The Role of Kiswahili in Promoting Intercultural Communication and Strengthening National Ethos Amongst the Co-Cultures of the Rift Valley in Kenya

This study focuses on Kiswahili as an intercultural communication tool that bridges the gap of language barrier in the diverse Rift Valley of Kenya It aims to investigate the relevance of a cross-cultural language on interrelationships among people from diverse cultural sub-sets in the Rift Valley and to evaluate the role of Kiswahili in enhancing intercultural relations and strengthening national ethos in the region Quantitative data are collected through questionnaires and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS The narrative analytical approach is used to investigate how people live their intercultural experiences when utilizing a common language Through theory triangulation the study is supported by the Alternation Model as the applicable model to explain the lived experiences in a cosmopolitan society backed by the respondent s opinion The study establishes that language difference results in tense intercultural relations among the co-cultures illustrated by discrimination intimidation social exclusion biased acceptance and stereotypin

Metafizikia ya Kuwapo katika Methali za Waswahili: Uhakiki wa Kiudenguzi

Metafizikia, kimsingi, ni falsafa inayohusu uchunguzi wa chanzo cha fikra na maarifa kuhusu dhana mbalimbali hususan zile ambazo ni za kidhahania. Katika makala haya metafizikia ya kuwapo ni dhana maalumu inayohusiana na jinsi wanajamii wa Kimagharibi wanavyopania kuwa na kitovu mahususi ambacho kila kitu kingeibukia. Ni fikra inayohusishwa na mwanaudenguzi Mfaransa Jacques Derrida ambaye anaziona jamii hizi ziking’ang’ania kitovu hicho wanachokiona cha thamani na ambacho huenda kikawa Mungu, ukweli, mwanzo, au hata utu. Kitovu hiki kinachoenziwa na kuchukuliwa kuwa adili na wanajamii ndicho Derrida alichokiita logocentrism (nenofunge). Makala yanapendekeza kuwa jamii ya Waswahili nayo imejengeka katika fikra kama hii ambapo kila kitu kinawekwa katika kitovu maalumu, na hivyo basi metafizikia yao mahususi ya kuwapo. Makala yanafuatilia mbinu kuu ya kiudenguzi ya kuiweka wazi metafizikia ya kuwapo kwa kuzingatia ukinzani wa jozi za maneno katika methali maalumu za Waswahili. Ili kufikia lengo hilo, makala yamezamia kikoa mahususi cha methali za Waswahili kinachozungumzia ukinzani uliopo kati ya kuwapo/kutokuwapo na kubainisha jinsi metafizikia ya kuwapo, kama ilivyoendelezwa na Derrida, inavyoweza kueleweka. Sampuli ya methali 16 imetumiwa kwa kuzingatia kigezo cha kuzungumziwa ama kuwapo au kutokuwapo kwa sifa fulani. Kikoa hicho cha methali kinahusisha methali zinazoanza na mzizi wa kivumishi ‘–enye’ au zile zinazotaja kuwapo/kutokuwapo moja kwa moja. Hitimisho la makala haya ni kuwa kuwapo, sawa na kutokuwapo, mapenzi/chuki, wazee/vijana, wema/ubaya, wengi/wachache, mafundi/wanafunzi na jozi nyinginezo ambazo mara nyingi hutenganishwa na Waswahili zimebainishwa kama zinazoathiriana na kujengana kimaana – tofauti na fikra yetu kwamba zimeachana kama lilivyo jua na mbingu. Kwa sababu hiyo, methali za Waswahili zimejengeka katika fikra ya kiudenguzi inayohakiki utepetevu wa lugha na kutoimarika kwake kama msingi wa mawasiliano

Enhanced infection prophylaxis reduces mortality in severely immunosuppressed HIV-infected adults and older children initiating antiretroviral therapy in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe: the REALITY trial

Meeting abstract FRAB0101LB from 21st International AIDS Conference 18–22 July 2016, Durban, South Africa. Introduction: Mortality from infections is high in the first 6 months of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV‐infected adults and children with advanced disease in sub‐Saharan Africa. Whether an enhanced package of infection prophylaxis at ART initiation would reduce mortality is unknown. Methods: The REALITY 2×2×2 factorial open‐label trial (ISRCTN43622374) randomized ART‐naïve HIV‐infected adults and children >5 years with CD4 <100 cells/mm3. This randomization compared initiating ART with enhanced prophylaxis (continuous cotrimoxazole plus 12 weeks isoniazid/pyridoxine (anti‐tuberculosis) and fluconazole (anti‐cryptococcal/candida), 5 days azithromycin (anti‐bacterial/protozoal) and single‐dose albendazole (anti‐helminth)), versus standard‐of‐care cotrimoxazole. Isoniazid/pyridoxine/cotrimoxazole was formulated as a scored fixed‐dose combination. Two other randomizations investigated 12‐week adjunctive raltegravir or supplementary food. The primary endpoint was 24‐week mortality. Results: 1805 eligible adults (n = 1733; 96.0%) and children/adolescents (n = 72; 4.0%) (median 36 years; 53.2% male) were randomized to enhanced (n = 906) or standard prophylaxis (n = 899) and followed for 48 weeks (3.8% loss‐to‐follow‐up). Median baseline CD4 was 36 cells/mm3 (IQR: 16–62) but 47.3% were WHO Stage 1/2. 80 (8.9%) enhanced versus 108(12.2%) standard prophylaxis died before 24 weeks (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.73 (95% CI: 0.54–0.97) p = 0.03; Figure 1) and 98(11.0%) versus 127(14.4%) respectively died before 48 weeks (aHR = 0.75 (0.58–0.98) p = 0.04), with no evidence of interaction with the two other randomizations (p > 0.8). Enhanced prophylaxis significantly reduced incidence of tuberculosis (p = 0.02), cryptococcal disease (p = 0.01), oral/oesophageal candidiasis (p = 0.02), deaths of unknown cause (p = 0.02) and (marginally) hospitalisations (p = 0.06) but not presumed severe bacterial infections (p = 0.38). Serious and grade 4 adverse events were marginally less common with enhanced prophylaxis (p = 0.06). CD4 increases and VL suppression were similar between groups (p > 0.2). Conclusions: Enhanced infection prophylaxis at ART initiation reduces early mortality by 25% among HIV‐infected adults and children with advanced disease. The pill burden did not adversely affect VL suppression. Policy makers should consider adopting and implementing this low‐cost broad infection prevention package which could save 3.3 lives for every 100 individuals treated