Background COVID-19 has been one of the greatest challenges the world has faced since the second world war. This study aimed at investigating the distribution of COVID-19 in both space and time in Malawi. Methods The study used publicly available data of COVID-19 cases for the period from 2 April 2020 to 28 October 2020. Semiparametric spatial temporal models were fitted to the number of monthly confirmed cases as an outcome data, with time and district as independent variables, where district was the spatial unit, while accounting for sociodemographic factors. Results The study found significant effects of location and time, with the two interacting. The spatial distribution of COVID-19 risk showed major cities being at greater risk than rural areas. Over time, the COVID-19 risk was increasing then decreasing in most districts with the rural districts being consistently at lower risk. High proportion of elderly people was positively associated with COVID-19 risk (β = 1.272, 95% CI [0.171, 2.370]) than low proportion of elderly people. There was negative association between poverty incidence and COVID-19 risk (β = −0.100, 95% CI [−0.136, −0.065]). Conclusion Future or present strategies to limit the spread of COVID-19 should target major cities and the focus should be on time periods that had shown high risk. Furthermore, the focus should be on elderly and rich people.
Childhood undernutrition is an important public health problem. Many studies have investigated the factors of childhood undernutrition, but not the association between the undernutrition indicators. This study aimed at investigating the association between the childhood undernutrition indicators. A loglinear model of cell counts of a three way table of stunting, wasting, and underweight was fitted based on the 2010 Malawi demographic health survey data. Interaction terms in the model depicted deviations from independence. A multiple correspondence analysis of undernutrition indicators was also plotted to have a visual impression of association of the undernutrition variables. A loglinear model showed that underweight was associated with both stunting (P<0.001), and wasting (P<0.001). There was no association between stunting and wasting (P=1). Furthermore there was no three way association of stunting, wasting and underweight (P=1). Lack of three way interaction of stunting, wasting and underweight means that childhood undernutrition multidimensional nature is still valid, and no each indicator can represent the other.
Background: COVID-19 has been the greatest challenge the world has faced since the second world war. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of COVID-19 in both space and time in Malawi. Methods: The study used publicly available data of COVID-19 cases for the period from 24th June to 20th August, 2020. Semiparametric spatial temporal models were fitted to the number of weekly confirmed cases as an outcome data, with time and location as independent variables. Results: The study found significant main effect of location and time with the two interacting. The spatial distribution of COVID-19 showed major cities being at greater risk than rural areas. Over time the COVID-19 risk was increasing then decreasing in most districts with the rural districts being consistently at lower risk. Conclusion. Future or present strategies to avert the spread of COVID-19 should target major cities by limiting international exposure. In addition, the focus should be on time points that had shown high risk.
The use of Information and Communication Technology and digital technologies in farm management plays a vital role in achieving strategic development goals of countries. Digital labour has helped enormously to boost access to large amounts of information, connecting people from remote communities, particularly young people whose innovative potential combined with the power of technology proves to be a force to achieve sustainable development goals. This research aims at determining the effectiveness of digital technology in agriculture through providing site-specific information and employing digital labour to implement precision farming in Malawi. The research objective focused on using rapid 4-in-1 soil tester, testing moisture, acidity, or alkalinity through power of Hydrogen (pH) measure, temperature, and fertility as well as Extension Helper Application, a portal used by extension coordinators to share farm information. The is desk research with qualitative study and slight quantitative figures from digital 4-in-1 rapid soil tester with students utilising study farm plots at Natural Resources College. Analysis derived valuable capabilities such as quick determination of farm specific information. Research found that with digital tools and digital labour, it was easy to see and manage field data, oversee worker productivity, manage resources, view farmer data trends and support decision making. Further, mobile digital tools were found to amplify extension massaging to reach more farmers and enable management to improve coordination of diverse service providers with the right type of data aggregation. Digital tools reduced the use of had written reports during field visits. Quality of collected data improved and frequency of field visits for the extension coordinator as well increased. This research was mainly drawn from action research as well as systematic review of both internal and external desk research. Action research and internal review was based on student plots at Malawi’s Natural Resources college and external desk review was based on SANE project with Extension Helper Application. Generally, the findings showed that the use of information and communication technology and digital technology with digital labour support decision making to form policies towards realising Malawi vision 2063.
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