Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy: a qualitative study of knowledge, attitudes and practices of district health managers, antenatal care staff and pregnant women in Korogwe District, North-Eastern Tanzania

BACKGROUND: Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) is a key intervention in the national strategy for malaria control in Tanzania. SP, the current drug of choice, is recommended to be administered in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy during antenatal care (ANC) visits. To allow for a proper design of planned scaling up of IPT services in Tanzania it is useful to understand the IPTp strategy's acceptability to health managers, ANC service providers and pregnant women. This study assesses the knowledge, attitudes and practices of these groups in relation to malaria control with emphasis on IPTp services. METHODS: The study was conducted in February 2004, in Korogwe District, Tanzania. It involved in-depth interviews with the district medical officer (DMO), district hospital medical officer in charge and relevant health service staff at two peripheral dispensaries, and separate focus group discussions (FGDs) with district Council Health Management Team members at district level and pregnant women at dispensary and community levels. RESULTS: Knowledge of malaria risks during pregnancy was high among pregnant women although some women did not associate coma and convulsions with malaria. Contacting traditional healers and self-medication with local herbs for malaria management was reported to be common. Pregnant women and ANC staff were generally aware of SP as the drug recommended for IPTp, albeit some nurses and the majority of pregnant women expressed concern about the use of SP during pregnancy. Some pregnant women testified that sometimes ANC staff allow the women to swallow SP tablets at home which gives a room for some women to throw away SP tablets after leaving the clinic. The DMO was sceptical about health workers' compliance with the direct observed therapy in administering SP for IPTp due to a shortage of clean water and cups at ANC clinics. Intensified sensitization of pregnant women about the benefits of IPTp was suggested by the study participants as an important approach for improving IPTp compliance. CONCLUSION: The successful implementation of the IPTp strategy in Tanzania depends on the proper planning of, and support to, the training of health staff and sustained sensitization of pregnant women at health facility and community levels about the benefits of IPTp for the women and their unborn babies

Regeneration of fluoride-saturated bone char by means of wood ash and heat

This researcher article was published by International Society for Fluoride Research, Inc in 2016The regeneration of fluoride ion (F)-saturated bone char with different concentrations of wood ash in distilled water and by heating was investigated. Samples of 100 g of regenerated bone char were added into plastic containers containing 250 mL of natural water with 6.5 mg F/L collected from a borehole. The water was sampled at 30 min intervals for F analysis using an ion selective fluoride meter. The results indicated that the highest F removal efficiencies with the 2, 4, 6, and 8% wood ash concentrations were approximately 83, 84, 86, and 87%, respectively. The F removal efficiencies of the bone char when it was regenerated by heating for 3, 4, and 5 hr were 86, 89, and 89%, respectively. It is suggested that regenerating bone char with wood ash may be a better choice than regeneration with heating because the wood ash is locally available, easy to use in a household, and it does not demand an energy input. In contrast, regeneration by heating might encourage the cutting down of trees. We found that 2% wood ash, with a fluoride removal efficiency of 83%, is the best means for regenerating bone char because it can deliver an effluent with acceptable pH values for human consumption

Environmental Contamination By Radionuclides And Heavy Metals Through The Application Of Phosphate RocksDuring Farming And Mathematical Modeling Of Their Impacts To The Ecosystem

This research article was published by International Journal of Engineering Research and General Science Volume 2, Issue 4 in 2014.Most of rock phosphates contain radioactive elements and heavy metals because theyoriginate from phosphate deposits. The application of these rock phosphates may result to the transfer of these dangerous materials into the ecosystem. Once these dangerous minerals become readily available for plants uptake and for animal consumptions, negative impacts may prevail, both to plants and animals esp. human beings.This review focuses on the environmental contamination by radioactive elements and heavy metals as a result of the application of rock phosphates during farming and the need to develop a mathematical model that can be used to predictthe associated impacts to the ecosystem

Quantitative assessment of metal contamination and associated pollution risk in sediments from the Mara River in Tanzania

This research article published by Springer Nature Switzerland AG., 2020For most rivers in sub-Saharan Africa, information about pollution indices related to sediments is sparse. Sedimentological research of rivers that empty into Lake Victoria is highly patchy and wide apart. The present study determined the levels and associated risk of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb in sediments collected from four different sites along the Mara River that empties into Lake Victoria in Tanzania. Samples were collected in the dry and rainy months in 2019. Pollution indices, namely geo-accumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), modified contamination degree (mCd), pollution load index (PLI), potential ecological risk factor (Eri), and potential ecological risk index (RI) were used to evaluate the influence of heavy metal contamination in sediments. Dry month mean concentrations, in milligram per kilogram, of heavy metals were as follows: As (11.04 ± 0.13), Cr (1.02 ± 0.29), Cd (0.43 ± 0.05), and Hg (0.01) in the dry month. Respective sediment heavy metal concentrations for the rainy month were 22.22 ± 0.05 mg As/kg, 3.84 ± 0.34 mg Pb/kg, 1.53 ± 0.15 mg Cd/kg, 1.43 mg Cr/kg, and 0.03 mg Hg/kg. Generally, the risk indices showed high values in the rainy month and low values in the dry month, especially for As and Cd—an indication of anthropogenic influence. Correlation coefficient analysis for Pb and Cd showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.99, p < 0.01)—this may suggest a similar source or similar transport behavior. Special attention needs to be paid with regard to rainy season As and Cd enrichment in the study area

Effects of wastewater characteristics on fish quality from integrated wastewater treatment system and fish farming in Urban Areas, Tanzania

This research article was published in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Volume 3, 2014.Availability of suitable water is one of the most important limiting factors for development of sustainable aquaculture in the urban areas. As a consequence, the use of wastewater effluents for aquaculture is on the rise in developing countries, Tanzania being one of the implementing country; quality of fish from such environments becomes questionable for human consumption. Clarius gariepinus were raised in selected Wastewater Stabilization Ponds (WSPs) at Moshi Municipal (Maturation two (M 2), four (M 4), six (M 6), fish pond (FP) and Lake Duluti (LD as Control site) for ninety days to investigate fish contamination (heavy metals and microbial) and body composition. Among all seven selected heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Mo, Cr, As, Zn and Pb) only four (Hg, Cd, Cr and Zn) were detected in analyzed fish and water samples, while (Pb, Mo and As) was below detection limits of X-Ray Fluorescence (Spectro xepos –EDXRF) analyzer. The results revealed that fish sample had higher concentration of detected metals than water samples from all treatments except for Hg of water sample from M2 and M4 was higher than fish sample and above the permissible limits by WHO. There was variation in crude protein and crude fat in analyzed fish samples from all treatments site. The fish reared in M4 contain higher percentage of crude protein (81.36) and crude fat (18.45) than other treatments. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in fish samples from all treatments with number of counts was within standards, while Salmonella spp was only present in M2. Results from this study reveals that with proper management, maturation ponds can be used for fish production but maturation two should be abandoned for fish farming due to high metals and microbial contamination. Public awareness on the dangers to which fish consumers from the site are exposed is highly suggested and purposeful mitigation measures of stopping all fishing activities in these sites is needed until further study on quality of indigenous fish accomplished

Failure by design?:Revisiting Tanzania's flagship wildlife management area Burunge

In this paper, we revisit the on-the-ground reality of Burunge Wildlife Management Area (WMA) that is celebrated as one of Tanzania's best examples of community-based conservation (CBC). We find Burunge WMA rife with conflict and contestation over grievances that remained unsettled since its establishment a decade ago. These grievances have been accentuated by growing land pressure resulting from increasing human, livestock, and elephant populations, in combination with infrastructure improvements and support for agriculture-led development. The WMA governance regime has little to offer the residents and village leaders of Burunge member villages who appear hostages in a situation where interests in human development and conservation are pitted against each other, making a mockery of the notions of CBC. By re-examining this exemplary WMA case and compare our findings with the way it is being portrayed by supporting agencies, we pinpoint the tendency of the actors promoting conservation in Tanzania to misrepresent or ignore the realities on the ground that defy official policy promises. In doing this, we hope to call upon the many empathetic and hard-working individuals to end the collective failure to address this detrimental discrepancy between reality and representation, and start supporting affected residents in their struggles for self-determination

Heavy metals risk assessment of water and sediments collected from selected river tributaries of the Mara River in Tanzania

This research article published by Springer Nature, 2021This study investigated the levels of Pb, Hg, Cr, Cd, and As in water and sediments from the tributaries of the Mara River, Tanzania. Pollution risk of water and sediments was investigated using seven indices and fve metals. During the dry period, the highest concentration of Pb, Hg, Cr, Cd, and As in sediments was 17.45 ±1.22, 0.01, 1.56±0.5, 1.3±0.09, and 30.81±0.02 mg/kg, respectively. During the wet period, the highest concentration of Pb, Hg, Cr, Cd, and As in sediments was 4.37±0.28, 0.012, 2.58±0.57, 2.25±0.35, and 53±0.02 mg/kg, respectively. For surface water, the respective highest concentrations of Pb, Hg, Cr, Cd, and As were 0.76±0.09, 0.04, 0.68±0.09, 0.74±0.1, and 0.47±0.06 mg/L for the dry period. The wet period max concentrations for Pb, Hg, Cr, Cd, and As in surface water were 0.56, 0.03, 0.55±0.03, 0.48±0.03, and 0.4±0.03 mg/L, respectively. Principal component analysis results indicated dominant loadings for Pb and As in sediments during the dry period. Comparison of sediment concentrations with sediment quality guidelines revealed that As and Cd were enriched. Correlation coefcient results indicated that As had a strong negative correlation with the rest of the elements in sediments during the dry period. In the wet period, As had a signifcant correlation with Cd (r=0.92, p<0.01) in sediments. The analysis of environmental risks indicated signifcant enrichment of sediments with As and Cd. It is important to put in place relevant control mechanisms targeting metals in the studied tributaries, with a focus on As and Cd

Health facility-based data on women receiving sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine during pregnancy in Tanzania : lessons to learn from a cross-sectional survey in Mkuranga and Mufindi districts and other national survey reports

A study of health facility (HF) data on women receiving sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) was carried out at antenatal care clinics in Mkuranga and Mufindi districts.; A review of health management information system (HMIS) registers, interviews with health-care workers (HWs) and district and national level malaria control program managers corroborated by inter-temporal assessment through observations at HF levels. Statistical data were analyzed in Excel and interpreted in triangulation with qualitative data from interviews and observations.; Data indicated that IPTp doses administered to women were inadequate and partly inconsistent. HMIS registers lacked space for IPT records, forcing HWs to manipulate their record-keeping. The proportion/number of IPTp recipients in related to the supply of SP for free delivery, to women's attendance behaviours, showed variation by quarter and year of reporting.; It is impossible to achieve rational health service planning when the HMIS is weak. Whilst it is acknowledged that the HMIS is already overloaded, concerted measures are urgently needed to accommodate data on new interventions and other vertical programs if malaria programs are to achieve their goals

LINN Simulation Model for Health/Environmental Impacts Associated with the Presence of Dangerous Minerals in Agricultural Soils

In this study, a brief history related to mathematical modeling of minerals uptake by plants from soil is presented. Thereafter, a simulation model called LINN is developed that will have the main task of providing a link between the results predicted by the existing mathematical models and/or measured values (from real experiments) and health impacts as stipulated elsewhere in the literatures. LINN model is built on MS-OFFICE (Access). Six metallic trace elements (MTE) that are known to be dangerous to the ecosystem (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni and Pb) can be evaluated by LINN. This program provides general descriptions on impacts that may happen to plants and/or human beings when these elements are present in the soils at levels exceeding the standard limits set by the regulatory organs i.e. World Health Organization (WHO). However, LINN does not differentiate impacts related to MTEs present at levels just above the standard limits from levels extremely higher than the standard limits