Justification and curriculum requirements for new era librarians in *Department of Library and Information Science, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria

This study investigated the justification and curriculum requirements for the proposed undergraduate program in Department of Library and Information Science, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria. The proposed undergraduate programme and curriculum is aimed at training and producing 21st century librarians capable of withstanding the challenges and complexities in executing library operations and the information service delivery of the 21st century. The objectives of the study are to determine the organizational structure of the Department, employers’ rating of the products of existing programme, the components of the existing and proposed department/ curriculum, available resources to support the implementation of the proposed program/curriculum. Documentary method was employed with the use of student handbook, employers’ rating of LIT products file; National Universities Commission (NUC) 2018 Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS), Self-study form for 2019 NUC programme accreditation, and proposed academic brief (Bachelor of Technology: Library and Information Science). Documentary analysis was carried out. Tables (tabulation) were used to contain data and information. The major findings include; the existing and the proposed curriculum contain ICT components; there was high level of performance on the part of LIT products. Other major findings include availability of adequate human resources, information and teaching facilities to support the establishment/implementation of the proposed undergraduate programme/curriculum. The conclusion was that the proposed curriculum will equip the 21st century librarians with ICT skills that would enable them compete with their counterparts in the other parts of the world and at the same time work in any establishment more so that LIS is one option undergraduate programme as proposed

The causal relationship between savings and economic growth in the Southern African development community

Promoting high domestic savings rates in order to boost economic growth is one of the SADC macroeconomic targets. Based on both the Solow’s (1956) and the endogenous “AK” growth models that predict a positive relationship between savings and economic growth in a closed economy, and on the Aghion-Comin-Howitt’s (2006) hypothesis that assumes a positive relationship between savings and economic growth in an open economy, two separate empirical models were constructed to test the long-run relationship and the causality between savings and economic growth in the SADC region. To this end, annual time series data for ten SADC member states obtained from the World Bank Indicators over the period 1985-2015 were pooled. The Panel ARDL/Pooled Mean Group estimator developed by Pesaran, Shin and Smith (1997) was performed to analyse the data. The main findings are that domestic savings is positively related to GDP in an open economy, whereas in a closed economy, it is insignificant. In addition, the speed of adjustment revealed a bi-directional causality between savings and economic growth. However, the speed of adjustment is much slower when the model is estimated with savings as the dependent variable but faster when GDP is regressed as the dependent variable. Thus, SADC member states are encouraged to implement policies that promote domestic savings as well as attract foreign direct investments, in order to boost economic growth. GDP growth will, in turn, increase the level of domestic savings

Incidence of Cleft Deformities among Neonates in Mulago National Referral hospital, Uganda

Background: Cleft deformities (lip and palate) have been reported to be the most common congenital craniofacial anomaly in several settings. In Uganda, though two previous studies were conducted to determine the incidence of cleft lip and palate, the estimates obtained from those studies may not be precise given the study settings. This study was undertaken to establish the incidence of cleft deformities and provide data to plan forbetter management of these deformities. The Setting was the labour wards at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala Uganda. The main objective of this study was to determine the incidence of cleft deformities (lip and palate) among neonates born between February 2008 and February 2009Methods: Cross-sectional study of all neonates who were born in Mulago Hospital. We examined all new born children and determined the presence or absence of cleft lip and/palate. Socio-demographic data and risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, infections and exposure to drugs such as anti-convulsants and steroids were collected.Results: Among twelve thousands seven hundred and thirteen neonates born in Mulago hospital between February 2008 and February 2009, seventeen neonates presented with cleft lip with or without cleft palate: this gives an incidence of 1.34 per 1000 newborns or 134 in 100,000 newborns.Conclusion: The incidence of neonatal cleft deformities seems to lie between what was previously reported in 1961 and 1996 in Uganda

An assessment of the levels of job motivation and satisfaction as predictors of job performance of library personnel in Nigerian universities

This study investigated the levels of motivation, job satisfaction and job performance of library personnel in government and privately-owned universities in North-Central, Nigeria. Three research questions were raised. Survey research method was employed. The study covers six states, namely Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau States and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. Survey method tested the relationships among variables thereby making generalizations about the library phenomenon. The target population for the study consisted of librarians and library officers in fully-operational universities in North-Central Nigeria. The entire population of librarians and library officers were adopted. Two sets of modified instruments: Motivational Factors Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (MFJSQ) and Job Performance Questionnaire (JPQ) were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the responses from the respondents. Above all, descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation was used to answer the three research questions on the levels of motivation, job satisfaction and job performance of library personnel. Findings showed moderate level of motivation and job satisfaction respectively while there was high level of job performance of library personnel. The study recommended that the management of universities in the North-Central Nigeria should take note of the following areas: adequate job design, description and employees’ participation in decision making/leadership training, recognition and in-service training programme for library personnel. Other recommendation include: encouragement for library personnel to enhance job commitment and to be more predispose to critical thinking in order to be able to solve library related problems

Digital Preservation, Accessibility, and Use of Electronic Theses and Dissertations in University Libraries in Nigeria

This study examined the concepts and aspects of digitization; digital preservation; digital resources; and access to, use of, and challenges posed by electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) in university libraries in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. It adopted a documentary research approach to highlight a critical examination of the various aspects of digitization (to provide electronic information services) as practiced by various university libraries and some library schools in Nigeria. Print theses and dissertations (T/Ds) are digitized by document scanning or direct text input (alphanumeric characters) into computer systems. Digital resources include e-books, e-journals, ETDs, and other forms of documents in electronic formats. ETDs are preserved through digitization, archiving, and creation of websites and databases as well as through floating institutional digital repositories (IDRs). ETD access is facilitated by tools such as automated library catalogs and classification schemes, online public access catalog, indexes, abstracts, bibliographies, and mobile devices such as smartphones and personal computers. ETDs are capable of meeting research and publication needs of teaching, information service delivery, and knowledge sharing. Challenges to digital preservation, access, and use of ETDs include inadequate information and communications technology (ICT) facilities, low ICT proficiency, and erratic power supply. Thus, this study recommended that management teams of universities in Nigeria commit adequate funding to procure ICT facilities, thus providing automatic standby generating plants and increasing incentives for library and digital preservation staff. Collaboration among stakeholders such as university libraries and the National Library of Nigeria should be encouraged to create a national union catalog of T/Ds in Nigerian universities and thus enable a platform for a national database. Access to IDRs will further strengthen worldwide university networking. This study will thus add value to the existing studies on ICT application in university libraries and e-resources in university libraries in Nigeria

Prevalence of positive tuberculin skin test and associated factors among Makerere medical students, Kampala, Uganda

Background: Tuberculosis infection among medical students is thought to be higher than that among comparable groups.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of positive Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) and associated factors among medical students at Makerere University.Methods: A-cross-sectional study among randomly selected medical students. Using intra-dermal technique, TST was performed by administering 0.1ml of purified protein derivative. Readings performed after 72 hours and positive TST based on an induration of ≥10mm.Results: Of 302 students selected to participate, 292 received TST and 288 were analyzed. Of 288 students, 173(60%) were pre-clinical (years 1-3) and 115(40%) clinical (years 4&5). Overall 130 students [45.1%(C.I.39.3–51.1)] had positive TST, not different from one derived from mixture analysis [46.3%(95% Bayesian credibility interval 36.5%-55.8%)]. Positive TST prevalence among pre-clinical was 39.9%(67/173) compared to 53.0%(61/115) among clinical students, OR=1.70,C.I.(1.06-2.74) and increases in a linear pattern with increasing years of study (p=0.002,OR=5.04).Conclusion: The prevalence of TB infection among medical students was twice higher than that of adults living in the suburbs and higher among those in clinical relative to pre-clinical years suggesting that exposure and infection might be related to clinical work. We recommend urgent institution of infection control measures.Key words: Tuberculin skin testing, tuberculosis, medical students, Ugand

Factors affecting voluntary nursing staff turnover in Mengo Hospital

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived availability of opportunities for promotion, training, career progression, existing management style and voluntary staff turnover intention among the nurses working in Mengo Hospital. A quantitative, descriptive correlational design was used. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. Full time staff nurses (N= 235) were surveyed. The findings revealed that all the four variables were significantly and negatively correlated to the intention to leave and predicted 16.8 percent of the variance in intention to leave scores. Management style was the strongest predictor of intent to leave (14.5%). Nurses perceiving their managers as participatory had lower intention to leave. To retain qualified personnel, hospital administrators should focus on participative management style and career development programs that address the needs of the staff and the hospitalPublic HealthM.A. (Public Health

Patient satisfaction, feasibility and reliability of satisfaction questionnaire among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in urban Uganda: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A comprehensive understanding of the barriers to and facilitators of poor tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcome is still lacking; posing a major obstacle to finding effective solutions. Assessment of patient satisfaction in TB programs would contribute to the understanding of gaps in healthcare delivery and the specific needs of individual patients. However, tools for assessing patient satisfaction are lacking.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To establish patient satisfaction, the feasibility and reliability of a questionnaire for healthcare service satisfaction and a questionnaire for satisfaction with information received about TB medicines among adult TB patients attending public and private program clinics in Kampala, Uganda.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a cross-sectional study, we recruited 133 patients of known HIV status and confirmed pulmonary TB receiving care at the public and private hospitals in Kampala, Uganda. Participants were enrolled based on length of TB treatment as follows: starting therapy, completed two months of therapy, and completed eight months of therapy. A translated and standardized 13-item patient healthcare service satisfaction questionnaire (PS-13) and the Satisfaction with Information about Medicines Scale (SIMS) tool were administered by trained interviewers. Factor analysis was used to systematically group the PS-13 questionnaire into three factors of technical quality of care, responsiveness to patient preference, and management of patient preference satisfaction subscales. The SIMS tool was analyzed with two subscales of information about the action and usage of medication and the potential problems with medication.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 133 participants, 35% (46/133) were starting, 33% (44/133) had completed two months, and 32% (43/133) had completed eight months of TB therapy. The male to female and public to private hospital ratios in the study population were 1:1. The PS-13 and the SIMS tools were highly acceptable and easily administered. Both scales and the subscales demonstrated acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha above 0.70. Patients that were enrolled at the public hospital had relatively lower PS-13 satisfaction scores (0.48 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.42 - 0.52)), (0.86 (95% CI, 0.81 - 0.90)) for technical quality of care and responsiveness to patient preferences, respectively compared to patients that were enrolled at the private hospital. For potential problems SIMS subscale, male patients that were recruited at the public hospital had relatively lower satisfaction scores (0.58 (95% CI, 0.40 - 0.86)) compared to female patients after adjusting for other factors. Similarly, patients that had completed eight months of TB treatment had relatively higher satisfaction scores (1.23 (95% CI, 1.06 - 1.44)) for action and usage SIMS subscale, and higher satisfaction scores (1.09 (95% CI, 1.03 - 1.16)) for management of patient preference (PS-13 satisfaction subscale) compared to patients that were starting treatment, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study provides preliminary evidence that the PS-13 service satisfaction and the SIMS tools are reliable measures of patient satisfaction in TB programs. Satisfaction score findings suggest differences in patient satisfaction levels between public and private hospitals; between patients starting and those completing TB therapy.</p

Influence of continuing professional development and skills acquisition on librarians’ performance in two state capitals in Northern Nigeria

The study sought to find out the methods by which librarians acquired skills and types of skills attained for personal development and career advancement. It also investigated the influence of the methods of skills acquisition and the type of skills acquired on librarians’ performance in Minna and Dutse metropolitan cities in Northern Nigeria. Four research questions guided the study. Four-point likert type of questionnaire was designed by the researchers and validated by experts in Library and Information Science profession. Copies of the modified version of the questionnaire were administered on the respondents. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used to conduct the statistical analysis. Descriptive statistical tools (frequency counts and percentages as well as mean and standard deviation) were used to analyze the data. Results showed that males and holders of Bachelor degree in librarianship were the highest; while publication and mentoring were the popular methods by which librarians acquire skills, though conferences, on-going postgraduate programme, workshops and seminars were also considered as the appropriate methods used to acquire skills by the respondents. On-the-job training was not considered as an appropriate method in the acquisition of skills while respondents seem not to use participatory management in the acquisition of skills. The study further revealed that the continuing professional development and skills acquired has mostly enhanced effective communication and creating harmonious working relationship among co-workers, although respondents derived satisfaction as well as facing the challenges in performing complex jobs. There was no effective and efficient job performance on the part of the respondents. Inadequate personnel resource was the major constraint to skills acquisition in libraries under study. Recommendations were proffered amongst include provision for career advancement and personal development through various methods. Librarians should apply the skills acquired through professional development while discharging their professional duties