Strategic Response to COVID-19 in Ethiopia

COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, has posed a major threat to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to inadequate health infrastructure and human resources. Ethiopia, a low-income country with the second largest population in Africa, has coordinated a strategic response, leveraging existing infrastructure and health systems and mobilizing public health professionals and specialist expert physicians for a multifaceted, unified government approach and adaptive response. Resource limitations, particularly in critical care, have still posed challenges, but the public health and clinical interventions thus far have prevented the catastrophic toll that many predicted. As the pandemic continues, Ethiopia expects to use a triple care model integrated at all levels, consisting of COVID-19 care, isolation care for suspected cases, and essential health services, and urges intensified non-pharmaceutical interventions alongside equitable global vaccine distribution as the ultimate answers to pandemic control. This paper draws on existing data, national planning and guidelines, and expertise from health leadership to describe this response in hopes of providing an example of how future large-scale health challenges might be faced in LMICs, using Ethiopia\u27s successes and challenges in facing the pandemic

Co2 and irrigation in relation to yield and water use of the bell pepper crop Co2 e irrigação na produção e uso da água para cultura do pimentão

Greenhouse production of vegetables is widely used throughout the world. Elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in these closed environments can increase net photosynthesis and yield. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of atmospheric CO2 enrichment and water supply on the growth of potted bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants, cultivated under controlled environmental conditions. CO2 was applied daily, and its distribution was monitored above plant rows through micro pipes located at 3.0 m height. A drip irrigation system with one dripper per plant was used to irrigate the plants. Different volumes of irrigation water, representing fractions of the water volume (Vet) consumed by pot plants growing under no water stress conditions (0.5Vet, 0.65Vet, 1.0Vet, and 1.35Vet) with four replications, were evaluated under four different CO2 levels (atmospheric concentration of 367, 600, 800, and 1000 mumol mol-1). Total fresh fruit mass, average number of fruits, and water use efficiency were recorded. For the water deficit treatments, the greatest fresh fruit mass was obtained for the highest CO2 level environment. However, for treatments that received water volumes equal or greater than the evapotranspiration rate, the greatest total fresh fruit mass was observed at the 600 mumol mol-1 of CO2 environment. The yield increase due to CO2 was represented by increase in fruit weight and not in fruit number. Water use efficiency increased in relation to the amount of water applied and it was highest at 600 mumol mol-1 CO2 concentration.<br>O cultivo de hortaliças em ambiente protegido é amplamente utilizado e, nesses ambientes, o enriquecimento da atmosfera com gás carbônico (CO2) pode aumentar a produtividade pois a fotossíntese líquida normalmente aumenta. Este trabalho avalia o efeito do enriquecimento do ambiente com CO2 e do volume de água aplicado em plantas de pimentão (Capsicum annuum L.), cultivadas em vasos, em ambiente protegido. O experimento foi conduzido em Piracicaba, SP. O CO2 foi aplicado diariamente e distribuído através de microtubos instalados a 3 m de altura, sobre a linha de plantas. A irrigação foi por gotejamento com um gotejador por planta e freqüência de dois dias. Foram adotadas quatro concentrações de CO2 (concentração normal da atmosfera, aproximadamente de 367, 600, 800 e 1000 mimol mol-1) e quatro volumes de água determinados pelo volume evapotranspirado (Vet) por planta (0,5Vet; 0,65Vet; 1,0Vet e 1,35Vet), com quatro repetições. Analisaram-se a massa fresca total dos frutos, o número médio de frutos e a eficiência de uso da água. Nos tratamentos com restrição de água a maior massa fresca de frutos foi obtida nos ambientes com maior concentração de CO2, entretanto nos tratamentos que receberam volume igual ou maior que o volume evapotranspirado, a maior massa fresca de fruto foi verificada no ambiente com 600 mimol mol-1. O CO2 promoveu o aumento da massa fresca e não do número de frutos. A eficiência de uso da água aumentou em relação ao volume de água aplicado, sendo maior no ambiente com concentração de 600 mimol mol-1