Rediscovery of Glauconycteris superba Hayman, 1939 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) after 40 years at Mbiye Island, Democratic Republic of the Congo

We report the rediscovery of the Pied Butterfl y Bat, Glauconycteris superba Hayman, 1939, 40 years after this species was last recorded. The new specimen from Mbiye Island, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is compared with the type specimens of G. s. superba and G. superba sheila Hayman, 1947 and a specimen from Matonguiné, Ivory Coast. The variation in the striking colouration of the pelage as well as in morphometric data is considered to be individual rather than geographic variation and we tentatively regard G. s. sheila as a synonym of the nominate form. Despite the wide distribution of this species in the tropical forest zone of West and Central Africa, only four specimens from four localities are known to date, which might indicate very specific habitat preferences. Contemporary land cover information around historic collection sites shows degraded landscapes. Given the highly uncertain area of occupancy of this species, we suggest changing the status of G. superba in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species from “Least Concern” to “Data Defi cient”

Energy Access Scenarios to 2030 for the Power Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa

In order to reach a goal of universal access to modern energy services in Africa by 2030, consideration of various electricity sector pathways is required to help inform policy-makers and investors, and help guide power system design. To that end, and building on existing tools and analysis, we present several ‘high-level’, transparent, and economy-wide scenarios for the sub-Saharan African power sector to 2030. We construct these simple scenarios against the backdrop of historical trends and various interpretations of universal access. They are designed to provide the international community with an indication of the overall scale of the effort required. We find that most existing projections, using typical long-term forecasting methods for power planning, show roughly a threefold increase in installed generation capacity occurring by 2030, but more than a tenfold increase would likely be required to provide for full access – even at relatively modest levels of electricity consumption. This equates to approximately a 13% average annual growth rate, compared to a historical one (in the last two decades) of 1.7%.Energy Access, Power System Planning, Sub-Saharan Africa

The Effect Of Product Quality And Service Quality On Customer Satisfaction

The results of the regression test show that Psychological Capital, Budgetary Participation and Procedural Justice have a calculated F value of 219,239 > F table 2.68 with a significance value of 0.000 <0.05. The results of this study indicate that Psycholgical Capital, Budgetary Participation and Procedural Justice have a simultaneous effect on Managerial Performance. The results of the regression test show that procedural justice has a t-count value of 10,237 > t-table 1,661 with a significance value of 0,000 <0.05. The results of this study indicate that procedural justice has a significant effect on managerial performance.Keywords: Psychological capital, budget participation, procedural justice, managerial performanc

Technical Efficiency of Small Scale Maize Production inMasaiti District, Zambia: A Stochastic Frontier Approach

Maize is a major staple food crop of Zambia dominantly produced by smallholder farmers.  This paper examines technical efficiency of smallholder maize farmers in Zambia.  Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administrated to 100 randomly selected smallholder maize farmers in Masaiti district in Zambia.  The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a stochastic frontier production function approach.  The estimated stochastic frontier Cobb-Douglas production function showed that maize land size and fertilizer were the significant factors that affected maize production.   The efficiency analysis results indicated that farm level technical efficiency ranged between 52.2% and 93.2% with a mean of 79.6%.  This indicates that overall, there is potential to increase maize production among smallholder farmers in the study area by 20.4% through efficient use of present technology.  The results of the inefficiency model indicate that age of farmer, cooperative membership which implies access to fertilizer, and farm size, have significant positive effects of efficiency.  The seed types used, rotation practices, and education level of the farmer had negative effects on technical efficiency.  The policy implications are that to improve farm efficiency efforts should focus on access to improved inputs such as certified seed and fertilizer),  information on agronomic practices, and farmer’s education. Keywords: technical efficiency, stochastic production frontier, smallholder, maize, Zambia

Cost efficiency of small-scale commercial broiler production in Zambia: A stochastic cost frontier approach

Over the last two decades Zambia has experienced a rapid growth in poultry production and a large share of broiler meat production has been contributed by small scale urban producers. This study aims to estimate the economies of scale and cost efficiency of small scale broiler farmers in Zambia using a Cobb-Douglas cost function and the inefficiency effects model.  Data were collected from 90 small scale broiler farmers in the city of Lusaka selected using a snowball sampling method. The results show that cost efficiency scores ranged from 0.76 to 0.99 with a mean of 0.958. The frequency distribution indicate that cost efficiency scores for 10% of the farmers were between 0.78 and 0.89 and the majority (90%) the scores were between 0.9 and 0.99. Thus, most small scale broiler farmers were highly cost efficient in broiler production. For a farmer with the minimum efficiency, she/he could make cost savings of about 24% and yet produce the same level of output using the available technology.  The cost inefficiency significantly decreased with age, education and poultry training. Policy implications are that government should encourage young people be efficient poultry producers, enhance farmer’s level of education, training on poultry rearing skills including feeds and feeding since feed is a major determinant of broiler production cost. This can be achieved through short term trainings and extension services arranged during weekends and holidays to allow small scale poultry keepers with full-time jobs to participate. The analysis of scale effects found that the small scale broiler farmers were experiencing positive economies of scale and were in stage I and thus a need exists to move them to the more efficient stage II, through increased production of birds and efficient use of feeds. Key words: Broiler, stochastic frontier model, cost efficiency

Prevalence and factors associated with teenage pregnancy in Sierra Leone: Evidence from a nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey of 201

Background Globally, teenage pregnancy remains a public health concern because of the associated maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. To address the extensive social, political and economic effects of teenage pregnancy, there is a need for current epidemiological evidence on its prevalence and associated factors, especially from low-resource settings where the burden is highest. Methods We used data from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (SLDH), which included 3,427 female adolescents. Multistage stratified sampling was used to select study participants. Teenage pregnancy was defined as those who had ever either had a child, or terminated a pregnancy, or were currently pregnant. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine the factors associated with teenage pregnancy using SPSS version 25(Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). Results The prevalence of teenage pregnancy was 22.1% [758/3,427]. Of these, 17.8%, (608/3427), had ever had childbirth, 4.2%, (144/3427), were pregnant, and 1.2%, (40/3427) had ever terminated a pregnancy. After adjusting for confounders, the odds of teenage pregnancy among married girls were about 15 times more than the odds among those who were not married (aOR; 15.31, 95% CI: 11.17–20.98) while the odds of teenage pregnancy among girls from the poorest households were 2.5 times more than the odds among girls from the richest households. Conclusion The prevalence of teenage pregnancy in Sierra Leone is high. To reduce teenage pregnancy, the government of Sierra Leone and its partners should target married, older teenagers and those from poor households. Policies giving teenage mothers a second chance by encouraging them to return to school after childbirth should be encouraged as an alternative to early marriages

Maternal serum zinc levels and urinary tract infections among pregnant women at a tertiary hospital in Lusaka, Zambia: a cross-sectional study

Background: Micronutrient deficiency is one of the leading public health problems, particularly in lower-middle-income countries. The link between serum zinc (Zn) levels and urinary tract infections (UTIs) among pregnant women is still poorly understood. We investigated the association between maternal serum Zn levels and UTIs among pregnant women at women and newborn hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.Methods: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study among 228 pregnant women aged 18 to 45 years between 1 September and 30 November 2019. Serum Zn levels were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), whereas UTIs were determined based on the local hospital guidelines. We used the logistic regression model to determine the association between Zn levels and UTIs. The analysis was done at a significance level of 5% and 95% confidence interval.Results: Of the total participants, 118/228 (51.75%) tested positive for UTIs from urine culture. The mean serum Zn levels in the group diagnosed with UTIs were 53.95 ug/dl (SD=35.10), while in those who had no UTIs, it was 50.05 ug/dl (SD=35.10). In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, we found no evidence of an association between serum Zn levels and UTIs (p=0.435).Conclusions: From the study findings, there was no association between serum Zn levels and UTIs. This result suggests that Zn may not have any role in urinary tract infection. Nevertheless, more extensive studies are needed to confirm our findings

Determinants of quality contraceptive counselling information among young women in Sierra Leone: insights from the 2019 Sierra Leone demographic health survey

Background The quality of contraceptive counseling information received by prospective clients of family planning services can greatly influence both the uptake and continued use of contraceptives. Therefore, an understanding of the level and determinants of quality contraception information among young women in Sierra Leon could inform family programs, with the aim of reducing the high unmet need in the country. Methods We analyzed secondary data from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic Health Survey (SLDHS). Participants were young women aged 15–24 years, who were using a family planning method (n = 1,506). Good quality family planning counselling was defined a composite variable that included; a woman being told about side effects, how to deal with side effects, and the availability of other family planning methods/options. Logistic regression was performed using SPSS software version 25. Results Out of 1,506 young women, 955 (63.4%, 95% CI: 60.5–65.3) received good quality family planning counselling services. Of the 36.6% that received inadequate counselling, 17.1% received no counselling at all. Good quality family planning counselling services was positively associated with receiving family planning services from government health facilities (aOR: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.83–3.41), having no major challenges with distance to access healthcare (aOR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10–1.90), having visited a health facility (AOR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.45–2.58), and having been visited by a health field worker within the last 12 months (aOR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.24–2.26) while residing in the southern region ( aOR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.22–0.69) and belonging to the richest wealth quintile (aOR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24–0.98) were associated with less odds of receiving good quality family planning counselling services. Conclusion About 37% of the young women in Sierra Leone do not receive good quality family planning counselling services of which 17.1% received none. Based on the study’s findings, it is important to emphasize the need to ensure that all young women have access to proper counselling services especially for those receiving these services from private health units, from the southern region and richest wealth quintile. Ensuring easier acces

Association between exposure to family planning messages on different mass media channels and the utilization of modern contraceptives among young women in Sierra Leone: Insights from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic Health Survey

Background Access to sexual and reproductive health information enables young women to make appropriate decisions. We examined the association between exposure to family planning messages on different mass media and the use of modern contraceptives among young women in Sierra Leone. Methods This was a secondary analysis of the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey data of young women aged 15–24 years. Multistage stratified sampling was used to select study participants in the survey. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine the association between exposure to family panning messages on different types mass media channels and utilization of modern contraceptives. All our analyses were done using SPSS version 25. Results Out of 6055 young women, 1506 (24.9%, 95% CI 24.0–26.2) were utilizing a modern contraceptive method with the prevalence higher among urban women (26.5%) compared to rural women (23.1%). Less than half (45.6%) had been exposed to family planning messages on mass media (radio 28.6%, television 10.6%, mobile phones 4.2% and newspapers or magazines 2.2%). Young women who had exposure to family planning messages on radio (AOR: 1.26, 95% CI 1.06–1.50) and mobile phones (AOR: 1.84, 95% CI 1.25–2.69) had higher odds of using modern contraceptives compared to their counterparts without the same exposure. Furthermore, having access to internet (AOR: 1.45, 95% CI 1.19–1.78), working (AOR: 1.49, 95% CI 1.27–1.74), being older (20–24 years) (AOR: 1.75, 95% CI 1.46–2.10), being married (AOR: 0.33, 95% CI 0.26–0.42), having visited a health facility within the last 12 months (AOR: 1.34, 95% CI 1.10–1.63), having secondary (AOR: 2.83, 95% CI 2.20–3.64) and tertiary levels of education (AOR: 3.35, 95% CI 1.83–6.13), higher parity (having above one child) AOR: 1.57, 95% CI 1.19–2.08) and residing in the southern (AOR: 2.11, 95% CI 1.61–2.79), northwestern (AOR: 1.87, 95% CI 1.39–2.52), northern (AOR: 2.11, 95% CI 1.59–2.82) and eastern (AOR: 1.68, 95% CI 1.27–2.22) regions of residence were associated with higher odds of modern contraceptives utilization. Conclusion In Sierra Leon, only one in four young women were using modern contraception and more than half of them had not had any exposure to family planning messages on the different types of mass media channels. Behavior change communicators can prioritize family planning messages using radio, mobile phones and the internet. In order to publicize and encourage young women to adopt healthy behaviours and increase uptake of modern contraceptive

Factors associated with utilization of quality antenatal care: Asecondary data analysis of Rwandan Demographic Health Survey 2020

Background Over the last decade, progress in reducing maternal mortality in Rwanda has been slow, from 210 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015 to 203 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. Access to quality antenatal care (ANC) can substantially reduce maternal and newborn mortality. Several studies have investigated factors that influence the use of ANC, but information on its quality is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the determinants of quality antenatal care among pregnant women in Rwanda using a nationally representative sample. Methods We analyzed secondary data of 6,302 women aged 15–49 years who had given birth five years prior the survey from the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) of 2020 data. Multistage sampling was used to select RDHS participants. Good quality was considered as having utilized all the ANC components. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to explore the associated factors using SPSS version 25. Results Out of the 6,302 women, 825 (13.1%, 95% CI: 12.4–14.1) utilized all the ANC indicators of good quality ANC); 3,696 (60%, 95% CI: 58.6–61.1) initiated ANC within the first trimester, 2,975 (47.2%, 95% CI: 46.1–48.6) had 4 or more ANC contacts, 16 (0.3%, 95% CI: 0.1–0.4) had 8 or more ANC contacts. Exposure to newspapers/magazines at least once a week (aOR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.09–2.02), lower parity (para1: aOR 6.04, 95% CI: 3.82–9.57) and having been visited by a field worker (aOR 1.47, 95% CI: 1.23–1.76) were associated with more odds of receiving all ANC components. In addition, belonging to smaller households (aOR 1.34, 95% CI: 1.10–1.63), initiating ANC in the first trimester (aOR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.18–1.79) and having had 4 or more ANC contacts (aOR 1.52, 95% CI: 1.25–1.85) were associated with more odds of receiving all ANC components. Working women had lower odds of receiving all ANC components (aOR 0.79, 95% CI: 0.66–0.95). Conclusion The utilization of ANC components (13.1%) is low with components such as having at least two tetanus injections (33.6%) and receiving drugs for intestinal parasites (43%) being highly underutilized. Therefore, programs aimed at increasing utilization of ANC components need to prioritize high parity and working women residing in larger households. Promoting the use of field health workers, timely initiation and increased frequency of ANC might enhance the quality of care