Joseph Kortu

https://doi.org/10.64823/ijmhs.2601006

Maternal malnutrition remains a major public-health concern in Sierra Leone, yet community-level evidence based on objective anthropometric measurement is scarce. This study assessed anthropometric indicators of maternal malnutrition among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) clinics in Nongowa Chiefdom, Kenema District. A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used, and data were collected from 63 pregnant women using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire and standardized measurements of body mass index (BMI) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Data were analyzed in SPSS using frequencies, percentages, and charts. The findings revealed a clear double burden of malnutrition: by BMI, 14.3% of respondents were underweight, 49.2% were of normal weight, 25.4% were overweight, and 11.1% were obese; by MUAC, 19.0% were malnourished (below 23 cm). Overall, just over half (50.8%) fell outside the normal BMI range, and MUAC detected more acute undernutrition than BMI. The population was highly economically vulnerable, with 65.1% reporting no income and 50.8% unemployed, and more than half experienced household food insecurity. Respondents identified poverty and food shortages, rather than cultural beliefs, as the main factors affecting their nutrition. Although ANC coverage, supplementation, and nutrition education were high (all above 87%), most women (79.4%) attended only one or two ANC visits, far below the WHO-recommended minimum. Maternal malnutrition in the study area is therefore driven principally by poverty and food insecurity, and the routine integration of MUAC screening into ANC, alongside economic and food-security interventions, is recommended.

This study examined the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure on the productivity of academic staff at Eastern Technical University (ETU), Sierra Leone. Guided by three objectives: to examine the availability and types of ICT infrastructure, to assess the extent of its utilization, and to evaluate its impact on teaching, research, and related activities, the study adopted a descriptive survey design. Data were collected from forty-nine academic staff using a structured, five-point Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) in SPSS and Microsoft Excel. The findings reveal a clear paradox. Availability of ICT infrastructure was limited and inconsistent, with unreliable electricity and the absence of digital learning platforms (both 44.9% disagreement) identified as the weakest areas, while utilization was moderate to low and fewer than half of respondents (44.9%) reported adequate ICT skills. In sharp contrast, an overwhelming majority affirmed that ICT strongly enhances productivity improved teaching effectiveness (91.9%), faster task completion (91.8%), and improved overall job performance (89.8%). Respondents also strongly affirmed persistent barriers, including unreliable internet connectivity (83.7%), inadequate training (85.7%), and lack of technical support (83.7%). The study concludes that although staff clearly recognize the value of ICT, its realization is constrained by infrastructural, skills-related, and support-related gaps. It recommends targeted investment in reliable electricity and internet, deployment of digital learning platforms, regular capacity-building, and a dedicated technical support unit.