University of Zambia

About: University of Zambia is a education organization based out in Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 2593 authors who have published 4402 publications receiving 122411 citations. The organization is also known as: UNZA.

Postnatal Care Experiences and Barriers to Care Utilization for Home- and Facility-Delivered Newborns in Uganda and Zambia.

Abstract: Objectives The objective of this study was to examine experiences with, and barriers to, accessing postnatal care services, in the context of a maternal health initiative. Methods As part of a larger evaluation of an initiative to promote facility deliveries in 8 rural districts in Uganda and Zambia, 48 focus groups were held with recently-delivered women with previous home and facility deliveries (6 per district). Data on postnatal care experiences were translated, coded and analyzed using thematic content analysis techniques. Results were categorized into: positive postnatal care experiences, barriers to postnatal care utilization, and negative postnatal care experiences. Results Women who accessed care largely reported positive experiences, with Zambian women generally reporting more positive interactions than Ugandan women. The main reasons given for low postnatal care utilization were low awareness about the need, fear of mistreatment by clinic staff, cost and distance. In half of the focus groups, women described personal experience or knowledge of denial or threatened denial of postnatal care due to the birth location. Although outright denial of care was not common, women frequently described various types of actual or presumed discrimination because of having a home birth. Conclusions for Practice While many women reported positive experiences with postnatal care utilization, cases of delay or denial of postnatal care exist. As programs incentivize facility deliveries, the lack of focus on postnatal support may place home-delivered newborns in "double jeopardy" due to poor quality intra-partum care and reduced access to postnatal care.

Knowing the African Soils to Improve Fertilizer Recommendations

Abstract: Africa is the continent with the lowest fertilizer use per hectare ­notwithstanding the fact it possesses geologically old, infertile and degraded soils. This chapter discusses the agro-ecological zones (AEZ) and main soil types in Africa followed by a section on the extent, effects and costs of land degradation including issues of soil productivity and profitability associated with fertilizer use in Africa. There are a variety of soil types in the five major agro-ecological zones of Africa. Ferralsols and the Acrisol are dominant in the humid zones. Ferralsols are dominant in the sub-humid zone and so are Lixisols while in the semi-arid zone Lixisols have the larger share. Sixty five percent of the agricultural land in Africa is degraded and soil fertility depletion, a manifestation of soil degradation, is currently a serious threat to food security among small-holder farmers. Because of this state of affairs there is a strong case for enhanced fertilizer use. Maize yield has reportedly increased over the control due to NPK fertilizer application from various AEZ and when soils are amended with lime and manure yield response has been even higher. Indeed, there is credible evidence of fertilizer response and profitability in Africa relative to other parts of the world, particularly, for maize and rice thus making fertilizer investment worthwhile. In conclusion, there is need for agricultural intensification through efficient use of soil nutrient and water resources. Technologies need to be adapted to the specific bio-physical and socio-economics circumstances of the small scale farmers in Africa. There is also need to focus more on increasing the fertilizers use efficiency and the development of the local fertilizer sector in order to make them more profitable.

Composition, in vitro digestibility, and sensory evaluation of extruded whole grain sorghum breakfast cereals

Abstract: Two sorghum genotypes (red, tannin; white, non-tannin), were evaluated for their potential use in breakfast cereals. Two levels of whole grain sorghum flour (550 g/kg dry mix or 700 g/kg dry mix) were processed per genotype using a pilot-scale, twin screw extruder. A whole grain oat-based cereal was used as a reference. White sorghum cereals (WSC) had significantly (p

A prospective study of maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes in the setting of cesarean section in low- and middle-income countries

Abstract: Cesarean section (CS) rates are increasing globally with an unclear effect on pregnancy outcomes. The study objective was to quantify maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries associated with CS compared to vaginal delivery (VD) both within and across sites MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective population-based study including home and facility births in 337,153 women with a VD and 47,308 women with a CS from 2010 to 2015 was performed in Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Zambia, and Democratic Republic of Congo. Women were enrolled during pregnancy; delivery and 6-week follow-up data were collected RESULTS: Across all sites, CS rates increased from 8.6 to 15.2%, but remained low in African sites. Younger, nulliparous women were more likely to have a CS, as were women with higher education and those delivering a 1500-2499g infant. Across all sites, maternal and neonatal mortality was higher, and stillbirths lower, in pregnancies delivered by CS. Antepartum and postpartum complications as well as obstetric interventions and treatments were more common among women who underwent CS. In stratified analyses, all outcomes were worse in women with a CS compared to VD in African compared to non-African sites CONCLUSIONS: CS rates increased across all sites during the study period, but at more pronounced rates in the non-African sites. CS was associated with reduced postpartum hemorrhage and lower rates of stillbirths in the non-African sites. In the African sites, CS was associated with an increase in all adverse outcomes. Further studies are necessary to better understand the increase in adverse outcomes with CS in the African sites. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.