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26th Graduation Booklet
(Mount Kenya University, 2024-12-07) Mount Kenya University
I wish to express my appreciation for the privilege to serve as the Guest Speaker during this auspicious occasion of the 26th Graduation Ceremony of Mount Kenya University.
The Mission Statement of Mount Kenya University directs this university to “Provide a world-class education, research and innovation for global transformation and sustainable development”. This Mission Statement gives a lot of relevance to the theme of the 26th Graduation Ceremony which addresses the same need for internalization of the university education for development of cuttingedge manpower to effectively drive development within what has now become the global village.
Detection of multidrug-resistant organisms of concern including Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Burkholderia cepacia at a referral hospital in Kenya
(Research Article, 2024-04-16) Kimani, Racheal; Wakaba, Patrick; Kamita, Moses; Mbogo, David; Mutai, Winnie; Ayodo, Charchil; Suliman, Essuman; Kanoi, Bernard N; Gitaka, Jesse
Regular monitoring of bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics in clinical settings is key for ascertaining the current trends as well as re-establish empirical therapy. This study aimed to
determine bacterial contaminants and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns from medical
equipment, inanimate surfaces and clinical samples obtained from Thika Level V Hospital
(TLVH), Thika, in Central Kenya. Three hundred and five samples were collected between
the period of March 2021 to November 2021 and comprised urine, pus swabs, catheter
swabs, stool, and environmental samples. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility were performed using VITEK 2 and disc diffusion respectively. We observed that
Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (28 /160, 17.5%) were the most commonly isolated species from clinical samples followed by E. coli (22 /160 13.8%) and S. aureus (22/160,
13.8%). The bed rails were the mostly contaminated surface with S. aureus accounting for
14.2% (6/42). Among the clinical samples, pus swabs yielded the highest number of pathogens was pus (92/160). Trauma patients had the highest proportion of isolates (67/160,
41.8%). High level of antimicrobial resistance to key antimicrobials, particularly among
Enterobacterales was observed. Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) phenotype
was noted in 65.9% (29/44) of enteric isolates. While further ESBL genetic confirmatory
studies are needed, this study highlights the urgent need for actions that mitigate the spread
of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Evolution and determinants of antenatal care services utilization among women in Rwanda: a rapid review
(Research Square, 2024-09-16) Bubanje, Valens; Girimpundu, Revocathe; Sebera, Emile
Background: Maternal and child health remains a global priority, with antenatal care (ANC) recognized as
essential for ensuring positive pregnancy outcomes. Despite significant improvements, ANC utilization in
low and middle-income countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, remains low, contributing to high
maternal and neonatal mortality rates. This paper highlighted significant progress in Rwanda's maternal
health services since 2000. It further explored the evolution of ANC utilization in Rwanda, identifying key
determinants and trends over the past two decades.
Methods: Following a traditional maternal and child health services contextualization in Rwanda, a rapid
review was conducted, searching databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus, alongside
grey literature and reference lists. The review focused on studies published between 2010 and 2024,
examining factors associated with ANC utilization in Rwanda. The screening was independently
conducted by two reviewers with the assistance Rayyan application, followed by full-text screening and
data synthesis. The results were presented using the forest plots to display the significant odd ratios of
ANC services utilization across different predictor variables.
Results: The review included 11 studies and 1 report revealing a significant improvement in ANC
utilization in Rwanda. By 2019-2020, 47% of women received ANC in the first trimester, and 59% had four
or more visits, compared to 35% and 38%, respectively, in 2010.
Factors positively associated with adequate ANC included higher education levels, better wealth status,
health insurance coverage, and small household size. Conversely, significant distance to health facilities
and unwanted pregnancies were associated with lower odds of adequate ANC utilization. Delayed ANC
was more likely among women with higher parity, those who lack social support, and those with no or
only primary education.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that Rwanda has made considerable strides in improving ANC
utilization. Addressing barriers such as distance to healthcare facilities, education, and economic
disparities is crucial for further enhancing maternal and child health outcomes. The review underscores
the need for targeted interventions to achieve WHO recommendations of 8 ANC visits and Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) related to maternal and child health in Rwanda.
Audio-Visual aids utilization frequency and its effects on biology academic performance among secondary schools in Nandi east sub-county, Kenya
(Research Journal of Education, Teaching and Curriculum Studies, 2024-06-20) Jeptoo, Nancy; Mogeni, Jackson M
Audio-visual aids use in the teaching and learning process make
it interesting and easy for learners to concretize information
leading to a better understanding of Biology concepts. It raises
curiosity as it appeals to the mind through multiple visual and
auditory senses and provides learners with realistic experiences
which in turn capture their attention throughout the lesson. This
paper aimed to find out the frequency of utilizing audio-visual
aids in teaching Biology in relation to academic performance
among secondary school students of Nandi East Sub-County,
Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design with a
mixed methods approach where guided by Krejcie and Morgan
sampling table of 1970, 28 schools were sampled from 30
secondary in the study location. Respondents were 383,
comprising 317 Form 2 Biology students, 28 Biology teachers, 28
Lab technicians and 10 Heads of the Science Department.
Stratified, purposive, and random sampling techniques were
used in sampling. Data collection instruments were interview,
questionnaires, and observation schedules. Pilot testing of both
student and teacher questionnaires yielded reliable Cronbach
Alpha Coefficients of 0.906 and 0.897, respectively, thus the
instruments were acceptable. Data was analyzed using
Statistical Package for Social Sciences, described in words
(qualitatively) and numerically (quantitatively) then presented
with the help of frequency tables and pie charts. The study
limited itself to utilization of audio-visual teaching aids and
their effects on academic performance. The findings of the study
established that there was minimal use of audio-visual aids in
teaching Biology with the most rarely used being smart
Television. Furthermore, results also show that usage of audiovisual learning aids can make difficult ideas easily understood
thus this leads to improved outcome.
Reducing neonatal infection rate among the neonates born at Remera Rukoma hospital: a report of quality improvement project
(Research Square, 2024-08-19) Uwimpaye, Diane; Nzeyimana, Philemon; Nizeyemaliya, Leonille; Ahishakiye , Albertine; Hagenimana, Celestin; Twagirumukiza, Emile
Background
Neonatal infection is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality globally, significantly higher
mortality rates are observed in Lower and middle-income countries, where Rwanda is located. Remera
Rukoma District Hospital reported an increasing rate of neonatal infection necessitating assessment of
the contributing causes and urgent intervention.
Methods
The project was conducted from January to June 2024. The Fishbone diagram was adopted to conduct
a comprehensive root cause analysis. A multidisciplinary team of a quality improvement officer,
clinicians, and different stakeholders identified contributing factors across multiple domains were
categorized into healthcare practices, equipment, hospital environment, and patient factors.
Interventions were implemented and monitored using monthly Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to track
progress and make necessary adjustments.
Results
There was a downward trend from a high rate of neonatal infection of 22.9% in January to 13% in June
2024. Despite not meeting the ambitious target of 10%, the results indicated a significant improvement.
The systematic approach, involving targeted training of all hospital personnel, and fostering infection
control measures, contributed to this progress.
Conclusion
The project demonstrated that a structured, data-driven approach to quality improvement can reduce
neonatal infection rates. Key lessons include the effectiveness of comprehensive root cause analysis
and the importance of continuous staff engagement and education. While the initial target was not met,
the reduction achieved lays a foundation for continued efforts to improve neonatal outcomes at Remera
Rukoma Hospital. Sustained commitment and further refinement of strategies are essential for ongoing
progress in infection control and overall patient care. Lessons learned include the value of staff
engagement, continuous education, and data-driven decision-making in infection control efforts.
Strategy determinants on organizational growth among savings and credit co-operative societies in Kisii county
(Journal International of Business Management, 2024-06-22) Amoro, M. Florence; Gathiru, Martin Kimemia
Numerous institutions establishments are currently facing the imminent risk of closure as a result of mismanagement, which has placed them in a precarious financial situation. The SACCOS, totaling 2,200 in number, were declared dormant or unknown by SASRA due to their failure to meet the required criteria. The aforementioned circumstances led to the initiation of a research investigation into strategy determinants on theSACCO growthin Kisii. The mainaiminthis study was to examine the effect of strategic fund mobilization, strategic investmentsand strategic information dissemination. The study was founded on Efficiency Structure Theory, Neoclassical Theory of InvestmentandModern Portfolio Theory. A total population fromstaff members in the SACCOS was 342. The sampling methodology was stratified random sampling. The sample size was 68 respondents, which corresponds to 20% of the target population. Data collectionwas collected usingquestionnaires. The questionnaire waspilot testedwith a sample of six respondents from selected Sacco in Kisii town. The reliability tests were conducted by assessing its Cronbach alpha value. The research employedboth descriptiveanalysisand inferential statistical analysessuch as regression and correlation analysis.The SPSS software was utilized to compute percentages, frequencies, mean values, and standard deviations.The study's results showed that SACCOSbenefited from strategic fund mobilization, and that this benefit was statistically significantas shown by (β) 0.224,t=1.859, p value 0.05).Based on the findings of the the analysisin Saccos in Kisii County, afavourable and statistically significant correlation (β)=0.849, t=4.438,p0.05) was found between Strategicinvestmentandorganizational growth.Still,there was negative as well as notable importance amongst Strategicinformationdisseminationand organizational growth (β) -.161, t=-.664, p value 0.05).The study concluded that high member default rates do hurts Sacco growth. Thus, high default rates indicated inadequate financial planning by members, which hampered Sacco expansion. Sacco invests in service diversification to boost SACCO’s growth by producing new financial products and entering new markets with stronger growth prospects. The study recommends thatauthorities shoulddevelop mechanisms to help SACCOS access capital for expansion and liquidity management
Determinants of utilisation of the clinical practice guideline in acute management of patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injury in Nsih, Kenya
(IBOM MEDICAL JOURNAL, 2024-12) Eke, CI; Odongo AO; Mungai S
Background: Spinal cord injuries have severe implications for public health all around the world. As a
result, there is an urgent need to evaluate variables that influence the utilisation of the clinical practice
guidelines for their acute care management.
Objective: The study’s objective was to assess the determinants of the utilisation of the CPG in the acute
management of patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injuries among healthcare workers at NSIH,
Kenya.
Material and methods: An analytical cross-sectional design was employed in this study. A census
sampling with a sample size of 40 was employed in the study. A semi-structured research questionnaire
was used to collect the quantitative data. The chi-square test was used for bivariate analysis and binomial
logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. The cutoff for statistical significance was p<0.05.
Results: The level of utilisation of the clinical practice guideline was low(22.5%). The presence of
trained healthcare workers was a determinant of the level of utilisation of the CPG while years of working
experience and the presence of adequate healthcare providers among others were not associated with the
level of utilisation of the CPG.
Conclusion:The study concluded that the level of utilisation was low (22.5%) and further concluded that
training on CPG influenced its utilisation by the healthcare providers. There is a need for CPG training
programmes, the development of guideline implementation tools, and feedback mechanisms for CPG
performance assessment.
An evaluation of the concept of masculinity in African feminist literature by two male and two female writers
(African Journal of Emerging Issues, 2024-08) Kiritu, Esther Wanjiku; Mwihia, Margaret Njoki; Mwangi, Peter Muhoro
Purpose of Study: In this study, the researcher examined how male and female authors have
presented societal expectations, the idea of masculinity, and the underrepresentation of male
characters.
Problem Statement: The area of literature and cultural studies has continued to address gender
inequality and feminist arguments. While similar studies have been done, it seems the identities
of male characters have frequently been disregarded in favor of the portrayal of female
characters, particularly in feminist literature.
Methodology: The study was limited to four African feminist texts, two by male authors and
two by female authors. Textual analysis was applied in analyzing the thematic concerns related
to the study objectives. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the four texts;
Margaret A. Ogola’s The River and the Source, Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood,
Nuruddin Farah’s From a Crooked Rib and Imaginings of Sand by André Brink. The researcher
was interested in analyzing the ways in which writers were inspired by different waves of
feminism globally, gender, and writing style, have depicted male identity in their works.
Finding: Despite the fact that literary authors have portrayed male characters in their works,
this study focused on how feminist African writers perceive masculinity, the
underrepresentation of male characters in their works, and how this representation is influenced
by societal expectations. The research study also planned to mobilize social agents, such as the
government, educators, parents, and society, to promote gender equality in contemporary
society. For the purpose of research analysis, this study combined the feminism theory and the
deconstruction theory. Conclusion: From the research findings, it is evident that; the concept of masculinity has been portrayed with less emphasis. Similarly, male characters have also been underrepresented and
this is because, while the male characters remain constant, the female characters have continued
to be presented with progressive characteristics. Additionally, the feminist authors have been
influenced by the social ideologies, which permit male dominancy over the female characters.
Recommendation: From the conclusions made from the analysis of this research data, not only
have the male characters been overlooked in these feminist texts but also, they have been
negatively stereotyped. Hence, the feminist authors should address the issue of gender as a
concern to both men and women in today’s society.
Effectiveness of community leaders on conflict resolution among pastoralist communities in Samburu county, Kenya
(International Academic Journal of Arts and Humanities, 2024-06-01) Ekiru, Lawrence Lorunyei; Munene, Ruthwinnie
This study investigated how effective
community leadership had on conflict
resolution among pastoralists in Samburu
County, Kenya. Over the last decade,
Samburu County has continued to manifest
unabated intercommunity conflicts. This is
attributed to many factors, including the
availability and misuse of small arms,
inaccessible terrain, ungoverned spaces,
struggle for scarce natural resources,
intercommoned raiding, revenge and
retaliatory attacks, harsh climatic conditions,
and political incitements, among others. The
purpose of this study was examined how
effective community leadership had on
conflict resolution. The objective of the study
was to establish the early warning indicators
of conflict. The study adopted descriptive
survey design to achieve the research
objective from a population of 93240
community leaders through purposeful
sampling with a sample size of 168. The study
utilized both primary and secondary data.
Primary data was collected through
questionnaire while secondary will involve
document analysis. The research data
collected was analysed using descriptive
statistics for quantitative data and content
analysis for qualitative data using statistical
package for social scientist (SPSS). To collect
data introductory letter was obtained from
Mount Kenya university post graduate school.
Research permit from National Council of
science and technology (NACOSTI) was also
obtained and clearance of ethical review
committee. This study concluded that there
was a positive significant (r=.217, p=.002)
relationship between early warning signs and
conflict resolution. This study recommends
that more studies should be done on
sustainable conflict resolution in Samburu
County in Kenya and among other conflict
affected a region in Kenya.
Images of women in Agikuyu Mwomboko poetry: a selection from performing artists from Mount Kenya region
(The Journal of Literature and Performing Arts, 2024-03-01) Mwangi, Peter Muhoro
The position of women in African societies has been contested in terms of their treatment
in social and poetic discourse in contemporary society. The case of traditional and modern
poetic dances is spelt out in the composing and rendition of Mwomboko poetry of the
Agikuyu people of Mount Kenya Region. The objectives of this study are: (a) To assess
how select compositions of Mwomboko poetry spell out treatment of women in Mount
Kenya region community; (b) To analyze how figurative language is applied in select
compositions of Mwomboko poetry to approximate images of women in Mount Kenya
region community, and (c) To explore the innovativeness of oral poets’ poetic architecture
in charting out the position of women in contemporary society. Popular artists in Africa
have tended to be the mouth pieces of revealing the societal structures that spell out the
relationship between men and women as shown through poetic discourse. The place of
performance has emerged as a central pivot for linking up members of the community in
their efforts to understand their worldview. The emergence of modern performers has
created a new forum for capturing the imagination of target recipients in an open multi–
ethnic audience. The audience has been mainly in hotels, motels and bars, social halls,
wedding reception halls/grounds, political rally grounds, and church service halls among
others. The current work hinges on the level of deconstruction theory as seen through
feminist and gender lens in contemporary times. The images of women revealed in
Mwomboko poetry are constructions by architects of the traditional cum modern poetic
genre, and the findings reveal a move towards balanced portrayal of both genders in
emergent renditions. The study uses descriptive techniques in analysis of figurative
language applied by traditional and modern singers to approximate old meanings to new
meanings in their performances as far as images of women are represented.