Factors influencing implementation of the Ministry of Health-led private medicine retailer programmes on malaria in Kenya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Kenya has experienced a number of retail sector initiatives aimed at improving access to antimalarial medicines. This study explored stakeholders' perceptions of the role of private medicine retailers (PMRs), the value and feasibility of programme goals, perceived programme impact, factors influencing implementation and recommendations in three districts of Kenya.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study was part of a larger evaluation of PMR programmes, including quantitative and qualitative components. The qualitative research was conducted to assess implementation processes and actors' experiences in the programmes, through focus group discussions with trained PMRs and mothers of children under five years, and in-depth interviews with programme managers, trainers and co-trainers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>PMRs were perceived to provide rapid cheap treatment for non-serious conditions and used as a deliberate and continuously evaluated choice between different treatment sources. All stakeholders supported programme goals and most PMRs described increased customer satisfaction, more rational purchasing of medicine stock and increased medicine sales after participation. Factors undermining programme implementation included a lack of MoH resources to train and monitor large numbers of PMRs, the relative instability of outlets, medicines stocked and retail personnel, the large number of proprietary brands and financial challenges to retailers in stocking antimalarial medicines, and their customers in buying them. Unambiguous national support and a broad range of strategies are important to strengthen the feasibility of change in OTC antimalarial use.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Understanding the context and implementation processes of PMR programmes and the perspectives of key actors are critical to identifying measures to support their effective implementation. Financial barriers underlie many described challenges, with important implications for policies on subsidies in this sector. In spite of barriers to implementation, increased exposure to programme activities promoted trust and improved relationships between PMRs and their clients and trainers, strengthening feasibility of such interventions. Public information can strengthen PMR training programmes by engaging local communities and may facilitate performance monitoring of PMRs by their clients.</p

Network capitalism and the role of strategy, contracts and performance expectations for Asia-Pacific innovation partnerships

© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2018. With the growth of emerging economies in Asia-Pacific over the last three decades collaboration with the aim of innovation between firms within and with partners outside the region have developed substantially. Not always have such partnerships fulfilled their anticipated strategic objectives. The literature suggests that the nature of market arrangements and the role of government within that system play a role, but also innate contracting practices and governance of innovation partnerships are related. Yet, our understanding about the specific relationships between these factors and the emerging partnership innovation culture that facilitates joint business activities in an Asia-Pacific context remains vague. In this conceptual chapter we suggest how characteristics of so called network capitalism in conjunction with the nature of contractual agreements between partners, the alignment of their innovation objectives and the ambiguity inherent in their mutual contributions to the partnership can be interpreted as indicators of joint innovation culture. However, while innovation partnerships generally may result to be bureaucratic, market, clan, or adhocracy, we discuss how in an Asia Pacific context, innovation partnerships are limited by the extent of codification and diffusion of information and the social embeddedness of economic transactions

Impact of mothers’ socio-demographic factors and antenatal clinic attendance on neonatal mortality in Nigeria

Neonatal death is often referred to maternal complications during pregnancy, and other exogenous factors that exist around the time of birth or shortly after birth. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG)-Goal 3, Targets 3.2 aimed at ending preventable deaths of newborns by demanding that all countries should reduce neonatal mortality to 12 per 1000 live births by 2030. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between mothers’ socioeconomic and demographic factors on neonatal deaths in Nigeria. The study used quantitative data from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS). The data analyzed consisted of 26,826 women aged 15–49 years who had a live or dead birth within the 5 years preceding the survey. STATA 12 computer software was used to carry out data analyses. Data analyses were at univariate (frequency distribution), bivariate (chi-square) and due to the dichotomous nature of the outcome variable (i.e., whether a child was born alive or dead during the delivery; coded as (1, 0), a binary logistic regression was carried out to examine the relationships between various socio-demographic factors, antenatal clinic attendance and neonatal mortality in Nigeria. The results, among others, revealed that background factors of the women such as age, region, residence, education, and wealth status have a significant association with neonatal mortality (P < 0.05). The study also found that adequate antenatal clinic attendance helps to reduce neonatal deaths. The study recommended that women should be encouraged to observe regular antenatal clinic visits during pregnancy and also go for institutional delivery for possible reduction of neonates and infant deaths in Nigeria

The network perspective and the internationalization of small and medium sized software firms from Syria

This study has employed a case-based approach to explore the relevance of relational factors in explaining the internationalization of six software B2B SMEs from Syria. It contributes by providing rare empirical insights on the internationalization behavior of Middle Eastern SMEs and redressing, albeit slightly, the apparent research gap in the internationalization of knowledge-based SMEs from developing countries. Analysis results suggest the importance of the relational perspective in explaining the initial internationalization, market selection and internationalization speed of the investigated software firms. It emerged that the case firms either reacted to the cross-border opportunities offered by their relational contacts or proactively pursued overseas opportunities through existing and newly developed relationships. Their market entry decisions and internationalization pace also appear to have been influenced by these relationships. Both social and business networks were found to be important, but social ties seemed more influential at initial stages, with business networks becoming more dominant subsequently. The article concludes with appropriate recommendations for managerial decision making and future research

The internationalisation of knowledge intensive SMEs from Syria

Outlines the internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from Syria

Antibacterial Susceptibility Pattern of Bacteria Isolated from Retail Fish in Okada, Edo State Nigeria

This study aimed at the microbiological analysis of retail frozen and smoked fish in Okada Edo state Nigeria. Four different retail fish samples were collected from different point of sale in Okada market. Two fresh iced and smoked samples respectively were used for the study. After sub culturing prepared samples into appropriate media, 38 bacterial isolates were obtained from primary culture plates and characterized using standard microbiological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed on the isolates using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. All the isolates obtained were Gram positive cocci bacteria and had a probable identity of Streptococcus sp, Staphylococcus sp and Coagulase negative Staphylococcus sp. The fresh fish samples had a minimum viable count of 1.7x 106 cfu/g and a maximum count of 4x 106 cfu/g while the smoked fish samples had a minimum viable count of 1.8x 106 cfu/g and a maximum count of 8.5x 106 cfu/g. Results from this study shows that the samples do not meet the acceptable limit (5x 105 cfu/g) of the International Commission of Microbiological Specification for Food (ICMSF). The antibiotic susceptibility test showed the presence of antibiotic resistant organisms among the retail fish samples. The detection of high viable counts of bacteria isolates beyond acceptable limits and their antibiotic resistance pattern elucidates the need for continuous monitoring of retail sea foods in the environment. Prudent use of antibiotics in aquaculture should be promoted to avoid the public health impact caused by antibiotic resistance transferred from retail sea foods to humans

Early Growth Response of Annona muricata (L.) Seedlings to Different Potting Media

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of Annona muricata under four different treatments of organic manure in a screen house. Study Design:&nbsp; The study was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replicates. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in the Screen House of the Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, from March to August 2018. Methodology: Four treatments of organic manure were applied to the seedlings of A. muricata, namely T1 (Topsoil + River sand (control)), T2 (sheep dung), T3 (decomposed sawdust) and T4 (cow dung). Data on plant height, leaf count, collar diameter, root length, and leaf area were collected and analyzed using analysis of variance and Duncan Multiple range test (DMRT) at 0.05 level of significance. Results: The results showed that all the growth parameters improved with increasing time. Plant height and leaf count were significantly higher in T4 with mean values of 11.79c ± 0.29 and 4.58b ± 0.22, respectively, and T1 (11.25 ± 0.26 cm and 4.58 ± 0.22 respectively) and lowest in T3 (9.01 ± 0.24 cm and 3.74 ± 0.18 respectively). Leaf area was higher in T4 (10.87 ± 0.43 cm2) and lowest in T2 (8.55 ± 0.35 cm2). Root length and collar diameter were highest in T3 (17.15 ± 0.53 cm and 0.25 ± 0.03 cm respectively), root length was least in T1 (12.93 ± 1.72 cm), while collar diameter was lowest in T2 (0.21 ± 0.00 cm). Conclusion: Cow dung potting media shows the greatest potential to promote robust vegetative growth of Annona muricata seedlings. Cow dung could be considered an accessible, affordable, and effective alternative to standard potting mixes for nursery propagation of A. muricata. These findings contribute valuable insights for optimizing plant growth practices in soursop cultivation