Assessment of Service Delivery in Guidance and Counselling Units in a Selected Polytechnics Schools in Rwanda

The study intended to assess to students’ satisfaction with guidance and counseling services offered in Polytechnics schools. Specifically, the study sought to find out the student guidance and counseling services, to examine the extent of the influence of accessing guidance and counseling services on students’ school life and students ‘attitudes towards studies; to assess the level of students’ satisfaction about guidance and counseling services offered, to find out the challenges constraining effectiveness of guidance and counseling services and to identify strategies for improving guidance and counseling services provided to students. Descriptive survey research design using quantitative approach was used to generate primary data with help of a questionnaire addressed to selected students from Polytechnics schools. The target population was 50 students who have been offered guidance and counseling services during the 2021 academic year. Due to the students’ availability and their willing to participate in this study, the only 46 students were purposively selected and involved in the present study. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentage tables were used to summarize and to analyze data. The study revealed different types of guidance and counseling services that are offered such as career guidance, educational issues, social relations, family problems, peer pressure, health issues and conflict resolution. Access to guidance and counseling services has encouraged students to study hard, develop in them positive attitudes towards learning, to approach exam without fear, improve class attendance, improve concentration in studying, keep them in touch with friend and family members, keep them connected to others and help improve performance. Access to guidance and counseling services has helped students appreciate my studies, think that studies are a good thing, believe that studies lead to success, do not bother about studies and like their studies. The students were satisfied with the services as the services were good. The main challenges constraining effective guidance and counseling services were lack of confidentiality, lack of time, lack of training, lack of referral material, students’ reluctant to seek help, inadequate facilities and resources. Confidentiality and advice to students, provision of faculties were among the others strategies to improve services. The study recommended that enlightening guidance and counseling service, training of counselors and constant sensitization of the students would improve guidance and counseling services

Identifying risk factors of anemia among women of reproductive age in Rwanda – a cross-sectional study using secondary data from the Rwanda demographic and health survey 2014/2015

Background: Anemia among Women of Reproductive Age (WRA) continues to be among the major public health problems in many developing countries, including Rwanda, where it increased in prevalence between the 2015 and 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) reports. A thorough understanding of its risk factors is necessary to design better interventions. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted in Rwanda on a nationally representative sample to assess factors associated with anemia among WRA. Accordingly, this study was conducted to address such gap. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the RDHS 2014–2015. The study population consisted of 6680 WRA who were tested for anemia during the survey. Anemia was defined as having a hemoglobin level equal to or below 10.9 g/dl for a pregnant woman, and hemoglobin level equal to or below 11.9 g/dl for a non-pregnant woman. Pearson’s chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression were conducted for bivariate and multivariable analysis, respectively. Results: The prevalence of anemia among WRA was 19.2% (95% CI: 18.0–20.5). Four factors were found to be associated with lower odds of anemia, including being obese (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.40–0.91), being in the rich category (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.63–0.87), sleeping under a mosquito net (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74–0.98), and using hormonal contraceptives (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.50–0.73). Five factors were associated with higher odds of anemia, including being underweight (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.09–1.78), using an intrauterine device (OR: 1.98, 95% CI: 1.05–3.75), being separated or widowed (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.09–1.67), and living in the Southern province (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.11–1.89) or in the Eastern province (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.06–1.88). Conclusion: Anemia continues to pose public health challenges; novel public health interventions should consider geographic variations in anemia risk, seek to improve women’s economic statuses, and strengthen iron supplementation especially for Intrauterine device users. Additionally, given the association between anemia and malaria, interventions to prevent malaria should be enhanced.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCPopulation and Public Health (SPPH), School ofReviewedFacult

"I sold my towel and shoes to pay the traditional healer": Care-seeking costs and productivity losses among snakebite victims in Eastern Province, Rwanda.

Snakebite envenomation (SBE) is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and generally over-represented in rural, remote, and impoverished agricultural communities. While poverty is an established risk factor, little research has been done to investigate the economic consequences of SBE. This cross-sectional, quantitative study aimed to measure out-of-pocket spending and lost income when a household member was bitten by a snake. In 2020, 732 snakebite survivors from Eastern Province (Rwanda) agreed to complete a survey administered by telephone. The survey focused on participant demographics, income, direct medical and non-medical costs, care-seeking decisions, and lost work during convalescence. Our results suggested that patients incurred the highest mean expenses when they sought care from hospitals (11 307 RWF or 12 USD) or traditional healers (5 836 RWF or 6 USD) but that the highest maximum cost was incurred from traditional healers (300 000 RWF or 313 USD). Across all victims, the total amount paid to traditional healers (3.4 million RWF or 3 537 USD) was 4.7 times higher than all other care providers combined. On average, families lost 111 814 RWF (117 USD) per snakebite in direct treatment costs and indirect productivity losses. Many victims sought care from traditional healers despite being eligible for free medical care. Altogether, this study serves as a reminder of the serious physical and financial consequences associated with SBE and provides justification for new investments into SBE prevention and care