17 research outputs found
Migration of rigid gas permeable contact lens into the upper eyelid after trauma: a case report
Communication
This chapter discusses research on the
capacity and effectiveness of government’s
communications strategy as South Africa
went through the various stages of lockdown
during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. It
probes the working relationship between
communications from all spheres of
government and community, private, digital,
and social media, as well as organised civil
society before and during the lockdown and
assesses its impact and efficacy.
Recognising the multilingual nature of
South African society, the urban–rural
digital divide, and the prohibitive costs of
data, the chapter identifies lessons and
reaffirms the relevance of the development
communications approach to government–
citizen communications. It motivates for the prioritisation of accessible, multilingual digital
communications with a citizen feedback loop
that is transparent and responsive to ensure
people are informed and empowered, as
envisioned in the Constitution.
Such responsiveness needs an enabling
environment from government and from
the public, private, and community media
landscape. Collaboration and cooperation
across these sectors with government
communications and with the nongovernmental
health and communications
sectors is critical in such an all-encompassing
crisis. The chapter highlights the need to
continue to understand South Africa’s highly
diverse communication space, in which
digital new media platforms exist alongside
loudhailers, and make accommodations in
legislation, policy, and government coordination
with social partners to reach all people across
the digital, class, and language divides.This chapter 4 is published in the first edition of South Africa Covid-19 country report in June 2021.https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202206/sa-covid-19-reporta.pd
Occupational health and safety and the National Public Health Institute of South Africa : deliberations from a national consultative meeting
On 11 November 2015, the National Department of Health (NDoH) published the National Public Health Institute of South Africa (NAPHISA) Draft Bill 2015 for public comment. The aim of the Draft Bill is:
'[t]o provide for the establishment of the National Public Health Institute of South Africa in order to conduct disease and injury surveillance and to provide specialised public health services, public health interventions, training and research directed towards the major health challenges affecting the population of the Republic.'http://www.samj.org.zaam2016School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH
Experimental trials with a thermostable Newcastle disease virus (strain I2) in commercial and village chickens in Tanzania
Conserving rivers and their biodiversity in Tanzania
Water 2019, 11, 2612The United Republic of Tanzania (Tanzania) is rich in freshwater resources and biodiversity.
In this article, we highlight the importance of Tanzanian rivers and make a case for the conservation
of the freshwater and terrestrial species that rely on these rivers. We provide an overview of
current knowledge on Tanzanian rivers and discuss progress towards implementation of the National
Water Policy (2002) and Water Management Act (2009), two legislative instruments that have
motivated environmental flow assessments on at least six major rivers and o er legal backing for river
conservation. We examine major challenges that pose significant threats to water security for river
ecosystems and humans in Tanzania, among those: (1) human population growth, (2) agricultural
expansion, (3) river flow alterations, (4) industrialization, (5) introduced species, and (6) climate
change. We conclude by o ering recommendations for future river conservation e orts in Tanzania
Application of Diagnostic Interview for Internet Addiction (DIA) in Clinical Practice for Korean Adolescents
The increased prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and the inclusion of IGD in DSM-5 and ICD-11 emphasizes the importance of measuring and describing the IGD symptoms. We examined the psychometric properties of the Diagnostic Interview for Internet Addiction (DIA), a semi-structured diagnostic interview tool for IGD, and verified the application of DIA in clinical practice for Korean adolescents. The DIA is conducted in a manner that interviews both adolescents and their caregivers, and each item has a standardized representative question and various examples. It consists of 10 items based on the DSM-5 IGD diagnostic criteria, which is cognitive salience, withdrawal, tolerance, difficulty in regulating use, loss of interest in other activities, persistent use despite negative results, deception regarding Internet/games/SNS use, use of Internet/games/SNS to avoid negative feelings, interference with role performance, and craving. The study included 103 adolescents divided into three subgroups (mild risk, moderate risk, and addicted group) based on the total score of DIA. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared among the DIA subgroups using the chi-square test and analysis of variance (ANOVA), and correlation analysis was used to examine the associations of IGD symptoms with clinical variables (e.g., impulsivity, aggression, depression, anxiety, self-esteem). The DIA total score was significantly correlated with Internet and smartphone addiction, depression, state anxiety, self-esteem, impulsivity, aggression, and stress. Furthermore, the moderate risk and addicted group showed significantly higher levels of Internet and smartphone addiction, anxiety, depression, impulsivity, aggression, stress, and lower self-esteem compared with the mild risk group. The Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI), which measures temperament and character traits, revealed that the mild risk group had higher levels of persistence and self-directedness than did the addicted group. Our findings confirmed the psychometric properties of DIA and the application of the DIA classifications in Korean adolescents
Treatment outcomes of drug susceptible Tuberculosis in private health facilities in Lagos, South-West Nigeria.
BackgroundThe Lagos State Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer, and Leprosy Control Program (LSTBLCP) started engaging private hospitals under the Public-Private Mix (PPM) Program in 2008. The study aimed to evaluate the trend and predictors of successful Tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes of patients managed across these private health facilities between 2010-2016 in Lagos, Nigeria.MethodsRetrospective review of TB treatment register and treatment cards of patients commenced on TB treatment between January 2010 and December 2016 in 36 private health facilities engaged by the LSTBLCP. Between December 2016 and February 2017, data were collected and entered into Microsoft Excel by trained data entry clerks. The analysis was done using SPSS software. Independent predictors of successful treatment outcomes were determined using multivariate analysis at the statistical significance of pResultsA total of 1660 records of TB patients were reviewed. 1535 (92.47%) commenced treatment, while 1337 (87.10%) of all records had documented treatment outcomes. Of the 1337 patients with outcomes, 1044 (78.09%) had a successful treatment outcome, and 293 (21.91%) had an unsuccessful outcome. Majority were male, 980 (59.04%), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) negative status, 1295 (80.24%), diagnosed with smear, 1141 (73.14%), treated in private not-for-profit (PNFP) hospital, 1097 (66.08%), treated for TB between 2014-2016 (18.96%-19.52%). In multivariate analysis, age>20years (aOR = 0.26, p = 0.001), receiving TB treatment in 2013 (aOR = 0.39, p = 0.001), having genexpert for TB diagnosis (aOR = 0.26, p = 0.031) and being HIV positive (aOR = 0.37, p = 0.001) significantly reduced likelihood of successful treatment outcome. The site of TB, being on ART or CPT, were confounding determinants of successful treatment outcomes as they became non-significant at the multivariate analysis level.ConclusionTreatment outcome among Lagos private hospitals was low compared with NTBLCP and World Health Organization (WHO) target. We urge the government and TB stakeholders to strengthen the PPM interventions to improve adherence, particularly among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and older TB patients. Hence, promotion of early care-seeking, improving diagnostic and case holding efficiencies of health facilities, and TB/HIV collaborative interventions can reduce the risk of an unsuccessful outcome
Quality of milk obtained in informal channels in Tanzania as revealed by integrated assessments
There is increasing concern regarding the quality and safety of milk collected and consumed in Tanzania. The majority of milk is obtained in informal distribution channels where animals have unknown health status and good milking and handling practices are often not observed. These factors may contribute to the contamination with milk-borne diseases and milk quality loss. Investigations of the dairy value chain in Tanzania included surveys, key informant interviews, participatory rural appraisals, and laboratory analyses. Our results show a dynamic informal milk sector with rural-rural as well as rural-urban value chains with a diversity of consumers who appreciate milk for its nutritional value and show little concern for milk- borne hazards. Milk samples showed high bacteria and coliform counts exceeding standard levels in the East African Community, e.g. total bacterial count of 1.0 Ă— 107 colony forming units per millilitre (cfu/ml) and total coliform counts of 1.1 Ă— 107 cfu/ml. Ten bacteria species were isolated from milk samples, andfive of these, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria innocua, Listeria ivanovii, and Klebsiella spp. are rarely reported in Tanzania. Furthermore, adulteration and residues of tetracycline and sulfonamide, were detected. It is recommended to work towards solutions that take an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach to promote a product of nutritional value that is safe to consume