Small and medium enterprises operating within the agriculture sectors are important entities because of their contribution to the economy. This study's objective was to investigate the factors that influence the performance of agricultural SMEs within the Khomas region. This study adopted the inductive approach in the quest to explore factors which influence the performance of agricultural SMEs in the Khomas region. The study adopted the exploratory design qualitative methods in collecting and analysing data. The population of this study consists of 43 enterprises engaging in agricultural activities on a small-scale basis. Using the convenience sampling method, the researcher identified ten (10) individuals of which seven (7) were farm owners and three (3) were farm managers for participation in the study. The researcher conducted face-to-face interviews with the identified participants using an interview schedule as the data collection tool. The researcher analysed qualitative data through qualitative content analysis. From the analysis, the study concluded that lack of support, lack of formal planning and lack of expertise negatively influence the performance of agriculture SMEs within the Khomas region in Namibia. Financial limitations and the inability of the agricultural SMEs to secure and manage financial resources also have a negative impact on the performance of agricultural SMEs, which leads to their poor performance. The study, however, reveals that agricultural SMEs contribute to economic development through job creation, food production and infrastructure development, and that makes their effective performance significant to the economy. Hence, the study proposes recommendations for the government to provide support to agricultural SMEs, the training of agricultural SMEs to ensure that they have the desired expertise to perform their farming activities, as well as how to manage business operations and create a market for locally produced agricultural products. The study further recommends that agricultural SMEs adopt formal planning to facilitate the effective allocation of resources, as well as track their progress. Implementation of the recommendations would enhance the performance of agricultural SMEs and increase their ability to contribute to economic development.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Objective: The study aim was to measure the operational effectiveness of a single dose Nevirapine for PMTCT programme among infants aged six weeks in Khomas region of Namibia.Methods: This was a retrospective record review quantitative study based on a descriptive approach. The record review aimed at measuring operational effectiveness through the distribution of certain variables among HIV exposed infants including the socio economic variables such as age, sex and the breast feeding practices of their mothers. A total of 451 HIV positive mothers and their infant pairs` record registers were reviewed in two hospitals of Khomas region, Namibia.Results: A total of 451 PMTCT mothers’ records for the year 2007 (median age 29 years) were reviewed in the Katutura and Windhoek Central hospitals of Namibia.. The HIV prevalence among infants aged six weeks or more out of the total 167 tested was 5% (95%CI, 0.9 -3.7). Conclusion: The findings from this study shows that although the rate of PMTCT in tested infants was low, registers for maternity and infant follow up are extremely poorly completed with the vast amounts of missing information making it difficult to assess programme effectiveness and monitor programme outcomes. PMTCT programme registers and routine monitoring and evaluation data need to be strengthened.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Primary Health Care (PHC) services in Namibia are based on the principles of equity,availability, accessibility, affordability of services, and community participation and empowerment. According to the Namibian Constitution and the National Health Policy,all Namibians should have equal access to public health services at no cost to the patient.The government places a high premium on the involvement of communities in PHC through communication, consultation and respectful interaction between health workers and patients and communities in the interests of quality service delivery. Services provided at PHC facilities include immunisations, antenatal care, post-natal care, family planning, health education, tuberculosis and malaria treatment, outreach services, antiretroviral treatment (ART), and the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission(PMTCT) programme. Numerous complaints have been received from patients relating to patients' admissions at clinics, long waiting hours, over-crowded facilities, poor communication between patients and nurses, and non-availability of some medications and medical officers at some of the PHC facilities.This study investigated patient satisfaction and the reasons for reported poor nursepatient relations at PHC facilities in Khomas region in Namibia. The objectives of the study were to describe patient’s perceptions concerning quality of service delivery at PHC clinics, to explore factors related to the clinic environment that might influence perceived quality of care and to describe the nature of nurse-patient relations. Methodology A descriptive, qualitative study was conducted among randomly selected patients (15) and registered nurses (5) at five purposively selected PHC clinics in Khomas region, in the Windhoek district. Five sisters-in-charge from the designated facilities were interviewed as key informants.Data was collected through key informant interviews and focused interviews with nurses and patients, respectively. Data on the participants’ experiences and perceptions of using the health services, as well as factors influencing nurse-patient relations and patient satisfaction was collected. Interview data was recorded on audiotape and transcribed verbatim. Data from key informants was captured in field notes. Thematic analysis of transcribed data was conducted.Results Low patient satisfaction with services was confirmed as a key problem facing four out of the five health facilities visited in Khomas region. Patient dissatisfaction was mostly related to the long waiting times, which in turn, was caused by increased patient numbers as a result of the escalating HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) epidemics, ART roll out and increased immigration to Windhoek. Other factors attributed to low patient satisfaction were poor communication between health providers and patients, nonavailability of family planning and immunisation services, and frequent stock-outs of some prescribed medicines.ConclusionsThe findings of this study support the need to rethink nurse-patient relations for greater patient satisfaction and quality of service delivery in the public Primary Health Care facilities in Khomas region. Greater care should be taken to inform patients about service days and the staffing limitations at health facilities, and to educate and empower patients for self-care. Communication strategies should target negative perceptions about service delivery at PHC clinics in the communities. In-service training in areas like case management, different PHC disciplines and communication skills are needed to improve the competency of nurses. In addition, motivation of nurses needs to be addressed through recognition and appreciation from management in order to avoid frustrations and negative attitudes towards patients. Motivation of nurses can be improved by paying attention to their work environment and the physical structure of health facilities.

Domestic violence is an endemic problem in Namibia and may be the most underreported form of violence against women and men, girls and boys residing in the country [Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), 2014:295]. Domestic violence, takes many forms, including physical aggression (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, or throwing objects) as well as threats, rape, other forms of sexual and emotional abuse, controlling or domineering behaviours, intimidation, stalking, and passive or covert abuse (e.g., neglect or economic deprivation). Victims of rape and gender-based violence (GBV), however appear to face significant challenges in accessing healthcare support services. It is against this background that this study was conducted. The main goal of this study is to explore and describe the challenges faced by survivors of rape in the Khomas region of Namibia in accessing health and support services. The study utilised a qualitative research approach, which was applied research, as it focused on problems faced in the practice of identifying and seeking to address the challenges faced by rape survivors in the process of trying to heal from the trauma of rape. The phenomenological design was deemed appropriate for this study since it dealt with some sensitive issues regarding personal experiences of violence and reaction to it. The study was therefore exploratory and descriptive in nature an unstructured one-onone interviews were used to collect data. Findings from the study showed that rape survivors in the Khomas region of Namibia face many challenges in accessing healthcare support services which relate to the problems that they face as a result of the rape, as well as to the nature of support that they get from healthcare centres, the police, the community as well as their socioeconomic circumstances. Close collaboration is required between relevant stakeholders such as healthcare workers, police, communities, the legal justice system and policy makers. This will assist in the development of more effective policies and the building systems and institutions that are more effective in offering support to survivors of rape. It is therefore recommended that service delivery to support survivors of rape be improved in such a way that it becomes more accessible and survivor friendly. / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Healthcare))--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Healthcare) / Unrestricted

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / "This study is guided by theories about educational policy implementation and their implications for teaching. These theories underline the notion that educational reform is a progress and it iv comes in cycles. According to Tyack and Cuban (1995), the first cycle (policy talk) is for diagnosing problems and for advocacy of solutions. It is followed by policy action; then actual implementation of the plan. The implications for these theories therefore imply that teachers play an important role in any educational reform and as such should be involved in any decision making and policy implementation in order to make any change in education a worthwhile process (Fullan, 2001; Helsby, 1999; Tyack and Cuban, 1995). This study focused on the implementation of the policy document Towards education for All: A development brief for education, culture, and training and its implications on mathematics teachers at secondary schools. The policy document highlights the main features of Learner-Centered approaches. Therefore, the aim of the study is to investigate how mathematics teachers implement Learner-Centered Education in Mathematics classrooms in Namibia..."