Browsing by Author "Muhanga Mikidadi I."

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Determinants of primary school teachers’ health literacy in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania: a reflection on access to health information
(WILEY Online Library, HINDAWI, 2023) Mshingo David M.; Muhanga Mikidadi I.; Salanga Raymond J.; Ngowi Edwin E.
Background. Teachers have the potential of promoting health knowledge and consequently health-literacy (HL) enhancement. Cognizant of this, interventions geared toward influencing and strengthening school teachers’ HL have remained important. However, for such interventions to be effective, understanding what determines teachers’ HL is inevitable. Purpose. This article analyses the determinants of primary school teachers’ HL by analyzing what prompts their health information-seeking patterns. Methods. A cross-sectional research involving 189 randomly sampled primary school teachers was conducted in 2021 in Morogoro Municipality whereby data were collected through a structured questionnaire survey and analyzed using IBM-SPSS. A score index gauged HL while frequencies and percentages measured other variables. Results. All teachers had high HL with a mean HL (standard deviation) of 8.10062. Only 43.4% searched for HI, 20.1% of those who searched for HI were influenced by healthrelated problems encountered, 12.2% searched for HI to broaden their knowledge on health-related issues, and 7.4% were prompted by health risks around. Also, 3.7% of the teachers acceded that health-seeking information is influenced by an interest in searching HI for self-health management. About 36.0%, 32.3%, and 31.7% of the teachers agree that the provision of health education, interest to read issues related to HL, and addressing issues related to HL influence teachers’ HL. Conclusion. Teachers have been searching for HI due to different concerns, though there is a need to further enhance such efforts. Recommendation. The government, communities, and development partners should enhance HI seeking to promote teachers’ HL for a healthier society.
Influence of health information systems on services delivery in public and private health facilities: a systematic literature review
(ResearchGate, 2021-07-10) Muhanga Mikidadi I.; Haule Christiana D.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are thought to have a significant influence on the delivery of health services through health information systems (HIS) use. The literature with relation to the influence of health information system on health services delivery is reviewed in this paper. The study specifically examines theoretical aspects of the concept of HIS and its benefits, the impact of HIS on service delivery, obstacles to effective use and the effect of underutilization of these systems. Using the documentary review approach, various search engines and databases were employed to search for information in peer-reviewed publications and conference papers. The search query involved keywords such as ‘information systems’, ‘health sector’, ‘health information systems’, ‘health services’, ‘services delivery’, ‘influence of health information system on health services delivery and ‘quality health services’. The review focused on material published in -English language. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been found to have a significant influence on the delivery of health services through health information systems (HIS) use. Health Information System (HIS) remains important in the health sector to ensure cost-effective and reliable delivery of health services. The availability and effective use of HIS provide the means at which health services can effectively and efficiently delivered in health facilities.
Public-private partnerships in agricultural extension services delivery in Tanzania: prospects, challenges, and the Way forward
(MKUKI NA NYOTA, 2023) Muhanga Mikidadi I.
The extension services delivery in Tanzania is dominated by the public sector. Despite the efforts observed on the provision of extension services, there is notable unsatisfactory performance of the agricultural sector which is attributed to numerous factors including weak agricultural services delivery system which among others includes agricultural extension services provision. The agricultural extension services are reported, inter alia, not being provided in the right amounts and time. Obviously, for the agricultural extension system to be effective there is a need for substantial investment in research and extension to facilitate extension officers working closely with the farmers to work efficiently. Inadequacy in both financial and human resources in the public sector has made it difficult to realize effective extension services delivery. The private sector’s involvement in the agricultural extension services (AES) delivery has recently been considered to have the potential to offset challenges related to the agricultural extension services provision. This chapter discusses public-private partnerships in provision of extension services in the agricultural sector in Tanzania. A global overview of agricultural extension services delivery and public-private partnership in terms of theories and best practices is an entry point to the chapter. The chapter further presents the emerging efforts and best practices from the private sector in Tanzania concerning agricultural extension services delivery. A thorough debate is presented reflecting the potential of the private sector to contribute to addressing challenges related to delivering extension services in the agricultural sector. The recommendations have been provided towards effective agricultural extension services delivery through a public-private partnership. An exemplary public-private partnership initiative named Rural Initiatives for Participatory Agricultural Transformation (RIPAT) approach has been captured and analyzed in this chapter. This is an extension/ rural development approach which has been developed in Tanzania and is being implemented by public and private sectors to reinforce agricultural extension services. Public–Private Partnership (PPP) has been found having potential towards effective agricultural extension services delivery as it has been observed that PPP can address some of the challenges on agricultural extension services (AES) delivery. It is recommended that PPP in AES should be enhanced to capture this opportunity.
Towards partnership and multi-sector engagement for health related responses in tanzania: where does one health approach stand?
(ResearchGate, 2021) Muhanga Mikidadi I.; Saleh Farida
Partnership and multisector engagement involving professionals from humans, animals, and environmental health and knowledge on the associated consequences from the interactions of humans, animals and environment on health is vital towards attainment of optimal health. This is due to the fact that health-related challenges that require One Health approach (OHA) to manage, have grown in frequency, dynamics and manifestation to the extent of requiring strengthened efforts to address emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases. The need for multi-disciplinary approaches to effectively manage these risks requires stronger partnerships at the community level and government engagement. Having realised this, the Government of Tanzania formulated One Health Strategic Plan (2015–2020), with an intention of enhancing knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) under OHA. Little is empirically known on how effective this plan has been towards facilitating partnership and multi-sector engagement (P&MSE) for outbreak responses. Data were collected in Morogoro region using a questionnaire from 1440 respondents recruited through multistage sampling procedure, 80 Focus Group Discussion participants and 16 key informant interviewees. IBM-SPSS v.20 analyzed quantitative data while qualitative data were organized into themes on specific objectives. Results revealed that only 3.8% (CI:95%, 2.8 to 4.8) identified P&MSE in the study area, 30% (22.9 to 35.8) of the respondents indicated that the reported PMSEs to be effective in outbreak responses. The study further revealed that 32.3% (95% CI:30.3 to 35.3) had adequate OH knowledge. Only 5% (95% CI:4.0 to 6.1) were aware of OHA related practices and 2.5% (CI 95%, CI:1.7 to 3.4) correctly described OHA. Despite the efforts in the OH Strategic Plan to promote OHA, little has been observed on P&MSE for outbreak responses. Though both low awareness and insignificant PMSE have been observed, 39.2% confirmed the relevance of OHA towards PMSE. Schools, hospitals and non-governmental organizations were identified to facilitate P&MSE for outbreak responses. This indicates that efforts established through the plan have not significantly reflected at the community level. This study recommends strengthening efforts towards the execution of OH Strategic Plan focusing on creation of effective P&MSE for outbreak responses.