Omaheke Region Research Articles

Serological Evidence of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever in Livestock in the Omaheke Region of Namibia.

This research examined the positivity ratio of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) antibodies in cattle and sheep within Namibia's Omaheke region after a human disease outbreak in the same geographical area. A total of 200 samples (100 cattle and 100 sheep) were randomly collected from animals brought to two regional auction sites, and then tested using the ID Screen® CCHF Double Antigen Multi-Species Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay kit. Of the cattle samples, 36% tested positive, while 22% of the sheep samples were seropositive. The cattle had a significantly higher positivity ratio than sheep at the individual animal level (p = 0.0291). At the herd level, 62.5% of cattle herds and 45.5% of sheep flocks had at least one positive animal, but this difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.2475). The fourteen cattle farms with at least one seropositive animal were dispersed across the Omaheke region. In contrast, the ten sheep farms with seropositive cases were predominantly situated in the southern half of the region. The study concluded that the CCHF is endemic in the Omaheke region and likely in most of Namibia, underscoring the importance of continued surveillance and preventive measures to mitigate the impact of CCHFV on animal health and potential spillover into human populations.

Issues Affecting the Implementation of Inclusive Education Practices in Selected Secondary Schools in the Omaheke Region of Namibia

The study was conducted in order to assess the issues affecting the implementation of inclusive education practices in selected secondary schools in the Omaheke region of Namibia.To achieve the objective, a quantitative research approach was followed. The population of the study was made up of secondary school teachers in the Omaheke region. Data was collected using questionnaires which were administered to a stratified sample of 90 secondary school teachers. The data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies and percentages. The results indicated that the implementation of inclusive education was hampered by various issues such as inappropriate policy development issues, teacher attitudes, lack of teacher training, inadequate support and resources, as well as curriculum issues.

Investigating factors that lead to school dropout in Namibia

Although schools report a variety of reasons why learners leave school prematurely, these reasons do not reveal the underlying causes, especially multiple factors that influence learners’ attitudes, behaviours, and performance prior to dropping out. In order to understand the underlying causes behind learners’ decisions for dropping out, using a quantitative approach through document analysis this study first analysed the Education Management Information System (EMIS) reports for 2005 to 2009. The findings revealed that Kavango, Kunene and Omaheke regions were the regions with the highest dropout rates in the country. Using a qualitative approach, with a phenomenological design, the researchers interviewed school principals, school counsellors and teachers at randomly selected 20% of schools with the highest dropout rate for each region. This resulted into 58 schools in the Kavango region, 10 schools in the Kunene region and 5 schools in the Omaheke region. At the same schools, and using the snowball sampling procedure, the researchers selected and interviewed learners who have dropped out at some point during their schooling days but came back to school. The study found that, for all the learners interviewed, 50% of learners dropped out due to pregnancy, 20% dropped out due to economic factors, 15% due to system factors, 11% due to lack of parental involvement, and 4% due to cultural factors. On the basis of the findings a number of recommendations are made to mitigate the dropout phenomenon.

Public awareness and attitude about Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever during an outbreak, Windhoek, Namibia, 2017

Introduction: Crimean-Congo haemoragic fever is a widespread viral disease caused by a Nairovirus of the Bunyaviridae family. The virus is transmitted to human through tick bites by an infected tick or through contacts with infected animals tissue or fluids. Human to human transmission is possible through contacts with bodily fluids. The virus causes severe haemorrhagic fever with a case fatality rate of up to 40%. There was an outbreak of CCHF in Omaheke region of Namibia in March 2017. This provoked public concern due to the deadly nature of the virus; we thus needed to access the public awareness in Windhoek the capital of Namibia.

Libraries and Development of Disadvantaged and Marginalized Communities in Namibia

This paper will present concepts, methods, and preliminary findings from a study of three regional libraries (i.e. Ohangwena, Omaheke and Oshana) in Namibia. While Omaheke region has the second lowest literacy levels in Namibia and is home to the San people who are also most marginalized community in Namibia, Gobabis - the Omaheke capital, is ranked at number three on the scale of towns with the highest number of street children. Ohangwena region on the other hand leads in teenage pregnancies, and high rates of reported HIV cases as well as drug abuse. Since the HIV problem is affecting mostly the most energetic section of the society, (i.e. the youths), its impact in Ohangwena is mostly felt on the socio-economic development of the region. Oshakati region, also known as the capital city of the North is known to have been the most densely populated of all the regions in Namibia. This population boom has resulted in a number of socio-economic and environmental challenges, which again have direct bearing on the socio-economic development of the country. The Government of Namibia, with funding from the United States Government constructed the libraries in these three cities specifically to address the challenges of low literacy levels and to support development initiatives of the communities in the three regions. The libraries were opened in 2014, and were equipped with the latest state of art technology to ensure maximum efficiency in information delivery to both urban and rural communities alike and to support these communities to address in full the aforementioned challenges. This paper is going to analyze the two years’ operations of these three libraries in relation to the objectives of their establishment. This paper will focus on five key areas: The background to the establishment of the regional libraries; How have these libraries faird in stimulating social networks and addressing community development agenda in the respective towns and regions; Lessons learnt; Key challenges facing these libraries; The way forward for these libraries. Our concept of development comes from Walter Rodney’s book How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. Asset-Based Community Development comes from the Northwestern University scholars John McKnight and John Kretzmann who argue that even a poor community has assets, and development must rely on those insider assets. The paper will look at Glocalization in the same light as was discussed in a study of Evergreen Educational Foundation’s digital divide project in China’s Gansu province (Yan Hui 闫慧 et al) who see glocalization as a process whereby those far from a community collaborate with people inside a community to help with development. Root Shock is the idea that we experience community-wide disorientation and grief when we lose visual and institutional anchors in our community (Mindy Fullilove). Various parties in our study each experienced a degree of Root Shock. We hope to break new ground for the next phase of African library work and African development and provide insights for other developing countries as well. Three of us were/or are managers of the libraries in the study. The methodology of this study will be an Issues Ethnography, in which it will use: 1) repurposed program data, 2) program documents, and 3) the memories of the three librarians.

Assessment on the constraints of cattle supply chain management in Namibia: Case study of Omaheke communal farmers

This study examined the efficiency and constraints in the management of the cattle supply chain from farmer to processor, as well as access to market information by communal farmers in the Omaheke region of Namibia. Questionnaires were developed and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 100 farmers who were registered as cattle producers with the Meat Board of Namibia, as well as six farmers’ associations, an auctioneer and a beef processor using purposive sampling. The research found that the farmers were not aware of the quality criteria used by buyers when determining prices for cattle classes and grades. Accessibility to market information was found not to be a constraint. The constraints facing the communal cattle farmers included low prices offered for cattle, buyers arriving late or not at all, slow payment processes and buyers running out of cash, whereas those found to be facing auctioneers and buyers operating in communal areas included the buying of poor-quality cattle and low numbers of cattle being offered for sale. Lack of essential and safe facilities at market outlets was identified as a constraint by cattle farmers, auctioneers and buyers. The study recommends strengthening the capacity of farmers’ associations in terms of human and financial resources, the training of communal cattle farmers in managerial and marketing practices, and the provision of essential facilities at market outlets. Key words: Communal farmers, cattle, supply chain management, cattle marketing, communal areas.

Major constraints for cattle productivity and managerial efficiency in communal areas of Omaheke Region, Namibia

The aim of this study is to analyse the major constraints for production and managerial practices among the four communal areas in the Omaheke Region. This study applied rapid rural appraisal techniques, including a questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 570 farmers who were registered as cattle producers with the Meat Board of Namibia at their villages. The data collection process was conducted in two months (October 2009 and November 2009). Questionnaires were administered by a group of trained enumerators in the vernacular OtjiHerero language under the supervision of the researcher through door-to-door interviews. Data were gathered on the production system and managerial practices. The research found that the main constraints were incorrect bull-to-cow ratio (1:38), low calving percentage, and high cattle mortalities and losses caused by drought, diseases, straying and theft. The research further found that farmers were applying poor weaning practices and record keeping. Shortcomings on these managerial practices can be addressed if farmers visit the extension and veterinary offices for advice and training. A proper policy guide is required with respect to grazing resource management. Farmers need access to micro-financing for cattle production systems to become economically viable.

Measuring factors that can influence cattle supply response to the market in Namibia: Case study from Omaheke communal farmers

The study examined the factors that can influence the supply of cattle to the market in Namibia, with a specific focus on four communal areas of the Omaheke Region. A total of 100 cattle farmers were interviewed and the weighted least square (WLS) model was applied to analyse the data. The study found that the number of cattle owned, cost of production inputs, accessibility to market information, accessibility to local markets and rainfall have a strong influence on the sales volume. The study strongly recommends the formation of cattle marketing groups that can be employed to lower transaction cost, increase bargaining power, access to information and participation in formal markets. There is a need to improve access to institutions and to remove current distortions in the livestock marketing in Namibia. The study shows that there is an inverse relationship between source and information and volume of sales. When the barrier to source of information increases, the volume of sales decreases. The current policy advice should focus on the effects of policy distortions and adequate attention should be given to the serious, embedded institutional deficiencies that limit many communal farmers from taking advantage of market opportunities. Key words: Supply factors, cattle marketing, weighted least square.

At the intersections: San women and the rights of indigenous peoples in Africa

This paper examines the implications of promoting indigenous peoples' rights in Africa by examining the tension between collective group rights and women's individual rights. I outline how San women in the Omaheke Region of Namibia confront simultaneous and mutually-reinforcing racial, ethnic, class and gender inequalities, and illustrate how intersectional discrimination often puts their human rights priorities at odds with the international indigenous movement's goal of securing group rights. I suggest that addressing indigenous women's rights issues requires a better balance of individual and collective rights, which includes indigenous women's experiences and interests as central features of their communities' collective concerns.

Implementing a community-based tuberculosis programme in the Omaheke region of Namibia: nurses’ perceived challenges

Tuberculosis (TB) is a resurgent disease in many regions of the world, including Namibia, fuelled by poor TB control
 programmes, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and poverty. The purpose of this survey was to identify nurses’ perceived challenges in implementing a community-based TB programme in the Omaheke region of Namibia. Structured interviews were conducted with 40 nurses involved in providing TB treatment and care in the Omaheke region. Patient-related challenges which hampered TB treatment included alcohol and drug abuse, poverty and stigma. Lack of transport for nurses to do community-based TB work, centralised TB services and patients’ lack of transport were access-related challenges. Knowledge-related challenges involved a lack of TB knowledge by both nurses and community members. The HIV pandemic has increased the number of TB patients and increased nurses’ workloads, aggravating the burden of TB as a resurgent disease in this region. Decentralisation of TB care to community and family levels would be necessary to reduce the number of people with active TB in the community, and to enhance the TB cure rates, in the Omaheke region of Namibia. In order to implement a successful communitybased TB programme, the patient-related, access-related and knowledge-related challenges, perceived by the
 nurses, need to be addressed effectively.
 
 Opsomming
 Tuberkulose (TB) is ‘n siekte wat herrys in baie dele van die wêreld, insluitende Namibië, en wat aangevuur word deur swak TB-beheerprogramme, menslike immuniteitsgebreksvirus (MIV) en armoede. Die doel van die opname was om waargenome uitdagings van verpleegkundiges te identifiseer tydens die implementering van ‘n gemeenskapsgebaseerde TB-program in die Omaheke-streek van Namibië. Gestruktureerde onderhoude is met 40 verpleegkundiges gevoer wat gemoeid was met TB-behandeling en -versorging in die Omaheke-streek. Pasiëntverwante uitdagings wat TB-behandeling nadelig beïnvloed, sluit alkohol- en dwelmmisbruik asook armoede en stigma in. ‘n Gebrek aan vervoer vir verpleegkundiges om gemeenskapsgebaseerde TB-werk te doen, die sentralisasie van TB-dienste en pasiënte se gebrek aan vervoer was die toegangsverwante uitdagings. Kennisverwante uitdagings het die gebrek aan TB-kennis van beide verpleegkundiges en gemeenskapslede ingesluit. Die MIVpandemie het die aantal TB-pasiënte vermeerder en verpleegkundiges se werksladings verhoog, wat die las van TB as ‘n herrysende siekte in die streek vererger het. Desentralisasie van TB-sorg tot op gemeenskaps- en gesinsvlak sal nodig wees om die getal mense met aktiewe TB in die gemeenskap te verminder, en om die TB-geneeskoerse in die Omaheke-streek van Namibië te verbeter. Ten einde ‘n suksesvolle gemeeskapsge-baseerde TB-program te implementeer, moet die pasiënt-, toegangs- en kennisverwante uitdagings, soos deur die verpleegkundiges waargeneem, effektief oorkom word.

Experiences of a community-based tuberculosis treatment programme in Namibia: A comparative cohort study

Background Tuberculosis (TB) remains a widespread healthcare problem in Africa, although it can be cured within 6–8 months’ effective treatment. However, many patients fail to adhere to TB treatment, resulting in failure to get cured and the possible development of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR TB). A community-based TB treatment programme, was started in the Omaheke region of Namibia during 2002. The efficacy of this community-based TB programme, compared to the standard hospital- and clinic-based TB treatment, was unknown. Objectives The major objectives were to compare TB treatment outcomes for patients who used the community-based TB with those who chose the clinic/self-administered TB treatment option; and to identify advantages and disadvantages of community-based TB care as experienced by patients who had completed their community-based TB treatment. Design A quasi-experimental study design was used to compare TB patients’ treatment outcomes using checklists and exit interviews. Setting The study was conducted in the Omaheke region of Namibia. Participants TB patients ( n = 332) who were hospitalised during the study period participated in the study. Methods An analytic cohort prospective design was used to do follow-up visits, and complete checklists, of 332 TB patients. Structured exit interviews were conducted with 101 TB patients who had completed their community-based TB treatment. Results Enhanced knowledge of TB patients improved their participation in community-based TB care. A family member was the most convenient, acceptable and accessible directly observed treatment (DOT) supervisor for 72.8% of the participants. A statistically significant difference in cure rates between community-based and the clinic/self-administered groups was found ( χ 2 11.78; p ≤ 0.05; and RR = 1.35; p = 0.05). The major advantages of community-based TB treatment included the ability to continue with one's daily activities during treatment and the saving of time and money. The major disadvantages included that the clinics ran out of TB drug supplies, patients did not always have food to eat after taking their pills and they could not get sufficient rest because they had to continue doing their daily chores. Conclusions TB patients on the community-based TB treatment option had better cure rates than those on clinic/self-administered TB treatment (although it cannot be inferred that the community-based treatment caused the improved cure rates, because the TB patients who did not select the community-based treatment option might have been different). The advantages experienced by patients who completed their community-based TB treatment outweighed the disadvantages.

Reducing the harvesting impact on Harpagophytum procumbens populations in the Omaheke Region, eastern Namibia

Reducing the harvesting impact on Harpagophytum procumbens populations in the Omaheke Region, eastern Namibia

Disorderly development: Globalization and the idea of “culture” in the Kalahari

ABSTRACTThe San (Bushmen) of southern Africa are currently engaged in global activism and local struggles for rights as indigenous people. As their identity becomes globalized, the San are encouraged to promote a stereotypical image of themselves as isolated, pristine primitives. In this article, I argue that primordial expressions of San identity reflect the globalization of an essentialist idea of culture. I examine how this idea of culture is instrumentalized in local contexts of disorder and corruption. Finally, I outline how disorder and primordialism combine to sustain systems of inequality for an underclass of farm San in the Omaheke Region of Namibia.

Bushmen, Boers and Baasskap : Patriarchy and Paternalism on Afrikaner Farms in the Omaheke Region, Namibia

In this article I examine the paternalistic and patriarchal components inherent in the institution of 'baasskap' on Afrikaner farms in the Omaheke Region of Namibia, where farm labourers and domestic servants are largely Ju/'hoansi. First, I examine the development of baasskap from the top down, focusing on macro-level political economic trends, and the farmers' reactions to those trends that helped to create an ambiguous class status for the Ju/'hoansi. I then examine the dialectics of coercion, collusion and consent between farmers and the Ju/'hoansi in the maintenance of baasskap by outlining two important features of Afrikaner-Ju/'hoan interactions: first, the pseudo-familial relations between farmers and farm workers, as those are perceived by the farmers; and second, the contrast between 'helping' ( hui ) others and 'working' ( //xnòà ) for others, as that is perceived by the Ju/'hoansi. I argue that the conflation of the farmers' role as 'baas' and 'father figure' establishes the patriarchal family as the model for race and class relations on the farms. While the paternalistic attitudes of the farmer are openly expressed, and therefore easily challenged and manipulated by the Ju/'hoansi, the principles of gender subordination inherent in the patriarchal model of farm and family government go unnoticed and unchallenged. This makes patriarchy the most deeply hegemonic principle of inequality that gives race and class relationships their distinctive form under baasskap .