Wajir County Research Articles

Association between attitude and menstrual hygiene management practices among adolescent girls with disabilities in selected schools in Wajir County, Kenya

Background: Menstruation is the recurrent peeling of the uterine lining that occurs monthly on girls and women of the reproductive age. Many adolescent girls in African countries have poor knowledge regarding menstruation and this is even worse among menstruating girls with disabilities who are faced with a greater challenge as they require private and specific sanitation facilities. The study focused on establishing the association between attitude and menstrual hygiene management practices among adolescent girls with disabilities in selected schools in Wajir County. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted. Census method was used to select respondents where 101 were interviewed. Pretested questionnaires were used to collect data. All necessary research approvals from relevant institutions were obtained as well as consent and assent sought from respondents and guardians where applicable. Data was managed using SPSS version 22.0 software. Results: Most 88.1% of the respondents did not practice menstrual hygiene management. Further results revealed that 98.9% of those who had negative attitude had not practiced menstrual hygiene management. There was a significant statistical association between nature of attitude and practice of MHM (χ2=11.009, p*=0.029). Conclusions: About 9 out of 10 adolescents with disabilities in Wajir County did not practice menstrual hygiene management. The nature of attitude towards menstrual hygiene management was significantly associated with practice. The study recommended provision of free sanitary pads by relevant stakeholders to all girls who are living with disabilities and provision of enough washrooms to address privacy issues.

Coordinated Multi-Agencies Patrols and Border Security along the Kenya-Somalia Border in Wajir County

Securing their boarders has become a concern for all countries globally. This is because unsecure boarders pose a serious threat both to national and international security of states. For instance, the porous Kenya-Somali boarder continues to pose a serious threat to the security and development of Kenya as a country. This study therefore sought to examine how coordinated multi-agencies patrols affects border security along the Kenya-Somalia border. It adopted a descriptive survey research design that used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Stratified and simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to collect data for the study. The tools utilized to get data were, questionnaires and interview schedule. Both qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated to provide robust illustrations of the key findings. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as percentages, pie charts, and bar graphs. Qualitative data on the other hand was analyzed thematically and presented as quoted verbatim. The study found that joint coordinated patrols, joint intelligence gathering, sharing and analysis and sharing of resources among the various multi-agency teams played a crucial role in border security management. The study concluded that, the Kenya Police Service, the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF), and local administrative bodies have made significant stride in enhancing boarder security along Kenya-Somali boarder in Wajir County. The study recommended that, as far as the issue of joint multi-agency patrols are concerned, there is need to increase human resource and provide the necessary gears for effective multi-agency patrols. For further research, the study had restricted itself to the multi-agency’s cooperation and border security along the Kenya-Somalia border in Wajir County. However, a number of similarities in the multi-agencies’ cooperation was noticed, mostly through literatures. It would be prudent, to stretch out this research to other regions, to determine the applicability of these findings for the whole of the country Kenya.

Goat seropositivity as an indicator of Rift Valley fever (RVF) infection in human populations: A case-control study of the 2018 Rift Valley fever outbreak in Wajir County, Kenya

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a viral zoonosis, which is considered as a threat to food security in the Horn of Africa. In Kenya, RVF is the 5th ranked priority zoonotic disease due to its high morbidity and mortality, frequent outbreak events, and associated socioeconomic impacts during outbreak events. In 2018, an RVF outbreak was confirmed in Kenya's Siaya, Wajir, and Marsabit counties. During this outbreak, 30 people were confirmed infected with RVF through laboratory tests; 21 in Wajir, 8 in Marsabit, and 1 in Siaya Counties.Seventy-five (75) households (15 cases and 60 controls) were selected and interviewed using a case-control study design in 2021 (?). A case was a household with a member who was diagnosed with RVF in 2018. In addition, a total of 1029 animals were purposively selected within these households and serologically tested for RVF. The study aimed to estimate the contribution of various risk factors to RVF human occurrence in Kenya with a special focus on Wajir County. Wajir County was chosen due to high number of confirmed human cases reported in the 2018 outbreak. A univariable regression model revealed that owner-reported RVF virus exposure in livestock significantly increased the odds of an RVF human case in the household by 32.7 times (95 % CI 4.0–267.4). The respondent being linked to a goat flock that was IgG-positive increased the odds of an RVF human case by 3.8 times (95 % CI 1.17–12.3). In the final multivariable analysis, the respondent being linked to their own animals affected by RVF increased odds of having an RVF human case in the household by 56.9 times (95 % CI 4.6–700.4), while the respondent being linked to a neighbor household member affected decreased odds of having a RVF human case by 0.1 times (95 % CI 0.08–0.75).In summary, these results have revealed a potential link for the spread of RVF infection from animals to humans in pastoralist households, hence it is critical to carry out targeted, community education, One Health surveillance, prevention, and control measures against the disease. This will be critical to protecting humans against potential spillovers of infections during outbreak events in livestock.

Implementation and Effectiveness of Policies and Initiatives Promoting Girls' Academic Performance in Wajir County, Kenya

Purpose: Policy implementation and effectiveness in girls' education are crucial for advancing gender equality, and promoting social and economic development. Despite global efforts to promote gender equality in education, girls in Wajir face minimal enrolment, high dropout rates, and low academic performance. The study aimed to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of policies and initiatives promoting girls' academic performance in Wajir County, Kenya. Methodology: The research adopted a descriptive research design to gather quantitative and qualitative data. The target population was 12,060 respondents comprised of 80 Principals, 274 teachers, and 11,704 students from Wajir County, public secondary schools. A study sample size of 388 was calculated using the Yamane method and was sampled using purposive, simple, and stratified random sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires for all respondents. Quantitative data was cleaned, coded, and analyzed descriptively and inferentially with SPSS. Descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentages, as well as mean and standard deviation, were used to describe the relationship between the study variables, while inferential analysis was based on the chi-square test. Results: The study found mixed perceptions regarding the implementation and effectiveness of educational policies and initiatives aimed at improving girls' education in Wajir County. While there is a consensus on the clarity of policy objectives, concerns remain about their relevance and effectiveness in addressing the specific needs of girls. Principals, in particular, expressed skepticism about the alignment of policies with improving academic performance. Conclusion: The study concludes that targeted interventions, improved resource allocation, and enhanced stakeholder collaboration are critical to overcoming the barriers faced by girls in education. The study recommends that there should be more communal support from stakeholders towards implementing the policies that reduce the socio-cultural barriers that affect girls’ education in ASAL regions.

Health professional regulation and provision of quality health services; cross sectional analysis of private health care providers in Wajir County, Kenya

Background: Health professional regulatory bodies oversee and enforce standards in healthcare to safeguard patient safety and prevent harm. However, international consistency in these regulations remains limited. The Kenya health sector relies on various bodies to enforce standards among professionals and institutions, albeit constrained by financial and human resources that hinder effective oversight. This study aimed to assess how regulatory practices- such as licensing, training oversight, inspection of practice, and quality assurance mechanisms- affect the quality of healthcare provided by private providers. Methods: The study targeted 108 healthcare providers from 36 private health facilities, primarily nurses and clinical officers. A sample of 86 participants was drawn using purposive sampling. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Results: The licensing of health professionals, training, inspection of practice, and quality assurance mechanisms collectively influenced 47.9% of the variation in service quality. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between licensing (p=0.003), practice inspections (p=0.01), quality assurance (p=0.001), and service quality. Conclusions: Regulatory bodies play a crucial role in ensuring healthcare standards; however, their effectiveness hinges on tailored strategies that address local challenges and foster collaborative efforts towards sustainable quality improvement in healthcare services. Routine inspections, conducted in a supportive manner, are likely to ensure ongoing adherence to standards. Moreover, adequate resource allocation for regulatory compliance and continuous quality improvement activities, including the formation of internal quality improvement (QI) teams and the maintenance of regular QI meetings and assessments, was deemed essential.

Determinants of measles-rubella vaccine second dose uptake among 24 to 35 month-old children in Wajir Town, Kenya

Background: Two vaccine doses can prevent measles and rubella (MR2); achieving ≥95% coverage is crucial for effective population immunity. Low MR2 uptake is linked to increased measles outbreaks. With only 57.1% MR2 uptake, Kenya reported 1,775 measles cases in 2021. This study evaluates MR2 uptake and its determinants among 24-35-month-old children in Wajir town. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed using cluster sampling in Wajir town, Wajir East sub-county, in December 2023. Parents of 399 children aged 24-35 months were interviewed using a pretested and predesigned questionnaire. Data was analyzed in SPSS V27. Socio-demographic characteristics were summarized in proportions. COR, aOR, and 95% Confidence Intervals measured association and significance. The analysis was two-tailed with a significance level set at p<0.05. Results: The study included 399 children with a median age of 25 months (interquartile range 24-29). MR2 uptake was 49.6%. Statistically significant predictors of MR2 uptake were parents' or guardians' occupation (aOR 2.85, 95% CI=1.18, 6.87, p=0.020), knowledge of the number of measles vaccines (aOR 16.05, 95% CI=4.16, 62.87, p<0.001), and the child’s gender (aOR 3.9, 95% CI=1.81, 7.86, p<0.001). Inadequate awareness about MR2 was the primary reason for not vaccinating children. Conclusions: MR2 uptake was low compared to the WHO-recommended target of ≥95%. The parents’ occupation, knowledge of the vaccine schedule, and the child’s gender determined MR2 uptake. The Wajir County Department of Health should carry out targeted knowledge-creation for parents/guardians and gender-aligned advocacy to improve MR2 uptake.

Prevalence of chronic kidney disease among the hypertensive patients in Wajir county, Kenya

Prevalence of chronic kidney disease among the hypertensive patients in Wajir county, Kenya

The Impact of Patronage Dynamics in Government Employment on Service Delivery in Wajir County, Kenya

The Impact of Patronage Dynamics in Government Employment on Service Delivery in Wajir County, Kenya

Factors Contributing to the Prevalence of Prenatal Depression among Adolescent Mothers Seeking Ante-Natal Care at Wajir County Referral Hospital

Factors Contributing to the Prevalence of Prenatal Depression among Adolescent Mothers Seeking Ante-Natal Care at Wajir County Referral Hospital

Relationship between Teacher Professional Development and use for ICT in Teaching and Learning in Primary Schools in Sabuli Sub-County, Wajir County

Information and communication technology use in education has become an indispensable aspect in the contemporary education system. This explains why many governments including Kenya government have invested in information and communication technology to foster the quality of education. However, despite efforts to avail information and communication technology resources, their use and impact on instructional delivery has been minimal, especially in primary schools in Kenya. Consequently, there has been concern on relationship between availability of information and communication technology and teacher professional development in primary schools. This situation has necessitated the proposed study which is aimed at assessing the relationship between teacher professional development and use for ICT in teaching and learning in primary schools in Sabuli sub-county, Wajir County, Kenya. The study used correlation research design. The target population 94 teacher comprising 30 head teachers and 64 teachers of primary schools in Sabuli sub-county, Wajir County. Given the small number of teachers in public primary schools in Sabuli sub county, the study purposively selected all teachers and head teachers as participant to avoid reducing the ambiguity of a study. Thus, the sample population was 94 respondents. The researcher gathered data using questionnaires from teachers and used semi-structured interview for head-teachers. Data was analysed using descriptive and regression statistics. The findings highlight a statistically significant positive relationship between teacher professional development and ICT use, indicating a direct relationship between the two variables.

Enhancing Well-being in Nairobi and Wajir Counties through Targeted Interventions: A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Development in Kenya's Devolved Units

Enhancing Well-being in Nairobi and Wajir Counties through Targeted Interventions: A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Development in Kenya's Devolved Units

Stakeholder-Partnership Engagement as a Counter Terrorism Strategy in Wajir County, Kenya

Stakeholder-Partnership Engagement as a Counter Terrorism Strategy in Wajir County, Kenya

Examining inequalities in spatial access to national health insurance fund contracted facilities in Kenya.

Kenya aims to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030 and has selected the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) as the 'vehicle' to drive the UHC agenda. While there is some progress in moving the country towards UHC, the availability and accessibility to NHIF-contracted facilities may be a barrier to equitable access to care. We estimated the spatial access to NHIF-contracted facilities in Kenya to provide information to advance the UHC agenda in Kenya. We merged NHIF-contracted facility data to the geocoded inventory of health facilities in Kenya to assign facility geospatial locations. We combined this database with covariates data including road network, elevation, land use, and travel barriers. We estimated the proportion of the population living within 60- and 120-minute travel time to an NHIF-contracted facility at a 1-x1-kilometer spatial resolution nationally and at county levels using the WHO AccessMod tool. We included a total of 3,858 NHIF-contracted facilities. Nationally, 81.4% and 89.6% of the population lived within 60- and 120-minute travel time to an NHIF-contracted facility respectively. At the county level, the proportion of the population living within 1-hour of travel time to an NHIF-contracted facility ranged from as low as 28.1% in Wajir county to 100% in Nyamira and Kisii counties. Overall, only four counties (Kiambu, Kisii, Nairobi and Nyamira) had met the target of having 100% of their population living within 1-hour (60min) travel time to an NHIF-contracted facility. On average, it takes 209, 210 and 216min to travel to an NHIF-contracted facility, outpatient and inpatient facilities respectively. At the county level, travel time to an NHIF-contracted facility ranged from 10min in Vihiga County to 333min in Garissa. Our study offers evidence of the spatial access estimates to NHIF-contracted facilities in Kenya that can inform contracting decisions by the social health insurer, especially focussing on marginalised counties where more facilities need to be contracted. Besides, this evidence will be crucial as the country gears towards accelerating progress towards achieving UHC using social health insurance as the strategy to drive the UHC agenda in Kenya.

Landscape of esophageal cancer in Northern Kenya: experience from Garissa Regional Cancer Center.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the ninth most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. More than 80% of cases and deaths from EC occur within developing countries. In Kenya, cancer is the second leading cause of non-communicable disease deaths, and the trend of cancer deaths is projected to increase as per the 2020 GLOBOCAN report showing 42,116 new cases annually with a mortality of 27,092 cases. EC is the leading cancer in men and the third most common in women in Kenya. The Garissa Regional Cancer Center (GRCC) is one of the three regional cancer centres in Kenya. Despite the rising EC incidence in the region, there is limited data about the clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes of EC, therefore, this is the first study to look at the landscape of EC in the northern Kenya region. This was a retrospective study involving patients' file review of confirmed EC cases diagnosed or treated at the GRCC from 2019 to 2023. Data collected from each patient's chart included age, sex, risk factors, family history of EC, histological type, stage at diagnosis, treatment type and survival outcomes. For patients who were no longer in contact with the staff through clinic visits, the patients or their next of kin were contacted through phone calls for patients' survival status. Data were collected and stored using the STATA software. Over the study period, 124 esophageal cases were identified, 64 (51.4%) were males and 60 (48.4%) were females with a mean age of 57.56 years. In terms of risk factors, hot beverage consumption was the highest (47 cases, 37.9%), followed by history of peptic ulcer disease (27 cases, 21.8%), smoking (8.9%) and gastresophageal reflux disease (2 cases, 1.6%). Stage of diagnosis at presentation was stage 1 (1 case, 0.8%), stage 2 (22 cases, 17.8%), stage 3 (25 cases, 20.2%), stage 4 (50 cases, 40.3%), not staged (26 cases, 21%). The majority had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (105 cases, 84.7%), followed by adenocarcinoma (5 cases, 4%), anaplastic (5 cases, 4%), SCC+ adenocarcinoma (1 case, 0.8%), unknown histology (8 cases, 3.2%). Nearly all patients had triple assessment (Endoscopy, histology and staging scans) accounting for 92 cases (74.2%), 24 cases (20%) had endoscopy+ histology only, and 8 cases (3.2%) had only imaging scans. In terms of family history of EC, 20 cases (16.1%) had a family history of EC.Most of the patients were of ethnic Kenyan-Somali background (108 cases, Kenyan Somali, 87.1%) and majority were from Garissa County 96 cases (77.4%), 12 cases (9.7%) Wajir County, 12 cases (9.7%) from Tana River County and 4 cases (3.2%) from other counties. Many patients lacked health insurance (27 cases, 25.8%), while the majority paid out of pocket (92 cases,74.1%). Only 21% (26 cases) received chemotherapy alone, 5 cases (4%) got radiotherapy alone, 12.9% (16 cases) got chemoradiotherapy and a significant number of patients (77 cases, 62.1%) did not receive hospital-based cancer treatment. This study is the first esophageal study at the GRCC and in northern Kenya in general. Our study confirmed the clinicopathological features of one of the most common cancers in Kenya and more so among Kenyan-Somalis.The study also validates the predominance of histological subtypes of esophageal SCC with the late presentation, short survival and significant loss of follow-up. We recommend future EC studies employing a large prospective design with a large sample size to determine the impact of the new GRCC on the outcomes of EC patients and the local community.

Pattern and determinants of contraceptive use among the muslim women in Wajir and Lamu counties in Kenya: a cross-sectional study.

Improving access to family planning (FP) is associated with positive health benefits that includes averting nearly a third of all maternal deaths and 10% of childhood deaths. Kenya has made great strides in improving access to family planning services. However, amid this considerable progress, regional variation has been noted which begs the need for a clearer understanding of the the patterns and determinants that drive these inconsistencies. We conducted a cross-sectional study that involved 663 Muslim women of reproductive age (15-49 years) from Wajir and Lamu counties in Kenya between March and October 2018.The objective of this study was to understand patterns and determinants of contraceptive use in two predominantly Muslim settings of Lamu and Wajir counties that have varying contraceptive uptake. Eligible women were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire containing socio-demographic information and history of family planning use. Simple and multiple logistic regression were used to identify determinants of family planning use. The results were presented as Crude Odds Ratio (COR) and Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) ratios at 95% confidence interval. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Of the 663 Muslim women of reproductive age consenting to participate in the study, 51.5%, n = 342 and 48.5%, n = 321 were from Lamu and Wajir County, respectively. The prevalence of women currently using contraceptive was 18.6% (n = 123). In Lamu, the prevalence was 32.8%, while in Wajir, it was 3.4%. The determinants of current contraceptive use in Lamu include; marital status, age at marriage, employment status, discussion with a partner on FP, acceptability of FP in culture, and willingness to obtain information on FP. While in Wajir, determinants of current contraceptive use were education, and the belief that family planning is allowed in Islam. Our study found moderately high use of contraceptives among Muslim women of reproductive age in Lamu county and very low contraceptive use among women in Wajir. Given the role of men in decision making, it is critical to design male involvement strategy particularly in Wajir where the male influence is very prominent. It is critical for the government to invest in women and girls' education to enhance their ability to make informed decisions; particularly in Wajir where FP uptake is low with low education attainment. Further, our findings highlight the need for culturally appropriate messages and involvement of religious leaders to demystify the myths and misconception around family planning and Islam particularly in Wajir.

Evaluating M&E Stakeholder Engagement and Its Effect on Public School Infrastructure in Wajir County, Kenya

Evaluating M&E Stakeholder Engagement and Its Effect on Public School Infrastructure in Wajir County, Kenya

Influence of Supply Chain Management Practices on Performance of Wajir County Government

Influence of Supply Chain Management Practices on Performance of Wajir County Government

Influence of Maternal Knowledge and Skills on Mixed Feeding Practices among Infants below 6 Months in Wajir County

Influence of Maternal Knowledge and Skills on Mixed Feeding Practices among Infants below 6 Months in Wajir County

Core value of love and engagement of grade six competency-based curriculum learners at Wajir School for the Deaf, Wajir East Sub- County, Wajir County, Kenya

Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) is based on learners developing core competencies to shape their characters. Love is an important value in life. Learners in schools are guided to portray a caring attitude of emotional support and interpersonal relationships towards each other. This study aims to investigate the significance of core value of love in promoting class engagement for deaf learners. The study was anchored on the theory of social cognitive by Albert Bandura and took on a quantitative correlational research design. Census sampling was employed to select all the 10 learners in grade six level at Wajir School for the Deaf. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and Engagement vs. Disaffection with learning student-report to measure love and engagement respectively and analyzed using descriptive analysis. From the findings majority of the participants had high levels of feeling love (M=4.03 and SD=.534). The results also indicated that level of engagement in class for participants was slightly above the middle point (M=3.11 and SD=.455) From the results, the Pearson correlation coefficient value was -.063 which indicated a weak negative relationship between a learner experiencing love and engagement levels in class. The study recommends that it is essential for teachers for deaf learners to increase class engagement using variety of techniques such as interactive activities and visual presentations.

CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS ROLE ON CONFLICT RESOLUTIONS AND PEACEKEEPING MISSION ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE WEST POKOT AND TURKANA IN KENYA

There are conflicts in many pastoral communities around the globe, while the Sahel region and East Africa demonstrate sustained levels of inter-pastoral violent conflicts with associated potential impacts on their livelihoods. Turkana-Pokot Violence across borders, conflict is now the norm. A number of efforts have been made by various bodies to bring peace to the region. Despite the Kenya Police Reservists disarmament and arming of communities, peace initiative meetings, prosecuting perpetrators, declaringof illicit firearms surrender, amnesties, and setting up of peace committees continue to prevail in the region, insecurity and violent conflicts. It is in this regard that the researcher examines the role of civil society organizations in peacebuilding and reconstruction, which has gained significant attention over the last fifty years. Today, the main question is whether civil society organizations have an impact on peacebuilding efforts in the world, especially in third world countries or not. This study has primarily utilized the Protracted Social Conflicts (PSC) theory of Edward Azar. The study adopted descriptive research design. The study was conducted in Turkana and West Pokot Counties of Kenya. A total of 434 respondents were targeted in Pokot North and Turkana South. The sample size of 130 respondents was selected from each of the two Sub Counties. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules, and document analysis and focus group discussions. Pilot study was conducted in Wajir County to establish reliability and validity of research instruments using content analysis and Cronbach alpha respectively. Quantitative data was analyzed using the SPSS to obtain descriptive statistics and chi-square. Qualitative data was analyzed by use of themes and presented in narrative form. Quantitative data was presented in form of tables, charts and graphs. Qualitative data was presented in form of narratives and verbatim quotations. The findings of the study revealed that, the proximity of Turkana County to three international borders, namely Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia had contributed to the proliferation of small arms through the porous borders that are not governed by the respective governments. This contributed to the availability and cheapness of small arms in Turkana County as a whole, hence the sustenance of the conflict between the two communities. Therefore, this theoretical framework was useful in anchoring the study. The study findings therefore suggested that Politics, governance, peace-building strategies, commercialization of raided animals and proliferation of small arms are the sustainers of conflict among the pastoral communities of Turkana and West Pokot Counties of Kenya. The study established that CSOs play a crucial role in conflict resolution in West Pokot. The study found out that CSOs provides food, clothing, water and tents in case of calamity. This was attributed to the fact that basic needs and health services are basic for the survival of every community. It was also established that NGOs settling conflict affected persons leads to conflict resolution. When natural resources are,well-managed conflicts are minimized. The CSOs provided for meetings during which residents were given awareness concerning peace and conflict resolution. The study revealed that CSOs organized social functions once per year.