Journal Articles

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Agile Communication Channels for Enhancing Adoption of Extension Services
(International Multidisciplinary Conference of Rongo University (IJORU), 2024-07-16) Makodiah, Johanes; Abila, James; Agalo, Jerry
Many governments and multi-national agencies have directed a lot of resources towards improving agricultural extension communication but without coordinated, responsive, and audience-focused agricultural extension channels, these efforts have gone to waste. The main objective of this study is to examine the agility of communication channels for enhancing the adoption of agricultural extension services. The study examined the appropriateness, and interactivity of channels; A total of 279 farmers selected from Migori and Homa Bay Counties were interviewed to share their experiences on the agility of channels used during extension services in the production of orange fleshed sweet potatoes. The study population consisted of farmers who participated in Accelerated Value Chain Development (AVCD) project which was implemented by International Potato Centre (CIP) in the two counties in 2017 and 2018. The respondents were identified using systematic random sampling. Quantitative data collection was conducted by use of mobile phone application, Kobocollect. It was established that there was channel agility in terms of venue appropriateness (49%) and the impact of training received (90%) by farmers. There was average interaction agility whereby face to face engagement recorded (48%) most of the time and (49%) half the time. Emerging channels interaction agility was observed in the use of digital platforms (mobile invitation) for meetings at (52%) and inclusion of channel interaction through demonstration was high at (61%). This implies that there is average channel appropriateness and interaction. The extension officers of government and NGOs can use this knowledge of the sensitive, flexible, iterative nature of communication channels to vary their approaches as they communicate during their extension programmes.
Conceptual block chain model for reinforced data integrity about consumed drugs
(International Research Journal of Rongo University (IJORU), 2024-11-05) Orage, Jacob; Abila, James; Mugalavai, Anne
Data integrity is essential in the distribution of public goods, particularly in healthcare where medicinal drugs must be accurately and reliably tracked from supplier to consumer. Issues such as counterfeiting and data tampering compromise drug safety, prompting a need for effective data integrity solutions. This study explores how blockchain technology can enhance the integrity of data in the distribution of medicinal drugs. It reviews the current status of data integrity in drug distribution, reviews literature on blockchain requirements, and designs a conceptual blockchain model aimed at reinforcing data integrity. This study employs a qualitative research methodology, including a comprehensive literature review and stakeholder interviews to assess the current state of data integrity in the drug distribution process and Primary data was collected, then analyzed thematically. The study presents a clear research question for investigation: How can a blockchain model effectively reinforce data integrity throughout the drug distribution process? Furthermore, we designed a conceptual blockchain model aimed at reinforcing data integrity throughout the drug consumption process. This model offers benefits for various stakeholders including pharmaceutical stores, pharmacists, doctors, nursing heads, procurement managers, accountants, hospital administrators, patients, and healthcare providers by providing a reliable, immutable, secure, and transparent system for recording and tracking drug-related information across all departments
Data Privacy, Conceptual Framework for IoT Based Devices in Healthcare: A Systematic Review
(East African Journal of Information Technology, 2023) Luvaha, Elton; Ronoh, Lamek; Abila, James
With the rollout of the Fifth-Generation network, more Internet of Things (IoT) devices tend to increase, which increases the amount of data being shared by the devices. It is complex to secure data transmission and device-to-device communication due to the vast number of IoT devices and the complexity of networks. The Internet of Things (IoT) has evolved to enable everyday things and gadgets to connect digitally and communicate with one another, using technologies that send, gather, and analyse data from people using those objects and devices. IoT data privacy risks are widespread use. The primary objective of information technology (IT) security in Web 2.0 was to ensure the privacy, accuracy, and reliability of systems and communications. As a result of IoT devices’ often limited CPU power for longer-lasting activities, these conventional metrics, however, exhibit measurable constraints. IoT security is, therefore, critical in the context of guaranteeing security through the data privacy of IoT users. The author conducted a literature methodological analysis on the data privacy framework that will help to safeguard the 5G IoT-enabled devices on user data, technologies for data privacy in 5 G-based IoT devices, data privacy dangers associated with 5G IoT devices, and data privacy attack surfaces in 5G IoT devices.
Leveraging cloud computing for improved health service delivery: Findings from public health facilities in Kisumu County, Western Kenya-2019
(Learning Health Systems, 2021-12-22) Ogwel, Billy; Otieno, George Odhiambo; Otieno, Gabriel; Abila, James
Introduction: Healthcare delivery systems across the world have been shown to fall short of the ideals of being cost-effective and meeting pre-established standards of quality but the problem is more pronounced in Africa. Cloud computing emerges as a platform healthcare institutions could leverage to address these shortfalls. The aim of this study was to establish the extent of cloud computing adoption and its influence on health service delivery by public health facilities in Kisumu County. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional study design in one-time data collection among facility in-charges and health records officers from 57 public health facilities. The target population was 114 healthcare personnel and the sample size (n = 88) was computed using Yamane formula and drawn using stratified random sampling. Poisson regression was used to determine the influence of cloud computing adoption on the number of realized benefits to health service delivery. Results: Among 80 respondents, Cloud computing had been adopted by 42 (53%) while Software-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service and Infrastructure-as-a-Service implementations were at 100%, 0% and 5% among adopters, respectively. Overall, those who had adopted cloud computing realized a significantly higher number of benefits to health service delivery compared to those who had not (Incident-rate ratio (IRR) =1.93, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) [1.36-2.72]). A significantly higher number of benefits was realized by those who had implemented Infrastructure-as-a-Service alongside Software-as-a-Service (IRR = 2.22, 95% CI [1.15-4.29]) and those who had implemented Software-as-a-Service only (IRR = 1.89, 95% CI [1.33-2.70]) compared to non-adopters. We observed similar results in the stratified analysis looking at economic, operational, and functional benefits to health service delivery. Conclusion: Cloud computing resulted in improved health service delivery with these benefits still being realized irrespective of the service implementation model deployed. The findings buttress the need for healthcare institutions to adopt cloud computing and integrate it in their operations in order to improve health service delivery.
Mobile Based Design for Strengthening Traditional Birth Attendant Health Care Systems in Low Resource Settings: The Case of Migori County, Kenya
(Journal of Applied Humanities and Social Sciences, 2025) Achayo, Irene A.; Abila, James; Ronoh, Lamek
Mobile health applications are established tools for healthcare management, patient education, and capacity building of healthcare providers. However, their use for strengthening Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA) health care systems is surprisingly limited in low resource settings where geographic, social, or economic barriers render the World Health Organization (WHO) policy of facility births untenable. The work presents a blueprint for implementing a mobile-health intervention for strengthening TBA health care systems in low resource settings. The objectives were to establish existing TBA structures, their challenges, TBA user requirements, and to develop and test a prototypical implementation. A mixed methods study facilitated the collection of quantitative and qualitative data from a population of pregnant mothers seeking care within public hospitals in Migori County, TBA & skilled birth attendants (SBAs). A survey instrument administered to 20 patients, 20 skilled birth attendants, and 20 traditional birth attendants was used in establishing challenges of existing structures, eliciting user requirements, and for the design and testing of the prototype mobile based design. Snowballing sampling enabled the researchers reach patients and TBAs who had visited the four public facilities in Rongo Sub County in the second quarter of the year. The focus group discussions method led to refined user requirements, while review of documents on maternal and newborn care protocols enabled the research to determine desired system functionalities for the new roles envisaged by the World Health Organization (WHO) for TBAsin low resource settings. Findings showed that TBA health Care systems were manual with weak links to the formal health care system. Users required a system that could support secure collaboration between TBAs and SBAs, address the problem of scarce SBAs and facilities, improve the convenience, cost and quality of care suitable for their social economic status. Figma was used as a user interface design tool to rapidly prototype the design. The prototypical design was implemented in MySQL and Java. The resulting mobile based design provided users with functionality to register and log into the system, capture, and avail patient data, access global maternal and child health protocols and offer telemedicine sessions between patients, TBA and SBAs. The prototypical TBA app was tested during a focus group session for performance, usability, and utility. The TBA app offers a convenient, cost effective and quality system while addressing the key challenges of manual TBA health care systems in low-income settings. Findings offer valuable design insights for implementing a mobile based initiative to address the challenge of reducing maternal mortality in low resource settings in Kenya and beyond.

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