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Examining Language Used In Science Instruction In Pupils’ Conceptualization Of Science Ideas In Secondary Schools: A Case Study Of One Tanzanian Public Secondary School, Alnaji Iddi

Master of Education

Language used in science instruction is regarded as a carrier of the science content to be delivered in the classroom. For the content to be implicit to students the language used in science instruction needs to be simple and understandable to learners during the instruction. The study was aimed at examining the language used in science instruction in conceptualization of science ideas. The study employed qualitative methodology using a case study design. The study involved three form one science teachers (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) of one secondary school who were purposefully selected. Data were collected using direct classroom observations, one-on-one …

Exploring How Teachers Are Assisted By Tie To Cope With Teaching And Learning Process During The Transition Period Of Curriculum Change, Godfrey Emeran Mishomari

Master of Education

Teaching during the transition period of curriculum change is a very challenging activity. Teachers need to be assisted by Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) through the intended curriculum, manifested curriculum as textbooks and supported curriculum such as teacher’s guides on one hand and through provision of continuous professional development on the other hand. This should be done in order to improve their teaching efficiency on the intended curriculum and the implemented curriculum during this period and far much better improving learner’s performance as an attained curriculum by the students. This is pivotal if we are to improve the quality of …

Exploring Strategies That The Language Teachers Used In Supporting Learners With Reading Difficulties: A Case Study In Kisuta Primary School In Ojolla Zone-Kisumu West Sub-County, Kenya, Aluoch Alice Schafer

Master of Education

The study aimed at exploring the strategies that language teachers used to support learners with reading difficulties in Kisuta Primary School. The data for this study were collected through interviews, observations, document analysis and focus group discussion. The aim, therefore, was to identify, analyse and describe the strategies that the language teachers’ used to support learners with reading difficulties; the language teacher’s perceptions about learners with reading difficulties and the challenges these teachers faced when supporting learners with reading difficulties. The researcher used qualitative case study approach to understand the strategies that these teachers used to support learners with reading …

Investigating The Use Of Pictures To Enhance Reading In Early Years: A Case Study Of An Early Childhood Development Centre In Western Kenya, Damary Luvayo Kisiang'ani

Master of Education

Reading is one of the four language skills that are required for acquisition of literacy. The others are writing, listening and speaking. Studies have shown that learning to read achieved during the early years is likely to be sustained throughout the primary school years and is an important basis for successful early performance in school. It is a foundational skill and serves as the base for later competence and proficiency. Unfortunately, many children proceed to formal schooling and even finish school without having attained the expected literacy achievement for their level. This study therefore set out to investigate the use …

Kawasaki Disease: Two Case Reports From The Aga Khan Hospital, Dar Es Salaam-Tanzania, Mariam Noorani, Nuruddin Lakhani

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background

Kawasaki disease is a common childhood vasculitis which may result in cardiovascular morbidity if not adequately treated. Its epidemiology in the African region is not well described. Its features may mimic other childhood infections and hemoglobinopathies and it is rarely diagnosed in the East African region. These are the first reports of this disease from Tanzania. Case presentation We present two cases of complete Kawasaki disease seen over a 2 year period and diagnosed as per the criteria defined by the American Heart Association. One child was and infant and the other a 3 year old. Both of them …

"It's A Precious Gift, Not To Waste": Is Routine Cross Matching Necessary In Orthopedics Surgery?: Retrospective Study Of 699 Patients In 9 Different Procedures, Obada Hasan, Eraj Khurshid Khan, Moiz Ali, Sadaf Sheikh, Anum Fatima, Haroon Ur Rashid

Section of Orthopaedic Surgery

Background: Orthopedic surgeries are usually associated with excessive blood loss which leads surgeons to overestimate need for blood transfusions and over ordering of blood. The cross matched blood, when not used, leads to the wastage of blood bank resources in terms of time, money and manpower. The objective of this study was to investigate the compliance to previously proposed MSBOS and to provide updated recommendations for all orthopedic procedures.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted between 1st June 2015 and 31st May 2016. Patients admitted to the orthopedic surgery service for whom blood products were requested were included. Cross Match/Transfusion …

Pseudomyxoma Pleurii And Peritonei Secondary To Sigmoid Colon Adenocarcinoma: A Rare Clinico-Pathologico-Radiological Presentation, Casmir Wambura, Ahmed Jusabani, Salim Surani

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare condition resulting from mucin-producing tumors that have disseminated intointraperitoneal implants and mucinous ascites. The extra-abdominal spread of PMP is exceptionally rare, with few reportedcases in the medical literature. Pseudomyxoma pleurii is an infrequently encountered clinical syndrome characterized bytransdiaphragmatic pleural extension and spread of PMP. The disease is highly fatal. We hereby report a case of 58 years oldwoman who presented with an abdominal distension and shortness of breath of 2 months duration. Histopathology confirmedthe diagnosis of large mucin-producing rectosigmoid adenomatous polypoid lesion with malignant transformation and PMPthat had spread to the right pleural space. …

Pseudomyxoma Pleurii And Peritonei Secondary To Sigmoid Colon Adenocarcinoma: A Rare Clinico-Pathologico-Radiological Presentation, Casmir Wambura

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare condition resulting from mucin-producing tumors that have disseminated into intraperitoneal implants and mucinous ascites. The extra-abdominal spread of PMP is exceptionally rare, with few reported cases in the medical literature. Pseudomyxoma pleurii is an infrequently encountered clinical syndrome characterized by transdiaphragmatic pleural extension and spread of PMP. The disease is highly fatal. We hereby report a case of 58 years old woman who presented with an abdominal distension and shortness of breath of 2 months duration. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of large mucin-producing rectosigmoid adenomatous polypoid lesion with malignant transformation and PMP that had …

Predictors Of Death Including Quality Of Positive Pressure Ventilation During Newborn Resuscitation And The Relationship To Outcome At Seven Days In A Rural Tanzanian Hospital, Robert Moshiro, Jeffrey M. Perlman, Hussein Kidanto, Jan Terje Kvaløy, Paschal Mdoe, Hege L. Ersdal

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background Effective positive pressure ventilation (PPV) of non-breathing newborns is crucial in facilitating cardio-respiratory adaptation at birth. Identifying predictors of death in newborns receiving PPV is important in order to facilitate preventative strategies.

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the perinatal predictors of death including the quality of PPV administered among admitted newborns.

Methods An observational study of admitted newborns who received PPV after birth was conducted. Research assistants observed all deliveries and recorded perinatal events on data collection forms. Measured heart rate (HR) and ventilation parameters were then compared between newborns who died and survivors.

Results …

Assessment For Learning In Africa: Insights From Classrooms In Tanzania, Anjum Halai, Veronica Sarungi, Therese N. Hopfenbeck

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

This paper reports on teachers’ practice regarding Assessment for Learning (AfL) mathematics in a study where AfL pedagogy was used to improve the quality of teaching. It draws on a multi-country research project entitled ‘Assessment for Learning in Africa’ that aimed to generate knowledge about how to develop and sustain teacher capacity in integration and use of assessment for improving learning in mathematics in challenging educational settings such as those in Tanzania. While AfL has the potential to significantly impact on improving student learning outcomes, there is a policy blind spot in international development on teachers’ assessment in particular in …

Assessing The Impact Of A Partnership‐Based Work/Study Nursing Upgrade Programme In A Low And Middle‐Income Setting, Sharon Brownie, Samwel Gatimu, Abdul Haq Wahedna, Isabel Kambo, Eunice Ndirangu

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Aim: To evaluate the 15‐years impact of the work‐study nursing upgrading programme in East Africa.

Background: Working nurses in Africa are often primary family income earners, with limited ability to leave jobs and upgrade qualifications. In 2001, the university established a work‐study upgrade programme for enrolled‐ and diploma‐level nurses, allowing them to upgrade their qualifications while continuing to work and support families. Donor partnerships provided scholarships to further increase programme access.

Design: A mixed method design was used involving an online alumni survey and 24 interviews and 23 focus groups with 172 purposively selected representatives of nursing graduates, employers, regulatory …

Tracking Facility-Based Perinatal Deaths In Tanzania: Results From An Indicator Validation Assessment, Marya Plotkin, Dunstan Bishanga, Hussein Kidanto, Mary Carol Jennings, Jim Ricca, Amasha Mwanamsangu, Gaudiosa Tibaijuka, Ruth Lemwayi, Benny Ngereza, Mary Drake

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background Globally, an estimated 2.7 million babies die in the neonatal period annually, and of these, about 0.7 million die from intrapartum-related events. In Tanzania 51,000 newborn deaths and 43,000 stillbirths occur every year. Approximately two-thirds of these deaths could be potentially prevented with improvements in intrapartum and neonatal care. Routine measurement of fetal intrapartum deaths and newborn deaths that occur in health facilities can help to evaluate efforts to improve the quality of intrapartum care to save lives. However, few examples exist of indicators on perinatal mortality in the facility setting that are readily available through health management information …

Complete Blood Count Reference Intervals From A Healthy Adult Urban Population In Kenya, Geoffrey Omuse, Daniel Maina, Jane Mwangi, Caroline Wambua, Kiran Radia, Alice Kanyua, Elizabeth Kagotho, Mariza Hoffman, Peter Ojwang, Zul Premji, Kiyoshi Ichihara, Rajiv Erasmus

Pathology, East Africa

Background: There are racial, ethnic and geographical differences in complete blood count (CBC) reference intervals (RIs) and therefore it is necessary to establish RIs that are population specific. Several studies have been carried out in Africa to derive CBC RIs but many were not conducted with the rigor recommended for RI studies hence limiting the adoption and generalizability of the results.

Method: By use of a Beckman Coulter ACT 5 DIFF CP analyser, we measured CBC parameters in samples collected from 528 healthy black African volunteers in a largely urban population. The latent abnormal values exclusion (LAVE) method was used …

Intermittent Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring Using A Fetoscope Or Hand Held Doppler In Rural Tanzania: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Paschal Francis Mdoe, Hege L. Ersdal, Estomih R. Mduma, Jeffrey M. Perlman, Robert Moshiro, Peter T. Wangwe, Hussein Kidanto

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Neonatal mortality is a global challenge, with an estimated 1.3 million intrapartum stillbirths in 2015. The majority of these were found in low resource settings with limited options to intrapartum fetal heart monitoring devices. This trial compared frequency of abnormal fetal heart rate (FHR) detection and adverse perinatal outcomes (i.e. fresh stillbirths, 24-h neonatal deaths, admission to neonatal care unit) among women intermittently assessed by Doppler or fetoscope in a rural low-resource setting.

Methods: This was an open-label randomized controlled trial conducted at Haydom Lutheran Hospital from March 2013 through August 2015. Inclusion criteria were; women in labor, …

A Care Bundle Including Antenatal Corticosteroids Reduces Preterm Infant Mortality In Tanzania A Low Resource Country, Augustine Massawe, Hussein Kidanto, Robert Moshiro, Edna Majaliwa, Flora Chacha, Aisa Shayo, Paschal Mdoe, Prisca Ringia, Mary Azayo, Georgina Msemo

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background Preterm neonatal mortality (NM) has remained high and unchanged for many years in Tanzania, a resource-limited country. Major causes of mortality include birth asphyxia, respiratory insufficiency and infections. Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) have been shown to significantly reduce mortality in developed countries. There is inconsistent use of ACS in Tanzania.

Objective To determine whether implementation of a care bundle that includes ACS, maternal antibiotics (MA), neonatal antibiotics (NA) and avoidance of moderate hypothermia (temperature < 36°C) targeting infants of estimated gestational age (EGA) 28 to 34 6/7 weeks would reduce NM (< 7 days) by 35%.

Methods A Pre (September 2014 to May 2015) and Post (June 2015 to June 2017) Implementation strategy was used and introduced at three University-affiliated and one …

Intermittent Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring Using A Fetoscope Or Hand Held Doppler In Rural Tanzania: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Paschal Francis Mdoe, Hege Ersdal, Estomih Mduma, Jeffrey M. Perlman, Robert Moshiro, Peter Wangwe, Hussein Kidanto

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background: Neonatal mortality is a global challenge, with an estimated 1.3 million intrapartum stillbirths in 2015. The majority of these were found in low resource settings with limited options to intrapartum fetal heart monitoring devices. This trial compared frequency of abnormal fetal heart rate (FHR) detection and adverse perinatal outcomes (i.e. fresh stillbirths, 24-h neonatal deaths, admission to neonatal care unit) among women intermittently assessed by Doppler or fetoscope in a rural low-resource setting.

Methods: This was an open-label randomized controlled trial conducted at Haydom Lutheran Hospital from March 2013 through August 2015. Inclusion criteria were; women in labor, …

Children’S Perspectives Of Their Psychosocial Wellbeing In Tanzanian Orphanages, Agnes Msoka, Eleanor Holroyd

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting the wellbeing of institutionalized orphaned children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A descriptive qualitative study was used to collect data from Tanzanian orphaned children receiving orphanage care. Purposive sampling was employed to select 10 orphanage centers from which 123 orphaned children were recruited. A semi-structured interview guide relevant to the study objectives was developed from the literature and was used to guide the focus group interviews. Data was analysed by way of thematic analysis. There were 76 male and 47 female orphans; orphans without one or both parents were 87 …

Predictors Of Low Birth Weight And 24-Hour Perinatal Outcomes At Muhimbili National Hospital In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: A Five-Year Retrospective Analysis Of Obstetric Records, Benjamin Anathory Kamala, Andrew Hans Mgaya, Matilda Michael Ngarina, Hussein Kidanto

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Abstract

Introduction: The global prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) is 16%, representing more than 20 million infants worldwide, of which 96% are born in low-income countries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, predictors and perinatal outcomes of LBW newborns.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of data obtained from the hospital's obstetric and neonatal database. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were performed with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: The prevalence of LBW was 21% (n = 8,011) and two-thirds of these were delivered at term. Seven percent of newborns were stillbirths and 2% died within 24hrs after …

Midwives’ Perceptions On Using A Fetoscope And Doppler For Fetal Heart Rate Assessments During Labor: A Qualitative Study In Rural Tanzania, Paschal Francis Mdoe, Hege Langli Ersdal, Estomih Mduma, Robert Moshiro, Hussein Kidanto, Columba Mbekenga

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: The Doppler is thought to be more comfortable and effective compared to the fetoscope for assessing the fetal heart rate (FHR) during labor. However, in a rural Tanzanian hospital, midwives who had easy access to both devices mostly used fetoscope. This study explored midwives’ perception of factors influencing their preference for using either a Pinard fetoscope or a FreePlay wind-up Doppler for intermittent FHR monitoring.

Methods: Midwives who had worked for at least 6 months in the labor ward were recruited. Focus group discussion (FGD) was used to collect data. Five FGDs were conducted between December 2015 and February …

Challenges In Day-To-Day Midwifery Practice; A Qualitative Study From A Regional Referral Hospital In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Hanna Strømholt Bremnes, Åsil Kjøl Wiig, Muzdalfat Abeid, Elisabeth Darj

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background:

Maternal and infant mortality rates in Tanzania have decreased over the past decades, but remain high. One of the challenges the country faces, is the lack of skilled health care workers. High fertility rates make midwives and their patients particularly susceptible to stress as a result of understaffing.

Objective:

This paper explores the challenges midwives face in their day-to-day practice at a regional referral hospital in Tanzania, and investigates which measures the midwives themselves find necessary to implement to improve their situation.

Methods:

A qualitative study design with focus group discussions (FGDs) was employed to explore which challenges the …

Predictors Of Low Birth Weight And 24-Hour Perinatal Outcomes At Muhimbili National Hospital In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: A Five-Year Retrospective Analysis Of Obstetric Records, Benjamin Anathory Kamala, Andrew Hans Mgaya, Matilda Michael Ngarina, Hussein Kidanto

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Introduction: The global prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) is 16%, representing more than 20 million infants worldwide, of which 96% are born in low-income countries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, predictors and perinatal outcomes of LBW newborns.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of data obtained from the hospital's obstetric and neonatal database. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were performed with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: The prevalence of LBW was 21% (n = 8,011) and two-thirds of these were delivered at term. Seven percent of newborns were stillbirths and 2% died within 24hrs after birth. …

Prophylactic Antibiotics To Reduce Pelvic Infection In Women Having Miscarriage Surgery – The Aims (Antibiotics In Miscarriage Surgery) Trial: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, David Lissauer, Amie Wilson, Jane Daniels, Lee Middleton, Jon Bishop, Catherine Hewitt, Abi Merriel, Rahat Qureshi, Iffat Ahmed, Humera Ismail

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: The estimated annual global burden of miscarriage is 33 million out of 210 million pregnancies. Many women undergoing miscarriage have surgery to remove pregnancy tissues, resulting in miscarriage surgery being one of the most common operations performed in hospitals in low-income countries. Infection is a serious consequence and can result in serious illness and death. In low-income settings, the infection rate following miscarriage surgery has been reported to be high. Good quality evidence on the use of prophylactic antibiotics for surgical miscarriage management is not available. Given that miscarriage surgery is common, and infective complications are frequent and serious, …

Inpatient Satisfaction At Different Public Sector Hospitals Of A Metropolitan City In Pakistan: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study, Mehwish Hussain, Rehana Rehman, Zia Ikramuddin, Nava Asad, Ayesha Farooq

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: To observe inpatient satisfaction at different public sector hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out during 2010-2012 in four major public sector hospitals of Karachi. A total of 710 patients completed the study. Responses were gathered in a self-structured questionnaire that comprised of four dimensions of satisfaction with doctor, staff, administration and treatment. Average Score of each dimension was taken and compared using one way analysis of variance.
Result: Satisfaction with doctors, staff and administration of provincial and federal hospitals were comparatively similar (P > 0.05). However, satisfaction with treatment significantly differed in all four …

“I Was Relieved To Know That My Baby Was Safe”: Women’S Attitudes And Perceptions On Using A New Electronic Fetal Heart Rate Monitor During Labor In Tanzania, Sara Rivenes Lafontan, Johanne Sundby, Hege L. Ersdal, Muzdalifat Abeid, Hussein L. Kidanto, Columba Mbekenga

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

To increase labor monitoring and prevent neonatal morbidity and mortality, a new wireless, strap-on electronic fetal heart rate monitor called Moyo was introduced in Tanzania in 2016. As part of the ongoing evaluation of the introduction of the monitor, the aim of this study was to explore the attitudes and perceptions of women who had worn the monitor continuously during their most recent delivery and perceptions about how it affected care. This knowledge is important to identify barriers towards adaptation in order to introduce new technology more effectively. We carried out 20 semi-structured individual interviews post-labor at two hospitals in …

Hepatitis B Virus Infection In Tanzania: Current Status And Challenges, Semvua B. Kilonzo, Daniel W. Gunda, Bonaventura C.T. Mpondo, Fatma Bakshi, Hyasinta Jaka

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world with high prevalence in most of sub-Saharan Africa countries. The complexity in its diagnosis and treatment poses a significant management challenge in the resource-limited settings including Tanzania, where most of the tests and drugs are either unavailable or unaffordable. This mini review aims at demonstrating the current status of the disease in the country and discussing the concomitant challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Factors Affecting Effective Ventilation During Newborn Resuscitation: A Qualitative Study Among Midwives In Rural Tanzania, R. Moshiro, H. L. Ersdal, P. Mdoe, H. L. Kidanto, Columba Mbekenga

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Intrapartum-related hypoxia accounts for 30% of neonatal deaths in Tanzania. This has led to the introduction and scaling-up of the Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) programme, which is a simulation-based learning programme in newborn resuscitation skills. Studies have documented ineffective ventilation of non-breathing newborns and the inability to follow the HBB algorithm among providers.

Objective: This study aimed at exploring barriers and facilitators to effective bag mask ventilation, an essential component of the HBB algorithm, during actual newborn resuscitation in rural Tanzania.

Methods: Eight midwives, each with more than one year’s working experience in the labour ward, were interviewed individually …

Implementation Of A Facilitation Intervention To Improve Postpartum Care In A Low-Resource Suburb Of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Eunice Pallangyo, Columba Mbekenga, P. Olsson, L. Eriksson, A. Bergström

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Implementation of evidence into practice is inadequate in many low-income countries, contributing to the low-quality care of mothers and newborns. This study explored strategies used in a facilitation intervention to improve postpartum care (IPPC) in a low-resource suburb in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The intervention was conducted during 1 year in government-owned health institutions providing reproductive and child health services. The institutions were divided into six clusters based on geographic proximity, and the healthcare providers of postpartum care (PPC) (n = 100) in these institutions formed IPPC teams. Each team was supported by a locally recruited facilitator who was …

Investigating The Relationship Between Students’ Digital Literacy And Their Attitude Towards Using Ict, Salma Jan

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This study aimed to explore the relationship between secondary school students’ digital literacy and their attitude towards using information and communication technology in a private secondary school in Karachi, Pakistan. For this study, the data were collected through survey questionnaire using google forms. The total sample size for this study was 344 secondary school students having almost equal ratio of male and female. On bivariate correlation analysis, digital literacy was found to be associated with students’ attitude towards using information and communication technology (ICT) and other ICT related demographics. Further analysis using multiple linear regression analysis showed that digital literacy …

Comparison Of Equations For Estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate In Screening For Chronic Kidney Disease In Asymptomatic Black Africans: A Cross Sectional Study, Geoffrey Omuse, Daniel Maina, Jane Mwangi, Caroline Wambua, Alice Kiyua, Elizabeth Kagotho, Angela Amayo, Peter Ojwang, Rajiv Erasmus

Pathology, East Africa

Background: Several equations have been developed to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The common equations used were derived from populations predominantly comprised of Caucasians with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Some of the equations provide a correction factor for African-Americans due to their relatively increased muscle mass and this has been extrapolated to black Africans. Studies carried out in Africa in patients with CKD suggest that using this correction factor for the black African race may not be appropriate. However, these studies were not carried out in healthy individuals and as such the extrapolation of the findings to an asymptomatic black …

Exploring Tutors Experiences In Teaching Local Language As A Subject In Primary Teachers Colleges (Ptcs): Case Of Ntinda Ptc In Uganda, Khaitsa Margaret

Master of Education

This study explores tutors experiences in the teaching of local language in Primary Teachers Colleges in Uganda. The study conducted aimed at the teaching of local language in the Four Colleges in Uganda. It further looked at challenges faced by tutors in teaching of local language in PTCs. The study involved six tutors and one Deputy Principal purposely selected from the four Primary Teachers Colleges in Uganda. The same study employed qualitative approaches and exploratory case study design to collect data through observation protocol and one- on- one semi-structured interviews. The findings show that tutors teach local language in English …