Determinants of manual control of water hyacinth expansion over the Lake Tana, Ethiopia

Water hyacinth is an exotic freshwater weed damaging wetland resources over the Lake Tana basin, Ethiopia. Different measures, including manual labour and harvesting machinery are in use to reduce its damage and expansion. Yet, the invasion of the weed appears expanding its scope across the wetlands of the Lake. This paper presented the study made to identify determinant factors affecting manual control of water hyacinth expansion over the Lake wetlands. It tried to analyse the expansion trend of the water hyacinth and community efforts to control its extension. Data were gathered from questionnaire surveys, group discussions, interviews and field observations. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis. The study revealed that the water hyacinth cover in the Lake’s wetland increased from ≤10, 000 ha in 2011 to over 50, 000 ha in 2017. Wetland terrain, water depth, food availability, farming time, employment and government support were found significantly influencing the manual control practices of households. Hence, government support must increase to motivate people involvement in manual weed removal campaigns. Micro-relief maps and floating boats need be readily available to help participants easily identify risky terrains and expand the physical weed removal into the deeper waters.Key Words: Water hyacinth, Invasive weeds, Manual control, Wetlands, Lake Tana, Ethiopi

Analysis of Grain Traders’ Performance in Ethiopia: The Case of Contribution of Social Capital

This article examines the performance of 206 grain traders in 20 markets found in Amhara, Tigray, Oromiya and SNNPR of Ethiopia. The study adopts Fafchamps and Minten (1999) approach and used multiple regression model. The study identified that financial capital (working capital), social capital (using intermediary at the time of sale and customer relationship), human capital (farming experience) and transaction cost (having mobile, Oromiya and SNNPR) affected traders’ performance. The findings suggested adding working capital through different means (like access to credit through micro finance institutes, banks, etc.) with planned and market assessment, establishing licensed and well organized brokerage strengthen traders business relationship with regular customers in a formal or informal way, farmer-trader linkages are recommended through the dissemination of information (e.g. workshops) and training on quality and production management, establish and strengthen, a reliable, permanent,  public domain market information and other infrastructure are important to enhance traders performance, in turn encourage farmers to produce more and maximize benefit from grain market. Keywords: Ethiopia, social-capital, performance, customer-relationship, marketing-margi

IMPROVEMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL SPECIALISTS DURING THE PERIOD OF REFORMING MEDICINE AND PHARMACY IN UKRAINE

The article describes the need to determine the main directions and priorities of the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Ukraine, which is conditioned by real political and socioeconomic processes. The main element here is the introduction and development of a formular system - a complex of management methods for the application of rational, organizational and cost-effective methods of supplying and using drugs to ensure, in specific conditions, high quality medical care and optimal use of available resources.Key words: pharmaceutical industry, pharmacist, pharmacist, higher education

Assessment of laboratory logistics management information system practice for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis laboratory commodities in selected public health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Introduction: Logistics management information system for health commodities remained poorly implemented in most of developing countries. To assess the status of laboratory logistics management information system for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis laboratory commodities in public health facilities in Addis Ababa. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from September 2010-January 2011 at selected public health facilities. A stratified random sampling method was used to include a total of 43 facilities which, were investigated through quantitative methods using structured questionnaires interviews. Focus group discussion with the designated supply chain managers and key informant interviews were conducted for the qualitative method. Results: There exists a well-designed logistics system for laboratory commodities with trained pharmacy personnel, distributed standard LMIS formats and established inventory control procedures. However, majority of laboratory professionals were not trained in LMIS. Majority of the facilities (60.5%) were stocked out for at least one ART monitoring and TB laboratory reagents and the highest stock out rate was for chemistry reagents. Expired ART monitoring laboratory commodities were found in 25 (73.5%) of facilities. Fifty percent (50%) of the assessed hospitals and 54% of health centers were currently using stock/bin cards for all HIV/AIDS and TB laboratory commodities in main pharmacy store, among these only 25% and 20.8% of them were updated with accurate information matching with the physical count done at the time of visit for hospitals and health centers respectively. Conclusion: Even though there exists a well designed laboratory LMIS, keeping quality stock/bin cards and LMIS reports were very low. Key ART monitoring laboratory commodities were stock out at many facilities at the day of visit and during the past six months. Based on findings, training of laboratory personnel's managing laboratory commodities and keeping accurate inventory control procedures were recommended.Key words: Logistics management information system, stock outs, laboratory commoditie

Epidemiology of low back pain among nurses working in public hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: Low back pain (LBP) related to Nursing Profession, is a very common public health problem throughout the world. Various risk factors have been implicated in the etiology and LBP is assumed to be of multi-factorial origin as individual, work-related and psychosocial factors can contribute to its development. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and to identify the risk factors of LBP among Nurses working in Addis Ababa City Public Hospitals, Ethiopia, in the year 2015. Addis Ababa University, Black-Lion (‘Tikur Anbessa’) Hospital-BLH, is the country’s highest tertiary level referral and teaching Hospital. The three departments in connection with this study: Radiology, Pathology and Orthopedics, run undergraduate and residency programs and receive referred patients from all over the country.Methods: A cross-sectional study with internal comparison was conducted throughout the period October-December, 2015. Sample was chosen by simple random sampling technique by taken the lists of Nurses from human resource departments as a sampling frame. A well-structured, pre-tested and selfadministered questionnaire was used to collect quantifiable information. The questionnaire included socio-demographic, back pain features, consequences of back pain, work-related and psychosocial factors. The collected data was entered in to epiinfo version 3.5.4 and was analyzed by SPSS. A probability level of 0.05 or less and 95% confidence level was used to indicate statistical significance. Ethical clearance was obtained from all respected administrative bodies, Hospitals and study participants.Results: The study included 395 Nurses and gave a response rate of 91.9%. The mean age was 30.6 (±8.4) years. Majority of the respondents were female (285, 72.2%). Nearly half of the participants (n=181, 45.8% (95% CI (40.8%- 50.6%))) were complained Low Back Pain. There were statistical significant association between Low Back Pain and working shift, physical activities at work; sleep disturbance and felt little pleasure by doing things.Conclusion: A high prevalence of Low Back Pain was found among Nurses working in Addis Ababa Public Hospitals. Recognition & Preventive measures like providing resting periods should be taken to reduce the risk of Low Back Pain in Nurses working in Public hospitalsKeywords: LBP Risk factors, Low back pain, Nurses, Work-Shift, and Public Hospital

Spirulina (Arthrospira) industry in Inner Mongolia of China: current status and prospects

This paper outlines an investigation on current situation of Spirulina (Arthrospira) industry in Inner Mongolia, an internal region of China with temperate continental climate. More than 20 Spirulina plants have been established in Inner Mongolia since 2001, most of which are located at Wulan Town in the Ordos Plateau. By the end of 2009, the total annual production of Spirulina in the Ordos Plateau surpassed 700 t (dw), which account for ca. 80% of the total productivity of Inner Mongolia, and ca. 20% of China. Besides abundant solar radiation and enough freshwater favorable for Spirulina production, the three technical strategies contribute to the prosperity and success of Spirulina industry in the region: (1) reducing the cost or investment by overall advantages of rich local natural resources with low cost for Spirulina production, such as alkaline lakes, coal, electricity, and sandy land; (2) controlling the culture temperature and to avoid contamination by building plastic greenhouses on raceway ponds, (3) reducing investment by simplifying the construction of the ponds and the greenhouses. As the result, the growth period of Spirulina has been prolonged from about 120 to about 165 days, the cost of Spirulina has decreased by 25–30%, and the quality of products has been enhanced substantially. Inner Mongolia is expected to become the largest base for Spirulina production not only in China, but also in the world in the near future

Drug use evaluation of ceftriaxone in medical ward of Dessie Referral Hospital, North East Ethiopia

Background: Assessment of antimicrobial use can be performed by evaluating their use. Drug use evaluation is a performance improvement method that focuses on evaluation and improvement of drug use processes to achieve optimal patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the rational use of ceftriaxone in Medical ward of Dessie referral Hospital, Dessie-Ethiopia.Methods: Retrospective systematic study was used to assess rational use of ceftriaxone. The study was conducted by reviewing medication records of 316 patients, who received ceftriaxone during hospitalization at Medical ward of Dessie referral Hospital from December 30, 2011 to January, 2013. A systematic sampling method was used to select inpatient prescriptions in this ward with ceftriaxone and patient cards were located based on the medical record number on the prescription papers. Data was collected by using structured format and evaluated against WHO criteria for drug use evaluation as per standard treatment guideline of Ethiopia.Results: Most patients were dosed as 2 g/day (79.4%). The duration of therapy was found to be high in the range 2-7 days (51.69%). Ceftriaxone was mainly used as pneumonia treatment (38.8%). Maintenance fluids were the most commonly co-administered medications with a frequency of 62.16%. The use of ceftriaxone was appropriate only in 170 cases (55.8%) for the justification of use. Most of inappropriate uses were seen in terms of duration during treatment of pneumonia followed by frequency for the treatment of meningitis. Consistency of prescriber to the national standard treatment guideline was found to be low.Conclusions: To improve rational use and prevent the development of resistance; prescribers should adhere to the national standard treatment guideline. Intensification of short term trainings and antibiotic control systems are some of the possible solutions the hospital has to do.ceftriaxone therapy does not meet the current STG of Ethiopia

Married women's decision making power on family planning use and associated factors in Mizan-Aman, South Ethiopia : a cross sectional study

Background: Women's use of family planning service is influenced by many factors, especially by their decision making power. A woman's decision-making power, be it individual or decision made in collaboration with a partner, is the most important factor in the use of family planning in a household. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of women's decision making power on family planning use and its associated factors. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on married women in the child bearing age. The women who were living in Mizan city were selected using the simple random sampling method. Trained nurses collected the data by interview, using a structured and pre-tested questioner. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the associated factors, and the odds ratio with a 95 % CI was computed to assess the strength of the association. Collinearity was also assessed by looking at standard errors in the final fitted model. Result: Overall, more than two-thirds [67.2 %: 95 % CI (63-71 %)] of the married women were found to be more autonomous to decide family planning use. Secondary education [AOR: 9.04, 95 % CI: (4.50, 18.16)], government employment [AOR: 4.84, 95 % CI: (2.03, 11.52)], being wives of government employed spouses [AOR 2.71, 95 % CI: (1.24, 7.97)], having husbands with college or university education [AOR: 11.29, 95 % CI: (4.66, 27.35)], and being in the younger age [AOR: 0.27, 95 % CI :(0.09, 0.75)] were significantly associated with women's decision-making power on family planning. Conclusions: In this study, women had a high decision making power in family planning use. Age category (34-44-years), formal education, and occupational status had effects on women's decision making power. Promoting parental adult education and engaging women in out of house employment is essential to improve their decision making power in using family planning