Supply Chain Resilience Meets Quality Management

Purpose: This study is aimed at supply chain resilience and quality management, which are critical in today's volatile global economy marked by various disruptions. The focus is on how these traditionally separate disciplines can be combined to enhance organizational performance.   Theoretical framework:  The theoretical framework revolves around the concepts of supply chain resilience, which includes elements like proactive risk assessment, adaptability, collaborative networks, strategic redundancies, and quality management principles. The research scrutinizes their interplay, revealing significant overlap and implications for organizational outcomes.   Design/Methodology/Approach:  An exploratory case study approach forms the core methodology, primarily utilizing secondary data to gain insights into real-world scenarios. This approach enables a deep understanding of the critical factors influencing supply chain resilience and the impact of quality management concepts on customer satisfaction and product/service quality in supply chain processes. The questionnaire is distributed to get insights into the company's practices.   Findings:  The findings indicate that integrating supply chain resilience with quality management leads to more sustained and improved organizational outcomes. A resilient supply chain is quicker to recover from disruptions, minimizing financial impacts. Concurrently, a steadfast focus on quality ensures customer satisfaction and loyalty. This integration offers synergistic benefits, contributing to operational efficiency, market competitiveness, and a more substantial brand reputation.   Research, Practical & Social implications: The study provides insights into critical factors of supply chain resilience and their interconnections with quality management concepts. These insights can inform strategies for enhancing resilience and quality management in supply chains. Practically, the study offers a guide for organizations to adopt a unified approach that optimizes supply chain resilience and quality management. This approach is particularly relevant for organizations seeking to improve operational efficiency and customer satisfaction through better risk management and quality assurance processes. Socially, the study highlights the importance of resilient and high-quality supply chains in today’s business landscape by maintaining Sustainable Developmental Goals.   Originality/Value:  This research highlights how resilience, characterized by adaptability and robust recovery in disruptive scenarios, and stringent quality management, crucial for meeting customer expectations, are fundamental in modern supply chains. The study emphasizes the importance of a risk management culture and the role of digital technologies in enhancing supply chain resilience, underscoring their vital contributions during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this work offers valuable insights into achieving more resilient and high-quality supply chains in today's challenging business environment through the integration of Quality Management Tools

Preventive Practice and Associated Factors towards COVID-19 among College Students in Amhara Region, Ethiopia: A Cross- Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Ethiopia has taken unprecedented preventive measures like closure of higher education institutions to halt the spread of COVID-19. However, still, there is scarce information regarding the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of students towards COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this study aimed to assess the KAP and associated factors of preventive measures against COVID- 19 among students.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 422 students. The sample was proportionally allocated into the randomly selected four colleges, and the students were recruited using a systematic random sampling technique.Variables with pvalue < 0.25 in the bivariate logistic regression analysis were entered into the multivariable logistic regression model.RESULTS: This study involved 408 students with response rate of 96.6%. The levels of good knowledge, positive attitude and good practice towards COVID-19 were 69.6%, 56.6% and 65% respectively. After adjusting for covariates, being in the late adolescent age group (16-20), living with > 5 family size, and being single were predictors of knowledge level. Besides, being single, attending diploma (TVET) level trainings, and being year-two students were predictors of attitude levels. Similarly, urban residence, being regular students, and being year-one students were the independent predictors of practice level of students.CONCLUSION: In this study, only two-third of the students had good preventive practice level towards COVID-19, which is below the Organization’s recommendation. Thus, the national, regional and local governments should develop effective and inclusive prevention strategies to address students who are at home due to COVID-19 pandemic

Maternal vitamin D and growth of under-five children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational and interventional studies

BACKGROUND: Even though previous systematic reviews have reported on the role of prenatal vitamin D on birth outcomes, its effect on child growth is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To synthesize a systematic summary of the literature on the effect of maternal vitamin D supplementation on the linear growth of under-five children. METHOD: This study includes studies (both observational and interventional with a control group) that evaluated the effects of prenatal vitamin D status on child linear growth. The mean child length/length for age with 95% confidence interval (CI) was pooled as the weighted mean difference using a random-effects model. A funnel plot was used to assess potential publication bias. RESULTS: A total of 45 studies and 66 reports covering a total population of 44,992 (19,683 intervention or high vitamin D group, and 25,309 control or low vitamin D group) were analyzed. Studies spanned from 1977 to 2022. The pooled weighted mean difference was 0.4 cm (95% CI: 0.15–0.65). A subgroup analysis, based on vitamin D supplementation frequency, showed that mothers who supplemented monthly or less frequently had a 0.7 cm (95% CI: 0.2–1.16 cm) longer child. Supplementation with a dose of >2000 international units increased child length at birth. The weighted mean difference was 0.35 cm (95% CI: 0.11–0.58). CONCLUSION: The evidence from this review shows that maternal supplementation of vitamin D is associated with increased birth length. This is apparent at higher doses, low frequency (monthly or less frequent), and during the second/third trimester. It appears that vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy is protective of future growth in under-five children. Clinical trials are needed to establish evidence of effectiveness for the frequency and dose of supplementation

Assessment of the level and factors associated with knowledge, attitude and practice of blood donation among medical and paramedical personnel in ALERT Hospital, Ethiopia

Background: Though there was a high blood supply need in response to high communicable disease and increased emergency conditions; the practice of health professionals and non-health professionals on voluntary blood donation is still unexpectedly low in Ethiopia. Health professionals and non-health professionals working in the health sectors are pivotal in taking the lead to reverse the effect of inadequate blood supply system in the country. Therefore, the study aimed to understand the level and contributing factors of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of voluntary blood donation among health and non-health professionals in ALERT Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Design and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted among health professionals and non-health professionals in ALERT hospital from 5 to 30 June 2018. A total of 394 hospital staffs participated in this study. A well-structured self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice about voluntary blood donation. The statistical analysis was carried out using R.Results: A total of 203 (51.5%) participants were females. Only 142 (36%) of the participants had voluntary blood donation practice. Among these, 60 (42.3%) of them were donated blood more than once. Occupation is the only factor significantly associated with blood donation practice; health professionals had almost two-fold donation practice than non-health professionals with (AOR=1.62; 5%CI: 1.02, 2.57, p=0.042). Occupation has also a strong relationship with knowledge, health professionals had better knowledge than non-professionals with (AOR=2.39; 95% CI: 1.39, 4.12; p=0.002). The result also showed that the educational status of the participants was strongly associated with the blood donors’ attitude (AOR=3.62; 95% CI: 1.1, 11.93, p=0.035). One hundred and two (72.3%) of the blood donors were motivated to donate blood for charity, 133 (94.3%) individuals were felt good after blood donation and lack of request was the major reason 88.6% that causes the respondents not to donate blood frequently. Conclusions: Low blood donation practice of health professionals and non-health professionals was identified from this study. Occupation had significantly associated with blood donation practice. Therefore, targeted interventions aimed at mobilizing hospital staffs and develop accessible blood donation centers are recommended to reverse the effect of inadequate blood supply system in Ethiopia

Undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and associated factors among psychiatric patients receiving antipsychotic drugs at the University of Gondar Hospital, northwest Ethiopia

Background: Undiagnosed diabetes mellitus cases are at higher risk for diabetic related complications. In low-income African countries, patients with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus account for 75% of diabetes cases. Psychiatric disorders have a greater impact on the global burden of diseases and disability associated with chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases.Methods: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar Hospital from February to April 2016. A total of 205 psychiatric patients aged above 15 years that were taking antipsychotic were included by the simple random sampling method. Fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol level were determined from venous blood samples to evaluate diabetes mellitus based on WHO criteria.Results: Among 205 psychiatric patients taking antipsychotics, 15(7.3%) had undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. Duration of antipsychotic treatment and sex had a statistically significant association with the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. As the duration of antipsychotic drug treatment increased by one year, the risk of having a diabetes mellitus increase by 1.47 times (AOR: 1.47 CI: 1.021-2.125).Conclusion: The prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus among psychiatry patients taking antipsychotics was higher than the estimated diabetes national prevalence of Ethiopia. Screening of diabetes mellitus in particular, patients having a longer duration of antipsychotic treatment is mandatory to bring more undiagnosed cases for medical attention.Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Psychiatric disorder, Antipsychoti

Tourism Enterprises Job Opportunities: The Roles and Challenges for Sustainable Tourism Development in Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia

This study focused on examining the roles of tourism enterprises in relation to job opportunities and the challenges faced for sustainable tourism development. The study used descriptive research design and mixed research approach. The target population of the study were tourists community representatives, souvenir shop employees, tour guides, culture and tourism employees, travel agents, transport service providers and government officials. The data gathering tools were questionnaire survey, key informant interview, field observation, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and literature review. Both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were applied for sample size determination. To the questionnaire survey, 400 tourists were participated and 385 returned. Quantitative data was analysed with the help of SPSS version 20. Qualitative data was analyzed by using thematic analysis with identification of common themes. The result revealed that major roles played by tourism enterprises include: promote good image, encourage participate in conservation, creating sense of ownership, diversifying the livelihood of locals and reinforcement of environmental quality. However, the creation of job opportunities by tourism enterprises were hindered by different major challenges specifically; seasonality of jobs created in tourism, lack of coordination among enterprises, political instability affecting  visitors, lack of appropriate training for employees and poor organizational structure of enterprises. So different concerned stakeholders should work in cooperation to minimize the challenges faced to tourism enterprises

Prevalence of medication non-adherence and associated factors among diabetic patients in a tertiary hospital at Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Non-adherence to prescribed medications is possibly the most common reason for poor treatment outcomes among people with diabetes although its rate is highly variable. Data on the magnitude of medication non-adherence and associated factors are scarce in the study area. This study aimed to assess the rate of non-adherence and associated factors among diabetic patients at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 17 to July 17, 2021. Study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected with a pre-tested structured questionnaire and entered into SPSS version 25. Logistic regression was utilized to determine predictors of medication non-adherence at a significance level of ≤ 0.05.RESULTS: A total of 176 study participants were enrolled in the study. About 59% of the study participants had type-2 diabetes mellitus. The prevalence of non-adherence to anti-diabetic medications was found to be 41.5%. Male sex, rural residence, being divorced, being merchant, self- or family-borne medical cost, and presence of comorbidities were significantly associated with increased rate of non-adherence to anti-diabetic medications.CONCLUSION: The prevalence of non-adherence to medications among diabetic patients is significantly high in the study area. Public health measures should be strengthened to decrease nonadherence among diabetic patients

Adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare professionals working in Ethiopia: a facility-based cross-sectional study

Background of the studyOne of the best medical approaches for halting the spread of infectious diseases is vaccination. During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) were a high-risk population. Due to their susceptibility in terms of their working environment, front-line healthcare personnel should receive vaccinations before others.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to assess the adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines among Ethiopian healthcare professionals in 2022.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study design was conducted in Addis Ababa Health Facilities, Ethiopia. A total of 290 health professionals who were vaccinated during the study period were involved. Data entry was done by Epidata (version 3.1) and analyzed using SPSS software version 26. Bivariable analysis was conducted and a p value of less than 0.25 was selected for further multivariable analysis. A p value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant at a 95% confidence level.ResultsA total of 277 study participants were successfully involved in the study, yielding a response rate of 95.5%. The study participants comprised 123 (44.4%) women and 154 (55.6%) men. The majority of them (202, 72.9%) had received the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. Among the 277 study participants, 142 (51.3%) had developed adverse reactions associated with vaccination. Of these, 81 (29.2%) had moderate adverse reactions. Only 2 (0.7%) had developed adverse reactions that led to hospitalization. The most reported short-term adverse reactions were injection site pain (151, 54.5%), headache (114, 41.2%), fever (104, 37.5%), fatigability and tiredness (94, 33.9%), chills (92, 33.2%), muscle pain (79, 28.5%), and decreased sleep quality (34, 12.3%). The multivariable logistic regression showed that the odds of having an adverse reaction were 1.501 times higher among women than men (AOR = 1.501, 95% CI [1.08, 2.754]).Conclusion and recommendationsThis study revealed that adverse effects following the COVID-19 vaccine were moderate in magnitude and minimal in severity. This study showed that adverse reactions that led to hospitalization were rare. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that national, multicenter, prospective, and randomized studies be conducted to assess the independent association of each vaccine

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility level of typhoid fever in Ethiopia:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Typhoid fever continues to be a health challenge in low-and middle-income countries where access to clean water and sanitation infrastructure is scarce. The non-confirmatory diagnostic method continues to hinder effective diagnosis and treatment, ensuring in a high antimicrobial resistance. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility level of typhoid fever in Ethiopia. The review was designed based on the condition-context-population review approach. Fifteen eligible articles were identified from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases. Risk of bias and quality of studies were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s appraisal criteria. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q test and I(2) statistics. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (registration number CRD42021224478). The estimated pooled prevalence of typhoid fever from blood and stool culture diagnosis was 3% (95% CI: 2%–4%, p < 0.01) (I(2) = 82.25) and Widal test examination 33% (95% CI: 22%–44%) (I(2) = 99.14). The sub-group analyses identified a lower detection of typhoid fever of 2% (95% CI: 1%–3%) among febrile patients compared to typhoid suspected cases of 6% (95% CI: 2%–9%). The stool culture test identified was twofold higher, value of 4% (95% CI: 2%-7%) salmonella S. Typhi infection than blood culture test of 2% (95% CI: 1%–4%). The antimicrobial susceptibility of salmonella S. Typhi for antibiotics was 94%, 80% and 65% for ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and gentamycin respectively. Low susceptibility of salmonella S. Typhi isolates against nalidixic acid 22% (95% CI: 2%–46%) and chloramphenicol 11% (95% CI: 2%–20%) were observed. The diagnosis of typhoid fever was under or overestimated depending on the diagnostic modality. The Widal test which identified as nonreliable has long been used in Ethiopia for the diagnosis of salmonella S. Typhi causing high diagnosis uncertainties. Antimicrobial susceptibility of salmonella S. Typhi was low for most nationally recommended antibiotics. Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority must strengthen its continued monitoring and enhanced national antimicrobial surveillance system using the best available state-of-the-art technology and or tools to inform the rising resistance of salmonella S. Typhi towards the prescription of standard antibiotics. Finally, it is crucial to develop an evidence-based clinical decision-making support system for the diagnosis, empiric treatment and prevention of antimicrobial resistance

The psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors among college and university students in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis, 2022

BackgroundThe Corona virus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic is a human tragedy that occurred in this era. It poses an unprecedented psychological, social, economic, and health crisis. The mental health and well-being of entire societies are suffering as a result of this crisis, but the suffering is greater in students at all levels of education and must be addressed immediately. Thus, this study was aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and associated factors of the psychological impact of COVID-19 among higher education students.MethodsThe potential studies were searched via PubMed, HINARI, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Studies were appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal checklist. Micro Soft Excel was used to extract the data, which was then exported to Stata version 14 for analysis. Heterogeneity between studies was tested using Cochrane statistics and the I2 test, and small-study effects were checked using Egger’s statistical test. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled prevalence of the psychological impact of COVID-19 and its associated factor.ResultsAfter reviewing 227 studies, eight fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of the psychological impact of Corona virus disease 19 among higher education students in Ethiopia, including depression, anxiety, and stress was 43.49% (95% CI: 29.59, 57.40%), 46.27% (95% CI: 32.77, 59.78%), and 31.43% (95% CI: 22.71, 40.15), respectively. Having a medical illness, being an urban resident, living with parents, having relative death due to pandemics, and having a non-health field of study were identified as significant associated factors for the impact of the pandemic in higher education students.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic had a significant psychological impact on college and university students. Depression, anxiety, and stress were the most commonly reported psychological impacts across studies among higher education students. Hence, applying tele-psychotherapy using, smartphones, and social media platforms has an effect on reducing the impact. Programs for preventing and controlling epidemics should be developed by the government and higher education institutions that incorporate mental health interventions and build resilience