Assessment of Production System and Constraints of Bee Keeping Practices in Damot Gale Woreda, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

The study was conducted in Damot Gale Woreda, Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia to assess the production system and constraints of bee keeping practices and its management. Data were collected from 60 households using formal survey. The majority of the respondents (70%) were found in the age of lower than 40 and only 20% of the respondents age was more than 40 years. Among the total respondents 75% were educated, whereas 25% were uneducated. Most of the respondents (70%) in the study area practiced traditional beekeeping whereas 22 and 8 percent of the respondents practiced transitional and modern bee keeping system respectively. Sixty two percent of respondents (bee keepers) visit their bees’ everyday while 18% of bee keepers visit and inspect their bees every three days and 20% of the respondents visit their bees. About 75% of the respondents put their hives on the branch of trees where as 17% and 8% of the respondents kept their hives at the backyard and inside the house respectively. The major constraints of beekeeping in the study area were lack of bee equipment (like modern hives, casting mold, honey storage tank, honey extractor), lack of skilled man power. Therefore, the farmers should be trained about handling of modern beekeeping practice and get access of credit service to purchase beekeeping equipment and materials. Keywords: keeping practices, traditional, transitional, modern hives

Screening Potential Probiotic Bacteria as Starter Culture from Traditional Fermented Ensete (Ensete Ventricosum (WELW) Cheesman

Fermented Ensete (Ensete ventricosum (Welw) Cheesman) commonly called false banana is an important nutrient source in southern part of Ethiopia. This study aimed at screening potential probiotic bacteria from a traditional fermented Ensete. A total of 12(twelve) samples were collected from local traditional fermented Ensete. Various morphological and biochemical tests were performed for screening of the potential probiotic bacteria as starter culture. Media optimization was carried out for cultivation of the potential isolate. The potential isolate was found to be gram positive, non motile, negative for (Catalase, indole). This bacterium had broad range of pH 4.0 – 8.0 and temperature of 25-40 (0c). It was tolerant to 1-4% salt concentration. High growth rate of the isolate was observed in the presence of 2 % glucose and 0.2 % peptone. The optimum temperature and pH for high biomass production was observed at 370c and pH of 7. Fermentation of Ensete with isolate increased the nutritional value and aroma of a food as well. The isolate was found to be Lactobacilli sp. CH2 which fulfills the required criteria for a probiotic such as tolerance to such as high salt, low pH, body temperature range. The result in this study is reproducible and reliable for further processing of Ensete in the local community. Molecular study should be done for characterization of this potential strain. Keywords: Lactobacilli, Prebiotic, Probiotic, Starter culture

Determinants of acceptance of voluntary HIV testing among antenatal clinic attendees at Dil Chora Hospital, Dire Dawa, East Ethiopia

Back ground: Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) is one of the best interventions to reduce mother to child transmission of HIV. Despite the proven benefits of VCT, many women are not willing to have HIV testing.Objective: The objective of this study was to identify factors that determine the acceptance of voluntary HIV testing among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Dil Chora Hospital in Dire Dawa. Method: The study employed unmatched case control study which was conducted from August 20 to September 10, 2006. The study population consisted of 234 antenatal care followers. Cases were antenatal care followers who werecounseled and tested for HIV in the current pregnancy. Controls were antenatal care followers who were counseled but not tested for HIV in the current pregnancy. Data were collected by trained enumerators using structured questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate analysis was carried out using SPSS version 12.0.1 software. Results: The majority (79.5%) of respondents (97.4% of cases and 60.5% of controls) had good knowledge on HIV, mother to child transmission and VCT. Marital status; knowledge about HIV, mother to child transmission and VCT; attitude towards VCT; antenatal care follow up and perceived benefits of VCT were independent predictors of acceptance of voluntary HIV testing. Conclusion: Knowledge on MTCT and VCT, positive attitude towards VCT, antenatal care follow-up were predictors of acceptance of VCT. During the VCT session, health professionals should focus on knowledge, attitude, and benefitsof VCT

Integration of Family Planning Services within Post Abortion Care at Health Facilities in Dessie –North East Ethiopia

The aim of this study is to investigate the integration of family planning services within post abortion care that plays a vital role in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality resulting from abortion and its  complications. Facility based cross - sectional study design was used including both quantitative and qualitative data collection method. The sample size was 291. The number of study units to be sampled from each facility was determined using proportional allocation to size and systematic random sampling was employed to select and approach each study  subjects. A validated semi structured questionnaire was used to collect thedata. Bi-variate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify the most important predictors of integrating family planning services within post abortion care. A total of 282 post abortion women were included in the exit interview. Among these 158 (56.0%) reported that they have got family planning (FP) counselling and 134 (47.5%) left the health facility with modern contraceptive method. Lack of trained provider, being over loaded by other routine activities, absence of separate post abortion room, lack of commodities and supplies were major identified barriers of integrating family planning services within post  abortion care. Family planning services were partially integrated within post abortion care. Attention should be given in service providers training,  availing post abortion family planning supplies and equipments in the post abortion recovery room

Utilization of Family Planning Methods and Associated Factors among Women Living with HIV Attending ART Clinics in Nekemte Public Health Facilities, East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia

This study was designed to assess the utilization of Family planning methods and associated factors among HIV-infected women in ART clinics of public health institutions Nekemte town, East Wollega zone, Ethiopia. Facility based cross sectional study design using quantitative technique of data collection method undertaken from May 1st to May 26th, 2012, on a sample of 456 women living with HIV who are on follow up care in ART clinics. Univariate analysis was done to determine frequencies of FP methods used. Factors associated with use of family planning methods were examined using logistic regression methods at p<0.05. There was ahigh level of knowledge about family planning with more than 98% of women knowledgeable of at least one method used to prevent conception. Out of 456 respondents 303(66.4%) were using different methods of family planning during the study period and condom is the dominant method used by the client (41.6%).High proportion (42.1%) of women living with HIV/AIDS expressed a desire for having more children in the future. Logistic regression result showed that educational attainment (AOR=3.199, 95% CI (1.487-6.541), marital status (AOR= 95% CI, 6.252 (4.008-9.752), and having open discussion with ones partner about family planning (AOR=95% CI, 13.846 (5.062-37.875) were statistically  associated with current family planning use at p<0.05. Generally current use of modern contraceptive other than condoms was very low in the study area. These findings highlight the need for integration of family planning and HIV care and treatment and strengthening of family planning services for HIV infected people

Seroprevalence of major blood-borne infections among blood donars at Felege Hiwot referral hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

No Abstract. The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development Vol. 21 (1) 2007: pp. 68-6

Moduli Spaces of Lumps on Real Projective Space

Harmonic maps that minimize the Dirichlet energy in their homotopy classes are known as lumps. Lump solutions on real projective space are explicitly given by rational maps subject to a certain symmetry requirement. This has consequences for the behaviour of lumps and their symmetries. An interesting feature is that the moduli space of charge three lumps is a D2-symmetric 7-dimensional manifold of cohomogeneity one. In this paper, we discuss the charge three moduli spaces of lumps from two perspectives: discrete symmetries of lumps and the Riemann-Hurwitz formula. We then calculate the metric and find explicit formula for various geometric quantities. We also discuss the implications for lump decay

Effectiveness of planned teaching intervention on knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among first year midwifery students.

IntroductionThe prevalence of cancer is growing rapidly in all parts of the word and Ethiopia is no exception. Secondary prevention, as simple as monthly breast self-examination, is the best option to tackle the rising of this epidemic. Health awareness programs on screening and early detection are the corner stones to reduce the morbidity and mortality resulting from breast cancer.ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of planned teaching program on knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among first year female midwifery students in Hawassa health Sciences College.Methods and materialsA pre-experimental one group pre-posttest design was used among 61 students who were selected by systematic random sampling technique. Data was collected using structured questionnaire and adapted and approved checklist. Data was entered using Epi-Info and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Pre-and post-intervention results were calculated using paired t-test.ResultsThe mean age of the study participants was 20.13(±2.27) and 77% of the study participants were single. Before the intervention 14(23%) of respondents had information and practiced breast self-examination, only 8(13.1%) performed breast self -examination on a regular monthly basis. The number and percentage of the knowledgeable respondents pre-post intervention is 23(37.7%) and 35(57.4%), respectively. The mean knowledge difference for the pre-post intervention is 0.18±0.695 (P Conclusion and recommendationsPlanned teaching intervention on knowledge and Breast self-examination of students has resulted in an increment of both knowledge and the practice of breast self-examination. Teaching breast self-examination with demonstration to all at risk groups as a secondary prevention for breast cancer and large scale studies on heterogeneous groups is important

Immunological and hematological reference values for apparently healthy HIV-negative adults in Bahir Dar Town, Ethiopia

Background: Immunological and hematological reference values differ among different human beings with respect to sex, ethnicity, nutrition, altitude and health conditions. These could not be exceptional in the Ethiopian heterogeneous population. However, there are no nationally established reference values.Objective: The aim of the study was to determine reference values of immunological and hematological parameters for apparently healthy HIV-negative adults in Bahir Dar Town.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June, 2010 in Bahir Dar Town. Adults of both sexes above 18 years of age were recruited from the voluntary HIV counselling and testing centre in Felege Hiwot referral hospital. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were enumerated using FACS count (Becton Dickinson) and hematological analyses were performed using Cell-DYN 1800 (Abbott Lab. USA).Results: A total of 405 adults consisting of 238 (58.7%) males and 167 (41.3%) females with the median age of 24(range 18 to 60) years were recruited. The median, mean (± SD) and 95% percentile ranges of immunological and hematological values were determined. The mean (±SD) values were: CD4+ T cells, 799 ± 218 (females) and 676 ± 235.6 (males); CD8+ T cells, 582 ±247 (females) and 659.5 ± 343 (males); CD4/CD8, 1.53±0.59 (females) and 1.19 ± 0.49 ( males); erythrocyte counts (1012/liter), 4.9±0.4 (female) and (5.4±0.5 male); hemoglobin (g/dl), 14.7±2 (females) and 16.5±1.8 (males); haematocrit (%), 44±4 (females) and 49±4.5 (males); platelets (109/litre), 277 ± 20 (both sex); absolute leukocyte (WBC) counts 6.6±3.6 x109/liter (both sexes); lymphocyte, 2.15±.59 x109/liter (both sexes); granulocytes (neutrophils), 3.7±1.6 x109/liter (both sexes).Conclusions: Absolute CD4+ T cell counts were lower than the reference value, which Ethiopia has adopted for HIV/AIDS therapy. Females had higher CD4+ T cell counts than males. Thus, considering these differences may be important in the process of using the national ART laboratory guideline for HIV/AIDS therapy. Establishing local reference values could have paramount importance for quality of health care in the clinical management of patients