Analysis of the Teacher Training System in Ethiopia with Specific Reference to Areas for Improvement

The objective of this study was to analyse the teacher training system in Ethiopia with the view to identify opportunities for revitalization. The analysis started with a desk review before proceeding to a survey. This was conducted in South West Ethiopia. The analysis of the teacher training system was framed in line with teachers’ social status of teaching profession; modalities of the teacher education program; program structure and curricula; teacher education and school partnership; qualification requirement; processional development and teacher competences. The findings confirm weak social status of the teaching profession and statistically significant difference between students’ and teachers’ perception of teacher competence. Gaps in the structure and curricula of teacher education programmes; school partnerships; and teacher qualification requirements are noted. Review of teacher training programmes, improving teachers’ benefits and establishment of a quality assurance mechanism in teacher education are recommended

Prevalence of Trachoma in Pre-validation Surveillance Surveys in 11 Evaluation Units (Covering 12 Districts) in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: Results from 2018−2020

PURPOSE: Interventions to reduce the prevalence of trachoma and transmission of ocular Chlamydia trachomatis have been implemented in Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Following an impact survey in which the trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF) prevalence in 1–9-year-olds is <5%, a surveillance survey is recommended 2 years later, without additional antibiotic treatment. We report results of surveillance surveys in 11 evaluation units (EUs) covering 12 districts in Oromia Region, to plan whether future interventions are needed. METHOD: We use a two-stage cluster-sampling cross-sectional survey design. In each EU, 26 clusters (villages) were systematically selected with probability proportional to size; from each cluster, 30 households were selected using compact segment sampling. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) access was assessed in all selected households. All residents of selected households aged ≥1 year were examined for TF and trachomatous trichiasis (TT) by certified graders. RESULT: Of 31,991 individuals enumerated, 29,230 (91% of) individuals were examined. Eight EUs had an age-adjusted TF prevalence in 1−9-year-olds of ≥5% and seven had a TT prevalence unknown to the health system among adults aged ≥15 years of ≥0.2%. About one-third of visited households had access to an improved water source for drinking, and 5% had access to an improved latrine. CONCLUSION: Despite TF reductions to <5% at impact survey, prevalence recrudesced to ≥5% in all but three of the 11 EUs. Operational research is needed to understand transmission dynamics and epidemiology, in order to optimise elimination strategies in high-transmission settings like these

Prevalence of Trachoma after Implementation of Trachoma Elimination Interventions in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: Results of Impact Surveys in 131 Evaluation Units Covering 139 Districts

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF), trachomatous trichiasis (TT), water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) access in 131 evaluation units (EUs) after implementation of trachoma elimination interventions in Oromia Region, Ethiopia. METHODOLOGY: A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in each EU using the World Health Organization-recommended two-stage cluster-sampling methodology. Twenty-six clusters, each with a mean of 30 households were enumerated in each EU. All residents aged ≥1 year in selected households were examined for TF and TT. Information on WASH access in surveyed households was also collected through questioning the household head and direct observation. RESULTS: A total of 419,858 individuals were enumerated in 131 EUs, of whom 396,134 (94%) were examined, 54% being female. Age-adjusted EU-level prevalence of TF in children aged 1–9 years ranged from 0.15% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0–0.4) to 37.5% (95% CI: 31.1–43.7). The TF prevalence was <5% in 73/131 (56%) EUs. The EU-level age- and gender-adjusted prevalence of TT unknown to the health system among people aged ≥15 years ranged from 0.001% (95% CI: 0.00–0.02) to 2.2% (95% CI: 1.1–3.1) with 37/131 (28%) EUs having a prevalence <0.2%. Only 48% of all households surveyed had access to improved water sources for drinking. Approximately 96% of households did not have an improved latrine. CONCLUSION: Oromia is on the path towards elimination of trachoma as a public health problem

Routine health management information system data in Ethiopia: consistency, trends, and challenges.

Background: Ethiopia is investing in the routine Health Management Information System. Improved routine data are needed for decision-making in the health sector. Objective: To analyse the quality of the routine Health Management Information System data and triangulate with other sources, such as the Demographic and Health Surveys. Methods: We analysed national Health Management Information System data on 19 indicators of maternal health, neonatal survival, immunization, child nutrition, malaria, and tuberculosis over the 2012-2018 time period. The analyses were conducted by 38 analysts from the Ministry of Health, Ethiopia, and two government agencies who participated in the Operational Research and Coaching for Analysts (ORCA) project between June 2018 and June 2020. Using a World Health Organization Data Quality Review toolkit, we assessed indicator definitions, completeness, internal consistency over time and between related indicators, and external consistency compared with other data sources. Results: Several services reported coverage of above 100%. For many indicators, denominators were based on poor-quality population data estimates. Data on individual vaccinations had relatively good internal consistency. In contrast, there was low external consistency for data on fully vaccinated children, with the routine Health Management Information System showing 89% coverage but the Demographic and Health Survey estimate at 39%. Maternal health indicators displayed increasing coverage over time. Indicators on child nutrition, malaria, and tuberculosis were less consistent. Data on neonatal mortality were incomplete and operationalised as mortality on day 0-6. Our comparisons with survey and population projections indicated that one in eight early neonatal deaths were reported in the routine Health Management Information System. Data quality varied between regions. Conclusions: The quality of routine data gathered in the health system needs further attention. We suggest regular triangulation with data from other sources. We recommend addressing the denominator issues, reducing the complexity of indicators, and aligning indicators to international definitions

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

Rainfall variability and its seasonal events with associated risks for rainfed crop production in Southwest Ethiopia

AbstractRisks associated with rainfall variability are one of the most visible concerns of rainfed agricultural production in underdeveloped nations. Exploring the variability of rainfall and the risks connected with it is important for developing offsetting strategies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the variability of rainfall and its seasonal characteristics, as well as the associated risks in Southwest Ethiopia. Daily rainfall and temperature data of 12 weather stations were collected from the National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia for the period 1983 to 2016. ArcGIS was used to examine the regional distribution of rainfall variability at temporal scale. INSTAT+v3.37 software was used to assess the monthly and seasonal rainfall distribution, start and end of season, length of growing season, and dry spells. The coefficient of variation for annual, spring, summer, and autumn rainfall ranged from 17.79 to 29.93, 21.23 to 41.56, 36.38 to 122.00, and 32.37 to 68.08%, respectively. The start and end date of rain during the spring season varied from 65 to 129 and 122 to 176 day of the year, respectively. Rainfall variability was linked to risks such as late onset, early cessation, short and prolonged dry periods, and drought with a high frequency and moderate-to-severe intensity

Road traffic accident clinical pattern and management outcomes at JUMC Emergency Department; Ethiopia

Background: Road Traffic Accident is an incident on a way or street open to public traffic. It becomes one of the most significant public health problems in the world especially in developing countries. In Ethiopia, it represents a significant risk for morbidity and mortality. It is also the major public health problem even though studies done on this topic in the study area is limited. Objective: To assess clinical pattern, associated factors and management outcomes among road traffic accident Victims attending emergency department of Jimma University Medical Center. Methods: Hospital based cross sectional study design was employed to review patients' chart visited the hospital from March to April 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was applied. The data were collected using pretested checklist and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were computed. Variables with P<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: About 49.6%) were pedestrians injured of which motorcycle accounted 42.9%. More than half of victims never got any type of prehospital care. On arrival, 38.7% were classified as Red of which 71.4% of them were managed surgically. About 84.9% of victims were discharged with improvement whereas12.6% were died. Victims with head injury (AOR= 16.61: 95% CI; 3.85, 71.71), time elapsed to reach nearby health facility (AOR= 3.30; 95 CI (1.13, 9.60), condition of patient at Emergency Department (AOR= 7.78; 95% CI: 2.33, 26.06), GCS at admission (AOR= 20.12; 95% CI: 7.23, 55.96) and days spent in hospital (AOR= 6.85; 95% CI 5.81, 8.06) were independent predictors of unfavorable outcome. Conclusion: Road Traffic Accident represents a significant risk for morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia, of which head injury and multiple sites injury increase injury severity. Targeted approaches to improving care of the injured victims may improve outcomes. Thus, the clinician should take into consideration the clinical presentation and give due attention to the identified contributing factors in its management

A mixed methods analysis of the magnitude and associated factors of time management practice among primary hospital employees in North Gondar, Ethiopia.

Time management contributes to work efficiency, maintaining balance, and job satisfaction by promoting productivity and success. Most people believe they have so much to do and not enough time, and they attribute their unmet expectations, poor results, and low productivity to a lack of time. The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude and associated factors of time management practice among primary hospital employees in North Gondar, Ethiopia.From March 15 to April 28, 2017, a hospital-based cross-sectional mixed methods (both quantitative and qualitative) study design was conducted in North Gondar Zone. For the quantitative part, pre-tested, standardized questionnaires; as well as an interviewer guide for the qualitative part of the study were used for data collection. Using a random sampling technique, 391 employees were completed the questionnaires. A multivariate and bi-variate logistic regression analysis at AOR with a 95% CI and a p-value of < 0.5 were used to identify significant factors of the study. For qualitative data, thematic content analysis was performed. A total of 391 participants (a response rate of 92.6%) took part in the study. The number of participants who practice time management was 56.4% (95% CI: 49.3%, 61.7%). Organizational policies (AOR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.02, 4.68), performance appraisal systems (AOR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.32, 4.66), compensation and benefits system (AOR: 4.18; 95% CI: 2.18, 7.99), employee planning experience (AOR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.42, 5.75), and residence (AOR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.08, 4.01) were found predictors of time management practice among primary hospital employees. Overall, there was a moderate level of time management practice in the study area. Significant factors found were organizational policies, compensation and benefits packages, performance appraisal systems, planning experience, and residency. Therefore, managers need to develop an intervention to address all the above factors in order to improve time management practice of primary hospital employees at work

Effect of pre-aggregation in conjugated polymer solution on performance of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based organic field-effect transistors

In this work, we investigate the effect of pre-aggregated solutions of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based conjugated polymers to achieve highly-aligned polymer films for high-performance organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). A suitable marginal solvent is selected for 5-octyl-pentadecyl branched DPP and selenophene-based semiconducting polymer (PDPP(SE)-epsilon-C8C15) by utilizing the Hansen solubility parameter calculation. The anisotropic one-dimensional aligned PDPP(SE)-epsilon-C8C15 film was off-center spin-coated from the pre-aggregated solution is studied by atomic force microscopy and polarized UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. A significantly high hole mobility of 4.16 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) was achieved from the OFETs with a unidirectionally-aligned PDPP(SE)-epsilon-C8C15 film to the transistor channel direction

Acceptor Unit Effects for Ambipolar Organic Field-Effect Transistors Based on TIPS-Benzodithiophene Copolymers

Two narrow band gap triisopropylsilyl substituted benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b] dithiophene (TIPS-BDT) derivatives, P1 (1.65 eV) and P2 (1.46 eV) are synthesized for ambipolar organic field-effect transistors and complementary inverters. Two electron acceptor units, heptadecanyl substituted thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) and ethylhexyl substituted diketopyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole (DPP) are incorporated to tune the structure and resulting properties of the donor-acceptor type copolymers. Structural modification based on the acceptor unit variation, resulted in comparable electrochemical, optical, microstructural, and charge transporting properties, as well as environmental and operational stability. TIPS-BDT copolymers with TPD acceptor units show comparatively superior performance, with field effect mobility approximate to 10(-3) cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) for both holes and electrons and inverter gain approximate to 18 with poly(methyl methacrylate) gate dielectric.11Nsciescopuskc