Comparative Analysis of Academic Performance between PSSP and GSSP Students in Kenyan Universities: Case of Rongo University

The study compared and evaluated the academic performance of the students registered under the privately sponsored students program (PSSP) versus those under the government sponsored students program (GSSP) in Kenyan Universities. More specifically, the study   focused on the two aforementioned cohorts of students from Rongo University longitudinally for a period of three years.  In particular, GSSP and PSSP students from School of Education of Rongo University were sampled for this study. A total sample of 136 students were selected  for the study. Secondary data was used in  the study with the previous academic years student results taken as the replications of the study. The academic years 2013/2014 and  2014/2015  exam results were taken as replication in order to check consistency  or variations of students academic performance. Data analysis was done using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences version 23.0 and results presented  using inferential and descriptive statistics.  Multiple Hypotheses were formulated  to test the main effects and interaction effects between factors. F-tests were used as a basis  of rejecting or accepting null hypothesis at 5% level of significance. The study findings indicated that   there is significant difference  in PSSP and GSSP student performance on second class(both upper and lower divisions), pass and supplementary. However, the findings further  revealed there is no significant difference in academic performance of PSSP and GSSP students in scoring   1st class  honours.  The findings of this study are expected to help the Kenyan universities and  the  PSSP Directorate make informative decisions while admitting students who did  not qualify for Government Sponsored  Students Programmes at our local universities. Keywords: Government Sponsored Students Programmes, Privately l Sponsored Students Programme

Evaluation of Effects of Value Addition in Sweet Potatoes on Farm Income in Homa Bay County, Kenya

Sweet potato value addition has become an increasingly important aspect in improving the diversification in its production and expanding the unexploited market amongst consumers. Homa Bay County is among the leading areas of production in Kenya due to its favorable land conditions and rainfall patterns that enables sweet potato to thrive well in the region. Value addition has been introduced in the County mainly by Non-Governmental organizations that work together with the public sector. However some small scale farmers do not practice value addition, partially because little has been done empirically to measure the impact that value addition has on farm income. This study focused on filling in this gap in the existing knowledge on sweet potato value addition. The study was conducted in Homa Bay County and the study sites selected included three sub counties namely Kasipul, Kabondo Kasipul and Ndhiwa. Multi stage sampling technique was used in selecting the study sites and the required sample size determined by proportionate to size sampling method. Interview schedules and observation were used to collect primary data. Multiple regressions were used to analyze the effect of different value addition activities on Income received solely from sweet potatoes. In addition marginal effects were obtained to analyze the effect of each independent variable separately on income. Findings revealed that the more value a farmer added to raw tuber, the better the income obtained from the market. In addition, farmer marketing groups had a stronger bargaining power in the market compared to farmers selling individually. The study therefore recommended that the County government should work closely with the non-governmental organizations to enlighten farmers on the importance of forming farmer groups since most training on value addition, information on prices and market opportunities can be easily disseminated through farmer groups .It is through these trainings that farmers would be able to make rational decisions with regard to production and adding value to get higher incomes. Keywords: Value Addition techniques, Smallholder farmer, Farm income.

High Efficacy of Combined Albendazole and Ivermectin Treatment Against Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Vervet Monkeys and Baboons

Conventional treatment that eliminates other gastrointestinal nematodes has failed to show adequate efficacy against Trichuris trichura in non-human primates (NHPs). We investigated the efficacy of albendazole and ivermectin against natural infestation of nematodes in non human primates. 18 vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) and 21 baboons (Papio anubis) were divided into three treatment groups comprising of 6 vervets and 7 baboons per group. Albendazole (ABZ, 7.5mg/kg) was administered orally, and ivermectin (IVM, 300μg/kg) subcutaneously, each for three consecutive days. Group I animals were treated with a combination of albendazole and ivermectin, Group II ABZ alone, while Group III animals were treated with IVM alone. Faecal samples were collected at 0, 7, 14 and 28 days post treatment (dpt) and analysed for the presence of faecal eggs using the McMaster and formol ether acetyl (FEA) methods. Faecal egg count reduction percentage (FECR (%)) and cure rate (CR (%) i.e. percentage of faecal egg negative individuals after treatment) were used to determine the efficacy of the treatment regimens. The FEA method was found to be a more sensitive assessment method than the McMaster technique. When both methods were used the helminths observed included Trichuris trichura (100% in both NHPs) and strongyles (29.4% in vervets and 28.6% in baboons). In vervets, the FECR of T. trichura at 28 dpt was 100% (Group I), 75% (Group II) and 0% (Group III) while the CR (at the same time point) was 100% (Group I), 60% (Group II) and 0% (Group III). In baboons, the FECR% and CR% of T. trichura at 28dpt, for groups I, II, III was 100%, 100%, 0%, respectively. All the three drug regimens were curative (100%) of strongyles at 28 dpt. It is concluded that a combined ivermectin and albendazole treatment for 3 days is effective in treating T. trichura and strongyles infections in vervet monkeys and baboons. Further trials should be conducted using a bigger sample size as well as in other primates including humans

Determinants of utilization of maternal health care services in Tana river county, Kenya

Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing utilization of delivery services by Women of Reproductive age in Tana River County Methodology: The study was cross-sectional in design. The target population included all women of reproductive age (14-49 years) in Kipini location.  The study population consisted of women of reproductive age who had delivered. A structured questionnaire was used as the primary instrument of data collection during interviews of the consenting women of reproductive age. The sampling techniques used involved a combination of cluster sampling, proportionate, systematic sampling and simple random sampling. Data analysis was done using the SPSS. Authorization from the Kenya Methodist University ethical committee was sought prior to data collection. Findings: A total of 335 (95.7%) questionnaires were filled and returned. Majority of the respondents were married, with a primary level of education, occupation being farmers. Majority of the women had their last delivery in a hospitals (80%), with most of the delivery happened in private facilities (77.6%). From the findings, cultural and cost factors had a negative relationship to the utilization of delivery services by women of the reproductive age. However, access and socio-demographic factors had a positive and significant relationship to the utilization of delivery services by women of the reproductive in Tana River County. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy recommendation: The study recommended skilled attendants to allow some safe cultural and religious practices during delivery so as to encourage the utilization of delivery services. It also recommended that the county government enforce the free maternity policies by making sure that no hidden or additional fee is charged to the women during delivery. The government should increase the number of permanent and mobile health facilities In Tana River County so that every women (including normadic population) to have access to delivery services

Determinants of utilization of National Health Insurance Fund cover in public health facilities by public health care workers in Makueni County

Background: Robust healthcare funding systems are seen as critical for guaranteeing universal healthcare access. This implies that health services should be adequately accessible to everyone ensuring health situation doesn’t reduce the patient and their family to poverty making analysis of determinants of National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) cover utilization critical.Methods: Descriptive research design was used to study utilization of NHIF cover among health professionals in public hospitals in Makueni County. Stratified random sampling technique was used to sample the facilities across the different levels. The study sample was 291 from a target population of 1183 health professional. The data was collected using structured questionnaires. Statistical package for social science (SPSS version 25) was used to code and analyze the raw data. Pearson's coefficient of correlation and multiple regressions were used to assess the association between determinants and NHIF utilization.Results: The study found and concluded that at the significance level of 95%, alternative insurance covers, perceived quality of health services and NHIF communication strategy significantly influenced utilization of NHIF cover by public health care workers at α=0.05. On the other hand, NHIF scheme characteristic was an insignificant determinant of utilization of NHIF cover among public health care workers in Makueni County.Conclusions: The study concludes alternative insurance covers, NHIF scheme characteristics, perceived quality of health services influenced utilization of NHIF cover and NHIF communication strategy influenced utilization of NHIF cover among health workers

Grambank reveals the importance of genealogical constraints on linguistic diversity and highlights the impact of language loss

While global patterns of human genetic diversity are increasingly well characterized, the diversity of human languages remains less systematically described. Here we outline the Grambank database. With over 400,000 data points and 2,400 languages, Grambank is the largest comparative grammatical database available. The comprehensiveness of Grambank allows us to quantify the relative effects of genealogical inheritance and geographic proximity on the structural diversity of the world's languages, evaluate constraints on linguistic diversity, and identify the world's most unusual languages. An analysis of the consequences of language loss reveals that the reduction in diversity will be strikingly uneven across the major linguistic regions of the world. Without sustained efforts to document and revitalize endangered languages, our linguistic window into human history, cognition and culture will be seriously fragmented.Genealogy versus geography Constraints on grammar Unusual languages Language loss Conclusio