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Background: Low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth are leading causes of under-five and neonatal mortality globally. Data about the timing of death and outcomes for LBW and preterm births are limited in Ethiopia and could be used to strengthen neonatal healthcare. This study describes the incidence of neonatal mortality rates (NMR) stratified by newborn size at birth for gestational age and identifies its predictors at five public hospitals in Ethiopia. Methods: A prospective follow-up study enrolled 808 LBW neonates from March 2017 to February 2019. Sex-specific birthweight for gestational age percentile was constructed using Intergrowth 21st charts. Mortality patterns by birthweight for-gestational-age-specific survival curves were compared using the log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. A random-effects frailty survival model was employed to identify predictors of time to death. Results: Among the 808 newborns, the birthweight distribution was 3.2% <1000 g, 28.3% <1500 g, and 68.1% <2000 g, respectively. Birthweight for gestational age categories were 40.0% both preterm and small for gestational age (SGA), 20.4% term SGA, 35.4% appropriate weight for gestational age, and 4.2% large for gestational age (LGA). The sample included 242 deaths, of which 47.5% were both preterm and SGA. The incidence rate of mortality was 16.17/1000 (95% CI 14.26–18.34) neonatal-days of observation. Neonatal characteristics independently related to increased risk of time-to-death were male sex (adjusted hazards ratio [AHR] 3.21 95% CI 1.33–7.76), born preterm (AHR 8.56 95% CI 1.59–46.14), having been diagnosed with a complication (AHR 4.68 95% CI 1.49–14.76); some maternal characteristics and newborn care practices (like lack of effective KMC, AHR 3.54 95% CI 1.14–11.02) were also significantly associated with time-to-death. Conclusions: High mortality rates were measured for low birthweight neonates–especially those both preterm and SGA births–even in the context of tertiary care. These findings highlight the need for improved quality of neonatal care, especially for the smallest newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bale monkey Chlorocebus djamdjamensis is a little-known primate endemic to the south-eastern highlands of Ethiopia. From August 2007 to May 2008 we surveyed to determine the species' habitat preferences and population size in the Odobullu Forest and its range across the Bale Mountains. In Odobullu Forest a total of 136 transects of 1.8–3.0 km were surveyed over a total distance of 280 km. Bale monkey groups were encountered only in bamboo forest, suggesting that the species is a bamboo forest specialist. The density and population size of the Bale monkey in the bamboo forest of Odobullu Forest were estimated to be 121–141 km-2 and 1,718–2,002, respectively. At a larger scale, we assessed the distribution of the Bale monkey in 40% of the bamboo forest across the Bale Mountains within the species’ altitudinal range of 2,400–3,250 m. We identified the areas to be surveyed using a 200 m digital elevation model and a 10-m resolution satellite image. We found the Bale monkey in five areas, three of which are previously unrecorded locations for the species. The Bale monkey is now categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, partly based on the results of our surveys. Although extensive, our surveys did not cover all of the species’ potential habitat and further surveys are required across all of the bamboo forest of the Bale Mountains and Sidamo region (the western extension of the Bale Mountains). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]