Background: The benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART) are undeniable: decreased morbidity and mortality, improved clinical outcomes, and decreased HIV transmission. In recent years, there have been remarkable efforts to roll out HIV support and treatment programs, resulting in ART access to nearly 4 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. However, a decisive step in improving outcomes of these programs relies on ART adherence. This study was conducted by aiming at exploring and describing the perceptions of patients on ART and treatment supporters about their roles in ART adherence. It was carried out at Oshakati ART clinic in the Intermediate Hospital Oshakati in Oshana region, Northern Namibia. Methods: The qualitative investigation was carried out on patients on ART and treatment supporters by means of unstructured interviews through convenient sampling technique. The data were analysed by content analytical method. Results:The study results from all respondents were consolidated, which gave a clear understanding regarding adherence at the ART clinic in Intermediate Hospital Oshakati. The perceptions of patients on ART and treatment supporters with regard to their role towards ART adherence were classified based on participants' experiences into two main themes and sub-themes, including: 1) ART patients' perceptions around their current roles in ART adherence comprise of four sub-themes of ART patients' perceptions about taking medication daily, perceptions about collection of medicine supply and follow-up visits, perceptions about food and medication and perceptions about support in ART treatment; 2) Treatment supporters' perceptions about their role in ART adherence consist of four sub-themes of perceptions about follow-up visits and collection of medicine, perceptions about psychosocial and emotional support, perceptions about giving food and medication and perceptions about encouraging personal hygiene. Conclusion: Patients and treatment supporters perceived adherence as an important aspect in the success of antiretroviral treatment. Giving patients correct information, personal motivation, patients understanding of treatment, traditional and religious beliefs were among other factors perceived by treatment supporters to be impacting on ART adherence.

BACKGROUND: Dysmenorrhea is a common gynaecological condition that affects the daily activities of the women who suffer from it. In the education context, female students often have to spend long hours at clinics or doctors’ appointments due to dysmenorrhoea, thus having to miss lectures when dysmenorrhea impacts adversely on their studies and academic performance. Purpose: This study sought to determine the knowledge and practice of female students at the University of Namibia, Rundu campus regarding the management of dysmenorrhea METHODOLOGY: A quantitative study was employed using a non-experimental, cross-sectional approach. The non-probability sampling method was used with convenient sampling being employed. A total of 303 fulltime female students from the University of Namibia, Rundu Campus were selected to participate in the study. Of the 303 students selected 295 completed the open-ended questionnaires which they were given. The data from the questionnaires was analysed manually and the findings presented in the form of tables, graphs and pie charts. RESULTS: The study found that dysmenorrhea was affecting 88.1% of the students at the University of Namibia, Rundu Campus. In addition, there was evidently a lack of knowledge on the management of dysmenorrhea, as 46% only of the participants appeared to possess adequate knowledge on the management of dysmenorrhea. The study also found that approximately 54.2% of the participants sought medical assistance when experiencing dysmenorrhea, 30.8% used home remedies of which 91.3% were effective, 12.3% used traditional herbs of which 90.6% were effective, while 25.3% exercised or did other activities in order to relieve pain. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that dysmenorrhea was affecting the majority of female students on Rundu Campus although only a few of them possessed adequate knowledge on the management of dysmenorrhea and only about half (46%) of the respondents sought medical help. Recommendation: The findings indicated the need for the university to build a clinic on campus and to organise student wellness programmes which included the management of dysmenorrhoea.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to explore and describe the knowledge of women regarding health promotion in the prevention of breast and cervical cancer. This study was carried out in the Oshakati district at the Intermediate Hospital Oshakati. METHODOLOGY: A quantitative approach was used for this study. This approach was chosen in order to provide a comprehensive picture and understanding of the women’s knowledge or awareness of health promotion in the prevention of breast and cervical cancer. The study population consisted of all women of child-bearing age, aged 15 to 49, in the Oshakati health district, that is, 41,985. The research sample was identified as 10% of the study population, thus numbering 419 respondents. The researcher personally distributed 419 questionnaires to every second woman of child-bearing age admitted to the Intermediate Hospital Oshakati. RESULTS: The findings indicate that awareness of information relating to breast and cervical cancer exists in Oshakati Health District. However, overall knowledge on the causes of breast and cervical cancer, risk factors for breast cancer and warning signs of cervical cancer was very poor. The findings also revealed that while many respondents were informed about breast self-examination (BSE) and had practised it, very few respondents acknowledged clinical breast examination (CBE) attendance once a year, or the use of mammography and sonar attendance as additional screening methods. RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSION: Based on the findings the study recommends that women should share information with their peers; in addition, radio should be used to disseminate such information as it is the most reliable source of information in the rural areas. Information, education and communication materials on the prevention of breast and cervical cancer should be developed and disseminated to the public. Women should be encouraged to develop a reading culture in order to increase their knowledge.

Background:A caesarean section is a life saving procedure for both the mother and the baby. However, the fact that caesarean section rates are increasing worldwide, in both the developed and developing countries is becoming an issue of increasing concern, which raised a concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the indications for a caesarean section in the Rundu State Hospital. Methods:A cross sectional retrospective study was conducted.The study population comprised the records of women who had undergone caesarean section between 1 January 2017 to 31 March 2017. After conducting a sample size calculation the delivery, records of 149 women who had undergone a caesarean section during the study period were reviewed. The required data was collected using individual data collection sheets and then analysed using SPSS version 24. Results:The age of participants ranged between 20 and 50 years. The mean age for the study group was 25.1 years. The overall leading indications for a caesarean section included foetal distress (25.6%), previous uterine scar (18.1%) and Cephalopelvic disproportion (16.1%) while other major contributing indications were eclampsia (16.1%), mal-presentation (8.1%), prolonged labour (6.7%, ante partum haemorrhage (3.4%), failed vaginal birth after caesarean section (2.0%), cord prolapse (1.3%) and severe vaginal warts (0.6%). In addition, the study found that a primary caesarean section was more common at 81.9% as compared to previous uterine scar at 18.1 % while maternal indications contributed to 61% of caesarean sections while foetal indications constituted 39%. Conclusion:Overall, the study found that the leading indications for caesarean section were foetal distress and previous uterine scar. It was recommended that foetal distress, as the main indicator for a primary caesarean section, should be further confirmed with a printed cardiotocograph. Training health workers on the interpretation of cardiotocograph and the importance of the use of other methods, such as the fetoscope and doptone, may help to reduce the incidence of unnecessary primary caesarean section due to foetal distress. In addition, previous uterine scar cases should be embark on labour before a decision is made.

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Although, at the time of this study, the cardiotocograph machine was the acceptable monitoring tool to be used intrapartum, its appropriate use was a matter of concern for midwives globally. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study which investigated the perceptions of midwives, who were working in a labor ward in a public referral hospital in Namibia, regarding the use of the cardiotocograph machine. The objectives of the study included: to explore and describe the perceptions of midwives working in a labor ward in Namibia regarding the use of the cardiotocograph machine as a labor monitoring tool; and to explore and describe how midwives working in a labor ward in Namibia perceived informing women who were in labor about the use of the cardiotocograph machine as a labor monitoring tool. The study site was a public referral hospital which offered services to the five northern regions of Namibia. The requisite data was collected using semi-structured, one-on-one interviews which were conducted with seventeen (17) purposively selected participants. The interviews were recorded on an audio device. The spiral method of data analysis was adopted. The study findings revealed that the participants had varying perceptions on the use of the cardiotocograph machine intrapartum and, as such, perceived its use as a challenge. It was concluded that midwives need to be empowered via refresher courses with regard to the use of cardiotocograph machine to ensure optimum results.