http://ir.mksu.ac.ke/handle/123456780/8047 2026-04-03T15:45:27Z http://ir.mksu.ac.ke/handle/123456780/8135 Effectiveness of NHIF in addressing Students’ Healthcare in Public Secondary Schools in Meru County, Kenya Muguna, Mbaabu Silas; Kibaara, Tarsila; Gichohi, Paul Maku Health insurance helps to cushion people from healthcare costs and facilitate equity in access to health facilities and services. The Government of Kenya has invested in a unique NHIF program, namely EduAfya, for public secondary schools. Although EduAfya is relatively new, it has been facing implementation challenges attributed to the weak structures and mechanism for supporting its operationalization. This study aimed to assess the NHIF as a health service provision model in public secondary schools in Meru County, Kenya. The specific objective was to examine the efficacy of NHIF as an approach for addressing healthcare in public secondary schools in Meru County. The study was guided by Andersen's model of health service utilization and adopted a descriptive survey design. Public secondary schools were stratified into four categories; hence, a proportionate systematic sampling technique was applied to sample 191 principals and the Students' Council's chairperson, while the County Director of Education was sampled purposively. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and interview guide. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, where factor analysis, means and standard deviations were computed, while linear regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis. Qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic technique. The study noted that students were underutilizing the NHIF program (EduAfya) despite its significance in addressing their healthcare. This was attributed to the low awareness, challenges in obtaining NEMIS number, and lack of awareness. Therefore, NHIF staff should conduct training and sensitization in public secondary schools targeting students, principals, and parents. In addition, the Ministry of Education and NHIF should collaboratively liaise with stakeholders in accrediting more local health facilities, including private health centres, to enhance the proximity of access to healthcare. The government should also develop a clear policy on handling emergencies and transportation costs; streamline the issuance of NEMIS number & biometric cards, and clarify the role of principals in enhancing the effectiveness of the EduAfya. 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.mksu.ac.ke/handle/123456780/8134 The Influence Of Behaviour Centred Design Approaches On The Flame-Based Cookstove-Related Health And Wellbeing Of Indigent South African Households Maré, Marcel; M’rithaa, Mugendi K. The adoption of energy-efficient, clean and safe cookstoves can significantly enhance the health and quality of life of poverty-stricken sub-Saharan households, reducing mortality and poverty and positively impacting the protection of biodiversity and the climate identified in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The harmful emissions from inefficient flame-based cookstoves are the leading global cause of disease and death, after only inadequate water, poor sanitation and malnutrition. Multiple stakeholders are implementing programmes to promote access to improved stoves and clean fuels, with the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC) being prominent in dissemination efforts. However, few interventions have borne fruit on a significant scale over time, despite ample support in finding workable solutions. A sustainable transformation in household cookstove-related practices across diverse conditions requires innovative transdisciplinary approaches. The behavioural sciences suggest possible approaches for addressing the complex, interrelated, social, economic and environmental challenges facing communities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Behaviour-focussed design interventions exhibit the possibility of transcending disciplinary boundaries. This paper explores the ability of a Behaviour Centred Design (BCD) approach to change cookstove-related behavioural motivations in a South African context. A series of motivational touchpoints are developed and tested in two representative South African sample areas on a pilot scale. The preliminary results suggest that a BCD approach targeting a set of mapped touchpoints can significantly change the pertinent behavioural motivations related to flame-based cookstoves, responding to a vital evidence gap in efforts to shift inefficient cookstove-related behaviour in a South African low-income context. 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.mksu.ac.ke/handle/123456780/8133 A Review of Dietary intake and Nutritional status of children with Cerebral Palsy Malla, Janet K Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurologic disorders typically caused by a non-progressive lesion or abnormality of the developing brain that appears in infancy or early childhood and permanently affects body movement, muscle coordination, and balance. It is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood and is a significant health problem with major effects over the lifespan. The global prevalence of CP ranges between 2 – 10 per 1000 children in community-based samples with prevalence varying widely from country to country. Children are vulnerable to protein energy malnutrition (PEM) as well as micronutrient deficiencies because of their continuing growth that hikes their bodies’ demand for nutrients. This risk of malnutrition is increased in neurologically impaired (NI) children e. g CP, due to a number of nutritional and non-nutritional factors. Among the nutritional factors is insufficient dietary intake due to feeding difficulties resulting from impaired chewing and swallowing. Cerebral palsy may be associated with a host of comorbidities such as undernutrition (46% to 90% of the patients), Studies have reported increased prevalence of morbidity and mortality secondary to compromised nutritional status among children with CP compared to their normal counterparts in the same age group. Objective: This review is aimed at assessing the effect of dietary intake on nutrition status of children with cerebral palsy. Methodoly: A review of various publications was conducted using the key words, Cerebral Palsy, disability, and feeding difficulties. Results and conclusion: This review shows that feeding difficulties due to motor dysfunction is common in children with CP and may reduce their dietary intake resulting to poor health and nutritional status Recommendation: There is need to develop effective interventions aimed at improving the dietary intake of children with CP. Such interventions could help mitigate poor nutritional status as well as improve their quality of life. 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.mksu.ac.ke/handle/123456780/8132 Strategies To Overcome The Damages Caused By Covid-19 In The Hotel Industry Kariru, Antoneta Njeri; Ndungu, David Mwangi The year 2019 saw the emergence and spread of the coronavirus disease or covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has moreover led to service interference, low customer demand, loss of traditional markets, reduced revenue, job losses, destroyed assets, reputation risks, higher operating costs and business closures in the hotel industry. Studies nonetheless indicate that the hospitality industry is not committed to crisis management and hotels tend to be reactive to crises. This means that the hotels do not plan ahead for the management of crises and resultant losses. However, the tourism industry has always recovered from crises like fires, terrorism attacks, political disturbances and natural disasters including tsunamis and floods. This review paper consequently facilitates proactive planning by exploring strategies that hotels can adopt to overcome the damages caused by covid-19. The recommended strategies include cost reduction, revenue management, insurance, internal marketing, product development, market re-strategizing, staff re-training, embracing the crises management approaches especially proactive planning, business continuity planning and crisis communication, seeking government assistance and applying for tourism relief funds. The paper concludes that the covid-19 crisis has created challenges and opportunities for the hotel industry. For example, by losing one market segment, the hotels get the opportunities to re-strategize and develop new products and markets. The pandemic has also stimulated technological innovations and advancements in the industry including robotic temperature scanners, disinfectants and sanitizers, keyless technologies and mobile applications. The paper therefore adds to existing strategies, policies and body of knowledge on the management of covid-19 in the hotel industry. 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z