Lived experiences of persons on tuberculosis treatment in Nairobi County, Kenya: a mixed methods study.

Background: Tuberculosis program effectiveness is majorly measured by disease severity and treatment response without integrating patient perspectives. Yet, it's a critical dimension in clinical decision-making that enhances health worker-patient interactions and increases individuals' sustained engagement with treatment, thereby benefiting the people affected and the wider public by mitigating the infection risk. This study assessed the lived experiences of persons affected by tuberculosis who were on treatment in Nairobi County, Kenya.

Essential surgery delivery in the Northern Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Introduction: Surgical services are an essential part of a functional healthcare system, but the Lancet Commission of Global Surgery (LCoGS) indicators of surgical capacity such as perioperative workforce and surgical volume are unknown in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We aimed to determine the surgical capacity and its associated factors within the DRC.

Methods: Hospitals were assessed in the North Kivu province of the DRC.

Determinants of Access to Essential Surgery in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Introduction: In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the determinants and barriers of essential surgical care are not well described, hindering efforts to improve national surgical programs and access.

Methods: A cross-sectional study evaluated access to essential surgery in the Butembo and Katwa health zones in the North Kivu province of DRC. A double-clustered random sample of community members was surveyed using questions derived from the Surgeons OverSeas Surgical Needs Assessment Survey, a validated tool to determine the reasons for not seeking, reaching, or receiving a Bellwether surgery (i.

Evolution of the Chief Medical Officer Role in Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems.

Goal: Clinical physician leaders have become an increasingly important asset to hospitals and hospital systems in a changing healthcare environment. Specifically, the role of the chief medical officer (CMO) has expanded and evolved amid the shift to value-based payment models and sharpened focus on patient safety, quality, community engagement, and equity in healthcare, as well as a global pandemic. In light of these changes, this study examined the transformation of CMOs and similar roles and evaluated the current needs, challenges, and responsibilities of clinical leaders today.

Determinants of parents' intention to vaccinate their children aged 12-17 years against COVID-19 in North Kivu (Democratic Republic of Congo).

Parents are facing tremendous stress in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination program for children. We aimed to investigate parents' willingness to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 in North Kivu province, (Democratic Republic of Congo). A cross-sectional survey between 1 December 2021 to 20 January 2022 in six health zones (Goma, Karisimbi, Butembo, Beni, Kamango, and Katwa) was conducted in the province of North Kivu.

Evaluating the performance of memory type logarithmic estimators using simple random sampling.

In survey research, various types of estimators have been suggested that consider only the current sample information to compute the unknown population parameters. Therefore, we utilize the past sample information along with the current sample information in the form of hybrid exponentially weighted moving averages to suggest the memory type logarithmic estimators for time-based surveys. The expression of the mean square error of the suggested estimators is determined to the first order of approximation.

Improved regression in ratio type estimators based on robust M-estimation.

In this article, a new robust ratio type estimator using the Uk's redescending M-estimator is proposed for the estimation of the finite population mean in the simple random sampling (SRS) when there are outliers in the dataset. The mean square error (MSE) equation of the proposed estimator is obtained using the first order of approximation and it has been compared with the traditional ratio-type estimators in the literature, robust regression estimators, and other existing redescending M-estimators. A real-life data and simulation study are used to justify the efficiency of the proposed estimators.

Use of an efficient unbiased estimator for finite population mean.

In this study, we propose an improved unbiased estimator in estimating the finite population mean using a single auxiliary variable and rank of the auxiliary variable by adopting the Hartley-Ross procedure when some parameters of the auxiliary variable are known. Expressions for the bias and mean square error or variance of the estimators are obtained up to the first order of approximation. Four real data sets are used to observe the performances of the estimators and to support the theoretical findings.

A generalized class of estimators for sensitive variable in the presence of measurement error and non-response.

In this paper, a general class of estimators is proposed for estimating the finite population mean for sensitive variable, in the presence of measurement error and non-response in simple random sampling. Expressions for bias and mean square error up to first order of approximation, are derived. Impact of measurement errors is examined using real data sets, including the survey conducted at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

Testing mHealth solutions at the last mile: insights from a study of technology-assisted community health referrals in rural Kenya.

Background: mHealth technologies are already disrupting conventional healthcare delivery by making innovative solutions more accessible in terms of reach and price across reach and price across the developing world. However, much less has been documented on the process of mHealth innovation introduction in the context of rural communities of Africa. Pending still is the widespread adoption of standards and the removal of barriers to introduction, testing and scale.

Implementation of HIV care in Western Kenya during corona virus disease 2019 response.

: To ensure the continuity of high-quality HIV care in Kisumu County, Kenya during the corona virus disease 2019 pandemic, the Ministry of Health implemented a strategy to promote physical distancing and corona virus disease 2019 case detection. A total of 23 262 (84.2%) of the 27 641 patients eligible for early refill received an extra 3-month supply of antiretrovirals.

Effect of A Community Health Worker led Intervention on Skilled Birth Care in Rural Mwingi West Sub-County, Kenya: A Quasi Experimental Study.

Despite strong evidence that skilled birth care (SBC) significantly reduces maternal deaths, one in four babies worldwide are delivered without SBC. This has kept maternal mortality rates (MMR) high in sub-Saharan Africa and Kenya in particular. Kenya adopted Community Health Strategy (CHS) with the aim of improving community health services.

Community health worker interventions are key to optimal infant immunization coverage, evidence from a pretest-posttest experiment in Mwingi, Kenya.

Introduction: Immunization is a powerful and cost-effective health intervention which averts an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths every year. Kenya has a high infant and under five mortality and morbidity rates. Increasing routine child immunization coverage is one way of reducing child morbidity and mortality rates in Kenya.

Efficiency and factors influencing efficiency of Community Health Strategy in providing Maternal and Child Health services in Mwingi District, Kenya: an expert opinion perspective.

Introduction: Community Health Strategy (CHS) is a new Primary Health Care (PHC) model in Kenya, designed to provide PHC services in Kenya. In 2011, CHS was initiated in Mwingi district as one of the components of APHIA plus kamili program. The objectives of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of the CHS in providing MCH services in Mwingi district and to establish the factors influencing efficiency of the CHS in providing MCH services in the district.

Voluntary medical male circumcision scale-up in Nyanza, Kenya: evaluating technical efficiency and productivity of service delivery.

Background: Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) service delivery is complex and resource-intensive. In Kenya's context there is still paucity of information on resource use vis-à-vis outputs as programs scale up. Knowledge of technical efficiency, productivity and potential sources of constraints is desirable to improve decision-making.

Determinants of cervical screening services uptake among 18-49 year old women seeking services at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kisumu, Kenya.

Background: Kenyan women aged ≥ 15 years are at risk of developing cervical cancer. Currently, cervical cytology reduces cervical cancer incidence, since it allows for early diagnosis and treatment. Uptake of cervical screening services is a priority research area in Kenya.

Systematic monitoring of male circumcision scale-up in Nyanza, Kenya: exploratory factor analysis of service quality instrument and performance ranking.

Background: Considerable conceptual and operational complexities related to service quality measurements and variability in delivery contexts of scaled-up medical male circumcision, pose real challenges to monitoring implementation of quality and safety. Clarifying latent factors of the quality instruments can enhance contextual applicability and the likelihood that observed service outcomes are appropriately assessed.

Objective: To explore factors underlying SYMMACS service quality assessment tool (adopted from the WHO VMMC quality toolkit) and; determine service quality performance using composite quality index derived from the latent factors.

Low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in Nyalenda informal settlement, Kisumu city, western Kenya.

Introduction: Intestinal schistosomiasis is widely distributed around Lake Victoria in Kenya where about 16 million people in 56 districts are at risk of the infection with over 9.1 million infected. Its existence in rural settings has been extensively studied compared to urban settings where there is limited information about the disease coupled with low level of awareness.

Provider knowledge of treatment policy and dosing regimen with artemether-lumefantrine and quinine in malaria-endemic areas of western Kenya.

Background: Due to widespread anti-malarial drug resistance in many countries, Kenya included, artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) has been adopted as the most effective treatment option against malaria. Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) is the first-line ACT for treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Kenya, while quinine is preferred for complicated and severe malaria. Information on the providers' knowledge and practices prior to or during AL and quinine implementation is scanty.

Home-based Health Care(HBHC): are women caregivers at risk? A study of Busia and Teso districts in Western Kenya.

Context: Most caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in rural Kenya are women. In resource-limited situations, this can be a challenging and risky responsibility.

Objective: Assess the risk factors to which home-based caregivers are exposed.

Identification of T. brucei-subgroup strains isolated from game.

Several T. brucei-subgroup strains isolated from game were investigated with the blood incubation infectivity test (BIIT) and in human volunteers. Original isolates and their clones derivatives were tested.