Abstract Heavy metals in soil and water were determined at four points along Msimbazi River valley in Dar es Salaam city, which is popular for vegetable farming. Results indicated that the concentration of chromium in water ranged from (1.414±0.922) to 0.01 mg/L. Maximum and minimum lead concentrations of 0.113 and 0.083 mg/L were detected. The concentration of copper was generally low at all sites, ranging from (0.013±0.005) to (0.016±0.005) mg/L. The concentration of lead in water throug...
ABSTRACT Background: It is widely accepted that community-based interventions are vital strategies towards reduction of maternal and neonatal mortalities in developing countries. This study has aimed at finding the effectiveness of a Community-Based Continuous Training (CBCT) project, on improving birth preparedness, male involvement and maternal services utilization in rural Tanzania. Method: The quasi-experimental study design with control was adopted to determine the effectiveness of CBCT...
Abstract Isolates of hepatitis B viruses were collected from 20 acute and chronic hepatitis patients in a highly endemic region of Nigeria. Sequencing classified the isolates to the ayw4, as they all contained the amino acid variations characteristic for that serolype. In the pre-S2 region of five isolates, three to seven amino acids were deleted, suggesting that immune escape mutations previously associated only with chronic HBV infection may be observed also in acute disease. Phylogenetic a...
Abstract The physicochemical equivalence of twenty-two brands of paracetamol and nine brands of ibuprofen tablets sourced from retail Pharmacy outlets in the Nigerian market to their respective innovator brands were investigated. The uniformity of weight, friability, crushing strength, disintegration and dissolution times and assay of active paracetamol ingredient were used as assessment parameters. All the brands of paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets complied with the official specification...
Introduction Malaria remains a major public health concern, especially in Africa, despite several years of research and billions of dollars spent on the development of drugs for the treatment of the disease. It is estimated that about 300 to 500 million cases of malaria occur globally every year, out of which 90% of the cases occur In Africa. It is also estimated that malaria is responsible for 1-2 million deaths annually in Africa (Toklohuimnnot, 2000). For over fifty years, the mainstay of ...
ABSTRACT The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is on the increase globally. Hypertension, a cause and consequence of CKD, is one of the leading risk factors that contribute to increased prevalence of CKD. Understanding the burden of CKD in hypertensive individuals will help promote preventive strategies and initiate measures to reduce the progression of CKD to end stage renal disease (ESRD). Estimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is one of the reliable means of investigating...
ABSTRACT In South Sudan like in many other developing countries, one to two thirds of the solid waste generated is not collected. There is a great problem in the household’ management of solid wastes in the rapid growing town of Bor in South Sudan. This study sought to generate information on solid waste handling practices, which could provide appropriate data that can be used to come up with strategies for managing solid waste. The research focussed on 384 respondents in Bor Town in order...
ABSTRACT Climate variability is an emerging global environmental issue of concern, posing a threat especially for pastoral livelihoods of communities in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), necessitating an understanding of the emerging climate variability effects on local ecosystems. This study sought to understand the effects of climate variability on pastoralism, focusing on Turkana Central Sub-County in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were: to analyse rainfall and temperature va...
The vast majority of Kenyans lack any form of health insurance. Thus, they find it difficult to raise money for health expenditure. As a result, studies elsewhere have shown an obvious disadvantage to uninsured individuals in terms of health care accorded to them when compared to patients with insurance. However, there is a scarcity of research in Kenya to evaluate whether lack of insurance affects the kind of health care they receive. The main objective of this study was to examine the prese...
ABSTRACT Given the subsequent degradation and potential encroachment of mangrove ecosystems, the slow recovery nature of these systems and huge restoration failure efforts (100% mortality after planting in some cases) of mangrove ecosystems, quantification of the role of early colonizing vegetation to mangrove systems recovery is necessary. While sea blight (Suaeda monoica) is common in the degraded sites of Mwache Creek mangrove forest in Kenya and within its growing patches a marked regene...
Abstract Background: Nigeria has the largest paediatric HIV-infected population in the world. Missed op- portunities for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) compromise efforts at eliminating new pediatric HIV infections. Methods: Six hundred children, aged < 15 years, pre- senting to the pediatric units of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan Southwest Nigeria between June to December 2007 were studied. The demographics, HIV status and socioeconomic status of ...
Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the causes and management of blindness and blinding eye conditions as perceived by rural dwellers of two Yoruba communities in Oyo State, Nigeria. Methods: Four focus group discussions were conducted among residents of Iddo and Isale Oyo, two rural Yoruba communities in Oyo State, Nigeria. Participants consisted of sighted, those who were partially or totally blind and community leaders. Ten patent medicine sellers and 12 tradition...
ABSTRACT The rapidly increasing human population and consequently the human activities carried out especially around wildlife areas such as Mount Elgon trans-boundary ecosystem have increased the pressures on wildlife found in the ecosystem. These pressures occur in the form of habitat loss, poaching and trafficking. Poaching whether commercial or subsistence is a major threat to the viability of wildlife. Not only does it lead to decimation and extinction of some vulnerable species but also...
ABSTRACT The growing problems of tuberculosis have led to the search for new anti-Mtb agents from higher plants. The stem bark of Spondias mombin was evaluated for its in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37Rv strain). Bioassay-guided fractionation of the methanol extract was carried out by Vacuum Liquid Chromatography (VLC) on Silica gel (230-400 mesh) and purification was done using HPLC and TLC. In vitro antimycobacterial susceptibility was performed by a fluorometric mi...
ABSTRACT Allergic conjunctivitis is a common problem affecting about 20% of the world’s population. In Kenya, it constitutes one fifth of all the total diagnoses made in eye clinics with school teachers in Nakuru North Sub-County in Nakuru County having a prevalence of 51.2%. Untreated allergic conjunctivitis can cause injury to the conjunctiva and the eye lids while some of the drugs used to treat can cause life threatening diseases. Irritants such as the volatile organic compounds which ...