The Rise of Oligarchy in Ethiopia

SUMMARY: This article focuses on the political economy of Ethiopia since the ruling party EPRDF came to power in 1991 and argues that the country has seen the rise of oligarchy during this period. The party claims that its development strategy has reduced poverty, but it is evident that the country’s inequality has been growing in the past decade. The briefing identifies the mechanisms of oligarchisation, most notably privatisation, land expropriation, phoney shareholding and corruption. The conclusion is that Ethiopia’s growing inequality is related to the process of oligarchy formation

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Trained Traditional Birth Attendants on HIV/AIDS Prevention in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia

Background: HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic with cases being reported from virtually every country in the world. There is a growing awareness in many African countries that trained traditional birth attendants have a major role to play in HIV/AIDS prevention. However, information on their knowledge, attitude and practice concerning prevention of the disease is scarce. Therefore, this study was designed to assess their knowledge, attitude and practice and document baseline data for the study area. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 25 to 30, 1999 on all the 30 trained traditional birth attendants serving in Jimma town in order to assess their knowledge, attitude and practice in the prevention of HIV/AIDS. A pre-tested, structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Attitude was measured using a Likert scale. Results: All the 30 trained traditional birth attendants responded making a response rate of 100%. The study revealed that the majority, 17/30 (56.7%) were above the ages 50 years (mean +SD = 54 + 10), Christians, 19/30(63.3%), oromo, 11/36 (36.7%) and illiterate, 21/30(70%). It also showed that 70%, 80% and 70% of the study population had “good knowledge”, “favorable attitude” and “ safe practice”, respectively. However, 26.7% and 60% responded that shaking hands with AIDS patients and insect bite respectively were considered to be risky to transmit HIV infection by of the study population. Moreover, majority (60%) feels that AIDS patients should be isolated and 23.3 % reported to assist delivery bare handed. Health institutions and radio were reported to be the main sources of information on HIV/AIDS. Conclusion: Although majority of the study population does have good knowledge, favorable attitude and safe practice, there are some misconceptions on the modes of transmission of HIV/AIDS. Moreover, the majority is in favor of isolation of AIDS patients and some are practicing unsafely. Therefore, series of refreshment courses on the ways and means of HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention and safe delivery practices are recommended. Further large-scale study is also recommended.Ethiop J Health Sci Vol. 11, No. 2 July 200

An African PhD Program in Information Systems: The Case of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

This case study is about the first Information Systems PhD program in Ethiopia and the region, a collaborative effort of thirteen universities around the globe. Fifteen faculty members traveled to Ethiopia to launch the program for classes, which will start in 2009. This paper depicts the program design and program development and an outline of the overall program. The authors share their personal experience in the development of this unique IS PhD program

Alcohol use disorders and its associated factors among psychiatric Outpatients in Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia

Background: Worldwide, alcohol consumption caused 3.8 percent of all deaths and 4.5 percent of the total burden of disease in 2004. Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are also a burden for individuals and society in Ethiopia. It is important to identify problematic alcohol use at an early stage, as this provides professionals with the opportunity to take preventive measures and, hence, reduce the problems caused by this consumption. The high prevalence of substance abuse problems among persons with psychiatric disorders calls for more effective alcohol and drug use assessment in psychiatric settings. Objectives: To assess prevalence of alcohol use disorders and its associated factors among psychiatric outpatients in Jimma University specialized hospital (JUSH) Methods: A university hospital based cross-sectional study of 365 psychiatric outpatients was conducted from 1st to 15th August 2013 in Jimma zone, south-west Ethiopia. The data were collected by interviewing all psychiatric outpatients coming for treatment at JUSH by using structured questionnaire. An alcohol use disorder was assessed using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). All variables associated with AUDs with a p value ≤ 0.25 were included in the final multivariable model. Results: The estimated prevalence rate of AUD was 38.9%, with 23.3% hazardous drinking, 5.8% alcohol abuse and 9.8% alcohol dependence. In the final multiple logistic regression model AUD was significantly associated with Gender, Religion, Frequency of going to worship places and Cigarette smoking. Being female gender was less likely to develop AUD. Those who were orthodox religion followers, those who never went to the worship places and those who smoke cigarettes were more likely to have AUD. Conclusions: The high prevalence of AUDs detected in our facility-based survey of psychiatric outpatients in Ethiopia implies the need to design effective screening tools and feasible interventions for AUDs.Zenebe Y, Negash A, Feyissa GT and Krahl

The development of a business intelligence web application to support the decision-making process regarding absenteeism in the workplace

Nowadays, one of the biggest concerns of industries all over the world is situations regarding absenteeism, since it has a great impact on the productivity and economy of companies, as well as on the health of their employees. The major causes of absenteeism appear to be work accidents and sickness leaves, which lead to the attempt by companies of understanding how the workload is related to the health of their collaborators and, consequently, to absenteeism. Thus, this paper proposes the design and development of a Web Application based on Business Intelligence indicators in order to help the health and human resources professionals of a Portuguese company analyse the relation between absenteeism and the health and lifestyle of employees, with the intention of concluding whether the work executed on the company is harming workers’ health. Furthermore, it is intended to discover the principal motives for the numerous and more frequent absences in this company, so that it is possible to decrease the absenteeism rate and, hence, improve the decision-making process. This platform will also provide higher quality healthcare and the possibility to find patterns in the absence of collaborators, as well as reduce time-waste and errors.This work has been supported by FCT –Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/201

Earliest stone-tipped projectiles from the Ethiopian Rift date to> 279,000 years ago

Projectile weapons (i.e. those delivered from a distance) enhanced prehistoric hunting efficiency by enabling higher impact delivery and hunting of a broader range of animals while reducing confrontations with dangerous prey species. Projectiles therefore provided a significant advantage over thrusting spears. Composite projectile technologies are considered indicative of complex behavior and pivotal to the successful spread of Homo sapiens . Direct evidence for such projectiles is thus far unknown from >80,000 years ago. Data from velocity-dependent microfracture features, diagnostic damage patterns, and artifact shape reported here indicate that pointed stone artifacts from Ethiopia were used as projectile weapons (in the form of hafted javelin tips) as early as >279,000 years ago. In combination with the existing archaeological, fossil and genetic evidence, these data isolate eastern Africa as a source of modern cultures and biology

The burden of neglected tropical diseases in Ethiopia, and opportunities for integrated control and elimination

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of chronic parasitic diseases and related conditions that are the most common diseases among the 2·7 billion people globally living on less than US$2 per day. In response to the growing challenge of NTDs, Ethiopia is preparing to launch a NTD Master Plan. The purpose of this review is to underscore the burden of NTDs in Ethiopia, highlight the state of current interventions, and suggest ways forward. Results: This review indicates that NTDs are significant public health problems in Ethiopia. From the analysis reported here, Ethiopia stands out for having the largest number of NTD cases following Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ethiopia is estimated to have the highest burden of trachoma, podoconiosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the second highest burden in terms of ascariasis, leprosy and visceral leishmaniasis, and the third highest burden of hookworm. Infections such as schistosomiasis, trichuriasis, lymphatic filariasis and rabies are also common. A third of Ethiopians are infected with ascariasis, one quarter is infected with trichuriasis and one in eight Ethiopians lives with hookworm or is infected with trachoma. However, despite these high burdens of infection, the control of most NTDs in Ethiopia is in its infancy. In terms of NTD control achievements, Ethiopia reached the leprosy elimination target of 1 case/10,000 population in 1999. No cases of human African trypanosomiasis have been reported since 1984. Guinea worm eradication is in its final phase. The Onchocerciasis Control Program has been making steady progress since 2001. A national blindness survey was conducted in 2006 and the trachoma program has kicked off in some regions. Lymphatic Filariasis, podoconiosis and rabies mapping are underway. Conclusion: Ethiopia bears a significant burden of NTDs compared to other SSA countries. To achieve success in integrated control of NTDs, integrated mapping, rapid scale up of interventions and operational research into co implementation of intervention packages will be crucial

Treatment-seeking behaviour for febrile illness in an area of seasonal malaria transmission in rural Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Very little is known about the management of malaria and treatment-seeking patterns among children and adults in areas of seasonal malaria transmission particularly in east Africa. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess treatment-seeking behaviour for reported malaria among all age groups in an area of seasonal transmission. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 2,253 households in 12 randomly selected rural kebeles in Adami Tulu district in south-central Ethiopia, during October-November 2003, using a pre-tested interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Reported malaria was 14% among 12,225 people assessed during the last 14 days. Family/self-diagnosis was most common and the main first responses included visiting village-based community health workers (CHWs) (33%), public health facility (23%) and private clinic (17%). Home treatment was the least reported first response (3%). Only 13% had sought treatment within the first 24 hours of symptom onset. Early treatment-seeking pattern was reported among those who visited CHWs and practiced home treatment, with more delays among public facility users. Treatment-seeking behaviour was similar in all age groups. CONCLUSION: A considerable proportion of visits were made to CHWs and private providers, necessitating the importance of strengthening both community-based interventions and peripheral public and private facilities. Finally, the community should be informed and educated about the importance of early diagnosis and prompt treatment with effective antimalarials

Seasonal variability in the abundance and stable carbon-isotopic composition of lipid biomarkers in suspended particulate matter from a stratified equatorial lake (Lake Chala, Kenya/Tanzania): Implications for the sedimentary record

We studied the distribution and stable carbon-isotopic (δ13C) composition of various lipid biomarkers in suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the water column of Lake Chala, a permanently stratified crater lake in equatorial East Africa, to evaluate their capacity to reflect seasonality in water-column processes and associated changes in the lake's phytoplankton community. This lake has large seasonal variation in water-column dynamics (stratified during wet seasons and mixing during dry seasons) with associated phytoplankton succession. We analyzed lipid biomarkers in SPM collected monthly at 5 depths (0–80 m) from September 2013 to January 2015. Seasonal variation in total phytoplankton biovolume is strongly reflected in the concentration of phytadienes, a derivative of the general photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll. The wax and wane of several specific biomarker lipids between June and December 2014 reflect pronounced phytoplankton succession after deep mixing, starting with a long and sustained chlorophyte bloom (reflected by C23:1, C25:1 and Cn-alkenes, and C21 and C23n-alkanes), followed by a peak in diatoms between July and October (loliolide and isololiolide), and then eustigmatophytes (C30 and C32 1,15 diols) once stratification resumes in October. Peak abundance of the C19:1n-alkene during shallow mixing of the water column in January–February 2014 can be tentatively linked to the seasonal distribution of cyanobacteria. The concentration, seasonal variability, and low δ13C values of the C28 fatty acid in the SPM suggest that this biomarker is produced in the water column of Lake Chala instead of having the typically assumed vascular plant origin. The δ13C signature of particulate carbon and all aquatic biomarkers become increasingly more negative (by up to 16‰) during mixing-induced episodes of high productivity, whereas enrichment would be expected during such blooms. This reversed fractionation may be attributed to chemically enhanced diffusion, which generates depleted HCO3− under high pH (>9) conditions, as occur in the epilimnion of Lake Chala during periods of high productivity. The influence of this process can potentially explain previously observed 13C-depleted carbon signatures in the paleorecord of Lake Chala, and should be considered prior to paleorecord interpretation of organic-matter δ13C values derived (partially) from aquatic organisms in high-pH, i.e. alkaline, lake