BackgroundMaternal and infant mortality remains a huge public health problem in developing countries. One of the strategies to minimise the risks of both maternal and infant mortality is access to and utilisation of antenatal care (ANC) services.AimThis study aimed to investigate the accessibility factors that influence the use of ANC services in Mangwe district.MethodsA qualitative approach using explorative design was adopted to target women who have babies under 1 year of age. The study was conducted in Mangwe district, Matabeleland South province, Zimbabwe. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations. Data saturation was reached after 15 women who were conveniently sampled were interviewed. Field notes were analysed thematically using Tech’s steps. Lincoln and Guba’s criteria ensured trustworthiness of the study findings.ResultsAccessibility factors such as lack of transport, high transport costs and long distances to health care facilities, health care workers’ attitudes, type and quality of services as well as delays in receiving care influence women’s utilisation of ANC services in Mangwe district, Zimbabwe.ConclusionThe study concluded that women were still facing problems of unavailability of nearby clinics; therefore, it was recommended that the government should avail resources for women to use.RecommendationsMangwe District Health Department should provide mobile clinics rendering ANC services in distant rural areas.

Traditional (indigenous) vegetables of the Kingdom of Eswatini are important for their contribution to human nutrition. They are major sources of vitamins and minerals. They provide fibre which is required for the proper functioning of the human digestive system. Traditional vegetables are important economically however, no assessments have been done in the Kingdom of Eswatini to measure their contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP). A traditional vegetable concern provides employment and thus income, and ensuring food and nutritional security, and hence striving to attain sustainable development goals (SDGs) pertaining to human health, nutrition, food security and biodiversity. Traditional vegetables are infested relatively less by insect pests and diseases. They relatively out compete weeds in terms of resources essential for growth and development. In food, traditional vegetables provide interesting colour, texture and variety. Despite the immense importance of traditional vegetables, they have been neglected and regarded as poor man's food with no research prioritisation. The objective of this study was to explore their present status, prioritize consumer education, explore their importance as climate smart vegetables and to document their contribution to biodiversity.

No abstract

The sudden disruption of academic activities by Covid-19 in the year 2020, compelled government to introduce total lockdown in Nigeria. It is on this premise that this study examined private schools’ management strategies amidst lockdown. Four questions were generated to guide the study. The research resign of descriptive and correlation type were used for the study. The study population comprises of proprietors of nursery, primary and secondary schools across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. An instrument tagged “Private School Management Strategies Questionnaire (PSMSQ)” was employed to collect comprehensive information from the respondents. Findings revealed different strategies employed for managing schools during the lockdown differs. While some perceived no significant difference on income and teaching strategies on the basis of gender, some perceived differences on the basis of population and communication. In the same vein, a significant difference exists on income generation and teaching strategies based on school type and geo-political zones. The study concluded that different strategies employed by proprietors for managing schools during lockdown helped to ensure seamless teaching and learning despite the lockdown. The study recommends that private schools should have uniform strategies that can be used to ensure continuous teaching if there is any pandemic in the future. Lastly, online teaching and learning should be integrated into the school curriculum

<p>The Eswatini Food and Nutrition (FN) examination results have shown that the practical examinations had higher scores than the theory papers, creating negatively skewed distributions. Students were scoring high marks in the FN practical examination component than in theory. This study sought to explore the factors that influence the allocation of high scores in FN practical examinations in Eswatini. A descriptive research design utilizing the qualitative research approach was employed. A sample of 17 participants was purposively selected, comprising of 10 FN teachers, 3 subject Regional Inspectors, 3 Moderators and one Subject Officer. Focus group discussions, interviews and document analysis were used to collect data. Thematic analysis was the tool used to analyse qualitative data obtained from interviews and focus group discussions. The study established that teacher competency levels were low as evidenced by unclear marking schemes. Schools lacked resources, which compromised on the monitoring and supervision of examinations. The study also established that FN practical examination assessment was subjective and that the use of a well-defined marking scheme could minimize the variations. Since FN is a practical subject, students needed to practice cookery tasks during the course of the year, hence students were more likely to excel during the end of year practical examinations. The study recommends discussion of assessment tools and continuous training for examiners before marking of the practical examinations.</p>