Kyambogo University

Beans are the main source of protein in the diet of many Ugandans, especially rural households, the urban poor, schools, and prisons. Beans are mainly utilized following drying with hardly any value addition and require long preparation times. This study evaluated the nutrition quality and safety of instant iron biofortified beans and silverfish composite flour using extrusion cooking. Three varieties of iron biofortified beans (NARO BEAN 1, 2, and 5C) were composited with ground fish in the ratios of 70:30, 80:20, and 90:10. The composite flour was analyzed for proximate composition, selected minerals, iron bioavailability, phytate content, folic acid content, and microbiological safety. The composite flour (50 g) was reconstituted into a gravy‐type instant sauce with boiling water (100 mL) and subjected to sensory evaluation using a panel of 50 semitrained analysts. Addition of silverfish to the beans enhanced the sensory acceptability of the instant sauce with the sample containing the yellow bean variety NARO BEAN 5C (80:20) being the most preferred. Compositing beans with silverfish significantly increased moisture, protein, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and folic acid content. The combination yielded more bioavailable iron. The product had low levels (< 0.25 ppb) of aflatoxins, which is lower than the FDA's action level for aflatoxins in food/feed of 20–300 ppb and undetectable Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus indicating its safety.

Background Outcome of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) has improved greatly over the past 60 years with several studies showing improved survival into adulthood due to advancement in medical care. A successful transition is critical for optimal health outcomes. However, health care delivery systems that support the optimal transfer from pediatric to adult care have not kept pace with the growing adult population. Mulago pediatric sickle cell clinic has faced multiple challenges with transition to adult care that are not well documented. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease and barriers to adult care at Mulago hospital. Methods This was a mixed methods cross sectional study with both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods conducted among patients attending the pediatric sickle cell clinic at Mulago hospital, their caregivers and health care workers. A registry and medical records review was done to obtain data for the quantitative arm. The qualitative component consisted of 30 in-depth-interviews involving patients and care givers and 10 key informant interviews with healthcare workers. Quantitative data was coded and entered into Epidata version 4.6 and then exported to STATA 14 for analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed using the content thematic approach. RESULTS The proportion of patients aged 14 years and above still attending the pediatric clinic was 21.6%. Barriers to transition of care as expressed by care givers and patients were limited knowledge on transition, attachment to their pediatric careers and negative experiences in the adult clinics. Health care system barriers included poorly organized adult clinics with few working days compared to the paediatric clinic that operates daily. This was compounded by lack of policies and guidelines on transition, inadequate human resource and limited access to the essential drugs in the adult clinics. Conclusions and recommendations There is still a large proportion of adults and young adults (AYAs) still attending the pediatric sickle cell clinic and barriers to transition were not only sociodemographic but also psychosocial and health system related. There is need for better planning and preparation with better patient centered interventions in order to improve transition.

Extensive use of chemicals in food production, although useful, has profound implications. Acaricides, extensively used to control ticks and mites in livestock farming, can leave harmful residues that pose risks to unintended organisms such as plants, insects, people, and other animals. Thus, limiting non-target exposure to acaricides is critical. This study is aimed at assessing acaricide knowledge, use, and disposal methods among farmers and agrochemical dealers in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya, which is well-known for livestock farming. A purposive survey of stakeholders, including 100 farmers and 45 agrochemical shop attendants, revealed concerning practices. The findings revealed insufficient personal protection during acaricide application, with a minority of responders using gloves (33%), safety goggles (0%), masks (42%), or overalls (51%) for agrochemical dealers and gloves (8%), overalls (48%), safety goggles (2%), and masks (28%) for farmers. Furthermore, used acaricide containers and residues were not properly disposed of after spraying, potentially contaminating water sources, soil, and plants. Insects, particularly bees and house flies, were spotted consuming leftovers from unprotected disposal sites, entering food webs. Furthermore, animal drying sections in spraying regions included grass, allowing animals to ingest residues. Recommendations include improved acaricide monitoring and management by extension field staff and educating farmers and pesticide dealers about health concerns, proper disposal techniques, and the importance of wearing personal protective equipment. A regulation requiring agrochemical dealers to sell acaricides together with protective gear is recommended to limit dangers effectively.

Anthropogenic pressures are increasingly constraining the health of riparian ecosystems by exposing their remnant vegetation to edge effects. Despite being at the land–water interface, conservation efforts have often overlooked how water pollution may indirectly exacerbate the broader impacts of anthropogenic pressures on riparian vegetation along riparian ecotones. This study therefore examined the impacts of anthropogenic pollution on plant species diversity and composition in riparian ecosystems. Transect and Quadrat methods were used to collect vegetation data. We also measured the physicochemical properties of the water samples. We used partial redundancy analysis (RDA), generalized linear models (GLMs), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey's HSD test for data analysis using R software version 4.3.2. The study identified 126 plant species from 45 families, with the Shannon–Wiener diversity index ranging from 2.06 to 3.10. Anthropogenic disturbances were generally at the alpha eu‐hemerobic level, characterized by strong human impacts. Redundancy analysis showed that the nature of human activities, hemeroby, and turbidity were the dominant explanatory factors affecting plant species composition. GLM regression revealed that anthropogenic disturbances (hemeroby) had a significant negative impact on riparian plant species diversity mediated by water pollution. The findings indicate that anthropogenic disturbances coupled with their detrimental effects on water quality lead to a decrease in plant species richness and the dominance of a select few plant species. This will ultimately lead to a decline in the overall plant species diversity. Our findings show that anthropogenic disturbances negatively impact plant species diversity and composition through altering the water quality and habitat degradation. The findings therefore highlight the critical need for stakeholders to prioritize sustainable practices that mitigate water pollution and reduce direct human disturbances. This will safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem functionality in riparian zones, thus ensuring the long‐term stability of environmental services that benefit both nature and human communities.

Africa is in dire need of sustainable endogenous development perspectives geared at addressing the plethora of development challenges on the continent. This is because the current development ideologies reinforced in Africa, such as neo-liberalism, are racist, imperialistic and imbued with paternalism and white saviourism. Intrinsic development paradigms for African Development, however, ought to be cognisant of the existential peculiarities in contemporary Africa, such as ‘White Africanisation’ and embracing postmodern ethos. This chapter uses critical theory, de-colonial and post-colonial criticism to argue that despite the volatile and recalcitrant critiques of the Ubuntu African paradigm, the framework has remained indispensable in African Development debates. The chapter contends that the Ubuntu model for human well-being ought to be deconstructed and re-situated to align with the pertinent development sustainabilities such as ethical sustainability, gender sustainability, ecological sustainability and human rights sustainability.

Self-destruction in pursuit of economic development through reckless exploitation of nature and failure to address environmental contaminants is overly evident within Uganda. Even though the Ugandan context would traditionally subscribe to the Ubuntu ethic of existential bond, interrelatedness, interdependence, and interconnectedness between people and the environment, this remains challenged amid the country's increasing pursuit of economic development. While the sand mining and rice farming investments are key to the national economic development of Uganda, their tendency to employ unsustainable environmental practices compromises the health and sustenance of people in Uganda and leads to environmental deterioration. In this chapter, we explore sand mining and rice farming practices in the Lwera wetland that have altered the physical appearance and hydrology of the land, resulting in massive flooding, which in turn leads to the destruction of people’s property, public road infrastructure, and displacement of people. We argue that these practices in their present state lead to an ongoing ecological scandal that runs parallel to the ethics of interdependence of individuals and the environment. Unavoidably, they have increasingly impaired the interconnectedness between humanity and nature and have also brought about pseudo-development, which is incompatible with human dignity. The ecological scandal faced by the country is a prompt to get back to the core principle of Ubuntu, noting that the wellbeing of Ugandan society is indispensable from its dependence on and interdependence with the natural environment. The key question that we seek to answer is: How can the African ethic of Ubuntu be used to influence the values and behavioral change of the sand mining and rice farming investors in Uganda to positively contribute to the country's economic development without ruining the environment?

In this chapter, we elucidate the state of E-learning and the way forward in higher education in Africa. We look at E-learning as an emerging discipline, the progress achieved in education through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and specifically the Internet, the multiple definitions that have emerged during the past few decades, and the advance in the uptake in African institutions of higher education to suggest a way forward. Since this chapter is an exploration of the state of the field, it is a critical review. The chapter familiarizes stakeholders in education with current knowledge and trends in E-learning in higher education in Africa. This offers an understanding of the progress, the steps taken to implement E-learning, and the way forward. The pertinent question that emerges is the following: Why evaluate E-learning in African higher education? The answer to this question is a simple one. Basically, since the education landscape worldwide has changed following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which made E-learning a requirement, and is no longer a peculiar way providing education by specific institutions and departments, mainly those offering distance education, stakeholders in higher education in Africa have to take steps to fully integrate E-learning in teaching and learning. This chapter provides insights for the implementation of E-learning in higher institutions of education in Africa. But, in order to do this effectively, we deem it very important to show how E-learning has conceptualized the continent.

In this chapter, we examine how climate change also results in climate refugees, who are people or communities that have been compelled to abandon their homes because of the negative effects of climate change. Increasing sea levels, droughts, severe weather, or other environmental problems that render their territories inhabitable compel people to flee their homes. The necessity for international collaboration and legal structures to protect and help person affected by climate-induced displacement is highlighted by climate refugees. Therefore, the effects of climate change on food security, agriculture, health, and sociocultural dynamics are extensive. For the purpose of reducing the negative effects of climate change and guaranteeing a sustainable and fair future for all, it is crucial to recognize and solve these interconnected concerns. For the sake of conciseness, the following three major conceptualizations are just briefly discussed in this chapter: (1) global climate change and food security, (2) African climate change and health, and (3) sociocultural impacts of climate change and climate refugees. Before doing all this, however, we state a caveat based on the aforementioned negative aspects of climate change.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for all categories and communities of people the world over. Its impact on religious practice, religious congregants, and all mankind has been profound. Precursory studies have underscored the significant contribution of religious leaders in mitigating the pandemic. However, few studies exist on the impact of the pandemic upon clerics in their own right as individuals and frontline agents in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, religious leaders are not distinct from other categories of persons and are, therefore, not exonerated from the effects of the pandemic. It examines their contact with the disease, and how they were affected in carrying out COVID-19 mitigating measures. Using qualitative methods of enquiry, forty religious leaders from Christian denominations and the Islamic faith formed the study population. It was established that religious leaders experienced physical, psychological, and socio-economic hardships emanating from their personal experience of the disease on one hand and as societies’ frontline mitigating agents against the pandemic on the other. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among clerics in Uganda varied according to religious affiliation, gender, and rural-urban divide. In attempts to provide auxiliary support to mitigate the pandemic and attend to their own struggles, clerics suffered a double tragedy of trauma. The pandemic experience also changed clerics’ opinions as they attempted to manage and adapt to the situation.

This study evaluates microcredit outcomes in Uganda, where non‐farm enterprises are critical for complementing farming incomes and diversifying livelihoods. It investigates the effects of microcredit on the performance of non‐farm microenterprises (MEs) run by female small‐holder farmers, using quasi‐experimental cross‐sectional and panel designs. The average loan amount was $278, while the monetary worth of MEs for old borrowers (OBs) and new borrowers (NBs) were$280 and $184, respectively. Propensity score matching (PSM) revealed a 24% and 47% increase in funds used to restock and in ME monetary value, respectively, but no differences in ME profits. Difference‐in‐difference analysis (DiD) over 1 year showed improvements in ME monetary value and employee numbers but no effect on profits, trade expenses, or restocking. Across both methods, no improvement in ME profit levels was observed. However, the increase in monetary worth suggests potential profit growth over time. The borrowing context, repayment terms, and the type and size of MEs appeared to limit profitability. This study highlights the importance of understanding microcredit impacts in contexts where non‐farm enterprises are pivotal to rural livelihoods.

CO2 emissions continue to raise development and scholarly concerns yet the factors influencing these emissions remain inadequately and variedly addressed. Using a panel of East African Community (EAC) countries, we revisit and test the drivers of CO2 emissions, and the causal relationship between governance, renewable energy consumption, economic growth, urbanization, and CO2 emissions. Framed on the STIRPAT model, results show that the inverted U-shaped environmental Kuznets hypothesis is valid for all the EAC countries. Findings from long-run CO2 emissions elasticity of urbanization is robust and indicates that urbanization has a significant positive impact on the environmental degradation of approximately 85% of the countries studied. Conversely, the consumption of renewable energy and the presence of good governance both contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions, thereby enhancing environmental quality. Besides, economic growth and governance Granger cause CO2 emissions. Our assessment infers that investing in renewable energies and promoting good governance are crucial for reducing emissions. Additionally, the study provides important policy recommendations that can help East African Community countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

This study presents a mathematical model incorporating both asymptomatic and symptomatic HIV-infected individuals to analyze the dynamics of HIV/AIDS. This expanded model offers a more comprehensive understanding of the epidemic’s spread. We calculate the basic reproduction number (R0) to quantify the virus’s transmission potential. To achieve accurate and robust simulations, we introduce the Nonstandard Finite Difference Scheme (NSFD). Compared to traditional methods like RK-4, NSFD offers improved dynamical consistency and numerical precision, leading to enhanced stability and efficiency in simulating infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS. Local and global stability analysis are performed using the Routh-Hurwitz method. The NSFD method effectively captures the dynamics of HIV propagation under various scenarios, providing valuable insights into HIV/AIDS progression. We demonstrate the superiority of the NSFD approach compared to existing methods, paving the way for further research in modeling viral infections.

Background In Uganda, social economic challenges continue to hinder attainment of HIV prevention and treatment targets for children. Aidsfonds and partners in Uganda implemented an eight-year ‘Towards an AIDS Free Generation in Uganda’ (TAFU) programme in central, western and eastern, Uganda with Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) as a key component. In this paper we document experiences of caregivers, children and health workers and lessons learnt from VSLAs as part of the TAFU programme in Uganda. Methodology A qualitative case study was conducted between July and August 2022 in Ntungamo, Kyenjojo Mityana, Mubende and Soroti, districts. Data were collected through 31 focus group discussions (FGDs) with VSLA members, children and adolescents living with HIV, networks of people living with HIV and Village Health Team members (VHTs). In addition, we conducted 11 interviews with children and their caregivers at TAFU supported health facilities as well as 43 interviews with health workers and district officials involved in HIV programming. Content thematic approach was used for data analysis. Results The VSLAs under the TAFU programme were a source of economic resources in form of loans for income generation activities and to pay for health care costs which facilitated access to HIV care for children. Members developed lasting friendships and networks of support which helped them to meet the material and psychological needs of children. The VSLA groups provided safe spaces for caregivers to share challenges and to learn more about HIV prevention and treatment from expert clients which improved the care for children living with HIV. Group training, integration of expert clients in VSLA groups, provision of VSLA kits, provision of financial top-up and linking groups to other service providers were critical success factors. However, poverty, poor leadership characterised by domination by select individuals in decision making, favoritism in giving out loans and lack of transparency in handling group activities as well as the COVID-19 were key challenges. Conclusion The VSLAs under TAFU were an effective strategy that enabled caregivers to respond to social, economic and psychological barriers that hinder retention of children in HIV care. Such support should be prioritised by policy makers and programme implementers in Uganda and other low income countries.

Catastrophic earthquakes in Uganda have the potential for detrimental consequences on the socio-economic welfare and resilience of communities. Despite considerable efforts in predicting earthquake risk across Africa, a national comprehensive seismic risk study for Uganda does not exist. With increasing population, urbanisation and rapid construction, seismic risk is escalating fast and is compounded by the high vulnerability of buildings and scanty disaster prevention and mitigation strategies. This study uses the probabilistic event-based risk calculator of the OpenQuake-engine to assess potential risks resulting from future earthquakes. Although the building exposure model is largely inferred and projected from the national population and housing census of 2014, total replacement costs are obtained by performing series of interviews with local engineering practitioners. Analytical vulnerability curves are selected from Global Earthquake Model (GEM) database. Seismic hazard studies confirm that western Uganda is exposed to the highest level of seismicity where peak ground accelerations on rock ground can reach up to 0.27 g over a 475-year return period. Relative to Uganda’s gross domestic product, the associated seismic risk estimates indicate mean economic loss ratios of 0.36%, 2.72% and 4.94% over 10, 50 and 100-year return periods respectively; with mean annual economic loss of US$ 74.7 million (0.34% relative to the total replacement value) and annual deaths averaging 71 persons across the whole country. It is envisaged that the findings will inform strategic land use planning patterns, earthquake insurance pricing and foster the continuous improvement of Uganda’s National Policy for Disaster Preparedness and Management.

Background A key concern for global public health is nosocomial infections. Essential to the fight against nosocomial infection, is healthcare professionals’ knowledge and attitudes. Therefore, this study investigated healthcare professionals’ knowledge and attitudes toward nosocomial infection at the Kiruddu Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was carried out at Kiruddu Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. We selected the participants using simple random sampling. Data were collected from a total of 78 healthcare personnel using pretested, structured, self-administered questionnaires. We used SPSS version 20.0 for data analysis and applied descriptive statistics to present the frequencies and percentages. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to evaluate the association between independent factors and knowledge and attitude (KA) ratings on hospital-acquired infection (HAI) prevention. P-values less than 0.05 were regarded as statistically significant. Results Among the different categories of health workers, doctors exhibited the highest level of knowledge. There was a significant association between knowledge scores and occupation (χ²LR = 25.610; P = 0.000). The mean knowledge scores across different infection prevention aspects were as follows: hand hygiene (82.2 ± 18.9), PPE use (71.8 ± 23.1), sharp disposal and sharp injuries (59.2 ± 25.7), and waste management (57.4 ± 29.9). Notably, 20.5% of participants did not change PPE between patients, and 44.9% indicated that their workload negatively impacted their ability to follow infection prevention standards. Conclusion The study highlighted gaps in healthcare personnel’s knowledge and attitudes toward infection prevention. It is therefore important to provide regular targeted training programs emphasizing underrepresented areas, PPE availability, strengthen policy enforcement, and integrate infection prevention education into medical and nursing curricula.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a highly strong mycotoxin that contaminates cereals and other stored grains. It causes immune-suppressive effects, raising the risk of mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, hepatotoxicity, and embryonic toxicity, as well as increasing illness and death. Liver damage is a result of prolonged exposure to AFB1, which raises the prevalence of liver cancer and cirrhosis. Different biosensors have been fabricated using various nanoparticles to detect aflatoxins in food. This review provides the recent developments on the occurrence of AFB1 in cereals, different biosensors based on nanomaterials applied for AFB1 detection in cereals, and offers future directions for the production of affordable analytical equipment for detection of AFB1, based on nanomaterials to address some open questions regarding their limit of detection, stability, and affordability. Electrochemical biosensors are more reliable, selective, and affordable analytical tools with better detection limits and shorter response times than other biosensors. However, more studies are needed to address the automatic simultaneous detection of various aflatoxins in real samples and a biosensing system that integrates with microarray technology.

The efficiency of recovery and signal decoding efficacy at the receiver in end-to-end communications using linearly predicted coefficients are susceptible to errors, especially for highly compressed signals. In this paper, we propose a method to efficiently recover linearly predicted coefficients for high signal compression for end-to-end communications. Herein, the steepest descent algorithm is applied at the receiver to decode the affected linear predicted coefficients. This algorithm is used to estimate the unknown frequency, time, and phase. Subsequently, the algorithm facilitates down-conversion, time and carrier recovery, equalization, and correlation processes. To evaluate the feasibility of the proposed method, parameters such as multipath interference, additive white Gaussian noise, timing, and phase noise are modeled as channel errors in signal compression using the software-defined receiver. Our results show substantial recovery efficiency with noise variance between 0 and y × 10E − 3, where y lies between 0 and 10 using the modeled performance metrics of bit error rate, symbol error rate, and mean square error. This is promising for modeling software-defined networks using highly compressed signals in end-to-end communications.

Objectives: Depression among the elderly is a significant public health concern in Uganda, where cultural, social, and healthcare-related barriers hinder access to treatment and support. This study examines the barriers to mental health service access faced by elderly service-users in Uganda. Method: Using an interpretive phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted to capture the lived experiences of elderly Baganda service users receiving treatment at Butabika National Referral and Teaching hospital. Results: The findings reveal an intricate interaction between cultural, social, economic, and healthcare system-related barriers. Key barriers include limited mental health awareness, financial constraints, fragmentation, drug shortage and geographical access. Social and cultural stigma further exacerbate these challenges contributing to delayed or avoided help-seeking behaviours among the elderly. Conclusion: The study highlights the intersectionality of aging and mental health issues, underscoring the urgent need for a comprehensive, integrated approach to mental health care for the elderly. This research calls for targeted interventions to reduce stigma, increase mental health literacy, and improve the accessibility and affordability of care for vulnerable elderly populations in Uganda. Such services can improve mental health outcomes and quality of life for the elderly in Uganda.

Background Members of the Anopheles gambiae complex are major malaria vectors in sub-Saharan Africa. Their larval stages inhabit a variety of aquatic habitats in which, under natural circumstances, they are preyed upon by different taxa of aquatic macroinvertebrate predators. Understanding the potential impact of predators on malaria vector larval population dynamics is important for enabling integrated local mosquito control programmes with a stronger emphasis on biocontrol approaches. This study experimentally evaluated the predation efficacy and foraging strategy of three common aquatic macroinvertebrate predators of An. gambiae, diving beetles (Coleoptera), backswimmers (Hemiptera), and dragonfly nymphs (Odonata) in a semi-field system in South-Eastern Tanzania. Methods An array of alternating small and large basins used as aquatic habitats was created in two compartments of a semi-field system and filled with well water. Field-collected adult diving beetles, backswimmers or dragonfly nymphs were randomly assigned to these habitats and Anopheles arabiensis larvae were added as prey in half of the habitats. The number of mosquito larvae consumed, predator mobility across habitats and mortality were recorded at 24, 48 and 72 h. Results The presence of An. gambiae larvae in habitats significantly increased the survival of backswimmer and dragonfly nymphs, which are not mobile. In contrast, diving beetles survived well under any initial condition by preferentially flying away from habitats without prey to nearby larger habitats with prey. The larval predation rates of predacious diving beetle, backswimmer and dragonfly nymphs were stable over time at a mean of 3.2, 7.0 and 9.6 larvae consumed each day. Conclusion This study demonstrates that aquatic macroinvertebrate predators display adaptive foraging behaviour in response to prey presence and aquatic habitat size. It also confirms the ability of these predators to significantly reduce An. gambiae larval densities in aquatic habitats, thus their potential for consideration as additional biocontrol tools for mosquito population reduction.