ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Management of Diarrhoeal Diseases in Children Under Five Years by Market Women: The Case of Makola, Accra

Background: Diarrhoea is the passage of three or more stools in a day. Globally, diarrhoea is the second main cause of mortality after pneumonia and the second after malaria in Ghana among children under five years old. A significant number of diarrhoea cases are often related to poor hygiene practices and inadequate sanitation. The high mortality rate caused by diarrhoea in children under the age of five can be easily prevented if the episodes of diarrhoea are well managed. Thiswill result in saving thousands of children who suffer from diarrhoea. Aim of the study: This study investigated mothers’management of diarrhoeal diseases within the local environment of an urban market, precisely, the Makola market. Methods: The design used in this study was descriptive cross-sectional survey. The study involved 251respondents who met the inclusion criteria. Mothers who had children under five years were identified and recruited for the study. Analysis: Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model. Results: A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the gender of children, mothers’ knowledge about Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS)and their awareness about Zinc tablets predict their diarrhoeal management practices. In addition, mothers who wereof the view that children could die from diarrhoea and also those who thought children were susceptible to diarrhoea,were found to have good diarrhoea management practices. Conclusion: Educating mothers on diarrhoea management practices for children under five years old will help reduce diarrhoea-related morbidity and mortality.The findings of the study will aid in educating women better and add to existing knowledge on diarrhoea management.

Source: UG
Management of diseases in a ruminant livestock production system: a participatory appraisal of the performance of veterinary services delivery, and utilization in Ghana

The Bacteriology Department aims to improve the quality of life first for Ghanaians and the world at large by conducting research into bacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana and globally. In addition to working on enteric pathogens and sexually transmitted diseases, the department’s current main focus is on the two most important mycobacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana, namely Buruli ulcer (BU) and tuberculosis (TB).

Source: UG
Management of dog bites by frontline service providers in primary healthcare facilities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, 2014–2015

Background Dog bites are common in developing countries including Ghana, with the victims often being children. Although some breeds of dogs have been identified as being more aggressive than others, all dog bites carry a risk of infection. Immediate and initial assessment of the risk for tetanus and rabies infection with appropriate interventions such as wound management and subsequent selection of prophylactic antibiotics are essential in the management of dog bites. This study examined the management of patients with dog bites by frontline service providers at primary healthcare facilities in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in 66 public health facilities in the Greater Accra Region from July 2014 to April 2015. Up to four frontline service providers were randomly selected to participate from each facility. A structured questionnaire was administered to all consenting participants. Continuous variables were presented as means and standard deviations. The frontline service providers’ knowledge was assessed as a discrete variable and values obtained presented as percentages and proportions. The chi-square test of proportions was used to determine any significant associations between the various categories of the frontline service providers and their knowledge about the management of rabies. Results Regarding the frontline service providers’ knowledge about rabies, 57.8% (134/232) were correct in that the rabies virus is the causative agent of rabies, 39.2% (91/232) attributed it to a dog bite, 2.6% (6/232) did not know the cause, and one person (0.4%) attributed it to the herpes virus. Only 15.5% (36/232) knew the incubation period in dogs and the period required to observe for signs of a rabies infection. With respect to the administration of rabies immunoglobulin, 42.2% (98/232) of the frontline service providers did not know how to administer it. Of the facilities visited, 76% (50/66) did not have the rabies vaccines and 44% (102/232) of frontline service providers did not know where to get the rabies vaccines from. Most of the service providers (87.9%; 204/232) had never reported either a dog bite or a suspected case of rabies. Overall, there was gross underreporting of dog bites and suspected rabies cases at public healthcare facilities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Conclusions In view of the high morbidity and mortality associated with bites from rabid dogs and the poor knowledge and practices of frontline service providers, there is an urgent need for capacity-building such as training in the management of dog bites and subsequent potential rabies infection.

Source: UG
Management of libraries in Ghana: Concepts, practices and constraints

This paper discusses the management of libraries in Ghana with reference to the existing practices in the country, and various problems involved in the administration of these libraries. Management plays a very important role in librarianship, yet librarians in Ghana find it difficult to execute this function owing to various constraints such as inadequate training facilities in the country, lack of funding for libraries, and the low image of librarians in the country. The writer suggests among other things, the organisation of regular seminars and conferences at local, national and regional levels for librarians to improve upon their management techniques and efforts by librarians themselves to change public misconception of their profession.

Source: UG
The Management of Post-Gaddafi Trans-Saharan Migrant Crisis by the European Union

The Libyan Migrant Crisis has brought to the limelight the dilemma of Trans-Saharan migrants seeking better lives in Europe by making the treacherous journey through the Sahara and across the Mediterranean. This situation has also brought to the fore Europe’s determination to address irregular migration by outsourcing migration management to Libya and other third countries. The EU abdicates its responsibilities to address the crisis through this form of externalization, especially with Libya, a state virtually incapable of carrying out such a task. The study outlines the post-Gaddafi era policies to include return agreements, rescue missions at sea, partnership framework with third countries among others. The analysis argues that the policies the European Union has employed in the Mediterranean are inhuman, cruel and appalling, as they have resulted in the creation of detention centers, a thriving human trafficking industry, and the violation of migrants’ rights in general. Its findings include the fact that the large flows of African migrants to Europe present a quandary for the EU and its adoption of hardline approach to immigration was due to the Arab Spring and the lawlessness that followed Gaddafi’s demise. Additionally, the study finds that in recent times, the decreasing number of arrivals at European ports is because more migrants are dying at sea. The study recommends that the EU must accept migration as a phenomenon resulting from an increasingly globalized world and must seek to accrue benefits through a holistic approach – involving member states, transit and origin states. It further tasks African states to be more proactive in managing irregular migration.

Source: UG
Management Of Prostate Cancer In Accra, Ghana La Gestion De Cancer De La Prostate A Accra, Au Ghana.

Introduction: Africans living with prostate cancer in Africa face problems of early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Aim: To study the clinical incidence of prostate cancer, risk factors, TNM stage, their management and outcomes. Methods: A prospective study of Prostate Cancer cases managed at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and hospitals in Accra, diagnosed by history, abnormal PSA/DRE, physical examination and histologically confirmed by biopsy from 2004 to 2013 was carried out. The cases were TNM staged and managed by approved protocol. Results: There were 669 cases with a mean age 70±0.045SE years, median Gleason Score of 7, organ confined Prostate Cancer(PC) in 415(62%), locally advanced in 167(25%) and metastatic Prostate Cancer in 87(13%) cases. The cases were followed for median of 10 months to ≥ 84 months. Organ confined cases were managed by: Radical Prostatectomy (RP) 92 (13.8%) with a mortality of 0.3%; brachytherapy 70 (10.5%) with a mortality of 0.1% and External Beam Radiotherapy (EBRT) 155 (23%) with a mortality 0.7%. In all, 98 men constituting (14.1%) cases with a mean age of 75+0.25SE years, life expectancy <10 years were treated by hormonal therapy with a mortality of 1.7%. Twenty cases who were for active surveillance (GS6), PSA <10ng/ml, life expectancy <10 years later all opted for EBRT. Locally advanced cases 25% all had neoadjuvant hormonal therapy then Brachytherapy in 3 (0.4%) mortality 0.15% and EBRT in 64 (9.5%), mortality 0.59%. Hormonal therapy was given in 100 (15%) locally advanced cases, mortality 5%. Metastatic prostate cancer cases (13%) were managed by hormonal therapy, mortality 6%. Conclusion: Improved facilities and dedicated skilled teams led to a significant rise in proportion of organ confined Prostate Cancer from 15.3% to 62% curable by Radical Prostatectomy, brachytherapy or EBRT with longer disease free survival.

Source: UG
The Management of Public Sector Records Disposition Programme in Ghana

An efficient and structured records disposition programme has several benefits to records management. Records disposition refer to the actions that are associated with implementing decisions about retention or destruction of records. It also includes migration and transfer of records to new storage locations, custodians or owners. In Ghana, PRAAD is the lead agency for records and archives management and by law has government-wide remit for the records disposition programme, a responsibility that includes controlled disposition of public records with the collaboration of public agencies and the consistent development and application of disposition procedures, standards and best practice. Questionnaire, interview and observation were used for data collection. Two sets of respondents were selected. The first set was made up of Chief Directors (bureaucratic heads of ministries) and their records office heads in the 24 ministries in Ghana. The second set comprised the top management of PRAAD, sampled purposively. The study revealed out that since 2000 the disposition programme has lacked focus as a result of a weak programme infrastructure. The holdings of the National Records Centre are in excess of storage capacity and the archives repositories are all full. Storage facilities in the public agencies (MDAs) are poor and it was evident PRAAD had no acquisition policy to inform its documentation goals. The effective creation, use and preservation of records are integral components of good governance. PRAAD must as a result ensure that related records infrastructure is complete and consistently implemented. Programme structure and ownership must similarly be strengthened.

Source: UG
Management of public sector records in ghana: A descriptive survey

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to survey and evaluate the management of public sectorrecords in Ghana with a view to making constructive recommendations to ensure efficiency in publicadministration.Design/methodology/approach – Published and unpublished works, in addition to institutionalreports, acts and conference materials, were used for the survey and evaluation.Findings – Public sector records management has been a very topical issue in Africa and Ghana. It hasremained a very fundamental subject in Ghana since the institution of public sector reforms in the 1990s.Before the institution of the reform programme, critical records were inaccessible due to unstructuredrecords systems in the ministries, departments and agencies and other government establishments. Itwas found out that the reform programme had brought on board immense capital injection into therecords management sector which enabled an overhaul of the system. All registries in the public sectorwere restructured, a new legislative framework was put in place, a functional records centre wasestablished, an omnibus retention schedule was developed and a number of records staff were trainedand re-trained. It was however found out that Act 535, having been in operation for 17 years, the neededregulation to make it more operational has not yet been put in place. It is the hope that with adequatefunding and structural support, the new system will be sustained to the benefit of efficiency andproductivity of the Ghana public sector.Research limitations/implications – Being a descriptive survey, the research engaged in verylittle evaluation of the impact of the new system put in place on the levels of efficiency and productivityin the public sector. This should be the focus of further research to be carried out.Practical implications – This paper has established the importance of how structures must besustained and systems continuously re-tooled to accommodate changing trends in records managementfor good governance.Originality/value – The paper is a descriptive survey of literature, manuals reports and some degreeof personal observations. It is more of a situation paper and its value resides in the precedence and theevidential value of system intervention and re-tooling. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Source: UG
Management of records in state-owned hospitals in Ghana

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which state-owned hospitals (SOH) in Ghana manage their records as against the framework of good records management standards and practices. The purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select 14 SOH out of 37. Data used for analysis were drawn from personnel observations, examinations and face-to-face interviews with 26 respondents selected purposively from the 14 hospitals, giving a response rate of 93%. The key finding of the study was that the SOH had a fair degree of operational direction for the management of records but the available standards and practices for records management were not suitable. The study has demonstrated the need for state-owned hospitals in Ghana to have and develop good standards for the management of their records to help them attain their set goals and objectives in a more efficient and effective manner.

Source: UG
Management of severe Raynaud’s Phenomenon secondary to autoimmune vasculopathy in a young woman

Raynaud’s phenomenon as a cause of acute limb ischaemia in the warmer climates of Sub-Saharan Africa region is uncommon because it is usually thought of as a disease common in cold weather. The prevalence of connective tissue diseases among Black Africans is increasing, and these conditions are associated with secondary Raynaud’s phenom enon and ischaemic digital lesions. We present the case of a 36-year old female with dermatomyositis/systemic scle rosis overlap and secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon who presented with acute limb ischemia (wet gangrene of all digits) in a Tertiary Hospital in Ghana. Young patients presenting with acute limb ischaemia should also be screened for an underlying connective tissue disease. In patients with connective tissue disease, the onset of digital vasculopathy can be rapid and progressive, hence treatment must be prompt and comprehensive to enable better clinical outcomes.

Source: UG
Management of TB/HIV co-infection: the state of the evidence

Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are strongly linked. There is a 19 times increased risk of developing active TB in people living with HIV than in HIV-negative people with Sub-Saharan Africa being the hardest hit region. According to the WHO, 1.3 million people died from TB, and an additional 300,000 TB-related deaths among people living with HIV. Although some progress has been made in reducing TB-related deaths among people living with HIV due to the evolution of diagnostics, treatment and antiretroviral HIV treatment, multi drug resistant TB is becoming a source of worry. Though significant progress has been made at the national level, understanding the state of the evidence and the challenges will better inform the national response of the opportunities for improved patient outcomes.

Source: UG
Management strategies for maximizing carbon storage and tree species diversity in cocoa-growing landscapes

How do we manage the trade-offs between agricultural yields, biodiversity and ecosystem services? One option is to adopt high yield, intensive farming that allows land to be spared elsewhere for conservation (land sparing); another is to adopt low yield, extensive farming over a greater area that retains more biodiversity and protects ecosystem services (wildlife-friendly farming). We examine which is likely to be the best option to achieve high carbon storage and tree species richness in tropical cocoa-growing landscapes. Increased management intensity explained higher yield and in turn this explained a reduction in carbon storage and species richness. Substantial differences in species richness between forest and cocoa farms suggested that land sparing would conserve more tree species than wildlife-friendly farming. The optimal strategy for carbon storage depends on the cocoa yield in the wildlife-friendly farming system. At low cocoa yields, wildlife-friendly farming is the best option; whereas at higher yields land sparing is best. Our results suggest that the best land management strategy for biodiversity and ecosystem services might differ depending on details of the farming systems involved. Management of the trade-offs between agriculture, biodiversity and ecosystem services in tropical forest landscapes needs to consider current and expected future yields. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Source: UG
Management, Challenges and Expectations For Expanding Access to Online Adult Education Programme

This study explored from an administrative perspective factors that posed challenges to adult learners and their expectations for expanding access to adult online education programme. Two Foci group discussions were to uncover feelings, attitudes, motivation, insights and perceptions about expectations and challenges potential adult learners faced in online learning. Two different groups were used for the discussion. Each group consisted of eight individuals and each discussion lasted for 90 minutes. A need for training in basic knowledge in computing for prospective adult learners was identified. Further, it was noted that, the adult learner must be taught to do online learning; to navigate through the online interface and on how to access earning materials online, complete assignments and participate in discussion forums using means that are motivating and involve simple instructions. It was suggested, administrators and academic leaders use this knowledge to address learners’ expectations and help shape success in online education.

Source: UG
Manager attributes, psychological factors and sustainability reporting in small and mediumsized enterprises in Ghana

factors on the adoption of sustainability reporting (SR) among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on a cross-sectional data gathered using questionnaires administered to managers of SMEs in Ghana. The data is analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings – The results reveal that SME managers with requisite educational qualifications and knowledge about sustainability accounting adopt SR. The attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control of managers of SMEs on issues of sustainability also affect the adoption of SR. However, SMEs with old and long-serving managers do not adopt SR. SMEs with manager attributes such as professional education, gender and religious affiliation do not appear to adopt SR. Practical implications – There is the need for regulators and other stakeholders to sensitize, persuade and provide awareness, training and educational certification to support managers of SMEs to enable them to adopt SR. Originality/value – This study contributes to the literature on SR by offering a clear understanding of how manager attributes and psychological factors influence the adoption of SR by SMEs in developing countries.

Source: UG
Managerial and Usage Challenges Associated with the E-Zwich Payment System in Ghana

The study investigated managerial and usage challenges associated with the e-zwich smartcard. It focused on four different population categories namely Bank of Ghana, Ghana Interbank Payment Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), Participating Commercial Banks and Users of the e-zwich system. The total sample size selected from these population categories was 102 users, five managers from five commercial banks, and two personnel from the Bank of Ghana/GhIPSS. Inadequate point of sale (POS) terminals was the most prevalent challenge confronting users of the e-zwich card. This was the view expressed by 27% of the respondents who used e-zwich cards. 13% of respondents held the view that complex processes for conducting payments was a challenge associated with use of the e-zwich cards. Other major challenges mentioned were: Lack of knowledge and skills in basic computing; lack of trust in non-cash payments and inadequate marketing (advertisement) campaigns. It was concluded that, significant progress has been made in the use of the e-zwich card, however, many challenges still remain. Project owners and stakeholders should invest in an extensive education campaign, provide training and support on usability issues, implement efficient regulatory mechanisms/policies to drive operation of the e-zwich payment system.

Source: UG