Maternal weight gain in second and third trimesters and their relationship with birth weights in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

A prospective study was carried out to determine the relationship between weight gain in the second and third trimesters with the corresponding birth weights in Morogoro, Tanzania. A total of 270 pregnant women who gave birth to singleton deliveries and their consecutive newborns were randomly selected from among women who were attending one antenatal clinic. Average weight gains in second and third trimesters were 2.45 ± 0.68 and 2.14 ± 0.43 kg, respectively (a total of 4.59 ± 1.11 kg) for the two trimesters. Weight gains per week were 0.47 ± 0.16 and 0.33 ± 0.13 kg for the second and third trimesters, respectively. Weight gain in the two trimesters was lower than the expected value for the same period. Results from Pearson correlation analysis found a positive correlation (

Benefits and challenges to productive use of off-grid rural electrification: The case of mini-hydropower in Bulongwa-Tanzania

This paper presents a case study of a minigrid powered by a small hydro plant in the southern highlands of Tanzania. The approach was chosen to provide in-depth understanding on benefits and challenges facing a rural minigrid. The case focuses on productive use; i.e. electricity as a direct input to the production of goods or provision of services. The study applies an interdisciplinary approach consisting of a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, which included stakeholder and user interviews and measurements of output power and water flow. The analysis shows that certain entrepreneurial activities emerged as an outcome of electricity access thru the minigrid; barber shops, welding machines, mobile phone charging, salons, photo copy, and lighting business centres. Major challenges are related to the initial set up of the mini-hydro power plant, i.e. to only service the hospital, as the idea and need for building a minigrid developed much later. A tentative conclusion is that subsidized electricity will not promote rural businesses unless other criteria are met. Moreover, the minigrid faced a number of technical problems partly because of lack of adequate technical resources such as technicians and spare parts but also from the poor-planning and non-saving culture. The study concludes that the minigrid has led to productive uses that are found elsewhere in grid-connected rural communities. The finite supply of energy however means that there are restrictions using electricity for certain productive use – there is a load shedding schedule in place for some of the power intensive machines - due to overload caused by the load and large number of connections. Finally, there is apparent room for improvement not the least regarding the tariffs, which do not reflect market price and hence may affect the sustainability of the system

Using a situation analysis to identify the construction industry deficiencies in Botswana

This paper reports the results of a multi-phase study aimed at identifying ways of transforming the construction industry in Botswana into an efficient, effective and sustainable sector. The study examined a number of reports indicating that public construction projects were not delivered as contractually expected. The first phase of the study, a situation analysis, was divided into two stages, with the first validating the claims that projects perform poorly in terms of both time and cost. Project data were compiled and analysed by computing the cost and time variances. The second stage solicited the opinions of various industry stakeholders regarding the deficiencies in the industry that led to poor project performance. Based on 323 sampled public construction projects, the results indicated that 13% had been abandoned and retendered. For those projects not abandoned, 52% and 75% had cost and time overruns, respectively. On average, the amount of cost overruns was 15% while the amount of time overruns was 75%. This level of performance is considered worrisome if allowed to continue. Causes of the overruns were identified as emanating from the decisions and actions of clients, suppliers, and regulators as well as the lack of a coherent facilitation of the construction business environment. The latter was singled out as an urgent challenge that needs addressing if the construction industry is to exist as a sustainable sector in Botswana. Though the concept of construction industry development is not new, this paper underscores that situations for each country are different and models that aim to transform an industry must look at the underlying

Facilitating Successful Smart Campus Transitions: A Systems Thinking-SWOT Analysis Approach

An identification of strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) factors remains imperative for enabling a successful Smart Campus transition. The absence of a structured approach for analyzing the relationships between these SWOT factors and the influence thereof on Smart Campus transitions negate effective implementation. This study leverages a systems thinking approach to bridge this gap. Data were collected through a stakeholder workshop within a University of Technology case study and analyzed using qualitative content analysis (QCA). This resulted in the establishment of SWOT factors affecting Smart Campus transitions. Systems thinking was utilized to analyze the relationships between these SWOT factors resulting in a causal loop diagram (CLD) highlighting extant interrelationships. A panel of experts drawn from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and South Africa validated the relationships between the SWOT factors as elucidated in the CLD. Subsequently, a Smart Campus transition framework predicated on the CLD archetypes was developed. The framework provided a holistic approach to understanding the interrelationships between various SWOT factors influencing Smart Campus transitions. This framework remains a valuable tool for facilitating optimal strategic planning and management approaches by policy makers, academics, and implementers within the global Higher Education Institution (HEI) landscape for managing successful Smart Campus transition at the South African University of Technology (SAUoT) and beyond

Harnessing innovation platforms for sustainable intensification R4D experiences from Kongwa and Kiteto, Tanzania

United States Agency for International Developmen

Patient's dissatisfaction with the public and private laboratory services in conducting HIV related testing in Tanzania

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Patient's satisfaction with both private and public laboratory services is important for the improvement of the health care delivery in any country.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 24 randomly selected health facilities with laboratories that are conducting HIV related testing, in Mainland Tanzania. The study assessed patient's satisfaction with the laboratory services where by a total of 295 patients were interviewed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of data analyzed for a varying totals from 224 to 294 patients, the percentage of dissatisfaction with both public and private laboratory services, ranged from 4.3% to 34.8%, with most of variables being more than 15%. Patients who sought private laboratory services were less dissatisfied with the cleanness (3/72, 4.2%) and the privacy (10/72, 13.9%) than those sought public laboratory service for the same services of cleanness (41/222, 18.5%) and privacy (61/222, 27.5%), and proportional differences were statistically significant (X²= 8.7, p = 0.003 and X²= 5.5, p = 0.01, respectively). Patients with higher education were more likely to be dissatisfied with privacy (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1–3.1) and waiting time (OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.5 – 4.2) in both private and public facilities. Patients with secondary education were more likely to be dissatisfied with the waiting time (OR = 5.2; 95%CI: 2.2–12.2) and result notification (OR = 5.1 95%CI (2.2–12.2) than those with lower education.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>About 15.0% to 34.8% of patients were not satisfied with waiting time, privacy, results notification cleanness and timely instructions. Patients visited private facilities were less dissatisfied with cleanness and privacy of laboratory services than those visited public facilities. Patients with higher education were more likely to be dissatisfied with privacy and waiting time in both private and public facilities.</p