OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development
Open-access peer-reviewed journal
Methods and tools employed to investigate the knowledge, experiences, and attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine: The Case of Health Professionals in Leribe, Lesotho
Julia Khobotlo1 , Mpinane Flory Senekane 2
1,2 Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Volume 17, Issue 03, Pg. 11-22, 2024.
Abstract: Corona Virus Disease- 19 (COVID-19) is regarded as one of the highly contagious diseases after Ebola. It affects the respiratory organs. Different strains of COVID-19 are transmitted from one person to the other if precautionary measures are not put in place. The rate at which people get sick depends on the immune system of individuals, some people can be moderately sick, others can be very sick while many can die. Several countries responded differently to COVID-19 pandemic; The response of the Lesotho government was proactive in which a state of emergency was declared before any positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed. Lesotho’s approach was two-pronged. Firstly, the government used section 23 of the Constitution to declare a state of emergency which became into effect from 18 March 2020. Secondly, sections 3 and 15 of the Disaster Management Act, 1997 was applied and became effective from 29April to 28 October 2020. While the government of Lesotho seem to have acted swiftly to protect the lives of its citizens and everyone who at that time was in Lesotho, there were few people who ignored the stipulated legal and institutional frameworks and violated such rules and principles. The article concludes by recommending that to avoid similar challenges in the future, the existing legal and institutional frameworks must be strengthened. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a worldwide public health challenge since 2019. The major recommended precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from one person to the other is taking the COVID-19 prioritising the health care professionals as the front-liners in the health sector. This is considered a priority by all health authorities globally to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 pandemic. However, the health care professionals’ knowledge, experience, and attitude towards the vaccine is very important to promote its acceptance to the rest of the community members, and yet, COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among health workers has been low, due to misconceptions circulating on social media platforms and social gatherings about the COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, most people including the healthcare workers have been reluctant to get vaccinated. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, experiences, and attitudes of the health professionals towards Covid-19 vaccines in Leribe district, Lesotho. This is an observational, cross-sectional quantitative study conducted using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Self-administered questionnaire with closed-ended questions was used to collect data from the participants on their knowledge, experiences, and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccine. There were 195 participants who were the staff members of the district’s hospital and four clinics in Leribe district in Lesotho. The collected quantitative data was recorded on a spread sheet and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29. Descriptive frequencies were run to quantify the knowledge, experience, and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccine. Cross tabulation analysis was conducted to determine association between the variables, knowledge, experience, and attitudes. Chi-Square tests and P-values were conducted to draw conclusions about the significance of data.
Keywords: attitude, COVID-19, experience, health professionals, knowledge, vaccine
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Sustainable solution to the role of law enforcement and judicial systems in curbing road traffic crashes: Lessons from the City of Tshwane, South Africa
Makalo E. Taumang 1, Paul O. Bello 2, Adewale A. Olutola 3
1,2,3 Department of Safety & Security Management,
Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.
Volume 17, Issue 03, Pg. 23-36, 2024.
Abstract: This article explores the role of law enforcement and judicial management systems in curbing illegal vehicle speeding in the City of Tshwane. Although various measures have been adopted in addressing illegal vehicle speeding in South Africa, little is known about the efforts of law enforcement and judicial agencies in curbing the menace. From a qualitative study of participants from the City of Tshwane (formerly, Pretoria), this study specifically assesses whether the introduction of law enforcement and judicial management system have been effective in curbing illegal speeding. Findings indicate (amongst others) that the use of this management system has largely been counterproductive. Specifically, the introduction of law enforcement system was poorly planned and executed which subsequently engendered corruption among traffic officials. The study recommends regular information sharing between law enforcement and judicial and institutions through a unified information system in interfacing the different systems across the two institutions.
This study adopted a qualitative research method. A sample of 29 participants were drawn from the City of Tshwane. These participants were selected through a purposive sampling technique. The study also adopted a phenomenological research design with the aim of understanding the issues of interest from the participants’ lived experiences. A semi-structured interview technique was used to collect data which was analysed using thematic analysis with the aid of Atlas.ti version 8. Axial coding was applied to connect various themes and subthemes into constructs that could answer the study research questions. The following themes were generated after initial coding and analyses using Atlas.ti. analytical software for qualitative research analysis. Codes were assigned after preliminary review of the data to establish the dominant themes. Law enforcement personnel, specifically traffic officers were a critical component of an effective speed management system based on the views of several interviewees including Interviewee 1, Interviewee I7, Interviewee 9, Interviewee 15, Interviewee 19 and Interviewee 28.
However certain qualities were required among law enforcement personnel these being moral uprightness to resist corruption, motivation to do one’s job, expertise and knowledge emanating from good training and general psychological readiness to do the prescribed job. The study’s interviewees highlighted the significance of visible traffic policing in curbing illegal speeding. Visible traffic policing served had a preventative effect on illegal speeding as speedsters were less likely to break laws in the presence of law enforcement agents. Also, visible traffic policing served as a punitive process for those caught over speeding.
The implementation of AARTO (Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act) is recommended. This is based on the findings that the judicial systems found road offences overwhelming and never gave them priority. This resulted in illegal speeding offenders escaping punishment from the law. Thus, AARTO could also motivate traffic law enforcement officers who have been demoralised by the perceived laxity of the mainstream judicial system in prosecuting and penalising traffic offences into action.
Keywords: City of Tshwane, illegal speed, judicial systems, law enforcement.
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The Implementation of Performance-Based Navigation in Developing Sustainable Business Strategies and Models on Enroute Flight Segment in Indonesia
Yudha Inderawan 1, Muhammad Zilal Hamzah 2, Syafri 3
1,2,3 Universitas Trisakti, Indonesia.
Volume 17, Issue 03, Pg. 37-46, 2024
Abstract: A new aviation navigation concept has been developed and declared by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to increase the level of safety, capacity, efficiency, and sustainability of the world’s air transportation system. This concept takes the form of implementing a Communication, Navigation, Surveillance, and Air Traffic Management (CNS-ATM) system with an emphasis on the Performance Based Navigation (PBN) system. This research aims to analyze and examine: (i). The influence of implementing PBN procedures in promoting and fulfilling sustainable air transportation business objectives in order to build aviation navigation infrastructure; (ii). Implementation of aviation navigation regulations in Indonesia that are in line with standards and practices recommended by ICAO; and (iii). Human resource competency development policy (Air Traffic Controller/ATC) that supports the leap from conventional aviation navigation technology to satellite.
This research uses a quantitative research method with the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach and use the statistical application program of Partial Least Square (PLS).
The results of this research found that: (i). There is a positive and significant influence of the Sustainability Dimension variable and the Transportation Objective variable on the Sustainable Business Strategy and Model in the cruise aviation segment in Indonesia; both directly and when using the Performance Based Navigation (PBN) variable as an Intervening variable; (ii). ICAO’s initiative on PBN globally was implemented in the form of infrastructure improvements with the creation of the National Air Navigation Plan (NANP) in Indonesia; (iii). In order to optimize PBN routes in Indonesia (through data accuracy, aircraft capabilities, investment, and training in HR aspects), it is the only instrument that can be used to develop HR expertise in implementing PBN.
The implication of this research is that this research can be used as a reference for the Government and leaders of aviation navigation service providers to implement PBN as a policy for developing a reliable and sustainable aviation navigation sector in realizing air connectivity in the Indonesian archipelago.
Keywords: Performance-Based Navigation, Sustainability, Air Connectivity, Public Policy.
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Flood Risk Assessment, Mapping and Planning by GIS-Decision Support Systems: A Case Study in Kerala State, India
Adinarayanane Ramamurthy 1, Faiz Ahmed Chundeli 2, Ramesh Srikonda 3
1 Dean (Planning & Development) and Associate Professor,
2Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture,
3 Professor and Director, Department of Architecture,
1 School of Planning & Architecture Vijayawada, Government of India, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Volume 17, Issue 03, Pg. 47-66, 2024
Abstract: Flood is one of the serious, common, and dangerous natural disasters that many countries are facing. Floods can be local, impacting a neighborhood or a community, or even as large as affecting regions, plains, and valleys. This extreme climatic event has the potential to cause a serious impact on human health, security, livelihood, and poverty. When such events hit developed countries, human loss could be minimized as they have better warning systems and technology to reduce flood risk. But in developing countries, as they lack in many aspects of flood risk management, the impact of floods could have more harmful effects than that of developed countries. India which is vulnerable to many disasters has around 12 percent of its land prone to floods and river erosions. And even the precipitation trend seen in the country over the past years shows an alarming need for flood risk studies and management. Keeping the above facts and knowledge in mind, Pathanamthitta District, Kerala State, India, has been chosen for a detailed investigation. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) has been employed, which is a multi-criteria decision-making approach for ranking and giving weightage to the hazard and vulnerability parameters. Further, the researcher employed the GIS software for the spatial mapping of precipitation levels, elevation, slope, land use land cover (LULC), normalized difference moisture index (NDMI), flood inundation levels, buffer analysis, and mapping of other non-spatial data variables to generate flood hazard and flood vulnerability. By employing GIS, through overlay analysis the risk map is generated which reflects the high, moderate, and low-risk zones of the study region. Based on the findings, the study concludes with various structural and non-structural measures, along with spatial recommendations through zoning of the flood plains of the study region.
Keywords: GIS; Flood Hazard; NDMI; LULC; Flood Vulnerability; Integrated Planning
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