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Developing a Rational Policy on Plagiarism for Institutions of Higher Education: A Case of Gulu University
(EAST AFRICAN NATURE & SCIENCE ORGANIZATION, 2025) Ongaya, Kizito; Alidri , Agatha; Onen, Walter Yagos; Odongkara, Beatrice; Okumu, Charles
Globally, plagiarism is a pervasive issue in institutions of higher education,
posing challenges to academic integrity and ethical standards. Developing a
policy on plagiarism is crucial for maintaining the quality and credibility of
academic work within these institutions. The purpose of this paper is to
discuss the development of a rational policy on plagiarism. The following
are the objectives; to benchmark requirements for anti-plagiarism; to model
process of procurement and detection of plagiarism process in public
universities in Uganda; to examine how the challenges of Inter-Repository
Plagiarism was addressed at Gulu University. The study reviewed existing
literature on plagiarism policies in higher education institutions worldwide.
The findings were that universities have varying views on levels of
plagiarism with some policies allowing as high as 30% plagiarism level in
scholarly work. Most of the peer-reviewed journals demand much lower
allowable levels of plagiarism to encourage originality and sustainable
adherence to copyright and intellectual property policies.
Cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death: a qualitative study among the Lango community in Northern Uganda
(Springer Nature, 2023-04-03) Arach, Anna Agnes Ojok; Nakasujja, Noeline; Rujumba, Joseph; Mukunya, David; Odongkara, Beatrice; Musaba, Milton W.; Napyo, Agnes; Tumwine, James K.; Nankabirwa, Victoria; Ndeezi, Grace; Kiguli, Juliet
Background Perinatal death has profound psychosocial effects on women and their families. Sociocultural con
texts influence the burden, rituals and bereaved’s support. Little is known about cultural beliefs and practices related
to perinatal death. This study explored the cultural perspectives of the Lango community on perinatal death.
Methods This study utilised a focused ethnographic design anchored on a symbolic interactionist framework
to understand the meanings attached to beliefs and practices on stillbirth or neonatal death among the Lango
community in Lira District, Northern Uganda. Participants were sampled purposively for FGD while key informants
were identified through snowballing technique. Data were audio recorded in Lango, transcribed, and later translated,
a codebook was developed and data entered into Atlas. ti version 8.4.26 and then coded. It was analysed both deduc
tively and inductively into themes.
Results Stillbirth and early neonatal death both attract similar rituals as would an older child. Burial is not rushed
and is attended by family members and close friends. Stillbirths and children that die before naming are buried with
out names. Bereaved families are comforted and encouraged about future pregnancies. Currently, Lango associates
the deaths to biomedical explanations such as teenage pregnancies, inadequate pregnancy care, health system chal
lenges and poor health-seeking behaviour, unlike previously when they were attributed to consequences of unaccep
table social behaviours, superstitious beliefs and witchcraft. Antenatal care and health facility childbirths are currently
preferred over traditional practices for good pregnancy outcomes.
Conclusion Stillbirth or early neonatal death is viewed as the death of a child, different from other settings. Thus, ritu
als are performed to honour, create memory, and maintain the connection with deceased babies. Bereaved parents
are supported. Health care workers need to provide culturally sensitive support to parents after perinatal loss. The
prevailing beliefs of perinatal death cause in terms of biomedical explanations consistent with known determinants
and preference for health facility care for prevention creates an opportunity for improving perinatal health.
Keywords Culture, Perspectives, Beliefs, Practices, Stillbirth, Perinatal death, Uganda
Clinical evidence and recommendation on the use of Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus drugs in Lactation
(PMX, 2027) Richardson, Katherine; Kiptoo, Joshua; Odongkara, Beatrice Mpora; Ojara, Francis Williams; Waitt, Catriona
Challenges and opportunities with providing genetic testing and counseling for mucopolysaccharidosis type II in Kenya
(Springer Nature, 2025-11-04) Wainaina Mungai, Lucy N.; Njeru, Charles; Njoroge, Allan; Maina, Michuki; Ilovi , Syokau; Nduati, Ruth W.; Wamalwa, Dalton; Odongkara, Beatrice; Miller, Danny E.
Background Limited or absent genetic counseling and testing resources in low- and medium-income countries
lead to missed or late diagnoses for treatable metabolic conditions with irreversible complications. In some com
munities, misunderstanding about the etiology of a genetic condition may lead women whose children are affected
to be viewed as a bad omen and become stigmatized or ostracized from their community. Mucopolysaccharidosis
type II (MPS II), or Hunter syndrome, is a lysosomal storage disorder in which deficiency or inactivity of the enzyme
iduronate-2-sulfatase leads to accumulation of glycosaminoglycans throughout the body. The diagnosis can be made
through clinical assessment, enzyme activity analysis, or DNA sequencing. Treatment requires a multidisciplinary
approach combining supportive care with disease-modifying therapies, including enzyme replacement therapy
where available.
Results To understand the incidence and impact of MPS II in Kenya, we sought to provide counseling and genetic
testing to individuals and families with suspected MPS II. After pretest counseling, we collected blood from 25 indi
viduals to determine iduronate-2-sulfatase levels and sequence the IDS gene. We identified a pathogenic or likely
pathogenic variant in 17 of 25 individuals and subsequently identified 18 female carriers in these families. We catalog
the genotype of males with MPS II and correlate this with the phenotypic profile of these individuals, the female car
rier rate, and mortality within the families.
Conclusions This study provides the first summary of genotype–phenotype correlations for MPS II in individu
als from Kenya. These findings will allow the development of guidelines to identify individuals who may benefit
from early evaluation, especially in those families where there is a risk of MPS II.
Can an integrated intervention package including peer support increase the proportion of health facility births? A cluster randomised controlled trial in Northern Uganda
(BMJ OPEN, 2024-01-29) Nankabirwa, Victoria; Mukunya , David; Ndeezi , Grace; Odongkara, Beatrice; Arach, Agnes A; Achora, Vicentina; Mugenyi, Levi; Sebit, Mohammad Boy; Wandabwa, Julius N; Waako, Paul; Tylleskär, Thorkild; Tumwine, James K
Objective To assess the effect of an integrated
intervention package compared with routine
government health services on the frequency of health
facility births.
Setting Three subcounties of Lira district in Northern
Uganda.
Design A cluster randomised controlled trial where a
total of 30 clusters were randomised in a ratio of 1:1 to
intervention or standard of care.
Participants Pregnant women at ≥28 weeks of gestation.
Interventions Participants in the intervention arm
received an integrated intervention package of peer
support, mobile phone messaging and birthing kits
during pregnancy while those in the control arm
received routine government health services (‘standard
of care’).
Primary and secondary outcome measures The
primary outcome was the proportion of women giving birth
at a health facility in the intervention arm compared with
the control arm. Secondary outcomes were perinatal and
neonatal deaths.
Results In 2018–2019, 995 pregnant women
were included in 15 intervention clusters and 882
in 15 control clusters. The primary outcome was
ascertained for all except one participant who died
before childbirth. In the intervention arm, 754/994
participants (76%) gave birth at a health facility
compared with 500/882 (57%) in the control arm.
Participants in the intervention arm were 35% more
likely to give birth at a health facility compared with
participants in the control arm, (risk ratio 1.35 (95%
CI 1.20 to 1.51)) and (risk difference 0.20 (95% CI
0.13 to 0.27)). Adjusting for baseline differences
generated similar results. There was no difference in
secondary outcomes (perinatal or neonatal mortality
or number of postnatal visits) between arms.
Conclusion The intervention was successful in increasing
the proportion of facility- based births but did not reduce
perinatal or neonatal mortality.