scholarly journals Neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province of South Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C.M. Veary ◽  
S.N. Manoto
Keyword(s):  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Taenia Solium ◽  
Meat Inspection ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
North West Province ◽  
Village Communities ◽  
Pig Husbandry

A study to detect human taeniasis and cysticercosis was conducted in 4 village communities served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province, based on reports of people being diagnosed there with epileptiform episodes. Many home owners in the villages rear pigs in small numbers for both meat availability and an immediate income from live pig or pig meat sales. The primary aim of the work was to conduct in the study area a census of all small scale pig producers and a survey of rural village consumers, both by means of a structured questionnaire. The former reviewed pig husbandry practices, slaughter and marketing of pigs and the latter provided information on pork consumption, sanitation as well as people's basic knowledge of Taenia solium. Stool samples from consenting participants were screened by a contracted approved laboratory for T. solium. A descriptive analysis of retrospective data was conducted at the Bethanie clinic to determine the proportional morbidity of neurocysticercosis from the medical records of patients diagnosed with seizures in an attempt to establish possible sources of infection and routes of transmission. In addition, the total pig population in the study area was determined more accurately and the prevalence of cysticercosis investigated in pigs subjected to meat inspection at an approved abattoir. The questionnaires revealed a poor understanding of the disease, poor sanitation and hygiene, poor methods of pig husbandry and poor meat inspection and control in rural smallholder communities. There was no significant statistical difference in the proportion of households reporting evidence of epilepsy and owning pigs and those that did not. There is a strong evidence of a tendency towards an association between epilepsy, consumption habits and some identified epidemiological risk factors.

scholarly journals Health education training needs of educators at Makapanstad schools in the North West province

Curationis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M.D. Peu ◽  
L. Napoles ◽  
F. Wenhold ◽  
K. Mostert-Wentzel ◽  
N. Seane
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
North West Province ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The University

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the health education needs of educators at health promoting schools in Makapanstad in North West Province. Methodology: Qualitative, exploratory and descriptive paradigm was conducted. The population consisted of educators, at Makapanstad schools, who were directly involved with learners. The participants were purposively selected. Focus group interviews were conducted to collect relevant data from the participants. Tesch data analysis process was used to reach the findings of the research.Findings: The following categories were identified and theoretically confirmed: The need for the support by the University for the training of educators; The need for the University’s acknowledgement of educators’ responsibilities; The need for basic knowledge of health promotion; Common health needs of learners; and indirect health problems.Recommendation: It was recommended that a health education package be developed to assist in empowering learners in Makapanstad schools.

scholarly journals Irrigation Water Value at Small-scale Schemes: Evidence from the North West Province, South Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 621-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Speelman ◽  
S. Farolfi ◽  
S. Perret ◽  
L. D'haese ◽  
M. D'haese
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Water Value ◽  
North West Province

scholarly journals Raising livestock in resource-poor communities of the North West Province of South Africa - a participatory rural appraisal study

2002 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J.K. Getchell ◽  
A.F. Vatta ◽  
P.W. Motswatswe ◽  
R.C. Krecek ◽  
R. Moerane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Participatory Methods ◽  
North West ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
The North ◽  
Plastic Bags ◽  
North West Province ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Village Communities ◽  
First Time

A participatory research model was used in six village communities in the Central Region of the North West Province of South Africa in order to achieve the following broad objectives : to obtain information on the challenges owners face in raising livestock in these areas and to evaluate the livestock owners' level of knowledge of internal parasites in their animals. Information obtained at participatory workshops clearly indicated a need for improvements in water supply, schools, job creation, and health services. Lack of pasture for grazing livestock was also cited as being important. Other most frequently mentioned livestock problems included 'gall sickness' (a vaguely defined condition not necessarily referring to anaplasmosis), parasites (both external and internal), chicken diseases and ingestion of plastic bags discarded in the environment. When livestock owners were questioned during individual interviews, most were able to identify the presence of parasites in either the live or dead animal. However, it seems likely that this is limited to the identification of tapeworms. It was found that most livestock owners use a combination of treatments, ranging from traditional to folklore to commercial. There were some difficulties in using the participatory methods since it was the first time that the facilitators and the communities had been exposed to them. Many communities had difficulty in dealing with the concept of finding solutions within the community, which is such an integral part of participatory methods.

scholarly journals Supply of veterinary medicinal products to an emerging farming community in the North West Province of South Africa

2002 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Gehring ◽  
G.E. Swan ◽  
R.D. Sykes
Keyword(s):  
Animal Health ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Medicinal Products ◽  
North West ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Field Service ◽  
The North ◽  
Farming Community ◽  
North West Province ◽  
Veterinary Medicinal Products

A study was conducted in the Madikwe District of the North West Province to investigate the supply of veterinary medicinal products to small-scale, subsistence and emerging farmers. A combination of individual interviews, focus groups and direct observation was used to collect data. Stock remedies were made available to farmers within the district at Field Service Units that were managed by administrative staff of the Directorate of Field Services. The state veterinarian and animal health technicians were not directly involved with the sale of products. Most farmers still travelled to farmers' cooperatives in the larger centres outside the district to purchase the veterinary medicinal products they needed. Factors such as the quality of service provided, affordability and availability of required products as well as inaccessibility of outlets to all farmers contributed to the poor support of these outlets by the farmers of the district.

scholarly journals Ixodid ticks on cattle belonging to small-scale farmers at 4 communal grazing areas in South Africa

2002 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
N.R. Bryson ◽  
G.A. Tice ◽  
I.G. Horak ◽  
C.G. Stewart ◽  
B.J.A. Du Plessis
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Rhipicephalus Appendiculatus ◽  
Ixodid Ticks ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Amblyomma Hebraeum ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
North West Province ◽  
Rhipicephalus Evertsi Evertsi ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Ixodid ticks were collected during the period September 1991 to August 1993 from cattle belonging to small-scale farmers utilising 4 communal grazing areas. Three of these were in North West Province and 1 in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Ten tick species were collected in North West Province and 7 in Mpumalanga. The adults of Amblyomma hebraeum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi were most numerous in North West Province, while in Mpumalanga Boophilus decoloratus comprised more than 75% of the total population. Amblyomma hebraeum was present on all grazing areas, and heavy infestations of adults occurred during the period October to May on 1 of these. Few B. decoloratus were collected in North West Province, chiefly because the sampling method was inadequate, and most of these were present during early summer (October to December) and late summer and autumn (March to May). The initially low population of B. decoloratus in Mpumalanga increased substantially towards the conclusion of the survey, probably because of the cessation of dipping. Boophilus microplus was present in small numbers on 2 grazing areas in the North West Province. Adult Hyalomma marginatum rufipes reached peak numbers from December to February and Hyalomma truncatum from February to April in the North West Province. Only H. marginatum rufipes was collected in Mpumalanga. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus was present on all the grazing areas, with most adults present from December to April. Most adult Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi were collected from September to April and Rhipicephalus simus was present during the period October-April.

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