Use of Haematological Changes as a Predictor of Dengue Infection among Suspected Cases at Kairuki Hospital in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: A Retrospective Cross Sectional Study

Background: Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by female Aedes mosquitoes which are commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas. There is a dramatic increase in annual incidence rate of dengue attributed to urbanisation, poor environmental management as well as increased people mobility. Outbreak of dengue have been reported in Tanzania in recent years with Dar es salaam being the most affected region. Dengue is associated with haematological derangements and itindicates the severity of the disease. These changes have not been well elucidated in Tanzanian patients. The aim of this study was to determine these derangements among dengue patients admitted at Kairuki hospital in Dar es salaam, and compare these changes with non- dengue febrile patients.Methods: A retrospective cross sectional study was conducted among patients who were suspected to have dengue; tested for dengue IgM and their Complete Blood Count were tested during the index illness. This information was obtained from Kairuki hospital laboratory database. Haematological parameters were compared between dengue and non-dengue patients using SPSS Version 20.0. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine haematological predictors of dengue positive results.Results: A total of 255 patients were enrolled, whereby 188(73.7%) were dengue positive and 67 (26.3%) were negative. Dengue patients had relatively low mean total white blood cell counts compared to non-dengue patients (Student’s test= -2.7; p value=.007). Furthermore, Mean lymphocyte count was significantly low in dengue patients compared to non-dengue patients (Student’s (t) test=-5.1; p<.001). Other haematological parameters were not significantly different. Lymphopenia was a significant predictor for dengue positive results (Adjusted Odd Ration =5.26 (95% CI=2.28-12.2; P value <.001).Conclusion: Patients with dengue had significantly low total white blood cell and lymphocyte count compared to non-dengue febrile patients. Lymphopenia is a significant haematological predictor for dengue positive results. Case defining signs and symptoms combined with these haematological changes may be used by clinicians as a guide to order confirmatory test for suspected dengue cases

Small-scale land grabbing in Greater Gaborone, Botswana

Most of the studies on land grabbing tend to focus on the acquisition of large tracts of land by transnational companies interested in biofuel and/or food-crop production. The practice has been applauded for enhancing food security, creating cash employment for local communities, and providing renewable energy sources. It has also been criticised for benefitting a few local elites and disadvantaging the poor and marginalised communities. This article attempts to analyse the phenomenon of small-scale land grabbing in urban and peri-urban areas. A literature review method was adopted; searches included online databases, in particular Google Scholar, Web of Science and ResearchGate and the University of Botswana Catalogue (UBRISA). Relevant references cited in downloaded articles are reviewed, until additional searches did not lead to new findings. Using ‘land grabbing’ as a tool for analysis, the article makes an audit of two reports by presidential/judicial commissions of inquiry into problems of land allocations in and around Gaborone to uncover land-grab deals and processes in communal and state-owned land in Botswana. The audit revealed that land grabbing in Greater Gaborone is an imperceptible process carried out by politicians, chiefs, businessmen, the elite and other people who understand the market value of urban and peri-urban land. The process has compromised urban land governance, poor people’s rights to the city, housing, community, recreational facilities, and increased socio-economic inequalities in the city. Finally, the article underscores the need to undertake further studies and audits to collect empirical data on the exact nature and extent of land grabbing in urban and peri-urban areas

Magnitude of Overweight, Obesity and Insufficient Physical Sports Activities Among Secondary School Students in Kinondoni Municipal, Dar es Salaam

Introduction: There is an overwhelming increase of Non-Communicable Disease worldwide such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Overweight and obesity are highly associated with development of these diseases. Unhealthy lifestyle such as excessive sugar, alcohol intake and lack of adequate physical activities has been associated with development of obesity. However, these risk factors are not well elucidated among adolescents in Tanzania. We conducted this survey to determine obesity, overweight, self-reported physical activities, and preferred foods among secondary school students in Kinondoni Municipal in Dar es salaam, Tanzania.Methods: A cross sectional descriptive survey was conducted among secondary school students at Kambangwa and Makumbusho secondary schools in Kinondoni municipal in Dar es Salaam city. A simple random sampling technique was used to select participating schools with systemic random selection procedure was used to select participants. A pre structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect demographic information from the participants. Anthropometric measurement for Body Mass Index (BMI) was done using standard tools. Interpretation of the findings was done using World Health Organization (WHO) standard charts for age and sex. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20; SPSS Inc., Chicago, US).Results: A total of 234 participants were enrolled in the study. A total of 204 (87.2%) of study participants reported to regularly participate in physical sports activities. Furthermore, Males reported to participate more in physical sports activities compared to females ( X2 (1) =8.13., p = 0.004). During sex-wise comparison, 30 (46.2%) of males reported to participate in sports once per week compared to 71 (51.5%) of females. Reported frequency was influenced by participants’ sex ( X2 (3) =16.4., p= 0.001). A total of 28 (12%) participants reported fruits as their favourite food. Food preference was influenced by the participants’ sex (X 2 (5) =13.1., p < 0.02). 32(47.7%) of males reported fresh fruits juice as their favourite drink compared to 106(63.5%) of females) while 6(9%) of males reported to prefer commercial industrial juice compared to 4 (2.4%) of femalesConclusion: Obesity and overweight are prevalent among secondary school adolescents in Kinondoni Municipal, Dar es salaam. In addition, the magnitude of physical activities was below the recommended amount. Therefore, awareness campaigns and advocacy programs aiming at preventive measures against NCDs such as healthy eating behaviour and promotion of physical activities among adolescents should be given high priority

Changing roles of women in housing processes and construction : the case of Lobatse Township, Botswana.

Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.This thesis explores variations and shifts in gender roles in housing delivery and the construction. Although presently excluded from construction activities, women have in the past constituted substantial proportions of builders in many countries worldwide. In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, for example, women have traditionally been responsible for building house. However, recent studies and reports indicate that women in Botswana and other countries in the region are grossly underrepresented in construction activities. The few women currently employed in the construction industry work mostly as labourers. Boserup and other scholars have attributed the gendered division of labour to economic development, technological changes, patriarchy, capitalism colonialism or modernisation Based on qualitative and quantitative studies undertaken in the township of Lobatse, Botswana, and adopting a pluralistic and holistic approach, I however posit that gender roles and relations are outcomes of negotiation and normalisation processes through which men and women (as individuals or in groups) use their power and positions in society to access and control resources and services. The outcomes and negotiation processes are themselves conditioned by a web of interacting and intersecting historical, social, economic, political and environmental factors. I further argue that in the context of Botswana, traditional gender roles were shaped by prevailing patriarchal ideologies and institutions, the country's fragile environment, subsistence modes of production, and frequent intertribal wars that characterised the region. However, men's takeover of housing and construction activities that emerged during the colonial period was due to the intersection of Western influences, men's temporary migrations to South Africa, commoditisation of labour and the introduction of the market economy. Women's exclusion from the construction industry has since been entrenched through the atrophication of women's traditional building skills caused by widespread preferences for exogenous building materials and Western style houses. Due to lack of non-traditional building skills, women have been forced to work as labourers in the waged construction industry or as unpaid managers, supervisors and caterers in self-help housing. Robbed of their ability to build houses, women have been obliged to negotiate new gender relationships and strategies for accessing and owning houses

Fintech as a driver for customer retention in the South African telecommunications industry

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in the field of Digital BusinessThis study explored the impact of financial technology (fintech) adoption by customers on customer retention in South Africa’s telecommunication industry. Telecommunications companies in South Africa have been at the forefront of bringing technological innovation into their processes at a very early stage. However, customer retention as a result of fintech adoption by customers is not clear. To retain customers in a competitive business environment, new products and services are usually employed. This study analysed the impact of fintech service adoption and telecommunication service adoption in retaining customers underpinned by the communication theory and UTAUT. Adoption was determined by the customer’s perceived values and usefulness of the services. Customer retention was determined by the customer’s intention to remain with the network provider and had no intention to switch to another network provider. A 33-item questionnaire was used to gather data from 130 telecommunication customers at Wits Business School (WBS). Correlation analysis, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to analyse the data collected. This correlation analysis revealed that there is a positive correlation and a statistical significance (r = 0,515 and p-value < 0,01) between customer retention and fintech service adoption. In contrast, traditional telecommunication services, an essential part of telecommunication companies, have insufficient evidence to suggest a statistically significant relationship (p-value -0,040) and correlation (r = 0,181) with customer retention. The results of this study provide insights for telecommunication firms to develop and expand fintech services for their existing customers. Implementing financial technology services will confer additional iii value beyond the scope of traditional telecommunication services. Communication was also seen to have a positive impact on fintech adoption over telecommunication adoption, thus having a positive impact as an additional variable. As a result of these findings and efforts employed by telecommunication firms as seen in media reports, SMS campaigns, social media, advertisements, mergersand acquisitions of fintech start-ups, fintech service adoption by customers has an impact on customer retention.MM202