Abstracts

Mediating effect of integrated health commodities procurement system on the relationship between responsiveness and health service delivery

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Mediating effect of integrated health commodities procurement system on the relationship between responsiveness and health service delivery Israel, Baraka. Purpose The problems that face health service delivery across different countries are compounded by financial, political, institutional and technical deficiencies. Yet, the role of technological aspects in the procurement of health commodities and health service delivery system requires in-depth exploration. This study bridges this gap by examining the mediating effect of an integrated health commodities procurement system on the relationship between responsiveness and health service delivery. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected from 274 respondents, comprising procurement staff and pharmacists using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. A total of 28 government-owned hospitals from 6 regions in the Southern Highland of Tanzania were sampled for observation. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used for data analysis. Findings The results of the study revealed a positive and significant relationship between responsiveness and integrated health commodities procurement system (β = 0.572, p < 0.001). Responsiveness positively and significantly affects health service delivery (β = 0.175, p = 0.004). The results also show that integrated health commodities procurement system is positive and significantly related to health service delivery (β = 0.264, p < 0.001). Lastly, the bootstrapping confidence intervals revealed that an integrated health commodities procurement system significantly mediates the relationship between responsiveness and health service delivery. Practical implications To strengthen the health service delivery system, the study recommends enforcing internal control mechanisms and supporting policies that will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the integrated health commodities procurement system and service practitioners' responsiveness. Moreover, health service managers should ensure that the planning, procurement and distribution of health commodities are fully and effectively integrated at each node of the health supply chain. Originality/value The study contributes to the body of knowledge which examines the efficacy of health service delivery from procurement perspective. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study that offers empirical evidence for the mediating effect of integrated health commodities procurement system on the link between responsiveness and health service delivery This is an Abstract

Field effectiveness of Metarhizium anisopliae and pheromone traps against Phthorimae absoluta on tomato in Tanzania

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Field effectiveness of Metarhizium anisopliae and pheromone traps against Phthorimae absoluta on tomato in Tanzania Zekeya, Never.; Dubois, Thomas.; Smith, Jason.; Ramasamy, Srinivasan. Phthorimaea absoluta is an invasive pest and a major threat to tomato production in sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania. Although chemical pesticides are commercially available and used locally, mis- and overuse can cause detrimental effects on human and environmental health, and can lead to emergence of resistance among populations of P. absoluta within a short period, increasing production costs among smallholder farmers in Tanzania. The effectiveness of alternative options, such as the use of biological control agents and pheromone traps, has not yet been studied in the field in sub-Saharan Africa. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a commercially available biopesticide based on Metarhizium anisopliae and pheromone traps for managing P. absoluta in field conditions in Tanzania during the dry and wet season, and compared effectiveness with chemical pesticides (a combination of chlorantraniliprole, abamectin benzoate, spinetram and clofenamide) and untreated plants as a positive and negative control, respectively. The two field experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications per treatment. Two weeks after transplanting, 20 plants were randomly selected from each plot, with the number of fully expanded leaves per plant and mines per plant counted at 7-day intervals until harvest. At harvest, the number and weight of damaged and marketable fruits were recorded, and yield and marketable yield per plot calculated. The number of leaves per plant (an indicator of P. absoluta infestation) was higher in the wet season than in the dry season. In the wet season, M. anisopliae-treated plants contained more leaves than plants in control or pheromone-treated plots. The number of P. absoluta mines per plant was higher in the dry season than in the wet season. In the dry season, the number of mines per plant was higher in control plots than in plots of other treatments. However, total yield and marketable yield were higher during the dry season than during the wet season. During both seasons, damage was highest and yield lowest in control plots. During the dry season, total yield and marketable yield did not differ significantly between pesticide-treated and M. anisopliae-treated plots. Biological control using M. anisopliae could be integrated in field management of P. absoluta in tomato in the highlands of Tanzania as well as in other regions of this country and throughout Africa This is an Abstract

A novel Biological Control of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda Smith) in Tanzania

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

A novel Biological Control of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda Smith) in Tanzania Never, Zekeya.; Hamisi, Makenga, M.; Jafari, Kideghesho. Fall army worm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a serious invasive pest from tropical America causing extensive food loss on maize that is a major food crop sustaining livelihood of people in Tanzania. Production of maize is seriously threated by the invasion of this devastating pest that causes up to 100% maize loss in fields in Tanzania. This study evaluated the efficacy of recently innovated biopesticide (VURUGA BIOCIDE), Moringa oleifera seed extract and synthetic pesticide (Duduba) for control of fall armyworm (FAW) in field conditions. Experiment was conducted at Usariver Arusha to from August to December 2018 and trials were replicated thrice in plots measuring 14m x 7m. Two maize seeds (DEKALB 8031) were sown in pits (15 cm dip) that irrigated by furrowing water into pits to ensure wetness in pits. Three weeks after sowing plots were sprayed by biopesticide (1.0x 108 conidial/ml), M. oleifera extract (0.5mg/L), Duduba as per manufacture instruction and control (water with 0.01% triton x-100) sprayed for three weeks consecutively at interval of seven days. Five weeks from sowing, number of maize leaves damaged by FAW were counted after a week for five weeks consecutively. After maturity, marketable yield and total yield per plot was recorded as well. Results showed that maize plants treated with VURUGA BIOCIDE exhibited lower damage by FAW larvae that reached 2.3 ± 0.9 damaged laves/plant compared to those treated with M. oleifera extract (3.4 ± 0.8 leaves/plant), Duduba and control where the later exhibited the highest leaf damage averaging 9.3 ± 2.9 damaged laves/plant. Maize plot treated with biopesticide exhibited high yield averaging 3.7 ± 0.2 t/ha compared to control with low yield of 1.6 ± 0.1t/ha. The percentage of marketable maize yield was high in biopesticide treated plot that averaged 94.6 ± 4.5% whereas control plot yielded 45.5 ±3.7%. Application of biopesticide exhibited high activity against S. frugiperda and increased yield and amount of marketable yield than chemical pesticide (Duduba) hence could be potential biocontrol of the pest in Tanzania and across Africa region where the pest has recently invaded. This is an Abstract

Community participation in water resource management through water users associations in the Wami-Ruvu Basin, Tanzania

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Community participation in water resource management through water users associations in the Wami-Ruvu Basin, Tanzania Zemba, Janeth I.; Katundu, Mangasini A.; Komba, Cyril K. Community participation through Water User Associations (WUAs) is intended to support sustainable water resource management in Tanzania, yet its effectiveness remains uncertain, particularly in the Wami-Ruvu Basin. This study investigates the extent and quality of participation across five stages of water management: identification, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Using Arnstein's Ladder of Citizen Participation and Participatory Development Theory, a cross-sectional design was applied to 385 WUA members, supported by household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Data were analysed using a Linear Mixed Model. Findings indicate that participation is generally low and largely symbolic rather than empowering. Engagement is highest during identification activities but declines significantly in planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation stages (p < 0.001). Major barriers include limited time, weak communication systems, restricted opportunities for input, and elite capture by dominant individuals. The results reveal a gap between policy expectations of participatory governance and actual practice within WUAs. The study concludes that WUAs, while structurally designed for inclusivity, do not yet facilitate meaningful or equitable participation. Strengthening institutional capacity, improving communication, and adapting interventions to local socio-cultural and economic contexts are recommended to enhance effectiveness and transform WUAs into genuine platforms for community-driven water governance systems. Full text is available at International Journal of River Basin Management