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THE ROLE OF E-GOVERNMENT IN EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY: A Case Study of Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO)
(University of the Western Cape, 2009) MAKENE, BONIPHACE
The essence of e-government is to link government activities with the advanced technology that the world is having today. This technology has already shown a remarkable job in bringing efficiency in private sector through e-business, e-banking, e-procurement etc. It is, therefore, recommended by this study that government and its agencies could utilize e-government initiatives to bring service delivery closer to citizens. By so doing government officials and citizens would become much closer and perform their duties well and efficiently. The experience from various countries shows that there are various Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and e-government initiatives even in poor countries. In rural areas of Tanzania where electricity has never been thought to reach where illiteracy rates are increasing and where poverty is high, people are using mobile phones for their activities. This is possible as the prices of mobile phones are low and networks are available in such rural part of the country. Tanzania enacted ICT policy in 2003 which, among other things, emphasizes the need to have success in e-government services. Experience on ground, though, reveals that this policy is often not implemented. What seems in the implementation of ICT policy in Tanzania difficult is the lack of political will and the will to agree to change. On the other hand, Tanzanian citizens have been for a long time ready for change. A good example may be advent of the mobile phone industry in the country. Many respondents in this research expressed the need to adopt ICT to advance ordinary people. These respondents recommended that government officials accept change with regard to ICT, to introduce developmental plans and be innovative and creative enough in establishing service delivery programmes. As borne out by this study, ICT can also be used to link the private sector, public sector and service delivery to citizens. Still though, poor countries, apart from having many priorities to contend with, have to acknowledge that the world is changing rapidly and in order to combat poverty more effectively, technology is useful as it makes people understand the trends and changes that the world is witnessing today. Indeed, Tanzania can use ICT to move ahead in e-government because it has a good telecommunication system, a factor that would allow for the success of online services.
Assessing the role of NGO’s in community development and building social capital: A case study of farm orphan support trust of Zimbabwe
(University of the Western Cape, 2015) Maphosa-Makombe, Zanele
Assessing the Role of NGOs in Community Development and Building Social Capital: A Case Study of Farm Orphan Support Trust of Zimbabwe Social capital has become an important concept in development discourse, especially with regard to community-based development. The concept of social capital and the role of supportive non-governmental organisations are receiving attention as critical elements in encouraging and assisting community development. This research was conducted to assess the role of Farm Orphan Support Trust in building social capital as a community development strategy in farming communities. The findings from the research showed that intermediary players are a key catalyst but can only be truly effective if they enable local linkages and bridging linkages for communities, not only to cope but also to progress. The arguments reveal that social capital on its own is not a sustainable community development strategy, but making use of the available capital through the formation of networks, groupings and co- operatives is essential for meaningful development. Community benefits from social resources that are created through social networks. At the same time, collaborations amongst intermediary players ensure that there is prioritisation of development focus for the best interests of the community. The ability of intermediary players to work together also creates trust within the community and hence they are viewed as part of the community, which is a critical element of social capital. Social and community ties are key components of the social capital concept. Farm Orphan Support Trust has continued to use the available social capital in farm communities, which has created pockets of excellence and possible learning sites for future replication.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the partnership for reviving routine immunization in northern Nigeria programme in Jiga w a state, Nigeria
(University of the Western Cape, 2012) Adegbenga Ominiabohs, Adedayo; Ehimario Igumbor
The weak routine immunization activities in Nigeria have led to an upsurge of vaccine preventable diseases such as poliomyelitis in the northern parts of the country. This made the federal government to intensify efforts to improve routine immunization activities with various intervention programmes over the years. This commitment of the federal government towards improving routine immunization as a way to promote infant and child survival led to the partnership between the UK. Department for International Development (DFID) to support the launching of Partnership for Reviving Routine Immunization in Northern Nigeria (PRRINN) programme in 2006. The programme, implemented in the northern states of Jigawa, Katsina, Y obe, and Zamfara was intended to augment other federal government immunization intervention efforts in improving routine immunizations services. After five years of programme implementation, assessment of the effectiveness of PRRINN had not be undertaken using a survey based immunization coverage to establish how well the primary objectives of the programme are being met in terms of improving routine immunization. This study was designed to evaluate the performance of the PRRINN programme in improving routine immunization coverage in Jigawa State using coverage data from the National Immunization Coverage Survey (NICS) of2010. A quasi-experimental 'before and after' study design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of PPRINN in Jigawa State in respect to its primary objective of improving immunization coverage in the State. The study used secondary data sets from the National Immunization Coverage Survey (NICS) of 2006 and 2010, and routine immunization data collected at selected primary health facilities in the State. Key Informants' Interviews (KII) were also conducted to complement the information gathered from the surveys and record reviews. The current status of immunization coverage for Jigawa State was determined and compared with the immunization coverage of the State in 2006. The immunization access and continuity was determined using the drop-out rates of DPT antigen. Status of the routine immunization in the health facilities was determined. The data extracted from the NICS of 2006 and 2010 were analyzed using the customized coverage survey and analysis software (COSAS) and EpiInfo analysis software. COSAS was employed for analyzing the data on infant immunization and a statistical analysis programme was developed in FOXPRO to analyze the TT immunization in women. The standard report by COSAS provided an automatic standard analysis that generated the main indicators for infant immunization: coverage summary tables for crude and valid coverage by doses of each antigen (BCG, OPV, DPT and Measles) and also for full immunization. Results were disaggregated into 'card only' and 'card plus history'.
Interactions with coastal nature and health outcomes: a Bayesian mindsponge analysis on Belgian visitors
(Springer Nature, 2026) Sari, Ni Putu Wulan Purnama; Huni, Chamunorwa; Ogbekene, Ifeanyi; La, Viet-Phuong; Nguyen, Minh-Hoang; Vuong, Quan-Hoang
Coastal environments are widely recognized as valuable public health resources and therapeutic landscapes. However, limited research has examined how specific forms of direct interactions with coastal natural environments are associated with health outcomes. This study investigates the associations between the frequency of participating in direct interactions with coastal natural environments and health outcomes among visitors to the Belgian coast in the previous year. Applying the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework analytics on a dataset of 1,939 survey responses, the study reveals substantial heterogeneity in these relationships. The findings can be categorized into three groups. The first group comprises activities that are positively associated with both mental and general health, including walking on the beach and participating in beach sports. The second group includes activities that are negatively associated with both health outcomes, namely spending time on the beach and searching for shells. The third group consists of activities that show no consistent pattern of association, either because their relationships with both health outcomes are ambiguous or because they are associated with only one dimension of health. These activities include observing wild animals or plants, watching sunsets, seagoing, engaging in water sports (e.g., surfing, swimming, sailing, and kayaking), and mountain biking. These findings suggest the importance of targeted coastal management strategies that enhance the therapeutic benefits of blue spaces and recognize that health outcomes may vary according to the type of coastal activity undertaken. They also point to the need for further research to clarify the mechanisms underlying the observed associations.
Implementation evaluation of the COVID-19 vaccination: speed, equity and mortality trends
(AOSIS (pty) Ltd, 2026) Matthew, Ilona; Viljoen, Michelle; Mccartney, Jane
Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination campaign in South Africa constituted the most significant public health intervention in recent history, occurring against the backdrop of a prevailing quadruple burden of disease. Aim: To evaluate the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, focusing on rollout speed and geographic equity and to examine the temporal associations between vaccination coverage and mortality trends. Setting: All South African residents aged 12 years and older who were eligible for COVID-19 vaccination during the study period. Methods: A retrospective, ecological population-based time-series analysis to assess vaccination rollout trends and geographic equity, and to examine the association between vaccination coverage and excess mortality. The Logic Model and the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance) framework were applied to interpret implementation performance. Results: The vaccination campaign expanded rapidly in the early phases, but vaccination activity declined significantly over a three-year period (p<0.001). By February 2024, approximately 49.7% of the eligible population had received at least one dose, below the national target of 67%. Coverage was higher in metropolitan than in district municipalities (p<0.05). Statistically significant non-causal temporal associations were observed between vaccination coverage and excess mortality. Conclusion: Early vaccine coverage was achieved, but uptake was insufficient to meet national coverage targets. Geographic disparities suggest potential inequities in access, offering empirical insights to strengthen primary health care integration, equitable service delivery, and data-driven implementation strategies. Contribution: This study supports dual-framework implementation science for evaluating large-scale public health interventions to inform health system strengthening and emergency preparedness.