Showing papers by "University of Zambia published in 1989"

Land use, deforestation and reforestation in the Zambian Copperbelt

Abstract: Temporal and spatial changes in land use, vegetation cover, deforestation and reforestation in the Zambian Copperbelt were studied using a combination of aerial photograph analysis, literature review and inquiries among relevant government institutions. The study showed that between 1937 and 1984 loss of natural woodlands in the Copperbelt of Zambia (total area of Copperbelt: 9,615 km2) amounted to 41 per cent woodland area (8,419 km2). The major causes of this deforestation are woodfuel collection (for firewood and charcoal), cultivation and replacement of natural woodland with forest plantations. These accounted for 38 per cent, 37 per cent and 15 per cent of the total deforestation, respectively. Before 1962 the copper mining industry used large quantities of firewood to generate electricity and this resulted in the loss of 150,413 ha of woodland between 1937 and 1961. When the mining industry switched to hydroelectricity, urban households became the major users of woodfuel. The urban population in the Copperbelt increased from 0.412 million in 1960 to 1.400 million in 1984 and its consumption of woodfuel led to the deforestation of at least 89,436 ha between 1962 and 1984. Deforested areas are left to regenerate naturally. However, due to poor management about 34 per cent of the area deforested before 1962 has failed to regenerate. Although 50,200 ha have been reforested with exotic trees, only 5,020 ha of this is on land previously deforested. Thus only about 10 per cent of reforestation efforts have contributed to the rehabilitation of damaged land. Ninety per cent of the reforestation has actually replaced standing indigenous woodland. Uncontrolled bushfires have destroyed forest plantations and have also caused the failure of woodland regeneration in deforested areas. These observations indicate that if forest resources in the Copperbelt of Zambia are to be properly managed it will be necessary: 1to effectively regulate land use changes and; 2to control bushfires.

Role of prolactin and luteinizing hormone in regulating timing of implantation in the spotted skunk.

Abstract: The western spotted skunk exhibits an obligate delay of implantation lasting 200-220 days. The pituitary is essential for luteal activation. The corpora lutea, in turn, secrete the hormones necessary for blastocyst implantation. Two experiments were designed to determine which pituitary hormones are responsible for increasing luteal activity and induction of implantation. Forty-two pregnant skunks with delayed implanting blastocysts were treated as follows: 13 served as untreated controls, 6 received 0.5 mg prolactin (PRL) daily, and 5 received diluent beginning in January. Four received 1.5 mg bromocriptine (CB-154) daily, 3 received both CB-154 and PRL, 3 received diluent, 5 received a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) dispensed from osmotic minipumps, and 3 received diluent dispensed from osmotic minipumps starting in April. The skunks were subjected to a natural photoperiod. Duration of preimplantation and blood levels of progesterone and luteinizing hormone were measured. PRL significantly (p less than 0.05) shortened and CB-154 significantly (p less than 0.05) prolonged the duration of preimplantation when compared to controls (148 +/- 33.6 vs. 251 +/- 3.2 vs. 199 +/- 5.1 days, respectively). PRL was able to reverse the inhibitory effect of CB-154 when both were administered simultaneously (195 +/- 4.0 vs. 251 +/- 3.2 days). GnRHa had no significant (p greater than 0.05) effect on duration of preimplantation (199 +/- 5.1 days) when compared to controls (203 +/- 3.2 days). These results indicate that PRL is the primary pituitary hormone responsible for increased luteal activity and subsequent blastocyst implantation in the spotted skunk.

History and Present Status of Professional Psychology in Zambia

Abstract: The paper discusses the problems and prospects in the application of psychology in an African country, viz., Zambia. Lack of comprehensive policy of the government on manpower development, training and finance, and lack of coordination and fragmentation of research activities between the different departments, institutions and associations have been analysed. There is also the problem of lack of sensitivity to the cultural realities. Priority research areas of psychology in Zambia have been identified.

Psychosocial counselling of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Lusaka, Zambia

Abstract: We describe a method of psychosocial counselling that we have used with HIV-infected patients in Zambia. The protocol included providing the patient with factual information about HIV infection, understanding the patient's concept of their illness, and teaching the need to change sexual behaviour, reduce alcohol consumption, prevent stress, and adjust to family changes. Our aims have been to enable HIV-infected persons to avoid behaviour that might damage their own health, to minimize further transmission of HIV, and to prolong the period of asymptomatic HIV infection and life expectancy.

The state, rural class formation and peasant political participation in zambia: the case of southern province

Abstract: THIS ARTICLE ATTEMPTS an analysis of the relationship between rural class formation and the nature of peasant political participation in Zambia by taking Southern Province as a case study. It was chosen because it is the province which had the most developed cash production among African cultivators during the colonial period. By independence in 1964, economic differentiation among African cash crop producers was more developed and widespread than in any other province.l In discussing rural class formation in the province the focus will be on that taking the form of peasant differentiation. Peasant differentiation here refers to a process in which, as a result of the intensification of commodity production, a peasantry undergoes internal contradictions. These internal contradictions take such forms as concentrations of wealth in fewer hands, struggle for land and the proletarianization of some sections of poor peasants, and other forms of contradictions inherent in commodity production situations.2 Following a number of earlier authors, peasants will refer to rural cultivators who produce primarily for subsistence, but are also forced to produce some surplus in order to replenish their farming implements and meet their rent, ceremonial and other obligations. Their ultimate security lies in having some rights to land they work on and to the labour power of their family members. Although peasants produce primarily for subsistence, they are also involved in a wider system in which they are economically exploited, and politically and ideologically dominated.3 Thus, according to Ken Post, peasants form a lower level

Natural occurrence of zearalenone and trichothecene toxins in maize‐based animal feeds in zambia

Abstract: A year-long collection of maize-based animal feed samples from the National Milling Company and mouldy maize collected from farmers fields near Lusaka were analysed for Fusarium mycotoxins. In the survey, 148 samples were tested for zearalenone, deoxynivalenol and nivalenol, and 60 samples for T-2 toxin and diacetoxyscirpenol. Zearalenone was present up to 0.6 mg kg−1 in 17% of the feed samples, and deoxynivalenol was found at I-0 mg kg−1 in 1.4 % of these samples. This is the first report of these toxins in animal feeds in Zambia. Zearalenone was also found in 57.6 % of the 33 mouldy maize samples collected at levels ranging from 0.08 to 6.0 mg kg−1 (mean concentration 1.11 mg kg−1), and 49.5% of these samples contained deoxynivalenol at levels ranging from 0.5 to 16.0 mg kg−1 (mean concentration 5.56 mg kg −1). T-2 toxin and diacetoxyscirpenol were not detected.

The eclipse of idealism: health planning in Zambia

Abstract: An Interim National Development Plan was introduced in 1987-88 in Zambia There seems to be much planning but the plans have created many problems Health sector financing has been affected by the downward turn in copper prices since 1976 The government started a policy of fee-paying for all services provided to expatriates and for most "nonlifesaving services" provided to those Zambians who used public services There is urban bias in existing resource distribution Health facilities have increased greatly since independence However imbalances between rural and urban areas remain There has been some progress but about 25% of the rural people remain not served by a health facility The servicing of rural health facilities is very poor so that more geographic access does not necessarily mean better health care In 1984 75% of the 32 rural health centers did not have enough antimalarial drugs for treatment in 1983 One of the crucial issues concerning Zambian health facilities is how can the present set up cope with fast population growth and declining funds? Maternal-child health services have been very much affected by this situation Implementation of decentralization policies show that they have been burdened by the availability of resources and many administrative problems The political subdivisions within districts (wards) are not well set up to act as development units Political problems have hampered the start of primary health care (PHC) Limits on achieving PHC planning goals resulted from structural deficiencies within the national implementation and development planning system both in short and longterm planning The governments national health development plans did not detail how activities would relate to major health problems where resources were to be distributed or what priorities grounded the plans according to The World Banks report Planning is needed because structural deficiencies in priority-setting exist and because political forces do not agree about structures of allocation and authorization Development planning is especially difficult with financial constraints A reconstruction of the principle of equitable distribution in health allocation is required It is likely that per capita health expenditures will rise but not keep pace with the gross national product health service indicators will go down and only a limited number of policy choices will be available for health development (authors modified)

Seroepidemiological survey on Rift Valley fever in Zambia.

Abstract: Summary This study was carried out to define the role of cattle as an amplifier of Rift Valley fever. Three areas of different density of cattle population were surveyed. Cattle do not seem to play a significant role as an amplifier of the virus in human beings. Zusammenfassung Eine seroepidemiologische Untersuchung von Rift Valley Fever in Zambia Diese Untersuchung wurde ausgefuhrt, um die Rolle der Rinder als Trager von RVF festzustellen. Drei Gebiete mit unterschiedlichen Rinderbevolkerungen wurden untersucht. Es scheint, das Rinder keine bedeutende Rolle bei der Verbreitung des Virus unter Menschen spielen.

Acquisition of Scientific Literature in Developing Countries. 4: Zambia.

Abstract: The fourth of a series of articles on the acquisition of scientific literature by libraries in developing countries. Based on a study of the situation in a few institutions selected to be representative of the national picture. Discusses the relationship between technology and information and the problems of transferring technology through the transfer of information. Describes selected scientific and technical libraries and information services in Zambia and their collection development policies. Considers different types of material and different methods of acquisition, including direct purchase, donations, grants, exchanges, interlibrary lending and legal deposit and analyses acquisitions problems. Reviews the future of information transfer in Zambia and present proposals for further action.

Causative and Intervening Factors of Harmful Alcohol Consumption and Cannabis Use in Malawi

Abstract: The aim of this study was to identify culturally relevant factors in the causation of and intervention in harmful alcohol and cannabis use in Malawi. Therefore a community research was conducted through key informants, and subjects were followed up for 6 months. The data were analyzed and interpreted according to an African model of socialization and personhood. It was concluded that traditional intervention strategies on a social and community level are no longer effective in the transitional Malawian, and that strategies aiming at basic life-style changes like those in some “Healing Churches” are called for.

Women and representative bureaucracy in Zambia: The case of gender-balancing in the civil service and para-statal organizations

Abstract: In this paper the author discusses the position of women in the Zambian civil service and para-statal organisations, and reasons for their under-representation. Among other things, prevailing sociocultural norms, contradictory policies, and laws with regard to employment of women generally, the relatively weak impact exerted by women's groups on employment policies, tokenism, and historical imbalances in educational opportunities with regard to the genders are identified as some of the contributing factors to the under-representation of women in the Zambian public sector. While unique in itself, the Zambian case may well be representative of other countries in sub-Saharan Africa with regard to the under-representation of women in public administration. This problem is compounded further by the state of underdevelopment which haunts many third world countries, and retards their efforts in addressing the issue of gender balancing in the employment sector.

Preliminary nephrostomy and total ileal replacement of both ureters in advanced bilharzial obstructive uropathy.

Abstract: Summary— Total substitution of both ureters in 5 patients with advanced obstructive uropathy due to extensive ureteric bilharziasis is described It is recommended that ureteric replacement in the presence of marked obstructive uropathy should not be undertaken without preliminary renal drainage An open through-and-through nephrostomy is recommended for this purpose It is suggested that this approach will help to minimise the incidence of nephrectomy in areas of endemic urinary bilharziasis