Browsing by Author "Muhanga,Mikidadi"

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Choice of desired family size among young women in Zambia: what matters?
(Springer, 2023) Phiri,Million; Shasha,Liness; Musonda,Emmanuel; Muhanga,Mikidadi
In many developing countries, population expansion and high fertility rates have been of concern to individuals, society, and governments. Zambia is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which has been experiencing high fertility for more than four decades since it attained independence. Understanding of factors associ- ated with desired family size, especially amongst young women, is important be- cause their future reproductive behaviour has the potential to influence the country’s course of fertility. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the determinants of family size choice among young women in Zambia. The study analysed data extracted from repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2007, 2013 and 2018. The analysis was done on a pooled weighted sample of 15,528 young women aged 15–24 years. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine factors associat- ed with the desired family size of young women. All analyses were conducted using Stata software version 17 and considered complex survey design. The prevalence of young women who had the desire of at least 4 children has been considerably high in Zambia, at 63.2%. Young women in the age group 20–24 were found to have higher odds (AOR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.66) of desiring at least 4 children compared to those aged 15–19. Women living in the rural areas were (AOR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.79) more likely to desire at least 4 children compared to their counterparts living in urban areas. Age of a young woman, place of residence, level of education, household wealth status, number of living children, and exposure to mass-media family planning messages were significantly associated with desire of at least 4 children. The desire for a large family size remains a social concern for reducing fertility in Zambia. This is because the proportion of young women who desire a large family size has been consistently high. Increasing access to education and sexual reproductive health information to young women especially to those in rural areas is key to changing their reproductive behaviour.
Community responses to corona virus disease (covid-19) in Africa in the face of “infodemic”: a scoping review
(Elsevier, 2024) Muhanga,Mikidadi; Jesse,Angela; Ngowi,Edwin
Globally, Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has significantly affected communities in various aspects. The World Health Organization proposed different measures to prevent the pandemic. However, these measures in some instances have not effectively minimized the impacts of COVID- 19, due to innumerable factors, inter alia, considerable “infodemic” related to myths, misinfor mation, and misconceptions. Knowledge of the “infodemic” on COVID -19 can lead to effective interventions to rid societies of COVID-19, hence reduction of COVID-19-related risks and out comes. This article explores the “COVID-19 infodemic” that affected community responses to COVID-19 in Africa. The study employed a scoping review approach involving peer-reviewed articles from numerous search engines and databases. The keywords involved in the search query were: “COVID-19 infodemic, COVID-19 false news, COVID-19 in Africa, ‘knowledge of COVID-19, ‘myths, misinformation, and misconceptions on COVID-19, ‘history of COVID-19’, ‘community responses to COVID-19 in Africa”. Findings show that 5G technology transferred coronavirus, high temperature and alcohol can kill coronavirus, blacks are immune to COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine development has been rushed hence not very effective and safe and also causes infertility. Diverse community responses have been registered which in some ways frustrated efforts in combating the pandemic. Therefore, the “infodemic” consisting of myths, mis conceptions, and misinformation have been resulting from the history of COVID-19 which first affected white people more than blacks. Also, low knowledge of how the virus is transmitted and affect human being; and the notion that COVID-19 affects richer than poor people, hence since white people are richer than black people then they were the first to be affected by the pandemic. Obviously in presence of such myths, misconceptions, and misinformation; community responses in combating COVID-19 have not been very effective in Africa. For these interventions to be effective, collective efforts involving various stakeholders to raise awareness of COVID-19 are needed.
Community responses to corona virus disease (COVID-19) in Africa in the face of “Infodemic”: A scoping review
(Elsevier, 2024) Muhanga,Mikidadi; Jesse,Angela; Ngowi,Edwin
Globally, Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has significantly affected communities in various aspects. The World Health Organization proposed different measures to prevent the pandemic. However, these measures in some instances have not effectively minimized the impacts of COVID- 19, due to innumerable factors, inter alia, considerable “infodemic” related to myths, misinformation, and misconceptions. Knowledge of the “infodemic” on COVID -19 can lead to effective interventions to rid societies of COVID-19, hence reduction of COVID-19-related risks and outcomes. This article explores the “COVID-19 infodemic” that affected community responses to COVID-19 in Africa. The study employed a scoping review approach involving peer-reviewed articles from numerous search engines and databases. The keywords involved in the search query were: “COVID-19 infodemic, COVID-19 false news, COVID-19 in Africa, ‘knowledge of COVID-19, ‘myths, misinformation, and misconceptions on COVID-19, ‘history of COVID-19’, ‘community responses to COVID-19 in Africa”. Findings show that 5G technology transferred coronavirus, high temperature and alcohol can kill coronavirus, blacks are immune to COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine development has been rushed hence not very effective and safe and also causes infertility. Diverse community responses have been registered which in some ways frustrated efforts in combating the pandemic. Therefore, the “infodemic” consisting of myths, misconceptions, and misinformation have been resulting from the history of COVID-19 which first affected white people more than blacks. Also, low knowledge of how the virus is transmitted and affect human being; and the notion that COVID-19 affects richer than poor people, hence since white people are richer than black people then they were the first to be affected by the pandemic. Obviously in presence of such myths, misconceptions, and misinformation; community responses in combating COVID-19 have not been very effective in Africa. For these interventions to be effective, collective efforts involving various stakeholders to raise awareness of COVID-19 are needed.
Leveraging governance strategies adopted by health facility governing committees in Response to covid-19 outbreak at the local level in Tanzania: a qualitative study
(PLOS, 2022) Kesale,Anosisye Mwandulusya; Mwkasangula,Eliza; Muhanga,Mikidadi; Mahonge,Christopher
The governance of epidemics is very critical for curbing and responding to several infectious epidemics. This study was conducted to explore the experience of the Health Facility Gov- erning Committees (HFGCs) on the governance strategies they adopted to levarage the COVID 19 epidemic in their primary health facilities in Tanzania. An exploratory qualitative design was employed to study the governance strategies adopted by HFGCs during the COVID19. In this study, fourteen (14) HFGC chairpersons and ninety one (91) HFGC mem- bers with experience regulating primary health centers during a COVID 19 pandemic were involved. The study included four (4) governance response metrics that were discovered to be commonly used by HFGCs. These included coordinating responders, providing health information, explaining health hazards, and conducting out health interventions. Despite variations in implementation strategies, only two (2) governance response measures, coor- dinating responders and implementing, were found to be consistently applied by the majority of HFGCs. The nature of the governance path chosen by the Tanzanian government has been found to have influenced the slow reaction of primary health care governance actors such as HFGCs. Despite being empowered by Direct Health Facility Financing, COVID 19 presented challenges to several HFGCs. Though observed to be autonomous and expected to make judgments based on their circumstances, higher-level governance actors’ opinions and actions on epidemics influenced the practices of local-level governance actors, includ- ing HFGCs. Indeed, for the HFGCs’ potential to be realized, they must be empowered in ways other than fiscal and political decentralization. Other aspects of empowering gover- nance actors, such as capacity building and education level, should be considered in order for them to completely realize their potential.
School-based efforts (sbes) towards promotion of health literacy (hl) and health-related knowledge (hrk) in selected primary schools in Morogoro,Tanzania
(The sub Saharan Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021) Mshingo,David; Muhanga,Mikidadi
Numerous efforts have been made by the government in Tanzania to improve health literacy (HL). Despite the efforts, there are notable incidents of low and problematic HL among the general population. Socialization agents, schools inclusive, have been observed to have significant influence on health promotion. It is not empirically known to what extent schools as socialization agents have been involved in these initiatives. The schools can initiate school-based efforts (SBEs) to promote HL and health related knowledge to nurture health consciousness hence healthier lives. This study was conducted to identify school-based efforts (SBEs) towards promotion of health literacy (HL) and health-related knowledge (HRK) in selected primary schools. A cross-sectional research design was adopted to collect data from 939 respondents. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, and key informant interview. Data was analysed using IBM - SPSS (v20). Findings from teachers, 50.3% (95% CI: 82 to 108) showed that environments and pupils inspections were among the SBEs to promote HL in schools. Whereas, health education provision 25.9% (95% CI: 38 to 61), presence of learning materials in schools 23.8% (95% CI: 34 to 57). Findings from pupils 59.6% (95% CI: 399 to 497) and 24.9% (95% CI: 165 to 211) revealed that time available for health education, and learning materials on health issues were insufficient in schools, while 15.5% (95% CI: 98 to 136) of the respondents were ignorant about the efforts being made to improve HL. About 23.7% (95% CI: 35 to 54) of the respondents confirmed efforts made by health workers on health issues in schools towards HL promotion. Most teachers 76.6% (95% CI: 118 to 176) complained about health workers failures to update teachers on health issues. Generally, this study concludes that there are several efforts which have been made to promote HL in schools. However, these efforts have not yet fully succeeded to bring much positive effects since HRK is still low in schools. It is recommended that, to fully succeed in promoting HL and HRK, governments and other partners should support the schools’ efforts undertaken to support HL in schools.
The functionality variation among health facility governing committees under direct health facility financing in Tanzania
(PLOS, 2022) Kesale,Anosisye Mwandulusya; Mahonge,Christopher; Muhanga,Mikidadi
Decentralization reforms through Direct Health Facilities Financing (DHFF) have empow- ered Health Facility Governing Committees (HFGCs) to participate in different governance aspects to improve service delivery at the facility level. However, there is little research on how empowered HFGCs perform in the context of the DHFF. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functionality of HFGCs under DHFF in Tanzanian primary health care facili- ties that had variation of performance in 2018. To collect both qualitative and quantitative data, the study used a cross-section design. The study had a sample size of 280 respon- dents, who were chosen using a multistage cluster sampling technique from 32 primary health care facilities that were practicing DHFF. Data was collected via a closed-ended structured questionnaire, in-depth interviews with chairpersons of HFGCs, and Focus Group Discussions. To examine the functionality of HFGCs, researchers used descriptive and theme analysis. In the 2018-star rating assessment, the study discovered that HFGCs functioned well in both high and low-performing health facilities. When HFGCs from high- performing health facilities were compared to HFGCs from low-performing health facilities, it was discovered that HFGCs from the high-performing health facilities had comparatively high functionality. The functionality of HFGCs in Tanzania has thus been impacted by the DHFF context.
The quest for accountability of health facility governing committees implementing direct health facility financing in Tanzania: a supply-side experience
(PLOS, 2022) Kesale,Anosisye Mwandulusya; Mahonge,Christopher; Muhanga,Mikidadi
User committees, such as Health Facility Governing Committees, are popular platforms for representing communities and civil society in holding service providers accountable. Fiscal decentralization via various arrangements such as Direct Health Facility Financing is thought to strengthen Health Facility Governing Committees in improving accountability in carrying out the devolved tasks and mandates. The purpose of this study was to analyze the status of accountability of Health Facility Governing Committees in Tanzania under the Direct Health Facility Financing setting as perceived by the supply side. In 32 different health institutions, a cross-sectional design was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data at one point in time. Data was collected through a closed-ended questionnaire, an in- depth interview, and a Focus Group Discussion. Descriptive statistics, multiple logistic regression, and theme analysis were used to analyze the data. According to the findings, Health Facility Governing Committees’ accountability is 78%. Committees have a high level of accountability in terms of encouraging the community to join community health funds (91.71%), receiving medicines and medical commodities (88.57%), and providing timely health services (84.29%). The health facility governance committee’s responsibility was shown to be substantially connected with the health planning component (p = 0.0048) and the financial management aspect (p = 0.0045). This study found that the fiscal decentraliza- tion setting permits Committees to be accountable for carrying out their obligations, resulting in improved health service delivery in developing nations.