Challenges facing the implementation of integrated development plan (IDP): the case of Motherwell township in Nelson Mandela Bay

This research outlines the challenges facing the implementation of the IDP in the Motherwell Township. Firstly, it is the physical setting and background of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. Secondly, it is the brief background on IDP. Thirdly, it is the legislative framework for the IDP implementation. Fourthly it will be the discussion on the importance of the study. It is followed by the objectives of the study and the research methodology. The discussion on the literature review is also covered. Lastly, It is the chapter on recommendations and a conclusion

Assessment of the Extent to which Productive Sector Policies Mainstream Sustainable Land Management Principles

This paper provides an assessment of the extent to which productive sector policies mainstream sustainable land management (SLM) principles and suggests how mainstreaming of these principles could be strengthened and be more effective in Kilimanjaro region. Primary data was collected using qualitative methods including in-depth interviews with key informants and focus group discussions. Key informants included government officials, SLM project staff, NGOs and representatives of communities. Secondary data was gathered from review of relevant literature including government policies, strategies, project documents and other research materials. The data collected were analysed using content analysis and synthesised to determine the extent to which the productive sector policies mainstream sustainable land management principles. Findings indicate that several relevant NRM sectors have mainstreamed SLM principles, namely improved land productivity, improved livelihood and improved ecosystems. The degree to which these policies have mainstreamed SLM principles vary from adequately, moderately, and slightly. Despite the reported degree of mainstreaming the SLM principles in sector polices several challenges undermine the process, including land scarcity, land tenure, inadequate enforcement of policies, land use conflicts, human and financial resources constraints, and climate change. Various stakeholders are involved in SLM initiatives, ranging from local communities to international organisations. The diversity of stakeholders requires well coordinated efforts so as to maximise synergies and complementarities between the various actors. Also more effort has to be done at policy level to ensure that all sector policies adequately address sustainability in natural resources management to ensure that land productivity, livelihoods and ecosystems are improved.

Assessment of National Natural Resources Policies Implementation in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

The Kilimanjaro landscape provides a range of ecosystem services such as water, local climate modification, tourism and support of local livelihoods. Land degradation has, however, seriously threatened the landscape ability in providing these services, leading to decreased land productivity This paper is based on a study conducted in Kilimanjaro region to provide an understanding of how effectively natural resources-related policies are implemented by land users, and how they practically guide sustainable land management. Data collection involved interviews with purposively selected progressive farmers using a structured questionnaire, in-depth interviews with key informants, mainly district officials, NGOs and CBOs representatives and focus group discussions, as well as review of relevant literature. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, while qualitative data were triangulated using content analysis. Findings indicated that there are several policies related to natural resource management that are both cross-cutting and cross-sectoral in nature. While majority of respondents were aware of the various policies, male respondents were more aware than females, influenced by customary male dominance in natural resource issues. The policies are implemented at various levels, taking different forms and involve various stakeholders, including individuals, groups, NGOs, CBOs and public institutions. Generally, communities are actively participating in SLM activities though influenced by several pull and push factors in policy implementation in the area. The paper argues that for effective implementation of the natural resources policies there is a need to review and harmonise the sectoral policies with changing internal and external conditions such as economic transformation, globalization and climate change.

Nurse-led educational campaign on blood borne pathogens and proper sharps disposal at an urban tertiary hospital in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

In Africa, where the regional prevalence of HIV is the highest in the world, the rate of needlestick injuries in healthcare workers is also the highest, despite the fact that such injuries are vastly underreported. Needlestick injuries pose a significant risk to healthcare workers and are the most common source of occupational exposure to blood. Due to recurrent needlestick injuries in healthcare workers at the site, nurses from the Muhimbili National Hospital Emergency Medicine Department (MNH EMD) in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania initiated a campaign to teach health assistants, nurses, and medical doctors the hazards of needlestick injuries, and to enforce proper sharps disposal for prevention. Methods: We conducted a 2-week educational campaign on hazards and prevention of needlestick injury. To evaluate the acquisition and retention of lessons from this campaign, 61 participants underwent an immediate and delayed (at 2 months distance) post-training exam. To evaluate the impact of the campaign, we collected data on the rate of overfilled sharps boxes, before, during and after the campaign. Results: Scores on both immediate and delayed testing on bloodborne pathogen transmission and proper sharps disposal were very high. The number of overfilled safety boxes dramatically decreased during and immediately following the training phase of this campaign, but exceeded pre-intervention levels only 2 weeks after the completion of the campaign. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that even with very high levels of immediate and delayed retention of educational content as measured by exam, the impact of an educational intervention on behavioural change may be much more short-lived. This has implications regarding the need for continuous education to support for workplace safety campaigns

Critical illness at the emergency department of a Tanzanian national hospital in a three-year period 2019–2021

Abstract Background Critically ill patients have life-threatening conditions requiring immediate vital organ function intervention. But, critical illness in the emergency department (ED) has not been comprehensively described in resource-limited settings. Understanding the characteristics and dynamics of critical illness can help hospitals prepare for and ensure the continuum of care for critically ill patients. This study aimed to describe the pattern and outcomes of critically ill patients at the ED of the National Hospital in Tanzania from 2019 to 2021. Methodology This hospital-records-based retrospective cohort study analyzed records of all patients who attended the ED of Muhimbili National Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Data extracted from the ED electronic database included clinical and demographic information, diagnoses, and outcome status at the ED. Critical illness in this study was defined as either a severe derangement of one or more vital signs measured at triage or the provision of critical care intervention. Data were analyzed using Stata 17 to examine critical illnesses’ burden, characteristics, first-listed diagnosis, and outcomes at the ED. Results Among the 158,445 patients who visited the ED in the study period, 16,893 (10.7%) were critically ill. The burden of critical illness was 6,346 (10.3%) in 2019, 5,148 (10.9%) in 2020, and 5,400 (11.0%) in 2021. Respiratory (18.8%), cardiovascular (12.6%), infectious diseases (10.2%), and trauma (10.2%) were the leading causes of critical illness. Most (81.6%) of the critically ill patients presenting at the ED were admitted or transferred, of which 11% were admitted to the ICUs and 89% to general wards. Of the critically ill, 4.8% died at the ED. Conclusion More than one in ten patients attending the Tanzanian National Hospital emergency department was critically ill. The number of critically ill patients did not increase during the pandemic. The majority were admitted to general hospital wards, and about one in twenty died at the ED. This study highlights the burden of critical illness faced by hospitals and the need to ensure the availability and quality of emergency and critical care throughout hospitals