The purpose of the study was to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of nurse-midwives related to obstetric care at Thaba-Tseka, Lesotho. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional research design was used. Data were collected using structured questionnaire from 45 nurse-midwives. The findings revealed that nurse-midwives had mean knowledge score of 10.5(80.7%) out of a possible 13(Standard Deviation (SD) 1.31) on obstetric care issues. However, the majority of nurse-midwives (n=28, 62.2%) did not have knowledge on the steps of the active management of third stage of labour according to the WHO. The mean scores on practice were 34.5(86.2%) against a possible 40(SD 5.43) for antenatal care, 39.2(89%) against a possible of 44(SD 4.66) and 22.4(93.3%) against a possible of 24(SD 2.18) for postnatal care. The study revealed that nurse-midwives had positive attitudes towards obstetric care practices with mean score for attitudes was 23.4(86.7%) against a possible score of 27(SD 3.02) / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Magister Public Health - MPH / Background: Tuberculosis (TB) in the majority of cases is a curable disease requiring prolonged treatment of six months. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the Direct Observation Treatment Short course (DOTS) strategy as the approach to control TB. Despite such interventions, defaulting from TB treatment is still a major problem among TB patients at Botšabelo Clinic in Maseru. This research aimed to describe knowledge, attitudes and perceptions to TB as a disease and its treatment among non-adherent and adherent at Botšabelo Clinic in the Maseru district of Lesotho, in order to identify contributing factors related to defaulting treatment. Study design: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Population and sampling: TB non-adherent and adherent registered at Botšabelo Clinic in 2007 were included in the study. Simple random sampling was used to select both non-adherent and adherent. Data collection: Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire. Data analysis: Epi-Info Version 3.4.3 was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated using frequencies, means and percentages for socio-demographic information, knowledge, attitudes and perceptions. A p-value of less than 0.05 was accepted as being statistically significant in all statistical tests. Results: The total number of respondents who were interviewed in this study was 283. 131(46%) were non-adherent and 152 (54%) were adherent. Non-adherent and adherent showed good knowledge of symptoms, prevention and transmission of TB. They were also knowledgeable about duration of treatment. 98% non-adherent and 100% adherent knew that TB is curable. 93% non-adherent and 93% adherent visited a health facility when TB symptoms occurred. Less than half of the respondents (47% non-adherent and 47% adherent) smoked. 47% non-adherent 43% adherent drank alcohol. Many non-adherent and adherent experienced support from the community. A large number mentioned that TB did not affect their marriage negatively. Conclusion: Non-adherent and adherent showed good knowledge of symptoms, prevention, disease transmission and definition of TB. Even though many could define TB, there were misconceptions that TB is caused by poison. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen health education on TB among communities. They were also knowledgeable that TB is curable and many could define DOT. Their attitudes and perceptions towards TB as a disease were positive. Many (93%) of those who were diagnosed with TB went to a health facility for treatment, while others sought it from traditional healers. Less than half of non-adherent and adherent delayed seeking treatment. A considerable number of non-adherent and adherent were heavy smokers. Alcohol intake was moderate among both groups. Media was reported as the main source of TB information in this study. Side effects to medication were the most reported deterrent to treatment among non-adherent. The side effect with the highest frequency was vomiting. It was followed by nausea and skin rash. Socio-economic factors that determined treatment were access to health services, long distance to the clinic, lack of transport and lack of funds and personal habits like smoking and alcohol abuse. Delay in seeking treatment was found to be a problem in this study. There was no difference found between knowledge attitude and perceptions of non-adherents and adherents.

D.Phil.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority routinely uses the South African Scoring System version 4 (SASS4) in conjunction with water chemistry to monitor water quality of rivers in the Lesotho Highlands Water Project areas. The objective of this study was to test the efficiency of SASS4 in these areas. / South Africa

Magister Educationis - MEd / The aim of this study was to find out the academic and social experience of Lesotho students who studied at institutions of higher in the Western Cape between 1990-1997. / South Africa

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The study investigated the leadership styles used in the Lesotho tertiary institutions. The research was undertaken at two institutions - Lerotholi Polytechnic and the National Teacher Training College. The population of the study is the lecturers and the leaders in the management position in the two institutions. The study discussed educational leadership and educational organizations and how they help towards the achievement of goals and objectives. / South Africa

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / This study assesses the challenges of microfinance and its prospects for poverty reduction in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. It further assesses the challenges faced by the regulators of microfinance in this economy. In doing so, the study informs the policy makers in Lesotho about strategies that could be adopted to improve the microfinance industry in the country for the benefit of a large sector of the population that does not have access to formal lending channels. The study examined ten informal and formal microfinance groups, five representatives of the formal institutions and two from the Government: the Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL) and the Ministry of Finance and Social Development. The results of the study reveal some fundamental lessons for microfinance industry in Maseru, Lesotho, which could be applicable to other developing countries as well. First, microfinance in Maseru has had a positive change on the lives of its participants as articulated by the interviewees in this study. Second, it has promoted entrepreneurship and enabled its participants to open small and medium enterprises. The results of which has been a shift in consumption patterns of participants and poverty reduction. Despite the positive impacts, microfinance in Maseru has had challenges. These challenges include unlawful practices undertaken by the informal microfinance institutions such as seizure of the assets from those who default on their loans. The lending risks faced by formal institutions as well as regulation challenges by the CBL. The policy implication of this study is that the CBL and the Ministry of Finance need to require informal groups to register for licences to eliminate the level of corruption and unlawful practices experienced in the informal microfinance industry.

There are two rabies virus biotypes recognized in southern Africa namely; the canid and mongoose rabies virus biotypes. The host vectors of canid rabies biotype in South Africa are domestic dogs, black-backed jackals and bat-eared foxes, whereas the mongoose rabies biotype is maintained by the yellow mongoose. The canid rabies virus was introduced into southern Africa from Angola (1940s) and spread within the subcontinent, firmly establishing itself in the domestic dog population in Zimbabwe (1950s) and South Africa (1960s). Canine rabies became established in the coastal regions of South Africa (KwaZulu Natal) in 1976 where it has been problematic ever since. Historical data demonstrate that canine rabies has spread from KwaZulu Natal into the north-eastern corner of Lesotho in 1982, spreading throughout the country and reaching the western border of Lesotho and South Africa (FS province) in the mid-1980s without penetrating into this region of South Africa. In contrast, the historical evidence suggests that mongoose rabies virus existed in southern Africa in the early 1800s. Mongoose rabies was confirmed in 1928 in South Africa and since then was consistently diagnosed in the yellow mongoose with apparent spill over into domestic animals on the central plateau of South Africa. The FS province was mainly associated with mongoose rabies; however, recent studies utilizing antigenic characterization have suggested an increase of the canid rabies biotype of RABV since the late 1990s, peaking in 2002. The aim of this investigation was to better understand the molecular epidemiology of canine rabies in the FS province by establishing genetic relationships between rabies viruses obtained from FS province and Lesotho, with the purpose of determining the origin of canine rabies into the province and the radiation of mongoose rabies biotype of RABV into dog host. The coding region of cytoplasmic domain of glycoprotein gene and G-L intergenic region of 113 rabies viruses from FS province and Lesotho was amplified and sequenced. It was found that canid rabies virus isolates from the FS province and those from Lesotho were very closely related demonstrating a mean nucleotide sequence homology of 99%. This result indicated a single overlapping epidemiological rabies cycle between the two regions. The results also confirmed that the spill over of mongoose rabies virus into dog host does not establish dog to dog transmission and therefore leads to dead end infection. Therefore parenteral vaccination of domestic dogs and cats remains an important priority in any effort to control rabies in these regions. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Microbiology and Plant Pathology / unrestricted

South Africa is one of the countries with a very horrifying history. However, in the dawn of democratic governance, a worldly admirable constitution was brought into picture. The 1993 and 1996 South African Constitutions entrenched an elaborate Bill of Rights with provisions empowering courts to grant “appropriate relief and to make “just and equitable” orders. Happily, the Bill of Rights included justiciable and enforceable socio-economic rights. Amongst them, there is a right of access to adequate housing, for which this work is about. South Africa is viewed as a country with developed jurisprudence in the enforcement of socio-economic rights, hence it has been used as a lesson for Lesotho. Lesotho is still drowning in deep blue seas on enforcement of socio-economic rights either because the constitution itself hinders the progress thereon or because the parliament is unwilling to commit execute to the obligations found in the socio-economic rights filed. This work scrutinizes many jurisdictions and legal systems with a view to draw lively examples that may be followed by Lesotho courts towards enforcing housing rights. Indian and South African jurisprudences epitomize this notion.

There are various ways in which work can be harmful to our health. Accidents and violence on the job and exposure to noxious chemicals in factories and sealed office buildings account for substantial numbers of injuries and deaths every year. Another danger, stress affects millions of employees and costs companies millions of cash every year, but it operates in more silent and subtle way. Stress is a psychological agent that affects the health of workers, productivity, and morale worldwide. Some of the causes of stress in the workplace include work over and underload, personal and family problems, organizational design and relationships in the organization. Stress-related diseases are widespread among employees throughout the world. A national survey was conducted in the United states by a life insurance company found that nearly half of all employed adults considered their jobs to be extremely stressful. Furthermore, a major share of physical complaints may be psychosomatic, that is, actual physical disorders caused by or related to emotional factors such as stress on the job. Physical problems associated with stress include high blood pressure, ulcers, heart disease, lower back pain and cancer. Stress in the workplace is very costly to employers in terms of lower productivity, reduced motivation, and increased errors and accidents. Moderate stress is encouraged as it can help employees in achieving the goals by being productive but too much or high stress level is related to increases in turnover and counterproductive behavior, such as theft and drug and alcohol abuse.