Environmental social responsible practices of hospitality industry: The case of first level hotels and lodges in Gondar city, Ethiopia

As a means of sustainability achievement and balanced assessment of positive and negative impact of tourism and hospitality industry, taking responsibility towards the silent stakeholder (environment) emerged as a new phenomenon in the late 1980s.  The main concern of this paper is to identify the environmental responsible practices of the hospitality industry in the special focus of first level hotels and lodges in Gondar city, Ethiopia. All the ten first level hotels and lodges were used as research target areas. Data for the study was obtained from the hotel employees (through questionnaire) and from the managers (through semi-structured interview). The study found that, the hotels and lodges engaged more in saving water activity in all area, management of waste and Conserve energy/example light usage, use of energy efficient equipments. Relatively, they engaged in the less extent level in the issues of involving in environmental issues in the city and giving environmental information on its services and activities to the stakeholders. In addition to these the establishments involve in specific internal environmental practices like reusing, design of the construction for compatible waste and water saving and FIFO(First In First Out) and externally, sponsoring environmental concerned nongovernmental and governmental organization practices. Very few establishments practice the environmental concerned guideline of HACCAP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point). Based on the finding of the study, the researcher recommend scholarly recommendations including the establishments engage more in the external environmental practices besides the internal environmental good practices.Keywords: Environment, Social Responsibility, Hotels and Lodges, Sustainability, Gonda

Corporate Social Responsibility for Social Dimension of Human Development in Ethiopia: A Conceptual Paper

CSR is an important agent of change to address the challenges of social dimension of human development However, Ethiopia lagged behind the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) guideline and framework. The central theme of this paper is to analyze how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is important for human development. Based on analysis of 50 scholarly papers and research journals, books and organizational website products/ leaflets, the importance of CSR for human development is discussed in relation to the experiences of Japan and South Africa and their relevance to Ethiopia. CSR is an essential concept for the accumulation of social capital (in the form of social networks development and activities of voluntary associations) thereby facilitating greater participation in civic and political associations, trust, honesty, reliability, and developing collaboration in the society. Ethiopians and CSR are compatible because Ethiopians are “open minded” and receptive towards socio-cultural life as reflected by the extended family structure; “collectivism” is a dominant national culture. It is suggested that it is essential that Ethiopians practice CSR by focusing on indigenous opportunities that are available locally without dogmatic copying of other countries. Keywords: Collectivism, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Human development, Social Capital

POTENTIALITY ASSESSMENT FOR ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN DIDA HARA CONSERVATION SITE OF BORENA NATIONAL PARK, ETHIOPIA

The main objective of this research is identifying the ecotourism resources and products for ecotourism development in the Dida Hara conservation site of BoranaNational Park, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The study used a cross-sectional descriptive research design. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used. The data were collected by using a questionnaire, interview, field observation and secondary document analysis. The questionnaire was distributed to the visitors in order to determine the market demand by using convenience sampling technique. Interview was conducted with office personnel’s, tour operators and selected local community representatives and selected by using non- probability sampling technique.  The study revealed that Dida Hara conservation site of Borana National Park has potential ecotourism resources especially in terms of wildlife (more than 40 mammal species), birds (more than 280 bird species) and cultural resources (especially Borana community Gada system and Buna Qalla ceremony). The Park area is the centre of endemic birds like; Ethiopian Bush Crow, White-Tailed Swallow, Prince Ruspoil’s Turaco. The presence of such untapped ecotourism resources has also a potential for community participation including natural resources conservation and awareness for negative and positive impacts of ecotourism. The local communities are also positive towards ecotourism development in the destination. Based on the visitor's survey result more than 90 % are interested to view wildlife and birds and 86.5 % of the visitors are willing to recommend for others to visit the site. Besides these, the visitor's survey revealed that around 97.8 % of the respondents are considering themselves as ecotourist and willing to spend more money to eco-tourism destination (84.3) as compared to regular tourism destination. Furthermore, the study confirmed that the identification of ecotourism resources play a significant role in the development of ecotourism and for marketing the destination for the future. In this destination, no research has conducted in related with the potential resources for ecotourism development by using such multi-directional data collection tools including market demand analysis.   &nbsp

Tourism Potential & Challenges for Islamic Monastery Heritage Sites in Ethiopia: Tiru Sina Mosque

The main intent of this study is to investigate unusual Islamic monastery heritage sites by focusing on the potential resources and challenges for religious tourism development at Tiru Sina Mosque. To meet this objective a qualitative approach was utilised and data were collected through interviews with elderly religious fathers in addition to culture and tourism officers. Additional focus groups, discussions and deep personal observations were conducted. As the findings reveal, Tiru Sina Mosque is a unique Islamic monastic site with great potential for religious tourism development. This unique Islamic monastery heritage site has socio-cultural, economic, historical, religious and aesthetic values. The study also confirmed, even though the area is rich in cultural heritage, there are serious challenges that affect its development. The major problems are lack of awareness, poor handling systems for heritage, lack of infrastructural development, absence of coordination among stakeholders, shortage of skilled professionals, lack of cooperation and partnership among different stakeholders, heritage destruction and lack of conservation, and lack of risk management

The Ongoing Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Traditional Art Industry in North-Central Ethiopia

The main aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on traditional art and craftworks in North-Central Ethiopia. The study was conducted using a descriptive study design. A total of 72 samples were selected for a questionnaire survey, and 16 informants were contacted for interview purposes. The study found that 79% of the art businesses were closed, creating more visible and systematic challenges. The pandemic has created challenges for artists to change their work from crafts to mask production, traditional art and crafts pedagogy, and women’s labor forces. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 80.56, 81.94, and 81.94% of traditional artists and craftsmen’s physical mobility were paused, the artistic freedom and knowledge transfer activities were denied, and the ability to work their artistic activities was reduced, respectively. On the other hand, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 77.78% of traditional artists and craftsmen were worried about being unemployed and 76.39% were in disturbing situations due to the coronavirus. Furthermore, 61.11% of respondents did not feel motivated or optimistic about the future of their work as a result of corona

Causes of stillbirth and death among children younger than 5 years in eastern Hararghe, Ethiopia: a population-based post-mortem study

Background Child mortality is high in Ethiopia, but reliable data on the causes of death are scarce. We aimed to gather data for the contributory causes of stillbirth and child deaths in eastern Ethiopia. Methods In this population-based post-mortem study, we established a death-notification system in health facilities and in the community in Kersa (rural), Haramaya (rural) and Harar (urban) in eastern Ethiopia, at a new site of the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) network. We collected ante-mortem data, did verbal autopsies, and collected post-mortem samples via minimally invasive tissue sampling from stillbirths (weighing at least 1000 g or with an estimated gestational age of at least 28 weeks) and children who died younger than 5 years. Children—or their mothers, in the case of stillbirths and deaths in children younger than 6 months—had to have lived in the catchment area for the past 6 months to be included. Molecular, microbiological, and histopathological analyses were done in collected samples. Cause of death was established by an expert panel on the basis of these data and classified as underlying, comorbid, or immediate separately for stillbirths, neonatal deaths (deaths aged 0–27 days), and child deaths (aged 28 days to <5 years). Findings Between Feb 4, 2019, and Feb 3, 2021, 312 deaths were eligible for inclusion, and the families gave consent in 195 (63%) cases. Cause of death was established in 193 (99%) cases. Among 114 stillbirths, the underlying cause of death was perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia in 60 (53%) and birth defects in 24 (21%). Among 59 neonatal deaths, the most common underlying cause was perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia (17 [29%]) and the most common immediate cause of death was neonatal sepsis, which occurred in 27 (60%). Among 20 deaths in children aged 28 days to 59 months, malnutrition was the leading underlying cause (15 [75%]) and infections were common immediate and comorbid causes. Pathogens were identified in 19 (95%) child deaths, most commonly Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Interpretation Perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia, infections, and birth defects accounted for most stillbirths and child deaths. Most deaths could have been prevented with feasible interventions, such as improved maternity services, folate supplementation, and improved vaccine uptake. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Causes of stillbirth and death among children younger than 5 years in eastern Hararghe, Ethiopia: a population-based post-mortem study

BACKGROUND: Child mortality is high in Ethiopia, but reliable data on the causes of death are scarce. We aimed to gather data for the contributory causes of stillbirth and child deaths in eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: In this population-based post-mortem study, we established a death-notification system in health facilities and in the community in Kersa (rural), Haramaya (rural) and Harar (urban) in eastern Ethiopia, at a new site of the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) network. We collected ante-mortem data, did verbal autopsies, and collected post-mortem samples via minimally invasive tissue sampling from stillbirths (weighing at least 1000 g or with an estimated gestational age of at least 28 weeks) and children who died younger than 5 years. Children-or their mothers, in the case of stillbirths and deaths in children younger than 6 months-had to have lived in the catchment area for the past 6 months to be included. Molecular, microbiological, and histopathological analyses were done in collected samples. Cause of death was established by an expert panel on the basis of these data and classified as underlying, comorbid, or immediate separately for stillbirths, neonatal deaths (deaths aged 0-27 days), and child deaths (aged 28 days to <5 years). FINDINGS: Between Feb 4, 2019, and Feb 3, 2021, 312 deaths were eligible for inclusion, and the families gave consent in 195 (63%) cases. Cause of death was established in 193 (99%) cases. Among 114 stillbirths, the underlying cause of death was perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia in 60 (53%) and birth defects in 24 (21%). Among 59 neonatal deaths, the most common underlying cause was perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia (17 [29%]) and the most common immediate cause of death was neonatal sepsis, which occurred in 27 (60%). Among 20 deaths in children aged 28 days to 59 months, malnutrition was the leading underlying cause (15 [75%]) and infections were common immediate and comorbid causes. Pathogens were identified in 19 (95%) child deaths, most commonly Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. INTERPRETATION: Perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia, infections, and birth defects accounted for most stillbirths and child deaths. Most deaths could have been prevented with feasible interventions, such as improved maternity services, folate supplementation, and improved vaccine uptake. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Global, regional, and national under-5 mortality, adult mortality, age-specific mortality, and life expectancy, 1970–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

BACKGROUND: Detailed assessments of mortality patterns, particularly age-specific mortality, represent a crucial input that enables health systems to target interventions to specific populations. Understanding how all-cause mortality has changed with respect to development status can identify exemplars for best practice. To accomplish this, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) estimated age-specific and sex-specific all-cause mortality between 1970 and 2016 for 195 countries and territories and at the subnational level for the five countries with a population greater than 200 million in 2016. METHODS: We have evaluated how well civil registration systems captured deaths using a set of demographic methods called death distribution methods for adults and from consideration of survey and census data for children younger than 5 years. We generated an overall assessment of completeness of registration of deaths by dividing registered deaths in each location-year by our estimate of all-age deaths generated from our overall estimation process. For 163 locations, including subnational units in countries with a population greater than 200 million with complete vital registration (VR) systems, our estimates were largely driven by the observed data, with corrections for small fluctuations in numbers and estimation for recent years where there were lags in data reporting (lags were variable by location, generally between 1 year and 6 years). For other locations, we took advantage of different data sources available to measure under-5 mortality rates (U5MR) using complete birth histories, summary birth histories, and incomplete VR with adjustments; we measured adult mortality rate (the probability of death in individuals aged 15-60 years) using adjusted incomplete VR, sibling histories, and household death recall. We used the U5MR and adult mortality rate, together with crude death rate due to HIV in the GBD model life table system, to estimate age-specific and sex-specific death rates for each location-year. Using various international databases, we identified fatal discontinuities, which we defined as increases in the death rate of more than one death per million, resulting from conflict and terrorism, natural disasters, major transport or technological accidents, and a subset of epidemic infectious diseases; these were added to estimates in the relevant years. In 47 countries with an identified peak adult prevalence for HIV/AIDS of more than 0·5% and where VR systems were less than 65% complete, we informed our estimates of age-sex-specific mortality using the Estimation and Projection Package (EPP)-Spectrum model fitted to national HIV/AIDS prevalence surveys and antenatal clinic serosurveillance systems. We estimated stillbirths, early neonatal, late neonatal, and childhood mortality using both survey and VR data in spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression models. We estimated abridged life tables for all location-years using age-specific death rates. We grouped locations into development quintiles based on the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and analysed mortality trends by quintile. Using spline regression, we estimated the expected mortality rate for each age-sex group as a function of SDI. We identified countries with higher life expectancy than expected by comparing observed life expectancy to anticipated life expectancy on the basis of development status alone. FINDINGS: Completeness in the registration of deaths increased from 28% in 1970 to a peak of 45% in 2013; completeness was lower after 2013 because of lags in reporting. Total deaths in children younger than 5 years decreased from 1970 to 2016, and slower decreases occurred at ages 5-24 years. By contrast, numbers of adult deaths increased in each 5-year age bracket above the age of 25 years. The distribution of annualised rates of change in age-specific mortality rate differed over the period 2000 to 2016 compared with earlier decades: increasing annualised rates of change were less frequent, although rising annualised rates of change still occurred in some locations, particularly for adolescent and younger adult age groups. Rates of stillbirths and under-5 mortality both decreased globally from 1970. Evidence for global convergence of death rates was mixed; although the absolute difference between age-standardised death rates narrowed between countries at the lowest and highest levels of SDI, the ratio of these death rates-a measure of relative inequality-increased slightly. There was a strong shift between 1970 and 2016 toward higher life expectancy, most noticeably at higher levels of SDI. Among countries with populations greater than 1 million in 2016, life expectancy at birth was highest for women in Japan, at 86·9 years (95% UI 86·7-87·2), and for men in Singapore, at 81·3 years (78·8-83·7) in 2016. Male life expectancy was generally lower than female life expectancy between 1970 and 2016, an

Nutritional Status and Associated Factors among Adult Psychiatric Patients in Dessie Referral Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia

Background. Psychiatric illnesses involve alterations in the brain or nervous system function and result in altered perception, responses to the environment, and daily functioning, which ultimately diminish the capacity to cope with the regular demands of life, including nutritional intake. Little is known about nutritional status in psychiatric patients in our setup, particularly in northeast Ethiopia. Thus, this study is aimed at assessing the nutritional status and associated factors among adult psychiatric patients in Dessie referral hospital, northeast Ethiopia. Methods. A facility-based cross-sectional study was employed among 530 psychiatric patients using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements were taken from April 10 to June 20, 2018. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to identify the associated factors with the nutritional status of adult psychiatric patients. Results. The study revealed that the proportion of undernutrition and overnutrition was 20.0% (95% CI: 16.80-23.60) and 23.4% (95% CI: 19.80-27.00), respectively. Being male (AOR: 2.39, 95% CI: 1.28-4.47), private employed (AOR: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.02-0.31), and not consuming alcohol (AOR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.56-0.74) were factors associated with undernutrition. Whereas not involved in physical activity (AOR: 2.98, 95% CI: 1.37-6.49), being newly diagnosed patient (AOR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.01-3.42), and not chewing Khat (AOR: 3.92, 95% CI: 1.63-9.42) were factors associated with overnutrition of adult psychiatric patients. Conclusion. The proportion of both undernutrition and overnutrition was above the national average. Notably, nutrition significantly affects the production and use of neurotransmitters, and this may result in significant effects on physical, mental, or emotional processes. This undoubtedly affects the stabilization processes of neuropsychiatric patients. Therefore, healthcare managers, supervisors, and policymakers identify those vulnerable groups early and thereby design effective nutritional strategies to intervene in malnutrition among adult patients with a psychiatric disorder