scholarly journals Assessment of low-cost, non-electrically powered chlorination devices for gravity-driven membrane water kiosks in eastern Uganda

Waterlines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-106
Author(s):  
Lukas Dössegger ◽  
Alan Tournefier ◽  
Laura Germann ◽  
Nicola Gärtner ◽  
Timon Huonder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
Local Supply ◽  
Gravity Driven ◽  
Eastern Uganda

Recontamination during transport and storage is a common challenge of water supply in low-income settings, especially if water is collected manually. Chlorination is a strategy to reduce recontamination. We assessed seven low-cost, non-electrically powered chlorination devices in gravity-driven membrane filtration (GDM) kiosks in eastern Uganda: one floater, two in-line dosers, three end-line dosers (tap-attached), and one manual dispenser. The evaluation criteria were dosing consistency, user-friendliness, ease of maintenance, local supply chain, and cost. Achieving an adequate chlorine dosage (∼2 mg/L at the tap and ≥ 0.2 mg/L after 24 h of storage in a container) was challenging. The T-chlorinator was the most promising option for GDM kiosks: it achieved correct dosage (CD, 1.5–2.5 mg/L) with a probability of 90 per cent, was easy to use and maintain, economical, and can be made from locally available materials. The other in-line option, the chlorine-dosing bucket (40 per cent CD) still needs design improvements. The end-line options AkvoTur (67 per cent CD) and AquatabsFlo® (57 per cent CD) are easy to install and operate at the tap, but can be easily damaged in the GDM set-up. The Venturi doser (52 per cent CD) did not perform satisfactorily with flow rates > 6 L/min. The chlorine dispenser (52 per cent CD) was robust and user-friendly, but can only be recommended if users comply with chlorinating the water themselves. Establishing a sustainable supply chain for chlorine products was challenging. Where solid chlorine tablets were locally rarely available, the costs of liquid chlorine options were high (27–162 per cent of the water price).

scholarly journals Reducing preterm mortality in eastern Uganda: The impact of introducing low-cost bubble CPAP on neonates <1500g

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Egiru ◽  
Francis Okello ◽  
Juliet Ikiror ◽  
Linda Acom ◽  
Kate SM Loe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Neonatal Unit ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Preterm Neonates ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Eastern Uganda

Abstract Background Complications of prematurity are the leading cause of deaths in children under the age of five. The predominant reason for these preterm deaths is respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). In low-income countries (LICs) there are limited treatment options for RDS. Due to their simplicity and affordability, low-cost bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) devices have been introduced in neonatal units in LICs to treat RDS. This study is the first observational study from a LIC to compare outcomes of preterm neonates in pre- and post-CPAP periods. Methods This was a retrospective study in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Neonatal Unit (MRRH-NNU), a government hospital in eastern Uganda. Two study periods were identified. A 14-month study period beginning at the opening of MRRH-NNU and covering the period until bCPAP was introduced (pre-bCPAP) and an 18-month period after bCPAP was introduced (post-bCPAP). After the introduction of bCPAP, it was applied to preterm neonates with RDS when clinically indicated and if a device was available. Clinical features and outcomes of all neonates <1500g were compared before and after the introduction of bCPAP. Results The admission records of 377 preterm neonates <1500g were obtained. 158 were admitted in pre-bCPAP period and 219 after. The mortality rate in pre- bCPAP period was 39.2% (62/158) compared with 26.5% (58/219, P=0.012) in post-bCPAP period. There were no differences in birthweight, sex, presence of signs of respiratory distress or apnoea between the two groups. Conclusion Specialized and resource-appropriate neonatal care that appropriately addresses the challenges of healthcare provision in LICs has the potential to reduce neonatal deaths. The use of a low-cost bCPAP to treat RDS in preterm neonates <1500g resulted in a significant improvement in their survival in a neonatal unit in eastern Uganda. Implementing bCPAP with adequate training and supervision could significantly reduce preterm mortality in LICs.

An intelligent web-based point of sales management system for small and medium scale businesses

2021 ◽  
pp. 23-31
Author(s):  
Asubonteng Mishack ◽  
James Kwabena Essiaw ◽  
Alhassan Abdul Razak ◽  
Bridgitte Owusu-Boadu
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Cultural Difference ◽  
Management System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Sales Management ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Medium Scale ◽  
User Friendly

The increase in population globally has caused organisations and businesses to move from square rooms, table-top and containers into supermarkets, malls and more. With this expansion in businesses, the traditional pen and paperwork system for keeping records are becoming more difficult for salespersons and shop owners everywhere. However, the introduction of the point-of-sales management system and advancement in technologies have elevated the challenges facing shop owners in managing their daily sales and balance sheet. Despite the overwhelming number of POS systems available, wholesalers and retailers' in low-income counties such as Ghana see some challenges with the existing POS, cost-effectiveness, and user-friendliness. Thus, the cultural difference makes it difficult for easy adaptation of shop owners to off-the-shell POS system. Hence, the current study sought to design and develop a user-friendly, low-cost intelligent web-based point of sales management system for small and medium scale business in the Bono region of Ghana, based on a user-centred approach. Using a waterfall model, we implement a POS system based on XAMP server and MySQL database as backend and PHP for server-side scripting. At the same time, HTML and CSS were used for front end development. Our experimental setup with ten students shows that the proposed system is easy to use and robust. Thus, it has a user-friendly interface for even novice to learn it with ease.

scholarly journals Efficient agri food supply chain in a sustainable transportation perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 892 (1) ◽  
pp. 012105
Author(s):  
N C Kresnanto ◽  
W H Putri ◽  
R Lantarsih ◽  
F R Harjiyatni
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Sustainable Transportation ◽  
Environmental Responsibility ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
End User ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Crucial Part ◽  
Multi Mode

Abstract Transportation is an essential part of the supply chain. Transportation in a supply chain is the movement of a product from origin to destination, especially the warehouse’s movement from the warehouse to the end-user. At present, the success of managing a supply chain is measured by its low cost and its environmental and social impact, which is what is called a sustainable supply chain. Because transportation is the most crucial part of supporting the supply chain to achieve a sustainable supply chain, transportation must also have a sustainability orientation. The sustainability context includes three central pillars (often referred to as the three Es): social equity, economic efficiency, and environmental responsibility. Based on this background, this paper will discuss transportation sustainability in support of a sustainable supply chain, especially in agri-food products. The study results show that implementing multi-mode concepts can improve the sustainability of the supply chain.

scholarly journals Reducing preterm mortality in eastern Uganda: The impact of introducing low-cost bubble CPAP on neonates <1500g

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Okello ◽  
Emmanuel Egiru ◽  
Juliet Ikiror ◽  
Linda Acom ◽  
Kate SM Loe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Neonatal Mortality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Very Low Birth Weight ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Neonatal Unit ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Preterm Neonates ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Eastern Uganda

Abstract Background: Complications of prematurity are the leading cause of deaths in children under the age of five.The predominant reason for these preterm deaths is respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). In low-income countries (LICs) there are limited treatment options for RDS. Due to their simplicity and affordability, low-cost bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) devices have been introduced in neonatal units in LICs to treat RDS. This study is the first observational study from a LIC to compare outcomes of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) neonates in pre- and post-CPAP periods. Methods: This was a retrospective study of VLBW neonates (weight <1500 grams) in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Neonatal Unit (MRRH-NNU), a government hospital in eastern Uganda. It aimed to measure the outcome of VLBW neonates in two distinct study periods: A 14-month period beginning at the opening of MRRH-NNU and covering the period until bCPAP was introduced (pre-bCPAP) and an 18-month period following the introduction of bCPAP (post-bCPAP). After the introduction of bCPAP, it was applied to preterm neonates with RDS when clinically indicated and if a device was available. Clinical features and outcomes of all neonates <1500g were compared before and after the introduction of bCPAP. Results: The admission records of 377 VLBW neonates <1500g were obtained. 158 were admitted in the pre-bCPAP period and 219 in the post-bCPAP period. The mortality rate in the pre- bCPAP period was 39.2% (62/158) compared with 26.5% (58/219, P =0.012) in the post-bCPAP period. Overall, there was a 44% reduction in mortality (OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.36-0.86, P = 0.01).There were no differences in birthweight, sex, presence of signs of respiratory distress or apnoea between the two groups. Conclusion: Specialized and resource-appropriate neonatal care, that appropriately addresses the challenges of healthcare provision in LICs, has the potential to reduce neonatal deaths.The use of a low-cost bCPAP to treat RDS in VLBW neonates resulted in a significant improvement in their survival in a neonatal unit in eastern Uganda. Since RDS is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality, it is possible that this relatively simple and affordable intervention could have a huge impact on global neonatal mortality.

scholarly journals Reducing preterm mortality in eastern Uganda: The impact of introducing low-cost bubble CPAP on neonates <1500g

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Okello ◽  
Emmanuel Egiru ◽  
Juliet Ikiror ◽  
Linda Acom ◽  
Kate SM Loe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Distress ◽  
Neonatal Mortality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Very Low Birth Weight ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Neonatal Unit ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Preterm Neonates ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Eastern Uganda

Abstract Background: Complications of prematurity are the leading cause of deaths in children under the age of five.The predominant reason for these preterm deaths is respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). In low-income countries (LICs) there are limited treatment options for RDS. Due to their simplicity and affordability, low-cost bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) devices have been introduced in neonatal units in LICs to treat RDS. This study is the first observational study from a LIC to compare outcomes of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) neonates in pre- and post-CPAP periods. Methods: This was a retrospective study of VLBW neonates (weight <1500 grams) in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Neonatal Unit (MRRH-NNU), a government hospital in eastern Uganda. It aimed to measure the outcome of VLBW neonates in two distinct study periods: A 14-month period beginning at the opening of MRRH-NNU and covering the period until bCPAP was introduced (pre-bCPAP) and an 18-month period following the introduction of bCPAP (post-bCPAP). After the introduction of bCPAP, it was applied to preterm neonates with RDS when clinically indicated and if a device was available. Clinical features and outcomes of all neonates <1500g were compared before and after the introduction of bCPAP. Results: The admission records of 377 VLBW neonates <1500g were obtained. 158 were admitted in the pre-bCPAP period and 219 in the post-bCPAP period. The mortality rate in the pre- bCPAP period was 39.2% (62/158) compared with 26.5% (58/219, P =0.012) in the post-bCPAP period. Overall, there was a 44% reduction in mortality (OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.36-0.86, P = 0.01).There were no differences in birthweight, sex, presence of signs of respiratory distress or apnoea between the two groups. Conclusion: Specialized and resource-appropriate neonatal care, that appropriately addresses the challenges of healthcare provision in LICs, has the potential to reduce neonatal deaths.The use of a low-cost bCPAP to treat RDS in VLBW neonates resulted in a significant improvement in their survival in a neonatal unit in eastern Uganda. Since RDS is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality, it is possible that this relatively simple and affordable intervention could have a huge impact on global neonatal mortality.

scholarly journals Waste Reduction for Green Service Supply Chain—the Case Study of a Payment Service Provider in Iran

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Aghazadeh Ardebili ◽  
Elio Padoano ◽  
Najmeh Rahmani
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Waste Reduction ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chains ◽  
Thermal Paper ◽  
Topsis Technique

Analyzing and designing how service is provided to the customer is crucial for sustainable supply chains in services. In this respect, there can be barriers to applying sustainable improvements due to regulations, practices and customer culture. This study is focused on finding the waste produced by the service of one of the biggest payment service provider (PSP) companies in Iran and how to meet the essential needs of the sustainable supply chain. It has been observed that using thermal papers as a biohazardous material causes environmental problems and even it is hazardous to mix them with normal paper waste in the recycling process. Moreover, preventive maintenance of the thermal printers itself causes a huge number of unnecessary shuttles between the customers and service suppliers, which represents a source of CO2 emission, traffic—especially in the capital—and high maintenance costs for the company. Three main alternatives to the thermal paper receipt were analyzed and ranked by means of a TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) model, which employed the sustainability pillars and the technical point of view as evaluation criteria. The priorities against the set of criteria were obtained by means of surveys, which targeted a sample of customers and a pool of experts. The results highlighted that customers’ habits and legislation are the most important barriers to the transition to a more sustainable service.

scholarly journals Investigating Socially Sustainable Behaviour of Local Actors in the Supply Chain of Shea Butter in Rural Borgu, Nigeria: From a Role Theory Perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-16
Author(s):  
Sidikat Shitu ◽  
Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Role Theory ◽  
Fundamental Principle ◽  
Gender Disparity ◽  
Shea Butter ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
Local Supply

The Shea butter industry in Nigeria is fragmented, private-driven and less regulated. This paper explores the roles, practices, and behaviour of local supply chain stakeholders who mainly consist of rural women entrepreneurs that engage in Shea nut picking and Shea butter processing. Also, the research examines the local buying agents (LBA) who serve as the middlemen between the rural women and the exporters of Shea butter. This study deploys qualitative research design, guided by the Role theory. The study reveals that the rural women and the local buying agents are the key stakeholders who participate in the agricultural supply chain. Granting the fundamental principle of the sustainable supply chain, the findings indicate that the present active engagement and practices of these local stakeholders do not align with the principles of the sustainable supply chain. The study also exposes that factors such as gender disparity, weak access to financial support, and information asymmetry are major contributors to the present roles, practices, and behaviour of the local actors. The current study, therefore, put forward several recommendations to the Nigerian Government to encourage the construction of sustainable engagement and sustainable supply chain in the rural supply chain network.

scholarly journals Staged implementation of a two-tiered hospital-based neonatal care package in a resource-limited setting in Eastern Uganda

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e000586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy Burgoine ◽  
Juliet Ikiror ◽  
Sylivia Akol ◽  
Margaret Kakai ◽  
Sara Talyewoya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neonatal Mortality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Neonatal Care ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Low Resource Settings ◽  
Low Resource ◽  
Care Package ◽  
Eastern Uganda

Neonatal mortality remains a major global challenge. Most neonatal deaths occur in low-income countries, but it is estimated that over two-thirds of these deaths could be prevented if achievable interventions are scaled up. To date, initiatives have focused on community and obstetric interventions, and there has been limited simultaneous drive to improve neonatal care in the health facilities where the sick neonates are being referred. Few data exist on the process of implementing of neonatal care packages and their impact. Evidence-based guidelines for neonatal care in health facilities in low-resource settings and direction on how to achieve these standards of neonatal care are therefore urgently needed. We used the WHO-Recommended Quality of Care Framework to build a strategy for quality improvement of neonatal care in a busy government hospital in Eastern Uganda. Twelve key interventions were designed to improve infrastructure, equipment, protocols and training to provide two levels of neonatal care. We implemented this low-cost, hospital-based neonatal care package over an 18-month period. This data-driven analysis paper illustrates how simple changes in practice, provision of basic equipment and protocols, ongoing training and dedicated neonatal staff can reduce neonatal mortality substantially even without specialist equipment. Neonatal mortality decreased from 48% to 40% (P=0.25) after level 1 care was implemented and dropped further to 21% (P<0.01) with level 2 care. In our experience, a dramatic impact on neonatal mortality can be made through modest and cost-effective interventions. We recommend that stakeholders seeking to improve neonatal care in low-resource settings adopt a similar approach.

Sustainable supply chain management: continuing evolution and future directions

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig R. Carter ◽  
Marc R. Hatton ◽  
Chao Wu ◽  
Xiangjing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Unit Of Analysis ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empirical Validity ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to update the work of Carter and Easton (2011), by conducting a systematic review of the sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) literature in the primary logistics and supply chain management journals, during the 2010–2018 timeframe. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology which follows the methodology employed by Carter and Easton (2011). An evaluation of this methodology, using the Modified AMSTAR criteria, demonstrates a high level of empirical validity. Findings The field of SSCM continues to evolve with changes in substantive focus, theoretical lenses, unit of analysis, methodology and type of analysis. However, there are still abundant future research opportunities, including investigating under-researched topics such as diversity and human rights/working conditions, employing the group as the unit of analysis and better addressing empirical validity and social desirability bias. Research limitations/implications The findings result in prescriptions and a broad agenda to guide future research in the SSCM arena. The final section of the paper provides additional avenues for future research surrounding theory development and decision making. Originality/value This SLR provides a rigorous, methodologically valid review of the continuing evolution of empirical SSCM research over a 28-year time period.

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