ABSTRACT Out of an annual 15 million pregnancies globally, an estimated overall Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevalence of 0.34% is reported in antenatal women in Kenya. In 2013, there were 13,000 new HIV infections among children. Appropriate feeding practices and good nutrition status are important for the survival, growth, development, health and nutrition of HIV-exposed infants as well as the wellbeing of their mothers. The recommended infant feeding practice is exclusive breastfeeding (E...
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of intestinal parasites on academic performance among primary school children in Nairobi Province, Kenya. Intestinal parasites belong to two main taxonomic groups: protozoa and helminths. Pathogenic protozoa are Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia and Balantidium coli while intestinal helminths comprise of nematodes hookworms (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus), Ascaris lumbricoides, Strongyloides stercoralis, Trichu...
ABSTRACT Sexual violence against adolescent girls (SVAG) is a global concern due to its adverse effects on the overall health of these girls. In Kenya, cases of sexual violence in this age group are reported to be at 33%. The study explored sexual violence among adolescent girls (15-19 years) in the nine (9) mixed day secondary schools of Limuru Sub-county, Kiambu County, Kenya. The broad objective of the study was: to assess the status of SVAG in mixed day school in Limuru Sub-county, Kiambu...
ABSTRACT Despite the many efforts put in place globally, regionally and at national level to reduce and eliminate Physical Violence against married women, this violence is still prevalent. It is one of the major forms of oppression against women. The aim of this study was to investigate the determinants of Physical Violence on married women by their spouses within the age of 18-45 years and above in Kandara Sub County, Murang‟a County, Kenya. The study objectives were to determine the socio...
ABSTRACT The Lake Victorian Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) industry in Kenya is the most important in the fisheries sub-sector and generates significant levels of revenue to the national economy besides creating employment opportunities along the value chain. In 2012, fish production from Lake Victoria-Kenyan waters was 118,992 metric tons with an ex-vessel value of USD 136 million. Information on the utilization of by-products and cleaner production is very important as the industry plays a s...
ABSTRACT Food-borne diseases and zoonoses including Rift Valley Fever continue to burden public health and undermine livelihoods in Kenya despite existing control programmes. The 2006-2007 outbreak of RVF in Kenya caused a total of 560 human morbidities and 185 mortalities in 16 Districts includingMaragua District, Central Province which had four human cases. This study assessed the level ofbeef safety knowledge, practices and constraints among livestock producers, traders, slaughterhouse ope...
ABSTRACT Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) are known to be highly effective in reducing malaria morbidity and mortality. However, there is scanty information on actual usage of owned nets which varies among households. Such variations may limit the potential effect of nets and cause spatial heterogeneity on malaria transmission. Likewise there is limited information and utilization of topographic parameters such as the shape of the underlying valley ecosystem in identification of high-risk...
ABSTRACT Addressing poor pregnancy and childbirth outcomes such as still births, preterm births and neonatal deaths have continued to be a major global challenge. Nations and organizations have invested much effort and resources to promote safe pregnancy and childbirth. Despite this, maternal and perinatal mortalities and morbidities remain high. Though several risk factors predisposing women and their infants to adverse outcomes during pregnancy have been documented, little is known on the f...
ABSTRACT Diarrhoea continues to remain one of the main and the second most significant cause of death globally in children under five years. The number of diarrhoea cases continues to increase every year and is estimated to be 1.7 billion annually. In 2018, in Kenya, 1,499,146 cases of diarrhoea were reported among children under five years and Nairobi accounted for 136, 028 cases. A research in Nairobi Informal Settlements showed that 25.6% of children living in the Informal Settlement had d...
ABSTRACT Appropriate feeding is an effective strategy in improving the nutrition status of infants and young children. Malnutrition has been a major public health concern with significant negative effects in terms of morbidity, psychological and intellectual under development. Few studies have been conducted in Mpika District to characterize the impact of undernutrtion in infants and young children. Therefore, this study sought to determine the complementary feeding practices, morbidity preva...
ABSTRACT Melia volkensii (Melia) is an indigenous tree species belonging to the plant family Meliaceae. In Kenya, the tree is commonly known as “Mukau”. Melia grows naturally in the arid and semi-arid zone of Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya. It’s highly valued for its timber which is termite resistant and so imperatively durable. Despite its popularity, its domestication efforts have been minimal, as a result of poor access to quality planting material and lack of a comprehensive...
ABSTRACT More than half of the world’s refugees reside in non-camp settings, In Nairobi, approximately 55,000 refugees had been registered with United Nations High Commission for Refugees by end of 2012 (UNHCR, 2013).In recent years the UNHCR has documented a trend towards a growing number of refugees and asylum seekers residing in urban areas. Refugees in urban areas often face numerous problems limiting them from accessing the already overstretched government health services. Most urban r...
ABSTRACT Malaria persists to be one of the world’s complex and dynamic disease. The disease is more devastating in sub-Saharan Africa as it constitutes high cases of childhood mortality and morbidity. Management of the disease remains a problem as a result of the spread of parasites that are resistant to the available drugs. Due to the broadened spread of resistance to Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (SP), the artemether-lumefantrine which is a more effective and well-tolerated anti-malarial drug...
ABSTRACT Health insurance pools money into a common fund and used for paying for health-care costs of members with a view to sharing risk among the population and avoiding catastrophic health-care expenditure. Motorcycle taxis operators are 30 times more at risk of getting involved in road accident that other road users. As such, victims incur high cost of medical and rehabilitation and more likely to be impoverished. Despite the availability of health insurance schemes, uptake of health insu...
ABSTRACT Global neonatal mortality stands at 22 per 1000 live births and about 41% of deaths in children under 5 years old occur in the neonatal period. In Kenya, neonatal mortality was 22 deaths per 1000 live births between the years 2004 and 2008 and 60 % of infant deaths in Kenya occur during the first month of life. Neonatal sepsis is the leading cause (15%) of all neonatal deaths worldwide. Umbilical infections are an important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in developing coun...