ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of Klebsiella infections at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

Different Klebsiella species may be responsible for various infections which may also differ with the site of the infection. These species may also present with different antimicrobial sensitivity patterns. However, the identification of Klebsiella to species level is not practiced in most of our hospitals, during bacteriological diagnosis, because of time constraints and labour. In view of these, antibiotics are normally administered to treat Klebsiella infections without considering the type of species responsible for that particular infection, or site of isolation of the Klebsiella species. The objective of this project was to determine Klebsiella species responsible for causing infections, their sensitivity patterns to the commonly used antimicrobial agents and the effectiveness of empirical treatment at KATH. Samples were collected from 2197 patients. These samples were cultured to isolate the Klebsiella species. Isolates were differentiated to the species level and their antimicrobial sensitivity patterns determined. The empirical treatment on 51 pediatric patients were monitored and compared with the laboratory sensitivity patterns of the isolates. Two hundred and five (205) Klebsiella species were isolated, these included Klebsiella pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, K. rhinoscleromatis and K. ozaenae. K. pneumoniae and K. oxytoca were the commonest isolates. Prevalence of Klebsiella infections in the commonest clinical specimens were sputum (14.1%), wound (12.6%), urine (10.7%) and blood (5.1%). The highest female cases were found in urine and the male cases were found in sputum. There was no significant difference between the out-patient and in-patient cases and among sexes of Klebsiella infections at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Mother Baby Unit (MBU) registered 21 Klebsiella isolates, Block A which accommodates pregnant women recorded 19 Klebsiella isolates, Block B which accommodates children registered 16 Klebsiella isolates and the pediatric emergency unit (PEU) recordered 15 Klebsiella isolates. Results also indicated that K. pneumoniae was commonest species, but K. oxytoca was found to be more drug resistant than K. pneumoniae. The study also revealed that, aminoglycosides and third generation cephalosporins were the most effective invitro antimicrobials for managing Klebsiella infections at KATH. Results gathered from empirical treatment showed that, aminoglycosides and third generation cephalosporins were the most prescribed antimicrobials for Klebsiella infections. Although empirical treatment is very relevant, it cannot be relied upon completely, but should be combined with laboratory antibiotic sensitivity testing for effective Klebsiella infection treatment.

Source: KNUST
Epidemology of Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni Infections among School Children in the Kassena/Nankana West District of Ghana: Pre- and Post-Treatment with Praziquantel

Schistosomiasis remains public health problem and children are the most at risk of contracting the disease. it thus requires adequate treatment to avert irreversible future pathological conditions. poverty and the lack of amenities make rural children the most vulnerable...

Source: KNUST
An equipment replacement policy for the State Transport Corporation of Ghana

The State Transport Corporation like many Service Organisations, faces the problem of how long a bus should be on the road before it is replaced. The aim of this thesis is therefore to determine a schedule of disposals and replacements of buses, taking into account the high repair bills of older buses and their salvage values, such that the total cost of these activities over the next five, ten, fifteen and twenty years is minimized. Data was collected from the State Transport Corporation’s head office in Accra on the purchase, salvage and inflationary rates on each bus with time. The problem was solved by use of dynamic programming implemented in a Basic Programme. It was found out that as much as possible buses should always be maintained until they are no more roads worthy.

Source: KNUST
Equity Aspects of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: A Comparison of the Quality of Healthcare Provided in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality

Equity is perceived as an important or even the most important goal in healthcare. Indeed it is even seen by some as a human right; but Ghana has struggled for years to provide equitable and adequate healthcare services for all her citizens. The National Health Insurance Scheme was however implemented to provide a more equitable and uniform healthcare service for Ghanaians. This study was undertaken to measure equity in terms of the quality of healthcare provided by NHIS accredited health facilities and was organized into five chapters. In addition to reviewing various works that have researched on the NHIS, quality of health services and equity in health/healthcare, it was concluded that NHIS accredited health facilities in urban areas provided a higher quality of healthcare than their counterparts in rural areas. Also, NHIS accredited private health facilities provided the highest quality of healthcare; followed by faith based (mission) health facilities with public health facilities providing the least quality of care among the three types of facilities. The analytical framework presented by the research in chapter four also revealed that, the location of the health facility that a patient attended did affect the quality of healthcare they received. The study will therefore help policy makers especially management of health facilities to pay particular attention to the quality of healthcare they provide in other to improve upon it.

Source: KNUST
Equity in Access to Water and Sanitation Services for Disabled Persons in the Kumasi Metropolis; the 4As Theory Perspective

People living with disabilities can be found everywhere in the world. Since poverty and disability re-enforce each other, people living with disabilities are less likely to have resources to cater for their basic needs, chief amongst them being their health status to ensure their survival, than people living without disabilities. This results from the extra cost that the disabilities place on them, which may include the need to pay for assistive devices and special healthcare cost. The nature of impairments also tend to restrict certain activities that must be undertaken by disabled persons, including walking and bending, which subsequently restrict their ability to access vital water and sanitation services and facilities. In the quest of healthcare delivery agents to ensure an equitable system of health services in Ghana, in line with the ‘Health for All’ objective of the Ghana Health Service, there is the need to ensure the equitable distribution of all factors that contribute to health, key amongst them being the distribution of water and sanitation services, to all citizens of Ghana, irrespective of their socio-economic status, physical condition, religion, etc. The importance of water and sanitation in the attainment of a good health status can therefore not be overstated. This study therefore sought to find whether there is equity in access to water and sanitation services for persons living with disabilities in the Kumasi Metropolis. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional design, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. The results of the study found that people living with disabilities have less access to water and sanitation services like good drinking water and toilets, than people living without disabilities, which affects their health negatively. The study also found that, in contradiction to other studies, people living without disabilities in the Kumasi Metropolis were largely sympathetic to people with disabilities, and felt that there should be equitable access to water and sanitation services for all the people of Kumasi. The study therefore recommended the involvement of all stakeholders, including persons with disabilities in the programming and designing of water and sanitation services and facilities since there must be equity in access to such key services for all citizens of Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Epidemiology of Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus Aureus among hospitalised children at Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Ghana

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen. Nasal carriage of S. aureus is a major risk factor for subsequent invasive S. aureus infections and transmission in the environment. However, little is known about the prevalence, virulence and diversity of S. aureus among children admitted to hospitals in Ghana. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of nasal carriage of S. aureus among hospitalised Children at the Agogo Presbyterian hospital. Nasal swabs were collected from hospitalised children. S. aureus and MRSA were identified and characterized by phenotypic and genotypic methods. S. aureus was confirmed by nucA PCR and MRSA was by mecA and mecC PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. PCR was used to amplify genes encodng for Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) toxin. Typing of the isolates was done by the staphylococcal protein A (spa) typing. Out of the 545 nasal swabs, 22.0% (n=120) S. aureus were isolated. High level of resistance against penicillin (96.7%) and tetracycline (52.5%) was observed. Gentamycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, clindamycin and erythromycin recorded 99.2%, 97.5%, 94.2% and 86.7% sensitivity respectively. All the isolates were sensitive to linezolid and teicoplanin. Of all the S. aureus isolates, 1.7% (n=2) were MRSA. The MRSA strains were resistant to penicillins, cefoxitin and tetracycline. High prevalence of PVL (57.5%) was noted among the S. aureus. Thirty-five spa types were identified; predominant spa types were t355 (20%), t084 (14.9%) and t939 (10.7%). The spa types for the MRSA were t1096 and t4454. Two novel spa types (t15727 and t15728) were identified and submitted to the spa database. This study has shown that a substantial number of the hospitalized children were nasal carriers of S. aureus with low prevalence of MRSA and high prevalence of PVL. The high prevalence of S. aureus and high rate of resistance to penicillin and tetracycline coupled with high prevalence of PVL is a major threat to public health in Ghana. This study has therefore provided data on the nature of nasal carriage of S. aureus during hospital admission and could guide policy on infectious diseases prevention and the monitoring of the evolution of S. aureus strains in Ghana and globally over time.

Source: KNUST
Equity in Utilization of Maternal Health Care Services in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

Ghana is one of the countries that adopted the 2011 Rio Political Declaration, in which the Member States expressed their determination to achieve social and health equity through action on social determinants of health. The aim of this study was to examine inequity in utilization of maternal health care services in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. This was a descriptive cross sectional study which used questionnaires as a data collection technique and tool. A multistage sampling was used to sample women who had given birth within a year prior to the study. The inequity in utilization of maternal health care services was assessed with respect to socio demographic, facility-related and socio cultural factors. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to elicit the impact of each factor towards inequity in the utilization of maternal health care services. A significant difference was observed among the high socio economic group which in this study were determined by being educated and employed and the low socio economic group, which in this study were determined by being uneducated and unemployed with respect to distance to the health facility (aOR= 1.81, 95% CI = 1.09-3.00) and affordability of the services (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.18-0.67). Parity, marital status and attitude of medical personnels were also seen to significantly influence utilization of maternal health care services. Age, attendance to the health facility, place of delivery, seeking permission and setting were not significantly (P > 0.05) determining inequity in the utilization of maternal health care services. The study showed evidence of the inequity in the utilization of maternal health care services in Kumasi metropolis. A more rigorous system in which concrete actions are taken to address the maternal health inequities and reduce maternal mortality is recommended.

Source: KNUST
Error, or progress signs of failure teaching / learning fle Ghana: the case of learners Senior High Schools of some of the Metropolis of Kumasi

The language transfer is one of the major difficulties that confront teachers and learners in the learning of French as a Foreign Language in Ghana. Although, the understanding of the positive role error play tends to be accepted, some teachers continue to reject them in the didactic field. It is a challenge the authorities must deal with in the area of teaching and learning. In this study, our attention is focused on errors analysis and the impact errors have on the learning of French in some SHS in the Metropolis of Kumasi. The study is based on questionnaires, a test and an observation conducted on the final year learners. Our study reveals the learners’ difficulties when they commit errors, the attitude of the teachers in dealing with these errors and their sources. This thesis ends with useful pedagogical suggestions that can help to remedy these situations.

Source: KNUST
Establishing and Growing Small and Medium Enterprises in Ghana: A Case Study of Natural Furniture Works in the Ledzokuku Krowor Municipality in the Greater Accra Region

This thesis examined and analyzed the Establishing and Growing of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises[SMEs]] in Ghana, Using Natural Furniture Works in the Ledzekuku Krowor Municipality ,in the Greater Accra Region as case study. Descriptive survey was used and the accessible population from the sample frame was used for the study.The list of employees at the firm totally sixty one (61) constituted the sampling frame and all of them were accessible. The lottery method of simple random was used to collect sample of forty (40) for the study. Primary and Secondary data was used. Secondary data was collected from existing data and primary was collected using a questionnaire. The first part of the research was the theoretical part where the topic introduced information that are neglected by many Small and Medium Scale Enterprises [SMEs] owners. There was further explanation of the importance of SMEs and their contribution to the economy of different countries. Also the rigors they go through in realizing their goals .Small and Medium Scale Enterprises [SMEs] have shown their viability in the developed countries, they are recognized by policy makers as an important reservoir for growth. Additionally the study identified what the SMEs lack and recommend measures to ensure the survival and growth of this all important sub sector of the Ghanaian economy.

Source: KNUST
Establishing a Geodetic Reference Network in Montserrado County – Liberia, using GNSS Technology

This project created a reliable first order geodetic reference network within Montserrado County. The newly established reference network consists of six (6) primary points, covering an area of approximately 11.693Km2 with an average separation of about 8Km. The new network monuments are made of reinforced concrete, solidly cemented in the ground with metal caps (brass markers), and coordinated using the static carrier phase differential GPS measurement. Several observation sessions were conducted and processed to compute 3D coordinates for the network. Post processed data was rigorously adjusted using Least Squares and found to have met the distance accuracy specifications for a first order network(1:100,000). Final coordinates are left in the WGS84 frame to be transformed to Liberia’s local grid when parameters are available, and are within a mean accuracy of ±0.05m.This master thesis is a description of how this geodetic reference network was established;giving detailed explanation of the individual activities that culminated into the finished coordinates for the network.

Source: KNUST
Establishing the use of mobile phones in distance learning in Ghana

The study aimed at establishing the use of mobile phones in distance education. The purpose of the study was to develop an application that could be used by students to access distance learning materials on their mobile phones for study so that they would be able to learn anytime and anywhere. Hypertext Preprocessor(PHP) was used in the development of the application for the mobile phones. The application was deployed on a network for students to access with mobile handsets.....

Source: KNUST
Establishing Inherent Patterns In The Score Matrix Of Global Sequence Alignment

Global sequence alignment is one of the most basic pairwise sequence alignment procedures used in molecular biology to understand the similarity that arises among the structure, function or evolutionary relationship between two nucleotide sequences. The general algorithm associated with global sequence alignment is the dynamic programming algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch. This study exploits the inherent patterns that are found to be resident within the Score matrix of the NeedlemanWunsch algorithm. With the help of some examples, the general patterns realized are formulated as new a-priori propositions and corollaries that are established for both equal and unequal length comparisons of any two arbitrary sequences. The suggestion of the patterns and establishment of the propositions aim at contributing to the optimal economy of the global sequence alignment procedure. Finally, it could serve for use as a predictive indicator in the scoring matrix of the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm in implementations.

Source: KNUST
Establishment of optimum processing conditions for cassava/sweetpotato composite gari

In this study, response surface methodology was used to investigate the combined influence of three independent variables in the processing of composite gari from cassava and sweet potato. Processing conditions such as cassava sweet potato ratio (C/S ratio), fermentation time and frying time were selected as independent variables. Transformed values of the independent variables were subjected to multiple regression analysis to establish a full model. Based on the coefficient values of the independent variables obtained from the regression equation, it was clear that both the fermentation time having the maximum value (48-54hrs) and the frying times having the maximum value (30rnins) had significant effect on the physical and the physiochernical attributes of the composite gari product such as the moisture content, ash content, swelling capacity, acidity, colour, and particle size. The derived equation was used to plot the response surface plots at fixed cassava/ sweet potato ratios of 0.9, 0.8, and 0.6. Thus the derived equation and the response surface plots helps in predicting the optimum processing conditions for the cassava sweet potato composite gari using the conventional processing method.

Source: KNUST
Estimating Actual Evapotranspiration using the SEBAL Model for the Atankwidi and Afram Catchments in Ghana

Evapotranspiration (ET) monitoring has important implications on global and regional climate modelling. It is important for the hydrological cycle and assessment of environmental stress that affects ecosystems. Accurate measurement and estimation of ET is a basic input in computing water balance and to estimate water availability and requirements. Most methods for ET computation can only provide point estimates of ET for a specific location and fails to provide ET on a regional scale and makes it inadequate for proper water resource management. In this study, the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model is used to estimate actual evapotranspiration (ETa) for different land use/cover types (closed woodlands, gallery forests, open woodlands, farmlands, water bodies, barelands, rocky areas and built-up areas) for the Atankwidi and Afram catchments in the Volta Basin of Ghana. It was found that the SEBAL model can successfully estimate and distinguish ETa among different land use/cover types in the two catchments. SEBAL estimates of ETa varied from 1.4 to 7.30 mm/day across the different land use/cover types. The range of CVs for ETa was 5−75% across the different land use/cover types for the two catchments. The results confirms SEBAL is an appropriate algorithm for estimating ETa using satellite images in catchments similar to that of the study areas, where few or no ground measurements are available.

Source: KNUST
Establishment of sustainable estates development and maintenance scheme in public Ghanaian Universities: a case study of University of Education, Winneba

The estates portfolio of public Ghanaian universities is connected with the provision of crucial services to the staff and students towards the realization of the mission and vision of the universities. The estates and human resources are the main assets of public Ghanaian universities for the attainment of their ultimate goals. The estates also play a major role in the overall access of the citizenry to university education in Ghana. The provision of adequate physical facilities for academic work and other social services and the maintenance of these estates on sustainable basis are considered fundamental and ranks second only to the human resources for the attainment of the overall mission and vision of public Ghanaian universities. In the early decades of university education in Ghana, the estate facilities seemed adequate and access to university education was more secured. Currently, however, there is a mis-match between estates development and maintenance and the user population that exists in the public Ghanaian universities. There is overcrowding in almost all the existing physical facilities since the user population is over and above the designed capacities of the existing estates. The study adopted an integrative research approach which combined the relevant element of case study, quantitative, qualitative and participatory research techniques. The study investigated into the past situation, current situation, preferred situation and what needs to be done. The primary data were collected through purposive sampling with structured questionnaire, interviews, surveys, observations and content reviews. The study covered only the public Ghanaian universities but not the entire tertiary institutions. It became evident from the research that there is a mis-match between estates development and maintenance and the user population. The study also established that estates development/maintenance is on ad-hoc basis due to many factors like inadequate funding, non-implementation of scheme, inadequate budget provisions and university management embarking on too many projects in particular years. The study concludes with such recommendations as private participation through attractive procurement methods like lease agreement and the Build, Operate and Transfer systems; adoption and practice of medium and long term estates development programmes; adoption of planned preventive maintenance policy; improving internally generated sources of funding among others, to ensure that estates development and maintenance matches with the user population in the universities.

Source: KNUST