Editoiral: Traditional medicine: Reawakening a “pending agendum”.

No Abstrac

Editorial:Universal health coverage: A re-emerging paradigm?

No Abstrac

Editorial: Fostering public health leadership in Africa

No Abstract

Editorial: Road traffic accident: A major public health problem in Ethiopia.

No Abstrac

EDITORIAL: Urgent need for addressing Reproductive Health (RH) related challenges in higher learning institutions in Ethiopia

No Abstract

Editorial: Brief overview of the literature relevant to Human Resources for Health (HRH) in Ethiopia

No Abstrac

Determinants of equity in utilization of maternal health services in Butajira, Southern Ethiopia

Background: Equity in public health implies that ideally everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain a full health potential and no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential. The health policy of Ethiopia emphasizes universal access for all segments of population. This study was done to assess the determinants of equity in the provision and utilization of primary maternal health care services in Meskan and Mareko Woredas, Southern Ethiopia.Methods: The study is community-based, case control study among 190 randomly selected cases [households with pregnant mothers who received at least one Antenatal Care (ANC) visit from a health facility and 191 controls [households with pregnant mothers who did not received ANC from a health facility] in Butajira Rural Health Program site of Meskan and Mareko Woredas.Results: Among all socio-demographic and socio-economic factors assessed to be determinants of utilization of maternal health services, only place of residence (being an urban (X2=9.96, p<0.01)), average annual income level of more than 1000 birr (X2=6.67, p<0.05), mothers having some education (X2=8.57, p<0.05), and walking distance from a health facility <1hour (X2=4.96, p<0.05), were significantly associated with being able to receive ANC during pregnancy as confirmed by the review of health services records.Conclusion: This study revealed that place of residence, average annual income, mothers’ education, distance from a health facility were determinants in the utilization public health programs. Providing outreach services for people in low utilization areas and enhancing awareness for utilization of maternal and child health services are recommended

The state of HIV awareness after three decades of intervention in Ethiopia: The case of the Borana pastoral community in Southern Ethiopia

Background: HIV continues to be the major public health challenge in Ethiopia. Despite positive developments in prevention efforts during the last three decades, the pandemic has continued to spread further expanding to remote pastoral communities.Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the current state of awareness on modes of prevention, transmission and ‘misconceptions’ about HIV among the Borana pastoralist community in Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 502 households, 69 in-depth interviews and nine Focus Group Discussion sessions with 68 participants were carried out to generate data. STATA Version 10 was applied to analyze the survey data while MAXQDA 10 qualitative data analysis software was used to summarize and code qualitative data for further analysis and interpretation.Results: The survey data revealed that only 10% of the respondents identified all modes of HIV prevention. Logistic regression analysis showed that those over 41 years of age (AOR=O.4; 95% CI=0.2-0.9) and those who do not discuss about sex with their partners (AOR=0.6; 95%  CI=0.4-0.9) had significantly low knowledge about the modes of HIVprevention. Eighty nine percent of the respondents mentioned at most two modes without significant variation by sex, place of residence and discussion about sex with partners. Eighty two percent of the respondents were found to consider shaking hands, living and eating with someone living with HIV, and buying food stuff from an HIV positive shop keeper as a way for HIV transmission. Logistic regression analysis showed that those who are living in Arero and Teltele Districts (AOR=0.4; 95% CI = 0.2-0.6) were found to have more ‘misconceptions’ about the modes of HIVtransmission. Qualitative data underscored that knowledge about modes of HIV prevention, transmission and ‘misconceptions’ were widespread. Health extension workers, school teachers, youth AIDS club members and the radio were found to be key sources of HIV information. Yet, these sources other than radio are not trusted at community level since they areconsidered young learners themselves.Conclusion and recommendations: After three decades of HIV prevention intervention, the majority of people in Banora still manifest limited awareness on the modes of HIV transmission and prevention. This implies the threat under which the community live and the need for quick intervention. Results of this study will assist HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs to tailor their interventions according to local contexts. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2012;26(1):9-15

A Brief Overview of Issues Addressed by EJHD Publications (Including Index)

Background: The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development (EJHD) has been in print for twenty five years now. On the occasion of its silver jubilee anniversary, it may be of interest to reflect on its activities and the possible impacts it has made on health development of the country.Objective: To highlight the major issues that have been addressed by the Ethiopian Journal of Health Development during its publication in the last 25 yearsMethods: Going through the index of articles published during the 25 years of the Journal’s existence and comparing them with the original objectives of the Journal and achievements made in the major health policy and programs of the country.Results: A total of 704 articles were published in the EJHD between its first issue in July 1984 and Volume 22 No3 of 2008. Among these 577 are original articles, 14 are review articles and the rest include: brief reports, special reports, updates, opinions, news, book reviews, letters to the editor and editorials. In addition, the Journal has published abstracts of papers presented at the third (38) and fourth (46) annual conferences of the Ethiopian Public Health Association (EPHA) in 1992 and 1993.Conclusions: Overall, publications in the EJHD seem to reflect issues that are relevant to the Ethiopian health sector and its programs. However, the extent to which the publications have addressed health sector issues as well as the original objectives of the journal needs to be revisited for strengthened future action that meaningfully impact policies and programs

Moving towards global health equity: Opportunities and threats: An African perspective

Background: The theme of the 13th World Congress on Public Health, “Moving Towards Global Health Equity: Opportunities and Threats”, strikes an optimistic note as the gaps within and between countries are greater than at any time in recent history. There is no consensus on what globalization is, but most agree that it will substantially shape all the other major trends in the world even though its impacts are highly asymmetric “with disproportionate benefits for rich countries and multinationals, leaving poor countries and people behind”. The current globalization has major influence on health.Objective: This is a review article that attempts to reflect on the African perspective on health equity in view of the complex situations of globalization as well as diverse partnership in the sector.Results: Equity has been a long quest in public health and global health equity could be seen as part of the new ‘global health diplomacy’ with recent major drives to meet the global equity gap made more complex by the growing involvement of private (in particular for profit) organizations. There are no ‘givens’ in globalization; Africa would have to ‘negotiate’ its position in the tide of globalization. Sub-Saharan Africa will remain an enduring preoccupation and target of global policies and interventions as “…the current rates of progress will not be able to provide satisfactory health care to its inhabitants by 2020” one reason being the effect of globalization as exemplified by the highly inadequate human resources for health.Conclusions: Negotiating Africa’s future in a globalizing world complicated by conflicting interests, recurring and deepening economic crisis, and bewildering cacophony of actors, conditionalities and requirements will not be easy. Africa should continuously monitor developments and try to play a proactive role, define its priorities and strategize including developing its intellectual capital