Agency Of Public Health Paper Based Health Management...

The Ministry of Public Health paper based Health Management Information System (HMIS) has been established as an emergency solution to lack of a data collection system in 2002. However, the increasing need for various type of data and accumulation of large dataset over past 16 years has resulted in severe inefficiency of the system. In addition, the paper based system takes unacceptably long time for health decision making. Therefore, an online data management system will provide unlimited data storage, real-time data collection, reporting and feedback and interactive usage of data at various management level in the health system. DHIS2 is an online open source, customizable, free, international used data management system that has proven†¦show more content†¦In the resource limited settings like in the developing organization, evidence based decision-making is important to serve for the available resources. In ministry of public health Afghanistan, geographical reasons have hindered the availability of potential health data. These barriers have affected the data collection methods, which are mostly manual, and paper based. Data collected through these manual methods are not standardized and therefore these are difficult to process for analytical and data mining purposes. In recent years’ human population in the provinces has been reported to grow in high rate due to several factors such as improvement of health services, especially maternal health which has been the impact of foreign aid. This growth of human population has raised more challenges to health sector’s staff in dealing with large volumes of health data. Health data processing between different levels of health care systems have been affected by this growth as manual aggregation of large volume of data is now a tedious work and has high error rate. In addition to that, the critical shortfall of the health workers in these provinces affects the effort of improving the data collection and analyzing process. Poor data collection methods have led to lack of clear understanding of the flow of health data. If the flow of health data is not clearly understood by the decision makers, fulfillment of theShow MoreRelatedA New Dimension Of M Government1528 Words   |  7 Pagesalso using ICT even if having fewer ideas about the systems. The notable thing is they can use it. The overview of my report isn’t describing all the aspects of ICT. In this report, my objective is to magnify the concepts and effe cts of digital procurement (e-purjee) system by sugarcane growers in rural Bangladesh. It is a SMS-based purchase order system replacing than that of a paper-based. 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The 11 Worst Blizzards in U.S. History

It seems that every time a big snowstorm is in the forecast, the media hails it as record breaking or historic, in some way or another. But how do these storms truly match up to the worst storms to hit the United States? Take a look at some of the worst blizzards to ever hit U.S. soil. 11. The Chicago Blizzard of 1967 This storm dumped 23 inches of snow on northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana. The storm (which hit on January 26) wreaked havoc across metropolitan Chicago, leaving  800 Chicago Transit Authority buses and 50,000 automobiles abandoned all around the city. 10. The Great Blizzard of 1899 This devastating snowstorm was notable for the amount of snow it produced—around 20 to 35 inches—as well as where it hit the hardest, i.e. Florida, Louisiana, and Washington D.C. These southern regions are not normally accustomed to such large amount of snow and were thus even more overwhelmed by the snowy conditions.   9. The Great Storm of 1975 Not only did this intense storm drop two feet of snow over the Midwest over four days in January 1975, but it also created 45 tornadoes. The snow and the tornadoes were responsible for the deaths of more than 60 people and property damage topping $63 million. 8. The Knickerbocker Storm Over two days in late January 1922, nearly three feet of snow fell across Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. But it wasnt just the amount of snow that fell—it was the weight of the snow. It was a particularly heavy, wet snow that collapsed houses and roofs, including the roof of the Knickerbocker Theater, a popular venue in Washington D.C., which killed 98 people and injured 133. 7. The Armistice Day Blizzard On November 11, 1940—what was then called Armistice Day—a strong snowstorm combined with fierce winds to create 20-foot snowdrifts across the Midwest. This storm was responsible for the deaths of 145 people and thousands of livestock. 6. The Blizzard of 1996 More than 150 people died during this storm that hit the east coast of the U.S. from January 6 to 8 of 1996. The blizzard, and subsequent flooding, also caused $4.5 billion in property damages. 5. The Childrens Blizzard This tragic storm occurred on January 12, 1888. While it packed only several inches of snow, this storm was most notable for the sudden and unexpected temperature drop that accompanied it. On what started as a warm day (by Dakota territory and Nebraska standards) of several degrees above freezing, temperatures instantly plummeted to a wind chill of minus 40.  Children, who were sent home by the teachers because of the snow, were unprepared for the sudden cold. Two hundred thirty-five kids died that day trying to get home from school. 4. The White Hurricane This blizzard—most notable for its hurricane force winds—is still the deadliest natural disaster to ever hit the Great Lakes region of the U.S. The storm hit on November 7, 1913, causing 250 deaths and packed winds sustained at over 60 miles per hour for almost twelve hours 3. The Storm of the Century On March 12, 1993—a storm that was both a blizzard and a cyclone wreaked havoc from Canada to Cuba. Labeled the Storm of the Century, this snowstorm caused  318 deaths and $6.6 billion in damage. But thanks to a successful five-day warning from the National Weather Service, many lives were saved thanks to the preparations that some states were able to put into place prior to the storm. 2. The Great Appalachian Storm On November 24, 1950, a storm rolled over the Carolinas on its way to Ohio that brought with it heavy rains, winds, and snow. The storm brought as much as 57 inches of snow and was responsible for 353 deaths and became a case study later used to track and predict weather. 1. The Great Blizzard of 1888 This storm, which brought 40 to 50 inches of snow to  Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York took the lives of more than 400 people throughout the northeast. This is the highest death toll ever recorded for a winter storm in the U.S. The Great Blizzard buried houses, cars, and trains and was responsible for the sinking of 200 ships due to its fierce winds.

What Makes One Company Better - 888 Words

A manager today under any company faces many challenges that the market would not have predicted 50 years ago. There are many obstacles that are encountered in the workforce to keep employees motivated. It is important to keep attracting young yet skilled employees. In order to bring workers with high credentials and a driven passion for the job, they have to keep them motivated. What makes one company better than the next one of the same fields? Some examples of motivation could come such as a diverse workplace, keeping them involved and engaged, and having desirable rewards and benefits. With all these in consideration, there is no way that young individuals will not consider your company! Becoming diverse does not just necessarily mean people of color alone, but also comes such as more women entering, and different sexual preferences (lesbian, gay, etc.,). Since the past 40 years, Women went from holding 37 percent of all jobs to 47 percent (Sophia Kerbey and Crosby Burns, Center for American Progress). It is believed that combining workers with different backgrounds can breed a more creative, innovative and productive workforce (Center for American Progress). Having diversity among co-workers can promote respect since it gives the opportunity to understand backgrounds such as work styles and experiences. By bringing in more employees with different backgrounds it can help a business reputation because it is important within an organization when they demonstrateShow MoreRelatedAccounting : Financial And Management Accounting1025 Words   |  5 PagesAccounting is one of the three careers that is being discussed that a business majors are able to embrace in. Accountin g is where employees are keeping up with the company’s records. Accountants take actions on keeping up with the company payroll cost, expenditures, and the sales revenues. 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Credit A Tool, Not A Crutch - 857 Words

Credit: a Tool, Not a Crutch Depending on the number, a credit score can be a powerful tool or a crushing burden on your shoulders. Unless you are independently wealthy you will need credit at some point in your life. Seldom do people realize how important credit is until they try to make a major purchase; for instance, a car or their first home. I made some smart and some foolish decisions regarding my credit over the years, and yet each was a learning experience that proved invaluable to my financial literacy. I had just begun my first full-time job and needed a dependable car since my old one was completely wrecked in an accident. Excited, I hurried to the nearest dealership and began to look around. It didn t take me long at all to fall in love with a nearly brand new 1997 Grand Am. The clinching factor was that it was the color purple, which was my favorite. I was ready to drive off in it right then; however, there was one major problem. I didn t have the cash to purchase this i deal, practically brand new car. Moreover, I didn t have any credit history yet. Disappointed, I returned home to consider my options on whom I could ask to be a co-signer. My grandparents explained quite vividly that co-signing was nothing to take lightly. It meant that if I didn t make the payments that the bank could force them to pay or it would ruin their credit as well. They had done so much for me already I knew I couldn t let that happen. My grandfather eventually agreed to be myShow MoreRelatedKyoto Protocol And Its Effect On Climate Change Essay930 Words   |  4 Pagesimportance of lowering the amount of CO2 being released into our atmosphere. 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Inustrialized Food Production Free Essays

Industrialized Food Production: A Dangerous Path When visiting the grocery store, shoppers are bombarded with pleasant photos of farmers in their fields. This idyllic agricultural way of life may have existed in the past, but today’s farms are much different. In our modern era, a revolution has taken place and food production has changed dramatically. We will write a custom essay sample on Inustrialized Food Production or any similar topic only for you Order Now The industrialized method of food production has created a dangerous and unsustainable system. Choosing locally sourced foods is beneficial to the planet, health, and local economies. The 100 mile diet has brought attention to this important subject and made people aware of the impact of food choices. Humans began farming over 9000 years ago, and many technological advancements have occurred since that time (Mintz, Du Bois, 101). Most significantly in the modern era, the green revolution changed the way food was grown. The green revolution allowed for intensification of food resources, intended to alleviate world hunger (Bourlag). Lead by Norman Bourlag, hybrid variations of wheat were bred to produce higher yields and be two to three times more resistant to disease. Success was achieved, but has created more issues. From 1950 to 1999 production on the same size acreage increased 170%, producing 1. 9 billion tonnes of grain (Bourlag). However, copious amounts of fertilizers need to be added to the soil to support this production; this leads to more chemical run-off and contamination of water sources. Another major problem is that the hybrid seeds lead to development of genetically engineered seeds. These grains are patented by large corporations, causing costs to rise and taking control away from farmers. The local farmer no longer has control over how they grow crops or run their farm. Large companies like Monsanto hold all the power. The genetically modified seeds that are needed for the high yields are patented, and farmers are forced to purchase new seeds each year (Food Inc. ). For centuries, farmers have been able to save seeds from their crops for planting the following year. With the introduction of patents, farmers now face massive lawsuits if they try to reuse seeds. Even though many farmers do not want to use the modified seeds, it is nearly impossible because of cross contamination. Mark Anslow provides an example of one Canadian farmer: Percy Schmeiser. He found that sixty percent of his crop had been contaminated by Monsanto engineered seeds carried onto his land by the wind (12). Even though Schmeiser did not plant or want the seeds, he still faced intimidation and lawsuits from the giant biotechnology company (Anslow, 13). The power held by these agribusiness giants controls what farmers can do. The control held by corporations is not limited to grains and seeds, it extends into poultry and livestock. The high demand for meat created by the multitudes of fast food restaurants has completely changed the way animals are raised. Factory farming techniques produce plump animals from small areas. About 10 billion animals are raised and killed for food every year in the United States, many of these inhumanely (â€Å"Humane Eating : The Humane Society of the United States. â€Å"). Laying hens are kept in cages so small they cannot even move. In addition, animals have been bred for meat production, leading to chickens with breasts so heavy they can barely walk; chickens often die from their own weight (_Food Inc_. ). Cattle are raised in small pens with no area to graze. Instead, they are fattened up with corn (Nierenberg, 22). These feedlots are seas of manure and disease. Farmers are pressured by that large companies they hold contracts with to have the latest technologies. This means taking on massive debt that forces farmers to continue producing for that company, even if they do not agree with the practices. For example, poultry producers working for Tyson, one of the largest companies, have been forced to â€Å"upgrade† chicken houses to be large sheds with no natural light, with thousands of chickens packed inside (_Food Inc_. ). As with grain producers, livestock producers are caught in a debt cycle by powerful corporations. Major health issues are caused by industrialized food production. The close quarters and filthy conditions where the animals are raised are perfect conditions for the spread of disease. Animals raised intensively arrive at slaughterhouses covered in feces, which raises the risk of contamination during the processing (Nierenberg, 22). As well, a variety of antibiotics are used to as feed additives to prevent disease and encourage growth in livestock and poultry, which are then ingested by humans, increasing antibiotic resistance worldwide (Sayre, 78). The crowded, stressful conditions of intensive farming, combined with ammonia released from waste and lack of sunlight facilitate the spread of disease among animals and to humans. As well, the manure from these animals is contaminated with the antibiotics; if a manure lagoon bursts or seeps into the water supply, anyone using the water to drink or bathe can be infected (Sayre, 77). One way to reduce these issues is to eat less meat, reducing demand and the need for intensive factory farm operations (Pollan, 33). Another solution is to choose locally raised meat. This allows consumers to get to know the farmers and practices used to raise the livestock. In addition, it is more likely that the meat has been processed in a smaller slaughterhouse, reducing chances for cross contamination from many sources. Local food increases the amount of information available to consumers and provides food security. Factory farming not only harms the animals and the farmers, it has huge environmental impacts. The production of livestock and dairy actually contributes more greenhouse gases to the environment than vehicles (â€Å"From Field To Feedlot To Fork. â€Å"). Globally, 18% of greenhouse gas emissions are created from feedlot to dinner table. Animal production creates emissions at every stage. Fossil fuel is required to run equipment, grow crops, transport animals, and distribute products. The production of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides alone require the equivalent use of over 123 million barrels of oil (â€Å"From Field To Feedlot To Fork. â€Å"). Factory farming centralizes production areas, meaning that in order to slaughter and distribute the meat, long distance transportation is required. Aside from the fossil fuel use, greenhouse gases are created by the animals themselves. Grazing animals, like cattle, release methane. While this is natural, the huge amounts of livestock being produced are massive contributors to global warming. As well, the manure produced by these animals exceeds amounts that can be used as fertilizer for fields. The excess amounts are stored in ponds and lagoons, where more gases are released as it decomposes (Nierenberg, 23). By choosing to eat local, consumers negate the creation of much of the pollution. The most obvious reduction is in transportation emissions. On average, a meal travels 2414 km from farm to table. This is over a 25% increase from 1980 (Roosevelt, 78). Shopping at a local farmers market or farm stand reduces the distance considerably. A study in Iowa found that a regional diet consumed 17 times less oil and gas than a typical diet based on food shipped across the country and around the world (Smith, Mackinnon, 65). Another way local eating reduces environmental impacts is though more sustainable practices. Local farms are usually operated on a smaller scale; livestock can graze on grass, and the manure produced fertilizers the field. Another benefit of small farms if the diversity they provide. Agribusiness operations focus on monoculture. One crop is grown over hundreds or thousands of hectares. A small farm features more diversity, attracting and providing habitat for a range of wildlife (Pollan, 62). As well, smaller farms require far less chemical additives like pesticides and fertilizer, both produced with fossil fuels. Recently, the 100 mile diet has brought attention to choices consumers can make and why local choices are important. A couple in Vancouver undertook a year long challenge to only eat food that was grown or produced within a one hundred mile radius of their home (Smith, Mackinnon). At first, this seems like an overwhelming task, but is actually achievable. Some luxury items, like coffee and chocolate, must be given up, but most essential items are available. While it may not be possible for everyone to follow the 100 mile diet completely, choosing local products as often as possible has many benefits. As well as reducing transportation costs and emissions as mentioned earlier, purchasing food from local farmers helps the local economy. The income stays in your local area instead of being absorbed by a multinational corporation. A British study found that money spent at a local farmers market had twice the economic value for the area than money spent at a supermarket chain (Smith, Mackinnon, 112). The reduced transportation time also has health benefits. Produce is not picked until it is ripe, and often sold the same day, so the nutrients are not degraded when it reaches the dinner table. Food production has undergone many changes since the rise of agriculture thousands of years ago. The rise of factory farming practices has brought many negative changes to food. Rates of pollution and disease have risen dramatically, and conditions for animals and farmers are very poor. The recent popularity of the 100 mile diet has brought raised public awareness about food choices. By choosing locally produced food consumers get a more nutritious product, reduce environmental impacts, and support local economies. Works Cited Anslow, Mark. â€Å"Farmer warns: ‘GM will destroy organic industry’. † The Ecologist 38. 10 (2009): 12-13. General Science Index. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. Bourlag, Norman. â€Å"Biotechnology and the Green Revolution (ActionBioscience). † ActionBioscience – promoting bioscience literacy. Nov. 2002. Web. 4 Dec. 2009. http://www. actionbioscience. org/biotech/borlaug. html. Food Inc. Dir. Robert Kenner. Alliance, 2009. DVD. â€Å"From Field To Feedlot To Fork. † Cool Foods Campaign. 2009. Web. 04 Dec. 2009. http://coolfoodscampaign. org/your-tools/global-warming-and-your-food/from-field-to-feedlot-to-f ork/. â€Å"Humane Eating : The Humane Society of the United States. † The Humane Society of the United States. 2009. Web. 04 Dec. 2009. http://www. humanesociety. org/issues/eating/. Mintz, Sidney W. , and Christine M. Du Bois. â€Å"The Anthropology of Food and Eating. † Annual Review of Anthropology 31 (2002): 99-119. Print. Nierenberg, Danielle. The Commercialization of Farming: Producing Meat for a Hungry World. † USA Today (Periodical) 132 (2004): 22-4. Readers’ Guide Abstracts. Web. 1 Dec. 2009. Pollan, Michael. In Defense of Food. New York: Penguin Paperbacks, 2009. Print. Roosevelt, Margot â€Å"The Lure of the 100-Mile Diet. † Time 167. 24 (2006): 78. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 4 Dec. 2009. Sayre, Laura. â€Å"The Hidden Link Between Factory Farms and Human Illness. † The Mother Earth News Feb. /Mar. 2009: 76-83. Readers’ Guide Abstracts. Web. 1 Dec. 2009. Smith, Alisa, and J. B. Mackinnon. The 100-Mile Diet A Year of Local Eating. New York: Vintage Canada, 2007. Print. How to cite Inustrialized Food Production, Essays

African Elephant Essay Example For Students

African Elephant Essay The common name is the African Elephant, the scientific name is LoxodontaAfricana, the phylum is Vertebrata, the class is Mammalia, the order is Proboscidea,and the family is Elephantidae. The Closest Relatives to the African Elephant are: theAsian Elephant, mammoths, primitive proboscidean (mastodons), sea cows, andhyraxes. Scientists believe that the African Elephant evolved from one of its closestrelatives, the Sea Cow. The geographical location and range of the African elephant covers all ofcentral and southern Africa. In Ethiopia there are isolated populations that existaround Lake Chad in Mali and Mauritania. Also in Kenya, Rhodesia, Tanzania,Zambia, Uganda, Zaire, and in National parks located in South Africa, as well asseveral other countries. African Elephants, originally, were found in all of theSub-Saharan African habitats except desert steppes. Elephants still occupy diversehabitats such as: temperate grassland, tropical savanna and grass lands, temperateforest and rainfo rest, tropical rainforest, tropical scrub forest, and tropical deciduousforest despite their drastic decline in numbers. However, their migratory patterns andhabitat use have changed, due to the fact that they are restricted to protected areas. The elephant can exist in many types of environments but it prefers places that havemany trees and bushes, which the elephant needs both for food and shade. They alsolike warm areas that have plenty of rainfall. This ensures plenty of food, shade, andwater. The elephant prefers a habitat of mixed woodland and grassland which givesthem an opportunity to eat a variety of vegetation. African Elephants are considered herbivores, they are both browsers andgrazers; they will eat rough sticks, stems and leaves of plants as well as grasses,sedges, and fruit. Their favorites are mangoes, berries and coconuts. An elephant eatsup to 500 pounds of vegetation every day and drinks up to 50 gallons of water daily. Elephants must consume these giant quantiti es of food, due to their poor digestivesystem. The small intestine is 82 feet long, the large intestine 21 feet long, and therectum adds a further 13 feet. The problem with the digestive tract lies in their gut;elephants have too few symbiotic bacteria. These are the organisms which help breakdown the cellulose of plant cell walls by producing enzymes called cellulases. Themost remarkable feature of the elephants digestive system is its 5 feet long appendix,bigger than the stomach. Proteins, starches, and sugars are digested in the appendix. The elephant will excrete almost 200 pounds a day of semi-digested food. Elephants live together in strong family units which might have as few as two oras many as twenty members. When the group gets too big, it splits up; but the groupsstay in close contact. Elephant life revolves around this unit which is usually headedby the oldest female. The family offers protection, aid, comfort, and teaching to all ofits members. Within the units are cows , calves, and bulls. The male bulls are verysolitary and most of the time travel only with other males, except during mating seasonwhen the bulls travel with the pack looking for a mate. The males remain with thefamily unit until they are about fourteen and then leave the family to join the othermales. The African elephant usually gives birth to one calf every four years. Thegestation period is approximately twenty to twenty two years. The newborn calf,which weighs 200-300 pounds and stands about three feet high, is cared for by all ofthe females in the pack, not just by the mother. The calf may nurse as long as eightyears, or until its tusks are too long for the mother. It takes about 14 to 15 years for anelephant to fully mature. They grow to about 10-13 feet tall and 7.5 meters in lengthand weigh as much as 7 tons. The family will remain together throughout their lives. The elephants body has many special features which it has adapted throughoutthe centuries to help it survive in its environment. The most important part of theelephants body is its trunk. An elephant uses its trunk for many things. With it, theelephant can pick up objects that weigh as much as 600 lbs. This powerful trunk isalso used to beat off attacking animals and sometimes mother elephants use theirtrunks to swat their babies. The trunk, which is very flexible, can curl over theelephants head so that the elephant can give itself showers and dust baths. The trunkalso curls towards the elephants mouth so it can eat and drink. At the end of the trunkthe elephant has finger-like projections similar to the human thumb and forefinger. With this the elephant can pick up small objects. Baby elephants often suck theirtrunks just like human babies suck their thumbs. The nostrils at the tip of the trunk arehighly sensitive, an elephant can detect a water source from as far as 12 miles away,and detect the reproductive status of another elephant from some distance. America Under Invasion EssayBibliographyGaeth, A.P. The Developing Renal, Reproductive, and Respiratory systems of the African Elephant Suggest an Aquatic Ancestry. Proceeding of the NationalAcademy of Sciences of the United States of America Volume 96, No 10. May 11, 1999 pg. 5555-5558This primary source gave us information on the ancestry of the African Elephant,such as their closest relatives. It also told us the endangered status of the animal. Groning, Karl., and Martin Saller. Elephants A Cultural and Natural HistoryKONEMANN 1999. This source gave us information on all aspects of the elephants physicalcomposition, specifically the digestive system, and homeostatic mechanisms. Hoare, Richard E., and Johan T. Du Toit. Coexistence between People and Elephants in African Savannas Conservation Biology Volume 13, No 3. June 1999 pg. 633-639 This primary source gave us details on elephant population in regards to humansettlement. Moore, Tara. The Endangered Species Elephants. pp. 15-20, 27-32. Champaign, IL: Garrad Publishing Company 1982. This source delt with some of the basic facts about the elephant, such as their diet andgeographical location and range. Norton, Boyd. The African Elephant: Last Days of Eden. Stillwater, MN: Voyageur Press, 1991. This source gave us information on population figures, poaching, natural disasters,and birth control methods. Overbeck, Cynthia. Elephants. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company, 1983This source gave us information on the family groups of elephants, and on theirmethods of communication, and also detail about their tusks, and trunks as defensivemechanisms.