. Questionnaires that were filled were screened and carefully scrutinized for completeness, relevance and correctness before storage. Qualitative data was analyzed manually and Quantitative data was organized, coded, and standardized then descriptive statistics were used to analyze aided by statistical package for social scientists (SPSS) version 22. Descriptive analysis was carried out to provide simple summaries about the sample and the measures. Tables were used to present the data. Models of statistical analysis were done to validate the findings of the study.Results: The study found out that, only 22.02% of the participants gave correct signs and symptoms of high blood sugars. Only 13% of the participants demonstrated knowledge of signs and symptoms of low blood sugar. On low blood sugar management 84.52% gave correct responses. Frequency of feet checking was poor with only 16.67% of the participants giving correct responses. Majority (93.45%) of the participants were well versed with the complications of Diabetes Mellitus Type II. Frequency of eye examination had 90.48% of the participants giving the correct responses.Conclusion: The spoken knowledge in low literacy patient with Diabetes Mellitus Type II (SKILLD) scale was poorly scored with majority of the participants demonstrating low knowledge regarding common complications of Diabetes Mellitus Type II. Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus Type II, Self-care and Patient

Vaginal Histological Changes Of The Baboon During The Normal Menstrual Cycle And Pregnancy

Background: A baboon, a non-human primate, is phylogenetically close to human and has been used to study in detail aspects of reproductive physiology that cannot be studied in humans for ethical reasons.Objective: To determine the histological changes in baboon vagina associated with cyclic variations during normal menstrual cycle.Setting: The experiments were carried out at Institute of Primate Research (IPR), Karen, Nairobi, Kenya.Subjects: Nine adult healthy female olive baboons were used in this study. These baboons were monitored over a period of one year and found to have regular menstrual cycles. The vaginal biopsies were taken at different menstrual stages, fixed in 10% formalin and processed to evaluate histological changes.Results: Observation of the histological sections of the biopsies by light microscopy showed that there were histological changes associated with cyclic variations in female olive baboon. During the luteal phase, menstrual phase and pregnancy the squamous epithelium was very thin. The layer gradually thickens throughout the proliferative phase and was thickest during the ovulation period.Conclusion: The changes in squamous epithelium suggest that the baboon vagina undergoes histological changes throughout the menstrual cycle which may be associated with hormonal variations. The data from this study also suggest that olive baboon is a good model for investigating possible effects of hormonal contraceptives on vaginal epithelium and the mechanism of female heterosexual transmission of HIV

Toward Establishing Integrated, Comprehensive, and Sustainable Meningitis Surveillance in Africa to Better Inform Vaccination Strategies

Large populations across sub-Saharan Africa remain at risk of devastating acute bacterial meningitis epidemics and endemic disease. Meningitis surveillance is a cornerstone of disease control, essential for describing temporal changes in disease epidemiology, the rapid detection of outbreaks, guiding vaccine introduction and monitoring vaccine impact. However, meningitis surveillance in most African countries is weak, undermined by parallel surveillance systems with little to no synergy and limited laboratory capacity. African countries need to implement comprehensive meningitis surveillance systems to adapt to the rapidly changing disease trends and vaccine landscapes. The World Health Organization and partners have developed a new investment case to restructure vaccine-preventable disease surveillance. With this new structure, countries will establish comprehensive and sustainable meningitis surveillance systems integrated with greater harmonization between population-based and sentinel surveillance systems. There will also be stronger linkage with existing surveillance systems for vaccine-preventable diseases, such as polio, measles, yellow fever, and rotavirus, as well as with other epidemic-prone diseases to leverage their infrastructure, transport systems, equipment, human resources and funding. The implementation of these concepts is currently being piloted in a few countries in sub-Saharan Africa with support from the World Health Organization and other partners. African countries need to take urgent action to improve synergies and coordination between different surveillance systems to set joint priorities that will inform action to control devastating acute bacterial meningitis effectively

Emergence and Characterization of Serotype G9 Rotavirus Strains from Africa

Serotype G9 strains have been detected sporadically and in localized outbreaks in various African countries, including South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, and Mauritius. Serotype G9 strains were analyzed to investigate genogroup characteristics, including subgroup specificity, electropherotype, and P and G genotypes. In addition, the antigenic composition of the South African G9 strains was assessed. African G9 strains were associated with both DS-1-like characteristics and Wa-like characteristics, indicating the predisposition of G9 strains to frequently reassort. Despite these reassortment events, serotype G9 strains appear to maintain antigenic character in the outer capsid protein, as evident with the reaction of the South African G9 strains with the G9-specific monoclonal antibody F45:1. Phylogenetic analysis clustered African G9 strains geographically, regardless of genogroup characteristics, into 1 lineage (IIId). Two groups of G9 strains, originating in India and Japan, were identified in this lineage. Continuous surveillance of circulating rotavirus strains in Africa is vital to prepare for future vaccine implementation on a continent that clearly needs such preventative medicine

Rhizoctonia in ameliorated and non-ameliorated soils

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Geographic Variation in Pneumonia and Influenza in Long-Term Care Facilities:A National Study

There is large county-level geographic variation in pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations among short-stay and long-stay long-term care facility residents in the United States. Long-term care facilities in counties in the Southern and Midwestern regions had the highest rates of pneumonia and influenza from 2013 to 2015. Future research should identify reasons for these geographic differences

Hospital-based Surveillance Provides Insights Into the Etiology of Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in the Post-Vaccine Era

Background: Meningitis is endemic to regions of Cameroon outside the meningitis belt including the capital city, Yaoundé. Through surveillance, we studied the etiology and molecular epidemiology of pediatric bacterial meningitis in Yaoundé from 2010 to 2016. / Methods: Lumbar puncture was performed on 5958 suspected meningitis cases; 765 specimens were further tested by culture, latex agglutination, and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serotyping/grouping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and/or whole genome sequencing were performed where applicable. / Results: The leading pathogens detected among the 126 confirmed cases were Streptococcus pneumoniae (93 [73.8%]), Haemophilus influenzae (18 [14.3%]), and Neisseria meningitidis (15 [11.9%]). We identified more vaccine serotypes (19 [61%]) than nonvaccine serotypes (12 [39%]); however, in the latter years non–pneumococcal conjugate vaccine serotypes were more common. Whole genome data on 29 S. pneumoniae isolates identified related strains (<30 single-nucleotide polymorphism difference). All but 1 of the genomes harbored a resistance genotype to at least 1 antibiotic, and vaccine serotypes harbored more resistance genes than nonvaccine serotypes (P < .05). Of 9 cases of H. influenzae, 8 were type b (Hib) and 1 was type f. However, the cases of Hib were either in unvaccinated individuals or children who had not yet received all 3 doses. We were unable to serogroup the N. meningitidis cases by PCR. / Conclusions: Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a leading cause of pediatric bacterial meningitis, and nonvaccine serotypes may play a bigger role in disease etiology in the postvaccine era. There is evidence of Hib disease among children in Cameroon, which warrants further investigation