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Most intestinal parasites are cosmopolitan with the highest prevalence in the tropics and subtopics. Rural-to-urban migration rapidly increases the number of food eating places in towns and their environs. Some of these eating estabishments have poor sanitation and are overcrowded, facilitating disease transmission, especially through food-handling. Our investigations in Nairobi, therefore, were set to determine the presence of intestinal parasites in food-handlers with valid medical certificates. Direct and concentrated stool processing techniques were used. Chisquare test and ANOVA were used for data analysis. The parasites Ascaris lumbricoides, Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia were observed in certified food-handlers. Significant difference was found in parasite frequency by eating classes and gender (χ2 = 9.49, P = 0.73), (F = 1.495, P = 0.297), but not in parasite occurrence between age brackets (χ2 = 6.99, P = 0.039). The six-month medical certificate validity period may contribute significantly to the presence of intestinal parasites in certified food-handlers.

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Experiences from developed and emerging economies inform us that close state-business relations are crucial for economic development and structural transformation. Based on the positive experiences from other parts of the world, most African governments have begun processes to establish collaborative State Business Relations (SBRs). Amongst other initiatives, these processes include amendments to existing laws to facilitate public-private interaction, direct support to existing business associations, and support for and establishment of publicprivate dialogue fora. This paper draws on an analysis of survey data from 210 local firms, complemented with qualitative data from interviews with 41 firms, a number of 20 key informants and a range of secondary sources on the food processing sectors of Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. The paper shows that businesses in these countries have limited policy influence, find policies and programs to be inadequate when targeting the needs and requirements of local businesses and that business associations in these countries are poorly organised. In spite of initiatives taken by the states and other actors, including an increase in the number of formal relations between state and businesses, it is difficult to conclude whether SBRs are collaborative or collusive. The paper contributes to the existing SBR literature by adding a firm-level perspective and by enhancing our knowledge on the usefulness of key theoretical approaches to these issues in an African context.