Complementary feeding practice and its determinants among mothers with children 6 to 23 months of age in Finote Selam, Ethiopia

Introduction: the development of a child's full human potential requires adequate nourishment during infancy and early childhood. Under-nutrition is mostly caused by a lack of proper breastfeeding and supplemental feeding practices. After six months of age, when the incidence of growth faltering, micronutrient deficiencies and viral diseases is at its peak, children become stunted. This study aimed to assess complementary feeding practices and their determinants among mothers with children aged 6 to 23 months in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: a community-based cross-sectional study on 414 caregivers was conducted using a systematic random sampling technique. Pre-tested interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The data were entered into Epi-Info version 3.5.1 and analyzed with SPSS version 21. Logistic regressions and frequency distribution were used. The strength of the association was measured using odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval. Results: out of 414 study participants, 201 (48.6%) practiced timely initiation of complementary feeding. Married women [AOR=2.87; 95% CI: (1.31-6.30)], radio owners [AOR=4.58; 95% CI:(2.48-8.46)], four or more ANC follow up times [AOR=1.99; 95% CI: (1.12-3.55)] and health institution delivery [AOR=2.56(1.21-5.42)] were all associated with timely initiation of complementary feeding. Conclusion: complementary feeding is not widely practiced in the study area. Complementary feeding should be promoted through institutional delivery, prenatal care follow-up, and mass media coverage. Through health information and communication, it is critical to improve the timing of the start of supplemental feeding

Development and evaluation of Indirect Hemagglutination Antibody Test (IHAT) for serological diagnosis and screening of bovine cysticercosis in Ethiopia

The study was conducted to develop and evaluate an Indirect Hemagglutination Antibody Test (IHAT) for the serological diagnosis of Cysticercus bovis in live animals. IHAT was set-up in-house and used to test serum samples of cattle against sheep red blood cell (SRBC) coated with crude extracts of C. bovis cyst. Serum samples for screening were collected from Addis Ababa abattoir (n=522), a dairy farm from the suburbs of Addis Ababa (n=101), and a traditional extensive farm (n=109). Postmortem inspection was conducted on a total of 522 animals slaughtered in Addis Ababa Abattoir, out of which 39 (7.5%) were positive for C. bovis.  Thirty-seven of these had viable C. bovis cysts. IHAT titres were determined from serially diluted sera, with a cut-off value set at a titre of 1:64. Cross reaction with other helminths was either absent or very low.  Sensitivity and specificity of the IHAT were 100% and at least 90%, respectively. Based on this test, 149 cattle (28.5%) from the Abattoir, 33 cattle (30.3%) from the extensive farm and 8 cattle (7.9%) from the dairy farm were positive for C. bovis. The difference in prevalence between the dairy farm and extensive farm was significant (

Rethinking Ethiopia’s bilateral investment treaties in light of recent developments in international investment arbitration

International investment law is dynamic. As treaty practice and jurisprudence in the area constantly develop, global standards are always in the making. Rethinking Ethiopia’s Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) is thus a natural response to evaluate the status of the country’s obligations under the regime of global investment standards. This article briefly evaluates the concept of Most Favored Nation (MFN) treatment, in relation to the nature or purpose of MFN clauses and its interaction with dispute resolution provisions contained in BITs. In doing so, the article evaluates the different scenarios of ‘treaty shopping’ whereby an investor can possibly use BITs signed by Ethiopia and a state other than the investor’s home state, to benefit from treaty obligations entered by Ethiopia with other partners. A review of Ethiopian BITs indicate that in almost all of the BITs, the MFN clause is phrased in general terms and leaves leverage to raise competing interpretations and creating a matrix of obligations thereby stretching the country’s obligations under the respective agreements. This calls for revising the broad and incoherent application of the MFN standard contained in various BITs signed by Ethiopia with the aim to laying down a coherent investment treaty framework

Large carnivore distribution, conflicts and threats in the east of the Somali region, Ethiopia

Large carnivore distribution in Ethiopia is not well documented; we did 108 interviews and 12 focus group discussions in six districts of the Somali Region to gather basic information. The Region is not listed as resident range for big cats, but our results indicate widespread presence of cheetah, and possible remnants of lion and leopard occurrence. Spotted and striped hyaena, plus many smaller species, are frequently encountered. In contrast to positive attitudes towards wild grazers, all carnivores are persecuted in response to frequent conflict leading to injuries and deaths among people and livestock. Lion and cheetah cubs were regularly captured and trafficked, and this may have contributed to lion declines especially. Cheetah cubs are still regularly caught and we mapped how they are smuggled to Somalia/Somaliland from where they enter the pet trade

Land use land cover change detection in Gibe Sheleko National Park, Southwestern Ethiopia

Purpose. The main aim of the study was to assess land use land cover change detection (LULCC) from 1990 to 2016 in case of Gibe Sheleko National Park (GSNP), Southwestern Ethiopia. Methodology / approach. Multi-temporal Landsat images and topographic map were acquired in 2016. Field observation using GPS was carried out to generate the ground truth points for image classification and accuracy assessment from December 2016 to June 2017. A total 200 GPS points were purposively collected. The data were analysis by using ERDAS IMGINE 2010 and ArcGIS 10.3.1 software. Supervised classification was carried out to identify the overall land use land cover class. Results. Forest land was rapidly declined with average of 478.5 ha/year for the last 27 years. This revealed that over 66.8 % of forest was diminished from 1990 to 2016 due to anthropogenic factors in the study area. Bush & shrub land was upraised from 12600 ha (31.5 %) to 20600 ha (51.5 %) from 1990 to 2016. Grazing land and bare land was also showed an increment of 3500 ha and 2240 ha with average increment of 134.6 ha/year and 86.5 ha/year respectively from 1990 to 2016. This indicated as most forest land was changed in to bush & shrub land due to human induced factors. Hence, it brings negative effects on the wildlife conservation and socio-economic development. Originality / scientific novelty. This study is orginal research finding by employ above indicated methedology and stated the last 27 years land use land cover change of Gibe Sheleko National Park for fist time. It also discovered that the rate of land use land cover change in the study area for the past 27 years. Practical value / implications. The main results of the study of land cover change can be used to ensure planning to be sustainable and integrated management of the natural resources. Participatory management practice should be implemented in the study area to regenerate the changed land use type

Practice and Associated Factors of Health Professionals towards Citizens’ Charter at Jimma University Medical Center

BACKGROUND: Citizens’ Charter is a public promise between citizens and service providing organizations which visibly specifies expectations and standards in the service delivery. Citizens’ charter standard has been implemented in Jimma University Medical Center since 2016/17. However, the practice and associated factor of citizens’ charter among health professionals have not been studied yet. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the practice of citizens’ charter and associated factors among health professionals.METHODS: Facility based cross-sectional study was conducted on 389 health care providers, selected through stratified sampling, from April 1 to April 26. Data was collected using a pretested structured self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into EPI-data version 3.1 and exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regression analysis were done. P-values less than 0.05 were used to declare significant association between dependent and independent variables. In the process of multivariable logistic regression analysis, knowledge and attitude variables were not tested due to low number of respondents to those specific variables’ measuring items. Hence, it was difficult to declare as a predictor at bivariate analysis.RESULT: For this study, the response rate was 92%. Out of all, 237(60.9%) professionals were properly practicing citizens’ charter standard while 152(39.1%) were not properly practicing it. The factors affecting the practice were job satisfaction [AOR =7.4, 95%CI (4.4, 12.5)], perceived workload [AOR =1.8, 95%CI (1.05, 3.0)] and type of profession [AOR=5.4, 95%CI ((1.98, 14.8)].CONCLUSION: This study revealed that more than half of the respondents properly practiced citizens’ charter. However, few health professionals only knew the existence of citizens’ charter. Job satisfaction, perceived workload, and type of profession were the factors affecting the practice of citizens’ charter.

Pre-implementation capacity building training on SI-MFS initiative

Building capacity of key implementing stakeholders is a prerequisite for successful implementation of projects. We have caried capacity building training on several topics under the framework of Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems (SI-MFS) initiative. Briefing on SI-MFs, crowdsourcing platform for accelerated varietal evaluation and selection, and potential of local landraces for breeding and yield improvement for sustainable development were given for a total of 39 participants from 9 district agricultural officers, 18 kebele level extension workers and 12 selected model farmers from norther, central and southern parts of the country. This training workshop has also provided opportunity to strengthen collaboration among different actors of the project within the same district as well as across country. Furthermore, participants from the different corners of the country have shared experience and gained common understanding of the initiative to be implemented in their respective areas

Outcomes of the Botswana national HIV/AIDS treatment programme from 2002 to 2010: a longitudinal analysis

Background Short-term mortality rates among patients with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub- Saharan Africa are higher than those recorded in high-income countries, but systematic long-term comparisons have not been made because of the scarcity of available data. We analysed the eff ect of the implementation of Botswana’s national ART programme, known as Masa, from 2002 to 2010. Methods The Masa programme started on Jan 21, 2002. Patients who were eligible for ART according to national guidelines had their data collected prospectively through a clinical information system developed by the Botswana Ministry of Health. A dataset of all available electronic records for adults (≥18 years) who had enrolled by April 30, 2010, was extracted and sent to the study team. All data were anonymised before analysis. The primary outcome was mortality. To assess the eff ect of loss to follow-up, we did a series of sensitivity analyses assuming varying proportions of the population lost to follow-up to be dead. Findings We analysed the records of 126 263 patients, of whom 102 713 had documented initiation of ART. Median follow-up time was 35 months (IQR 14–56), with a median of eight follow-up visits (4–14). 15 270 patients were deemed lost to follow-up by the end of the study. 63% (78 866) of the study population were women; median age at baseline was 34 years for women (IQR 29–41) and 38 years for men (33–45). 10 230 (8%) deaths were documented during the 9 years of the study. Mortality was highest during the fi rst 3 months after treatment initiation at 12·8 deaths per 100 person-years (95% CI 12·4–13·2), but decreased to 1·16 deaths per 100 person-years (1·12–1·2) in the second year of treatment, and to 0·15 deaths per 100 person-years (0·09–0·25) over the next 7 years of follow-up. In each calendar year after the start of the Masa programme in 2002, average CD4 cell counts at enrolment increased (from 101 cells/μL [IQR 44–156] in 2002, to 191 cells/μL [115–239] in 2010). In each year, the proportion of the total enrolled population who died in that year decreased, from 63% (88 of 140) in 2002, to 0·8% (13 of 1599) in 2010. A sensitivity analysis assuming that 60% of the population lost to follow-up had died gave 3000 additional deaths, increasing overall mortality from 8% to 11–13%. Interpretation The Botswana national HIV/AIDS treatment programme reduced mortality among adults with HIV to levels much the same as in other low-income or middle-income countries