Heart Failure in Ethiopian Children: Mirroring the Unmet Cardiac Services

BACKGROUND: HeartFailure (HF) is a progressive clinical and pathophysiological syndrome caused by cardiovascular and noncardiovascular abnormalities. Childhood HF has not been well studied in Sub-Sharan Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed at describing the pattern and outcome of pediatrics HF at a referral-teaching hospital.METHODS: Medical records of 216 HFchildren aged 2months to 14 years, and admitted between January 2014 and January 2016 were reviewed. Clinical information was collected, analyzed and presented in tables and pie charts.RESULTS: A total of 2000 children were admitted to Hawassa University Hospital during the study period. HF accounted for 10.8% (216) of pediatrics admissions, 51.9% males. The median age of the study subjects was 6years. Functionally, NYHA/Ross class III and IV consisted 65(30.1%) and 139(64.4%) of HF. Structural heart diseasewas the commonest cause of HF, 144(66.7%): Rheumatic heart disease (RHD),75(52%), and congenital heart disease (CHD),64(44.5%). Anemia and renal cases contributed to 50(23.1) and 12(5.6%) of HF.CHD was predominantly documented in <5years. Pneumonia 66(42.9%), and infective endocarditis 29(18.8%) were the common precipitating/comorbid conditions with HF.Thecase fatality rate of HF was 13.9 %( 30).CONCLUSION: In this study, HF accounted for a tenth of pediatrics admissions. Structural heart disease was the commonest cause of heart failure. CHD and RHD affected predominantly children of <5years of age and >5 years of age. Echocardiographic screening of HF cases for structural heart disease and optimal care for patients with underlying structural heart disease are recommended

Farmers’ preference for soil and water conservation practices in Central highlands of Ethiopia

Includes abstract in FrenchFailure by research and development organizations to consider farmers preference for soil water conservation (SWC) practices have resulted in low adoption. This study evaluates farmers’ preferences of SWC practices, including from an economic perspective as a basis for utilizing SWC techniques in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Farmers assigned highest relative weight to criteria related to economic returns, rather than technical and stability related criteria. Criteria included reduced soil loss, reduced nutrient loss, improved soil fertility, retained soil moisture, increased crop yield, increased fodder, maximized cultivable land, low labour requirement, suitability for free grazing and easy maintenance

FARMERS\u2019 PREFERENCE FOR SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIA

Land degradation is a major socio-economic and environmental concern in the Ethiopian highlands where the phenomenon has rendered vast areas of fertile land unproductive. To reverse this trend, the adoption of soil and water conservation (SWC) practices is crucial. However, failure by research and development organisations to take into consideration farmers preference for SWC practices have resulted into low adoption of these technologies. This paper presents the findings of a study that evaluated farmers\u2019 preferences of SWC practices, including the economic perspective; as a basis for enhancing adoption of the technologies in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Four soil and water conservation (SWC) practices; (i) soil bunds alone (SB), (ii) soil bunds with vetiver grass (SB+Vg), (iii) soil bunds with Susbania susban (SB+Ss) (iv) and soil bunds with elephant grass (SB+Eg), were evaluated in the Borodo Watershed in the central highlands of Ethiopia. These are the only SWC measures introduced and implemented in Borodo watershed. Data on these SWC practices were collected from farmers using focus group discussion. A multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach was used to analyses the data. The criteria were weighted using pair-wise ranking and SWC practices were scored with a scale of 1(not good) to 5 (best) based on each criterion. The overall weighted scores were obtained using the Simple Additive Weighting Model. Farmers assigned highest relative weights to criteria related to economic criteria (0.58) than technical (0.29) and stability criteria (0.13). Based on the overall weighted scores obtained using MCA approach, farmers prefer different SWC practices in an order of SB+Eg> SB+Ss> SB+Vg> SB. In general, this paper argues that farmers\u2019 economic concerns should be accounted for or more seriously taken into account by research and development institutions. Therefore, there is a need to develop SWC practices which are technically effective and economically efficient.La degradation des terres est un probl\ue8me socio-\ue9conomique et environnemental majeur dans les hautes terres de l\u2019Ethiopie o\uf9 le phenomena a rendu improductifs des vates \ue9tendues dor\ue9navant fertiles. Pour inverser cette tendance, l\u2019adoption des pratiques relatives \ue0 la conservation de sol et des eaux (SWC) est cruciale. Par ailleurs, l\u2019\ue9chec des organisations de recherche et de d\ue9veloppement dans la prise en compte des pr\ue9f\ue9rences des fermiers en cette mati\ue8re ont r\ue9sult\ue9 en une faible adoption de ces technologies. Cet article pr\ue9sente les r\ue9sultats d\u2019une \ue9tude qui a \ue9valu\ue9 les pr\ue9f\ue9rences des fermiers concernant les pratiques de conservation de sol et des eaux, incluant la perspective \ue9conomique comme fondement d\u2019une adoption r\ue9ussie des technologies dans les hautes terres de l\u2019Ethiopie centrale. Quatre pratiques de conservation de sol et des eaux; (i) sol cultiv\ue9 en bandes seulement (SB), (ii) sol en bandes avec herbes en vetiver (SB+Vg), (iii) sol en bandes avec Susbania susban (SB+Ss) et sol en bandes avec Penisetum purpureum (SB+Eg) \ue9taient \ue9valu\ue9s dans le basin versant de Borodo dans les hautes terres du Centre de l\u2019Ethiopie.Celles-ci sont des pratiques de SWC introduites et ex\ue9cut\ue9es dans le basin versant de Borodo. Les donn\ue9es sur les pr\ue9f\ue9rences de fermiers eu \ue9gard \ue0 ces pratiques de SWC \ue9taient collect\ue9es chez les fermiers par l\u2019approche du Groupe focal de discussion. Une analyse par approche multi-crit\ue8res (MCA) \ue9tait utilis\ue9e pour analyser les donn\ue9es. Les crit\ue8res \ue9taient pond\ue9r\ue9s utilisant le test de pair-wise et les pratiques de SWC \ue9taient c\uf4t\ue9es avec une \ue9chelle de 1 (pas bon) \ue0 5 (meilleur) sur base de chaque crit\ue8re. Les totaux mesur\ue9s de toutes les c\uf4tes \ue9taient obtenus utilisant le Mod\ue8le Simple de pond\ue9ration additive. Les fermiers ont assign\ue9 les poids relatifs \ue9lev\ue9s aux crit\ue8res en relation avec les crit\ue8res \ue9conomiques (0.58) que techniques (0.29) et les crit\ue8res de stabilit\ue9 (0.13). Bas\ue9 sur les totaux des scores pond\ue9r\ue9s obtenus par l\u2019approche MCA, les fermiers pr\ue9f\ue8rent les pratiques SWC dans l\u2019ordre de SB+Eg> SB+Ss> SB+Vg> SB. En general, cet article montre que les problems \ue9conomiques des fermiers devront \ueatre consid\ue9r\ue9s par des institutions de recherche et de d\ue9veloppement. Ainsi, le d\ue9veloppement des pratiques de SWC qui sont techniquement efficaces et \ue9conomiquement profitables

FARMERS’ PREFERENCE FOR SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIA

Land degradation is a major socio-economic and environmental concern in the Ethiopian highlands where the phenomenon has rendered vast areas of fertile land unproductive. To reverse this trend, the adoption of soil and water conservation (SWC) practices is crucial. However, failure by research and development organisations to take into consideration farmers preference for SWC practices have resulted into low adoption of these technologies. This paper presents the findings of a study that evaluated farmers’ preferences of SWC practices, including the economic perspective; as a basis for enhancing adoption of the technologies in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Four soil and water conservation (SWC) practices; (i) soil bunds alone (SB), (ii) soil bunds with vetiver grass (SB+Vg), (iii) soil bunds with Susbania susban (SB+Ss) (iv) and soil bunds with elephant grass (SB+Eg), were evaluated in the Borodo Watershed in the central highlands of Ethiopia. These are the only SWC measures introduced and implemented in Borodo watershed. Data on these SWC practices were collected from farmers using focus group discussion. A multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach was used to analyses the data. The criteria were weighted using pair-wise ranking and SWC practices were scored with a scale of 1(not good) to 5 (best) based on each criterion. The overall weighted scores were obtained using the Simple Additive Weighting Model. Farmers assigned highest relative weights to criteria related to economic criteria (0.58) than technical (0.29) and stability criteria (0.13). Based on the overall weighted scores obtained using MCA approach, farmers prefer different SWC practices in an order of SB+Eg> SB+Ss> SB+Vg> SB. In general, this paper argues that farmers’ economic concerns should be accounted for or more seriously taken into account by research and development institutions. Therefore, there is a need to develop SWC practices which are technically effective and economically efficient.La degradation des terres est un problème socio-économique et environnemental majeur dans les hautes terres de l’Ethiopie où le phenomena a rendu improductifs des vates étendues dorénavant fertiles. Pour inverser cette tendance, l’adoption des pratiques relatives à la conservation de sol et des eaux (SWC) est cruciale. Par ailleurs, l’échec des organisations de recherche et de développement dans la prise en compte des préférences des fermiers en cette matière ont résulté en une faible adoption de ces technologies. Cet article présente les résultats d’une étude qui a évalué les préférences des fermiers concernant les pratiques de conservation de sol et des eaux, incluant la perspective économique comme fondement d’une adoption réussie des technologies dans les hautes terres de l’Ethiopie centrale. Quatre pratiques de conservation de sol et des eaux; (i) sol cultivé en bandes seulement (SB), (ii) sol en bandes avec herbes en vetiver (SB+Vg), (iii) sol en bandes avec Susbania susban (SB+Ss) et sol en bandes avec Penisetum purpureum (SB+Eg) étaient évalués dans le basin versant de Borodo dans les hautes terres du Centre de l’Ethiopie.Celles-ci sont des pratiques de SWC introduites et exécutées dans le basin versant de Borodo. Les données sur les préférences de fermiers eu égard à ces pratiques de SWC étaient collectées chez les fermiers par l’approche du Groupe focal de discussion. Une analyse par approche multi-critères (MCA) était utilisée pour analyser les données. Les critères étaient pondérés utilisant le test de pair-wise et les pratiques de SWC étaient côtées avec une échelle de 1 (pas bon) à 5 (meilleur) sur base de chaque critère. Les totaux mesurés de toutes les côtes étaient obtenus utilisant le Modèle Simple de pondération additive. Les fermiers ont assigné les poids relatifs élevés aux critères en relation avec les critères économiques (0.58) que techniques (0.29) et les critères de stabilité (0.13). Basé sur les totaux des scores pondérés obtenus par l’approche MCA, les fermiers préfèrent les pratiques SWC dans l’ordre de SB+Eg> SB+Ss> SB+Vg> SB. En general, cet article montre que les problems économiques des fermiers devront être considérés par des institutions de recherche et de développement. Ainsi, le développement des pratiques de SWC qui sont techniquement efficaces et économiquement profitables