Factors influencing the consumption and standards of bottled drinking water in Nairobi – Kenya

In the wake of several major infections involving food and water, there is a growing concern for the safety and quality of drinking water. Thus, a number of companies and industries in Kenya and other developed countries have come up with bottled/packaged drinking water for sale to a wide range of consumers particularly those in urban areas. The objectives of this study were to determine the extent of consumption, brand choice, perceived reasons for consumption, standards and average monthly expenditure on bottled/packaged water among Nairobi residents. Thestudy was guided by Aaker’s model of perceived quality. Using a cross-sectional study design, information was collected from a random sample of 120 consumers visiting key supermarkets in Nairobi city center and its suburbs and ten water-bottling companies. Data were analyzed usingSPSS and descriptive statistics were used in establishing relationships between variables. Findings indicate that bottled/packaged water is consumed by 87.5% of those visiting major supermarkets. For majority (65%) of the consumers, taste, convenience, fashion/status, safety and potential health benefits are important considerations. Dasani, Keringet, Kilimanjaro and Aquamist were the most popular brands. The brand choices were influenced by price, availability and media advertisements. More than half (61.5%) of the consumers indicated spending (approximately 9.6%) of their monthly income on bottled water. Nearly all the surveyed companies had no standardized drinking water quality guidelines. Majority of Nairobi residents consume bottled water which may be an indication that accessing safe drinking water is a major challenge for many consumers, particularly those in the urban areas. There is need for nutrition education for the consumers and local guidelines/standards should be set to govern the bottling and marketing of drinking water inNairobi and other urban towns in the country. However, improving and expanding existing water treatment systems may be sustainable in the long term

The quest for universal access to effective malaria treatment: how can the AMFm contribute?

Access to quality assured artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) has remained very low in most malaria endemic countries. A number of reasons, including unaffordable prices, have contributed to the low accessibility to these life-saving medicines. The Affordable Medicines Facility-Malaria (AMFm) is a mechanism to increase access to quality assured ACT. The AMFm will use price signals and a combination of public and private sector channels to achieve multiple public health objectives: replacing older and increasingly ineffective anti-malarial medicines, such as chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine with ACT, displacing oral artemisinin monotherapies from the market, and prolonging the lifespan of ACT by reducing the likelihood of resistance to artemisinin

Reviewing the literature on access to prompt and effective malaria treatment in Kenya: implications for meeting the Abuja targets

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Effective case management is central to reducing malaria mortality and morbidity worldwide, but only a minority of those affected by malaria, have access to prompt effective treatment.</p> <p>In Kenya, the Division of Malaria Control is committed to ensuring that 80 percent of childhood fevers are treated with effective anti-malarial medicines within 24 hours of fever onset, but this target is largely unmet. This review aimed to document evidence on access to effective malaria treatment in Kenya, identify factors that influence access, and make recommendations on how to improve prompt access to effective malaria treatment. Since treatment-seeking patterns for malaria are similar in many settings in sub-Saharan Africa, the findings presented in this review have important lessons for other malaria endemic countries.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Internet searches were conducted in PUBMED (MEDLINE) and HINARI databases using specific search terms and strategies. Grey literature was obtained by soliciting reports from individual researchers working in the treatment-seeking field, from websites of major organizations involved in malaria control and from international reports.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The review indicated that malaria treatment-seeking occurs mostly in the informal sector; that most fevers are treated, but treatment is often ineffective. Irrational drug use was identified as a problem in most studies, but determinants of this behaviour were not documented. Availability of non-recommended medicines over-the-counter and the presence of substandard anti-malarials in the market are well documented. Demand side determinants of access include perception of illness causes, severity and timing of treatment, perceptions of treatment efficacy, simplicity of regimens and ability to pay. Supply side determinants include distance to health facilities, availability of medicines, prescribing and dispensing practices and quality of medicines. Policy level factors are around the complexity and unclear messages regarding drug policy changes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Kenya, like many other African countries, is still far from achieving the Abuja targets. The government, with support from donors, should invest adequately in mechanisms that promote access to effective treatment. Such approaches should focus on factors influencing multiple dimensions of access and will require the cooperation of all stakeholders working in malaria control.</p

Gender Differences In Agriculture Extension Services And Training Programmes In Western Kenya

It is estimated that women produce more than 60% of the food grown for consumption and sale and a large proportion of the nonfood cash crops in sub-Saharan Africa yet they receive little or no support from mainstream agricultural extension services. This paper reports findings of a study on gender differentials in extension services and training programmes in Western Kenya. Using a cross-sectional study design, data was collected from a random sample of 300 farmers, 85 field extension officers, 16 agricultural officers from 3 Farmers Training Centers (FTC\'s) and one agriculture institute in the province. Over half (78.3%) of the extension staff in the province were men and only 23.5% women. In majority (59.5%) of the households, men owned land compared to 29.5% and 11% that was either jointly owned or by women. Access to extension information was dominated by 47.5% of the men while only 27.5% of the women had access. Over half (65.5%) of the extension staff preferred dealing with women. This was attributed to the presence of women on the farms and their ability to adopt information and new technologies faster than men. Training in the FTC\'s indicated that majority of those trained (62.5%) were men. Student\'s records at Bukura Institute of Agriculture revealed that 69.3% of those being trained were men while 30.7% were women. Findings show that despite the women\'s important role in agricultural production, disparities exist in the delivery of extension services and training programmes in the province. The need to train, deploy and target women and men in extension services is emphasized. Keywords: gender differences, agricultural extension services, training programmesGlobal Approaches to Extension Practice Vol. 3 (2) 2007: pp. 122-13

Production De Lait: Une Intervention En Nutrition Dans Une Region De Culture De La Canne A Sucre Dans La Province De L&Apos;Ouest Du Kenya

A study to assess the impact of dairy production on the nutritional status of preschool children aged between 24 and 59 months in Mumias Division, a predominantly sugarcane growing zone of Western Kenya was undertaken between 1997 and 1998. Nutritional status was assessed by taking height, weight and age of the study children and comparing this with the height and weight of well fed children of the same age using the WHO/NCHS growth reference standards. Height-for-age, weight-for-height and weight-for-age indices for each child were determined. Measures of disparity were also calculated to determine the extent of malnutrition in this study area. Children falling below the cut-off point ( ±2SD) from the median of the reference population were classified as stunted, wasted and under-weight. The influence of dairy production and a select number of household characteristics on the children&apos;s nutritional status was evaluated. Up to 44.7% of preschool children were stunted, 10.4% were wasted and 27% were under-weight. Stunting was more prevalent (26.1%) among children from households whose main enterprise was sugarcane farming and where men controlled income from this enterprise. Children from households keeping dairy cattle as an additional farming activity had lower stunting prevalence. Such households were better off in terms of food security, increased milk consumption and improved nutritional status especially of the young children. Appropriate policies to improve dairy production and household food security are crucially needed. Such policies should encourage the diversification of farming activities to incorporate both food and cash crops. Dairy production is clearly a positive activity in a food security program.Une étude a été entreprise entre 1997 et 1998 dans le but d&apos;évaluer l&apos;impact de la production de lait sur la situation nutritionnelle des enfants d&apos;âge pré-scolaire qui avaient entre 24 et 59 mois. L&apos;étude s&apos;est déroulée dans la division de Mumias, une région où l&apos;on cultive la canne à sucre en prédominance dans la province de l&apos;ouest du Kenya. La situation nutritionnelle a été évaluée en mesurant la taille/hauteur, le poids et l&apos;âge des enfants qui ont fait l&apos;objet de cette étude et en comparant ces mesures avec la taille/hauteur et le poids des enfants de même âge bien nourris. La comparaison se faisait en utilisant les indicateurs standards de l&apos;OMS/NCHS qui servent de référence pour mesurer la croissance. Les indices de la taille/hauteur par rapport à l&apos;âge, du poids par rapport à la taille/hauteur et du poids par rapport à l&apos;âge pour chaque enfant ont été déterminés. Les mesures de la disparité ont également été calculées en vue de déterminer le degré de malnutrition dans chaque région étudiée. Les enfants se situant sous le seuil ( < -2SD) de la médiane de la population de référence ont été classés comme ayant du retard dans la croissance, étant décharnés et ayant un poids insuffisant. L&apos;influence de la production de lait et d&apos;un nombre sélectionné de caractéristiques des ménages sur la situation nutritionnelle des enfants a été évaluée. Jusqu&apos;à 44,7% des enfants d&apos;âge pré-scolaire avaient un retard de croissance, 10,4% étaient décharnés et 27% avaient un poids insuffisant. Le retard de croissance était plus prévalent (26,1%) chez des enfants des familles dont la principale activité était la culture de la canne à sucre et où les hommes contrôlaient le revenu de cette entreprise. Les enfants des familles qui pratiquent l&apos;élevage de vaches laitières comme activité complémentaire de l&apos;agriculture avaient une prévalence inférieure du retard dans la croissance. Ces ménages se portaient mieux en ce qui concerne la sécurité alimentaire, une plus grande consommation de lait et une meilleure situation nutritionnelle, plus particulièrement chez les petits enfants. Des politiques appropriées permettant d&apos;améliorer la production de lait et la sécurité alimentaire des familles sont d&apos;une nécessité cruciale. De telles politiques devraient encourager la diversification des activités agricoles afin d&apos;incorporer à la fois les cultures vivrières et les cultures commerciales. La production de lait est sans aucun doute une activité positive dans un programme de sécurité alimentaire

Physical Activity And Dietary Fat As Determinants Of Body Mass Index In A Crosssectional Corelational Design

Overweight/obesity and related disease conditions will constitute a major threat to the economically productive adults and subsequently, will present a huge health-care burden on developing countries in the near future. Suspected determinants include physical activity and dietary fat. The main indicator of overweight/obesity is Body Mass Index (BMI . The purpose of this article is to present the prediction power of physical activity and dietary fat intake on BMI of lecturers within a higher learning institutionalized setting. The study adopted a cross-sectional correlational design. Proportionate and simple random sampling techniques were used to select a sample of 120 lecturers who participated in the study. Data collection was conducted through questionnaires, which had sections including physical activity checklist, 24-hour food recall, anthropometrics measurements mainly weight and height. Analysis of data involved the use of bivariatecorrelation and linear regression. A significant inverse association occurred between BMI and minutes spent in moderate intense physicalactivity per day (r=-0.322,

DAIRY PRODUCTION: A NUTRITION INTERVENTION IN A SUGARCANE GROWING AREA IN WESTERN KENYA

A study to assess the impact of dairy production on the nutritional status of preschool children aged between 24 and 59 months in Mumias Division, a predominantly sugarcane growing zone of Western Kenya was undertaken between 1997 and 1998. Nutritional status was assessed by taking height, weight and age of the study children and comparing this with the height and weight of well fed children of the same age using the WHO/NCHS growth reference standards. Height-for-age, weight-for-height and weight-for-age indices for each child were determined. Measures of disparity were also calculated to determine the extent of malnutrition in this study area. Children falling below the cut-off point ( ±2SD) from the median of the reference population were classified as stunted, wasted and under-weight. The influence of dairy production and a select number of household characteristics on the children's nutritional status was evaluated. Up to 44.7% of preschool children were stunted, 10.4% were wasted and 27% were under-weight. Stunting was more prevalent (26.1%) among children from households whose main enterprise was sugarcane farming and where men controlled income from this enterprise. Children from households keeping dairy cattle as an additional farming activity had lower stunting prevalence. Such households were better off in terms of food security, increased milk consumption and improved nutritional status especially of the young children. Appropriate policies to improve dairy production and household food security are crucially needed. Such policies should encourage the diversification of farming activities to incorporate both food and cash crops. Dairy production is clearly a positive activity in a food security program. Key Words: intervention, dairy production, preschool children, nutritional status. PRODUCTION DE LAIT: UNE INTERVENTION EN NUTRITION DANS UNE REGION DE CULTURE DE LA CANNE A SUCRE DANS LA PROVINCE DE L'OUEST DU KENYA Résumé Une étude a été entreprise entre 1997 et 1998 dans le but d'évaluer l'impact de la production de lait sur la situation nutritionnelle des enfants d'âge pré-scolaire qui avaient entre 24 et 59 mois. L'étude s'est déroulée dans la division de Mumias, une région où l'on cultive la canne à sucre en prédominance dans la province de l'ouest du Kenya. La situation nutritionnelle a été évaluée en mesurant la taille/hauteur, le poids et l'âge des enfants qui ont fait l'objet de cette étude et en comparant ces mesures avec la taille/hauteur et le poids des enfants de même âge bien nourris. La comparaison se faisait en utilisant les indicateurs standards de l'OMS/NCHS qui servent de référence pour mesurer la croissance. Les indices de la taille/hauteur par rapport à l'âge, du poids par rapport à la taille/hauteur et du poids par rapport à l'âge pour chaque enfant ont été déterminés. Les mesures de la disparité ont également été calculées en vue de déterminer le degré de malnutrition dans chaque région étudiée. Les enfants se situant sous le seuil ( < -2SD) de la médiane de la population de référence ont été classés comme ayant du retard dans la croissance, étant décharnés et ayant un poids insuffisant. L'influence de la production de lait et d'un nombre sélectionné de caractéristiques des ménages sur la situation nutritionnelle des enfants a été évaluée. Jusqu'à 44,7% des enfants d'âge pré-scolaire avaient un retard de croissance, 10,4% étaient décharnés et 27% avaient un poids insuffisant. Le retard de croissance était plus prévalent (26,1%) chez des enfants des familles dont la principale activité était la culture de la canne à sucre et où les hommes contrôlaient le revenu de cette entreprise. Les enfants des familles qui pratiquent l'élevage de vaches laitières comme activité complémentaire de l'agriculture avaient une prévalence inférieure du retard dans la croissance. Ces ménages se portaient mieux en ce qui concerne la sécurité alimentaire, une plus grande consommation de lait et une meilleure situation nutritionnelle, plus particulièrement chez les petits enfants. Des politiques appropriées permettant d'améliorer la production de lait et la sécurité alimentaire des familles sont d'une nécessité cruciale. De telles politiques devraient encourager la diversification des activités agricoles afin d'incorporer à la fois les cultures vivrières et les cultures commerciales. La production de lait est sans aucun doute une activité positive dans un programme de sécurité alimentaire. Mots-clés : intervention, production de lait, enfants d'âge pré-scolaire, situation nutritionnelle. AJFAND Vol.4(1) 200