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Malaria, a major global health concern, requires effective diagnostic tools for patient care, disease control, and elimination. The pathway from concept to the adoption of diagnostic products is complex, involving multiple steps and stakeholders. To map this process, our study introduces a malaria-specific diagnostic pathway, synthesising existing frameworks with expert insights. Comprising six major stages and 31 related activities, the pathway retains the core stages from existing frameworks and integrates essential malaria diagnostic activities, such as WHO prequalification processes, global stakeholder involvement, and broader health systems considerations. To understand the scope and availability of evidence guiding the activities along this pathway, we conducted an online survey with 113 participants from various stages of the malaria diagnostic pathway. The survey assessed perceptions on four critical attributes of evidence: clear requirements, alignment with user needs, accuracy and reliability, and public and free availability. It also explored the types of evidence used and the challenges and potential solutions related to evidence generation and use. Respondents reported using a broad range of formal and informal data sources. Findings indicated differing levels of agreement on the attributes across pathway stages, with notable challenges in the Approvals and Manufacturing stage and consistent concerns regarding the public availability of data/evidence. The study offers valuable insights for optimising evidence generation and utilisation across the malaria diagnostic pathway. It highlights the need for enhanced stakeholder collaboration, improved data availability, and increased funding to support effective evidence generation, sharing, and use. We propose actionable solutions, including the use of public data repositories, progressive data sharing policies, open-access publishing, capacity-building initiatives, stakeholder engagement forums, and innovative funding solutions. The developed framework and study insights have broader applications, offering a model adaptable for other diseases, particularly for neglected tropical diseases, which face similar diagnostic challenges.

Background. Unreserved use of antibiotics exerted selective pressure on susceptible bacteria, resulting in the survival of resistant strains. Despite this, the relationship between antibiotic resistance (ABR) and antibiotic consumption (ABC) is rarely studied. This systematic review aims to review the relationship between ABC and ABR from 2016 to 2022. Methods. Articles published over 7 years (2016–2022) were searched from December 23 to 31, 2022. The search strategy was developed by using keywords for ABC and ABR. From 3367 articles, 58 eligible articles were included in the final review. Results. The pooled ABC was 948017.9 DPDs and 4108.6 DIDs where over 70% of antibiotics were from the Watch and Reserve category based on the WHO AWaRe classification. The average pooled prevalence of ABR was 38.4%. Enterococcus faecium (59.4%), A. baumannii (52.6%), and P. aeruginosa (48.6%) were the most common antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Cephalosporins (76.8%), penicillin (58.3%), and aminoglycosides (52%) were commonly involved antibiotics in ABR. The positive correlation between ABR and consumption accounted for 311 (81%). The correlation between ABR P. aeruginosa and ABC accounted for 87 (22.7%), followed by 78 (20.3%) and 77 (20.1%) for ABR E. coli and K. pneumoniae with ABCs, respectively. Consumption of carbapenems and fluoroquinolones was most commonly correlated with resistance rates of P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, E. coli, and A. baumannii. Conclusion. There is a positive correlation between ABC and the rate of ABR. The review also revealed a cross-resistance between the consumption of different antibiotics and ABR. Optimizing antibiotic therapy and reducing unnecessary ABC will prevent the emergence and spread of ABR. Thus, advocating the implementation of stewardship programs plays a pivotal role in containing ABR.

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, causes of ocular disorders and visual impairment among preterm children previously admitted to neonatal intensive care units in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Methods and analysis A prospective screening survey was conducted from February to June 2019 at the paediatric eye clinic of Menelik II Hospital. Children who were preterm at birth and who attended the eye clinic were included in the study. Data on demographic and neonatal characteristics, neonatal and maternal comorbidities and ocular disorders were collected. OR and univariate analysis were used to identify predictors of ocular diseases and visual impairment.Results There were 222 children included in the study with a mean age at presentation of 2.62 years (range 2.08–6.38 years), mean gestational age 34.11 weeks (range 30–36) weeks and mean birth weight 1941.72 g (range 953–3500 g). Nearly two-thirds had ocular disorders with refractive error (51.8%), strabismus (11.3%) and a history of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (7.2%) being more common. One-fourth of the children had visual impairment, and the prevalence of amblyopia was 40.1%. Uncorrected refractive errors, strabismus and ROP were causes for visual impairment.Conclusion Visual impairment and amblyopia are common in Ethiopia. There is a need to develop a screening protocol for ocular disorders for preterm children to enhance early detection and prevention of childhood visual impairment.

BackgroundConsumption of antibiotics, a major global threat to public health, is perhaps the key driver of antibiotic resistance. Monitoring antibiotic consumption is crucial to tackling antimicrobial resistance. This study assessed antibiotic consumption trends during the last six years in the Bahir Dar branch of the Ethiopian pharmaceutical supply agency (EPSA), Northwest Ethiopia, in 2022.MethodsRetrospective data were collected in August 2022 based on antibiotic distribution data from the Bahir Dar Brach of EPSA from July 2016 to June 2022. Data were analyzed according to the Anatomic Therapeutic Classification (ATC) developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). We measured antibiotic consumption using a defined daily dose per 1000 inhabitants per day (DIDs) based on the Agency's catchment population. Descriptive statistics and trend analyses were conducted.ResultsAbout 30.34 DIDs of antibiotics were consumed during the six years. The consumption of antibiotics decreased by 87.4%, from 6.9 DIDs in 2016/17 to 0.9 DIDs in 2021/22. Based on the WHO AWaRe classification, 23.39 DIDs (77.1%) of the consumed antibiotics were from the Access category. Consumption of Access category antibiotics was decreased by 72.7% (from 5 to 0.5 DIDs) but Watch antibiotics decreased by 54.3% (from 1.8 to 0.4 DIDs). Oral antibiotics accounted for 29.19 DIDs (96.2%) of all consumed systemic antibiotics. The average cost expenditure per DDD for all antibiotics was 54.1 birr/DDD (0.4-482.3 birr/DDD). Only seven antibiotics accounted for DU90% and the cost expenditure per DDD for the DU90% antibiotics ranged from 0.4/DDD for Doxycycline to 232.8 birr/DDD for Piperacillin/tazobactam. Overall, during the last six years, the most commonly used antibiotic was Amoxicillin (10.1 DIDs), followed by Doxycycline (5.3 DIDs) and Ciprofloxacin (3.4 DIDs).ConclusionIn this study, we found that antibiotic usage was low and continuously declining over time. Minimizing unnecessary antibiotic usage is one possible approach to reduced AMR. However, a shortage of access to important medicines can compromise the quality of treatment and patient outcomes. A prospective study is needed to evaluate the balance of patient outcomes and reduce AMR by optimizing the community consumption of systemic antibiotics.

The overuse of pesticides has resulted in the accumulation of harmful residues in vegetables, which requires monitoring to assess the risks to human health. This article presents the levels of 35 pesticide residues in 15 composite vegetable samples from irrigated farmlands adjacent to Lake Ziway, Ethiopia, using the QuEChERS extraction method (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) and then analyzes them using GC-MS. The study also estimated the health risks associated with the consumption of contaminated vegetables in children and adults, including carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks. The predominant pesticide residues found in tomatoes were α-endosulfan (0.58 mg/kg), β-BHC (0.04 mg/kg), heptachlor (0.02 mg/kg), and malathion (0.03 mg/kg), all of which were above the safety limits. Similarly, the mean concentration of heptachlor epoxide (0.04 mg/kg) and propargite (0.11 mg/kg) was higher than the allowed levels of the safety limits for onions. The concentration of pesticide residues detected in 10.6% and 7.9% of tomato and onion samples was above the maximum residual limits of the European Commission (EU-MRLs), respectively. Noncarcinogenic health risk estimates show that onion heptachlor epoxide had THQ > 1, indicating the possibility of systemic health risk in both adult and child consumers. The carcinogenic health risk (CHR) showed that heptachlor epoxide in adults and children and only heptachlor in children had CHR > acceptable limit (10−4) for tomato and onion. Therefore, it is critical to raise awareness among stakeholders while simultaneously implementing sound monitoring policy actions to protect the ecosystem and the health of the population in the study area and beyond.

BackgroundWith a neonatal mortality rate of 33 per 1,000 live births in 2019, Ethiopia is striving to attain the Sustainable Development Goal target of 12 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030. A better understanding of the major causes of neonatal mortality is needed to effectively design and implement interventions to achieve this goal. Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS), an alternative to conventional autopsy, requires fewer resources and through task-shifting of sample collection from pathologists to nurses, has the potential to support the expansion of pathology-based post-mortem examination and improve mortality data. This paper evaluates the accuracy and adequacy of MITS performed by nurses at a tertiary and general hospital and in the home of the deceased.MethodsNurses in a tertiary and general hospital in Ethiopia were trained in MITS sample collection on neonatal deaths and stillbirths using standardized protocols. MITS sample collection was performed by both pathologists and nurses in the tertiary hospital and by nurses in the general hospital and home-setting. Agreement in the performance of MITS between pathologists and nurses was calculated for samples collected at the tertiary hospital. Samples collected by nurses in the general hospital and home-setting were evaluated for technical adequacy using preestablished criteria.ResultsOne hundred thirty-nine MITS were done: 125 in hospitals and 14 inside homes. There was a perfect or almost perfect agreement between the pathologists and the nurses in the tertiary hospital using Gwet's agreement interpretation criteria. The adequacy of MITS samples collected by nurses in the general hospital was more than 72% when compared to the preset criteria. The adequacy of the MITS sampling yield ranged from 87% to 91% on liveborn neonatal deaths and 76% for the liver, right and left lungs and 55% for brain tissues in stillbirths.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that task-shifting MITS sample collection to nurses can be achieved with comparable accuracy and adequacy as pathologists. Our study showed that with standardized training and supportive supervision MITS sample collection can be conducted by nurses in a tertiary, general hospital and, at the home of the deceased. Future studies should validate and expand on this work by evaluating task-shifting of MITS sample collection to nurses within community settings and with larger sample sizes.

Abstract: In the past 15 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the global incidence of dengue and its severe manifestations, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Epidemics in endemic countries are occurring more frequently with increasing magnitude. A well-managed front-line response not only reduces the number of unnecessary hospital admissions but also saves the lives of dengue patients. The objective of this study was to review the Dengue fever outbreak management in Dire Dawa City Administration Ethiopia, March 17_27,2021. The study employed a qualitative research approach, with thematic analysis. A purposive sampling method was used. Data were collected through FGDs, in-depth interviews, and document reviews. The results show there were qualified, experienced, and dedicated professionals for the management of the outbreak. In addition, the engagement of laboratory professionals to decrease the extent of outbreaks and to interrupt the rate of transmission was very interesting. However, the regional dengue fever laboratory investigation was limited to differential diagnosis because of the unavailability of diagnostic methods and essential laboratory equipment.

Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) refers to a set of life-saving protocols and skills for urgently and emergently treating life-threatening conditions that result in cardiac arrest. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess knowledge, practices, and associated factors of ACLS among general practitioners (GPs) and nurses in Ethiopia. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Data entry was carried out using EpiData version 4.6, and the analysis was performed using STATA 14. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed. The study included 147 GPs and nurses, yielding a response rate of 94.2%, with 39.5% (95% CI: 32.3-47.7) and 35.37% (95% CI: 28.68-43.8) demonstrating good knowledge and practice, respectively. Sex, education, experience, and the availability of emergency equipment were significantly associated with the knowledge. Workplace, exposure to cases of cardiac arrest, training, and experience were found to be significantly associated with practice. There is a significant gap in both knowledge and practice. Based on our results, we recommend simulation-based in-service training and the inclusion of ACLS protocols in the formal education of health students.

AbstractThe study is being done to assess the availability of feed dry matter (DM) from private holdings and communal lands in relation to livestock demand and to provide management solutions in a smallholder system in Gamo Gofa and Dawuro zones of south western Ethiopia. Data for the study were compiled by combining crop and livestock production information at the household level. The extents of community land cover and land utilisation were calculated using spatial contours in geographic information system (GIS) and field survey results. Monthly feed DM availability by land cover area (ha) was computed using data from the livelihoods early assessment and protection (LEAP) software derived from eight years of normalised differential vegetation index values. According to the study, private land generated 33% of the feed while common land produced 67%. Around 1,300 tonnes of DM were generated as livestock feed per year, with 47% coming from private property and the remaining 53% from communal land. When compared to the existing livestock population, the required amount of DM is only 62% of total supply, yielding a 38% surplus. However, feed shortages are prevalent in the region due to supply inconsistencies. Livestock requirements can be met by employing appropriate management strategies that preserve feed availability from varied land use types and land cover in times of scarcity. Planning and preserving feeds, training communities in the operation and use of available resources, and developing infrastructure for in-situ feed conservation throughout dry season will help smallholder livelihoods and the national economy.

AbstractAlthough camel production is the primary source of revenue for pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the Borana, a number of issues affect camel performance in the area, with one of the most pressing being feed availability. Camel production often involves optimizing available feed availability, which is considered to be the principal limiting factor in a free-browsing environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feed resources that are available for dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) and their utilization practices in the Borana Plateau, southern Ethiopia. A household survey questionnaire, a focused group discussion, and key informant interviews were utilized to collect data from 364 camel herders in nine kebeles in the districts of Yabello, Elwaye, and Gomole. The results show that browsing trees and shrubs (53.3%) were the most commonly known feed resources accessible in the study’s areas, followed by herbaceous feed resources (42.3%). The total dry matter (DM) available was 1379.59 tons less than the total dry matter required for camels, which was 5242.71 tons. The total dry matter balance was −3863.12 tons along the studied districts, which was below the requirements. Camel feed is scarce all year, and the survey results show that 90.9% of respondents do not conserve camel feed in any way. Furthermore, 89.6% stated that they have received no training in feed conservation measures. This finding highlighted the significance of raising herder awareness of fundamental feed management and conservation techniques.

Quantifying and characterizing the spatial distribution of freshwater availability and water scarcity plays an indispensable role in managing water resources in a basin. This study aimed at quantifying green and blue water resource availability using an eco-hydrological model under different land use land cover conditions between 2000–2010 and 2020 in the upper Awash basin, central Ethiopia. Further, the agricultural water scarcity is assessed for dominantly cultivated crops in the basin. The freshwater components such as the green water (GW) flow (∼1041–1240 mm/yr), blue water (BW) flow (277–304 mm/yr), and GW storage (809-872 mm/yr) were observed to be high in the western highlands compared to the central and eastern parts of the basin. The results of GW scarcity indices show low to moderate scarcity for rainfed crops, and moderate to significant BW scarcity for irrigated sugarcane. Integrating GW potential to reduce BW scarcity in the basin is thus crucial.

Objective This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in two neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Methods and analysis A prospective screening survey was conducted from June 2019 to June 2020 in two level 3 public NICUs. Infants with a birth weight (BW) of ≤1500 g or gestational age (GA) of ≤32 weeks and those with a BW of >1500 g and GA of >32 weeks with an unstable clinical course were included. Data on demographic and neonatal characteristics, neonatal and maternal comorbidities, and therapeutic interventions were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of ROP.Results Two hundred and two infants were included: mean BW: 1658g (range: 700–2400 g) and mean GA: 32.4 weeks (range: 26–34 weeks). 32.2% had any stage of ROP, and 6.4% had Type 1 ROP. Lower BW, smaller GA and total days on oxygen were independent risk factors for severe ROP (Type 1 or worse). All 13 neonates with severe ROP were treated.Conclusion ROP is emerging as a concern in Ethiopia. ROP screening should include neonates with BW of

AbstractThis study looked at the perceptions of the three practicum actors (prospective teachers, placement school teachers (mentors), and teacher educators (tutors) of the primary teacher education practicum program of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia. To that end, a mixed methods approach with a concurrent design was utilized. The quantitative data were collected from randomly selected 799 participants (290 prospective teachers, 252 placement school teachers, and 257 teacher educators) using a survey questionnaire; while the qualitative data were garnered using interviews and focus group discussions from 60 practicum actors. The data were analyzed quantitatively using mean, standard deviation, one sample t-test, and one-way ANOVA and qualitatively using descriptions and narrations. The findings revealed that although teaching practicum is supposed to be an imperative aspect of teacher learning that is instrumental to putting theories into practice, the overall perception of the three practicum actors was lower than the expected level. By far, student teachers’ and placement school teachers’ level of understanding of the basic assumptions of practicum in line with the reflective practitioner model of teacher education was minimal. Knowledge is still considered as transferring from the teacher to students, learning as receiving, and teaching as a process of transferring knowledge. Hence, continuous awareness creation on the basic assumptions of the reflective practitioner model of practicum and its core values is required. Besides, there should be a structure formed carefully of experts in teacher education to lead the program through strong school-college link and collaborative work of the hosting schools and teacher education colleges.

AbstractThe aim of this study was to compare the 5E learning model with traditional learning methods in terms of their effect on students’ conceptual understanding of water subtopics. The participants of the study were grade 8 students of 2021 academic year. While 27 of them were randomly assigned to the experimental group, the other 27 were assigned to the control group. The experimental groups were taught with 5E instructional model of the constructivist approach, whereas the students in the control group were taught with the traditional approach. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in this study. Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while the null hypotheses were tested using t-test at 0.05 significance level. The results from pre-tests showed that there was no significant difference between the control group and the experimental group. On the other hand, the post-test results showed that there was a significant difference between groups in favor of the experimental group. Also, the experimental group’s perception of motivation in classroom learning environment during the treatment was higher than that of the control group. It is essential that teachers should develop their skills for designing a constructivist-learning environment within class. With this aim, teachers should be given in-service training.

AbstractThis study attempted to find out the understanding of principals, teachers and students about quality of education in secondary school. Teachers believe that education quality in terms of input indicators with a total mean of (3.5) near to good. In terms of process indicators with a total mean value of (3.70) near to good. And in terms of output indicators with a total mean value of (3.4) that is fall to on average. As the result of this study indicated, students, teachers and principals perceived process factor of quality education especially student-centered factor below the average. In addition, the one way ANOVA result showed that there is a significant difference between the respondents of input and output factors. On the other hand, there is no significant difference between the respondents on process factors. As a whole they responded that input, process and out factor affect the quality of education.

AbstractThis study investigated the effectiveness of student-centered instruction on eighth-grade students’ conceptual understanding of photosynthesis. The study employed a Quasi-experimental research method. The data collection instruments included were multiple-choice tests, observations, and an informal assessment. The pretest and posttest were administered before and after treatment, respectively. An informal assessment was also administered before and after the intervention. Besides, the observation was conducted from the first day up to the last day of the intervention. The pretest and posttest data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests quantitatively, while data collected through informal assessment and observation were presented using narration. The findings of the pretest revealed that there was no significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups. Post-test results revealed that experimental group students significantly improved their conceptual understanding of the topic of photosynthesis compared to the control group students. The study concluded that the guided inquiry teaching method is more effective than the lecture method in improving students’ conceptual understanding of photosynthesis. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that governments encourage biology teachers to apply guided inquiry teaching methods by providing appropriate instructional material.

AbstractThis study investigated the inclusion of indigenous knowledge (IK) in the Amhara Region’s new primary and middle school textbooks in a trial. For this purpose, book reviews of the three purposely selected primary and middle school textbooks were made. Besides, data were collected from 372 teachers and interviews were also made with 28 sample teachers. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively using number counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation, whereas the qualitative data were analyzed using descriptions and text narrations. Findings revealed that although there are encouraging attempts to include IK in the textbooks, still the inclusion of IK in the new textbooks is not significant. In the Grade 5 Environmental Science textbook, only a few lessons involve twenty-eight out of one hundred fifty activities that indicate IK. Similarly, in Grade 6 Environmental Science, it is only eleven out of one hundred-six activities, and in Grade 7 Social Study, thirteen out of sixty-six activities enable learners to share IK systems. Besides, in the Grade 7 General Science, about 79% of activities in the lessons were not directly inviting learners to link them with their IK. The findings of the three sample textbooks revealed that the majority of contents that included exercises, project works, and graphic representations demonstrate a low level of context-based IK incorporation. Accordingly, despite some progress being made, the newly designed textbooks still require more improvements in including more context-based and IK-focused activities in the lessons and the proper integration of IK with 21st-century skills.

This paper examines the current status of secondary school science teachers' gender-responsive pedagogy (GRP) practices. Women's participation in secondary school teaching is a major concern in many regions of the world. The use of instructional strategies that promote gender inclusion and sensitivity in initial teacher training is very important in the development of teachers. In this paper, the use of gender-responsive pedagogy in Ethiopia's secondary school program is highlighted. Using data from baseline, midterm, and end-line surveys, the paper addresses how tutors and mentors use gender-responsive pedagogy and the changes that have occurred as a result. The study adopted a qualitative approach using lesson observations and interviews to capture data from ten novice teachers and twenty mentors sampled from six secondary schools. The findings presented in this paper reveal that there has been significant improvement in the use of gender-responsive pedagogy by tutors within the core subjects (English, Mathematics, and Science). Both male and female tutors demonstrated increasing use of gender-responsive pedagogy in their teaching. A similar increase has been found in the use of gender-responsive mentoring strategies by mentors. The paper concludes by highlighting the implications of the findings for policy in the use of gender-sensitive pedagogy in Ethiopia's secondary school program. It also assesses the GRP practicing status of the teachers according to their gender and level of teaching experience. The required data were gathered from teachers, department heads, school principals, and students via interview and focus group discussion (FGD). The qualitative data were organized thematically by taking into account the issues raised in the research questions. By so doing, the findings revealed that science teachers were competent in their classroom organization and interaction and in tackling sexual harassment. On the contrary, they were ineffective in creating gender-sensitive lesson plans and teaching materials, and they also were weak in treating the subject of sexual maturation. The study also found that the teacher's gender and their level of teaching experience did not affect their GRP practices. Keywords: Gender, Science Teaching, Gender-Responsive Pedagogy, Qualitative research, Ethiopian Education, Introduction According to E.D. Ananga (2021), there is a significant body of evidence demonstrating that addressing inequalities in girls' education is an effective strategy for breaking the cycle of intergenerational [...]

Abstract Background Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has long-term sequels that persisted for months to years and manifested with a spectrum of signs and symptoms. Presentations of long COVID-19 symptoms are heterogeneous, vary from person to person, and can reach up to over 200 symptoms. Limited studies are conducted on the awareness of long COVID-19. So, this study aimed to explore the awareness about and care seeking for long COVID-19 symptoms among COVID survivors in Bahir Dar City in 2022. Methods A qualitative study with a phenomenological design was used. Participants of the study were individuals who survived five months or longer after they tested positive for COVID-19 in Bahir Dar city. Individuals were selected purposively. An in-depth interview guide was prepared and used to collect the data. Open Cod 4.03 software was used for coding and synthesizing. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. Results The themes emerged from the data were awareness, experience of symptoms and their effects, and care practices of long COVID-19. Although only one participant mentioned the common symptoms of long COVID-19 the survivors experienced general, respiratory, cardiac, digestive, neurological, and other symptoms. These symptoms include rash, fatigue fever, cough, palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, and abdominal pain, loss of concentration, loss of smell, sleep disorder, depression, joint and muscle pain. These symptoms brought various physical and psychosocial effects. The majority of the respondents described that long COVID-19 symptoms will go off by themselves. To alleviate the problems some of the participants had taken different measures including medical care, homemade remedies, spiritual solutions, and lifestyle modification. Conclusions The result of this study revealed that participants have a significant deficit of awareness about the common symptoms, risk groups, and communicability of Long COVID. However, they experienced the majority of the common symptoms of Long COVID. To alleviate the problems, they had taken different measures including medical care, homemade remedies, spiritual solutions, and lifestyle modification.

Abstract In 2017, a hemimandible (MW5-B208), corresponding to the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), was found in a stratigraphically-controlled and radio-isotopically-dated sequence of the Melka Wakena paleoanthropological site-complex, on the Southeastern Ethiopian Highlands, ~ 2300 m above sea level. The specimen is the first and unique Pleistocene fossil of this species. Our data provide an unambiguous minimum age of 1.6–1.4 Ma for the species’ presence in Africa and constitutes the first empirical evidence that supports molecular interpretations. Currently, C. simensis is one of the most endangered carnivore species of Africa. Bioclimate niche modeling applied to the time frame indicated by the fossil suggests that the lineage of the Ethiopian wolf faced severe survival challenges in the past, with consecutive drastic geographic range contractions during warmer periods. These models help to describe future scenarios for the survival of the species. Projections ranging from most pessimistic to most optimistic future climatic scenarios indicate significant reduction of the already-deteriorating territories suitable for the Ethiopian Wolf, increasing the threat to the specie’s future survival. Additionally, the recovery of the Melka Wakena fossil underscores the importance of work outside the East African Rift System in research of early human origins and associated biodiversity on the African continent.

Abstract Background As the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) rapid testing services expanded to reach the global target that 95% of people living with the virus will know their status by 2030, ensuring the quality of those services becomes critical. This study was conducted to assess the performance of HIV Rapid testing at sites in health facilities that were enrolled in the Rapid Test Quality Improvement Initiative (RTQII) in Ethiopia. Methods Characterized HIV proficiency testing (PT) panels of Dried Tube Specimen (DTS) were prepared, verified, and distributed to testing sites from August to December 2019. In addition on-site evaluation of HIV testing sites (HTSs) was conducted using a checklist to assess testing conditions. For proficiency testing, the study included 159 HIV testing sites (HTSs) in 41 Health facilities (HFs) in five administrative regions and two city administrations. The collected data was analyzed by SPSS version 20 and chi-square test was applied to identify the association between acceptable performance and contributing factors. Testing sites with 100% PT score as well as conducting the test with adherence to the National HIV Testing Algorithm were considered acceptable. Results The overall acceptable performance (100% PT score with the correct algorithm followed) was found to be 62% while 12% scored 80% and 11% scored between 20 and 60%. The rest 15% were not considered as acceptable due to failure to adhere to the National HIV Testing Algorithm. Testing sites that participated in External Quality Assessment/Proficiency Testing schemes have shown better performance than those that did not participate with 70% and 56% performance respectively (p = 0.057).

Abstract Rubella virus infection during pregnancy has several effects on the developing fetus. However, little is known about the epidemiology of the infection in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the seroprevalence of rubella virus infection on consecutive 299 pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics in public health facilities in Halaba Town, Southern Ethiopia. Structured questionnaires were used to collect information on socio-demographic and reproductive characteristics. Venous blood samples were collected, and sera were tested for anti-rubella IgM and IgG using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anti-rubella IgG and IgM were detected in 265 (88.6%) and 15 (5.0%) of 299 participants, respectively. Pregnant women in their first trimester [crude odds ratio (cOR) = 4.26; 95% CI (1.47, 12.4)] were at increased risk of having anti-rubella IgM compared to those in their second and third trimesters. Urban residents [cOR = 4.06; 95% CI (1.94, 8.47)] were with a higher percentage of IgG positivity compared to rural residents. Anti-rubella IgG positivity was higher in housewives [cOR = 2.94; 95% CI (1.07, 8.04)] compared to self-employed women. Our findings showed a high prevalence of rubella virus exposure, and considerable percentages of recent infection and susceptible women to contracting the infection, emphasizing the importance of congenital rubella syndrome in the research area.

Abstract Background Gender-based violence (GBV) is a common human right violence in conflict-affected communities. Women with GBV are prone to experience mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. However, there is a paucity of evidence as to what extent the problem is affecting internally displaced women (IDW) in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of GBV and its associated factors among IDW in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among IDW residing at three humanitarian sites from May to June 2022 in Northwest Ethiopia. Study participants were selected using a stratified simple random sampling technique from the three sites. GBV was assessed using a 6-item Assessment Screen to Identify Survivors Toolkit questionnaire for Gender-based violence (ASIST-GBV). Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression. All variables with a p-value of ≤ 0.05 in the multivariable analysis were defined to have a statistically significant association with GBV at a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Of 424 approached candidates, 412 (97.2%) of them participated in the study. A one-year prevalence of GBV was 37.9% (95%CI = 33.2–42.6) among IDW in Northwest Ethiopia. The mean age of the participants was 31.3 (± 7.6) years. Young women, 18–24 years old (AOR = 3.52, 95%CI = 2.15–5.34, p ≤ 0.001) and 25–29 years old (AOR = 2.41, 95%CI = 1.57–3.24, p ≤ 0.001) had a statistically significant association with GBV. Moreover, having no social protection (AOR = 3.18, 95%CI = 2.65–6.22, p ≤ 0.001), being current alcohol user (AOR = 2.54, 95%CI = 1.22–4.78, p ≤ 0.001) and being single in marital status (AOR = 1.69, 95%CI = 1.18–2.87, p

The purpose of this study was to investigate implementation of active learning strategies at secondary schools in Ethiopia. To conduct the study, descriptive survey design was employed. A total of 109 teachers were participated in the study through systematic sampling technique. The study was complemented by mixed method approach that employed both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools such as observation checklists, questionnaires and interviews. The quantitative data was analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean value, grand mean and mean ranking and the qualitative data was analyzed in organizing, summarizing and interpreting narrative description. The findings of the study reported that most of the respondents have perceived active learning strategies positively. In spite of their good perceptions, their practices of active learning strategies were low. The major factors affecting the effective implementation of active learning strategies were large class size, student lack of interest, shortage of time, teachers lack of commitment, students’ beliefs and perceptions and diversity of student interest were among the most influential factors hindering its implementation. Finally, it is recommended that responsible bodies should reorganize the conditions and facilitate necessary inputs for the implementation of active learning strategies.

Abstract Purpose This systematic review and meta-analysis is intended to assess the prevalence, indications, and fetal outcome of operative vaginal delivery in sub-Saharan Africa. Method In this study, 17 studies with a total population of 190,900 were included in both systematic review and meta-analysis. Search for relevant articles was done by using international online databases (like Google Scholar, PubMed, HINARI, EMBASE, Web of Science, and African journals) and online repositories of Universities in Africa. The JOANNA Briggs Institute standard data extraction format was used to extract and appraise high-quality articles before being included in this study. The Cochran Q and I2 statistical tests were used to test the heterogeneity of the studies. The publication bias was tested by a Funnel plot and Egger’s test. The overall pooled prevalence, indications, and fetal outcome of operative vaginal delivery along a 95% CI using forest plots and tables. Result The overall pooled prevalence of operative vaginal delivery in sub-Saharan Africa was 7.98% (95% CI; 5.03–10.65; I2 = 99.9%, P

Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the World, with about 3,000-years of history. The country had its own traditional system of education before the introduction of modern or Western type of education in 1908. However, since the beginning of so called modern education in Ethiopia, the curriculum has been copied from western countries, according to historical facts. The curriculum lacked integration with indigenous knowledge rooted in Ethiopian communities' cultural context. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church (4th c) and the Mosque (7th c) were also the institutions that provided education long before the introduction of modern schools into Ethiopia. These religious institutions have been responsible for the dissemination of Ethiopian traditional education and have played an important role in the development and preservation of the country's culture and literate elite for thousands of years. Exploring the pedagogical practices of Ethiopian Orthodox Church Qene schools and drawing experiences to modern education is the main purpose of this study. In line with that, this study is an attempt to answer the following research question: What pedagogical practices are there in Ethiopian Orthodox Church Qene (poetry) schools?

The purpose of this study was to examine the practice of CT, companies' involvement in CT, TVET Colleges' and companies' trainers' engagement in CT from trainers' and trainees' perspectives and to determine whether their perspectives are significantly different. The current study also examined the influence of the involvement or engagement level of company/enterprise, company supervisors and TVET College trainers in CT program implementation. For this purpose, the convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed. A sample of 207 trainers and 211 trainees were involved in this study. Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were employed to collect quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Cronbach's alpha value for the reliability of the instrument ranged between .74 and .94. The independent-sample t-test, Pearson's correlation, and regression methods were used to analyze quantitative data. The thematic analysis method was used to analyze qualitative data using research questions as core themes. In this study, we found that the CT practice, company, and TVET trainers' engagement in CT-related tasks were at a medium level, but the companies' involvement in CT implementation was low. The TVET trainers and trainees had significantly different views regarding the level of CT practice, companies' involvement, supervisors' and trainers' engagement in CT activities. In conclusion, the companies' involvement level and TVET trainers' engagement level showed large influences on CT practice. Based on these findings, we recommended the need for devising binding rules and regulations in a way that enforces accountability amongst all stakeholders of the CT program in the TVET system.

This study attempted to develop a literature-informed discourse-based instructional approach and evaluated its effects on eleventh-grade students' conceptual and procedural understandings in probability and statistics. To this end, a quasi-experimental study that involved two control groups and one experimental group was used. One-way analysis of variance of the baseline data showed that the three groups were comparable at the start of the experiment. After the intervention, the Kruskal-Wallis test analysis performed on the posttest data showed significant differences in conceptual understanding and procedural understanding. Pairwise comparisons of the three groups using Dunn's test as post-hoc analysis showed that students who underwent discourse-based instruction demonstrated a better understanding of probability and statistics compared to those students who received traditional instruction. The analysis of survey data about students' learning mathematics through discourse provided an insight into how the intervention strategy helped students improve their learning. Overall, the main finding of the study is that discourse-based instruction enables students to develop a better understanding of mathematical topics when appropriately orchestrated interactive discourse practices occur. The study contributes a discourse-based instructional design framework and empirical evidence to the field of knowledge of teaching approaches. The findings may motivate educators to examine students' textbooks for mathematical discourse considerations. A possible recommendation for future research would be conducting longitudinal studies to explore the relations between students' conceptual understanding and procedural understanding in a specific domain of mathematics and to examine how discourse-based instruction affects the relations between conceptual and procedural knowledge.

This study explored indigenous educational practices of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Qene Bet education and its implications to the modern educational practices. The study employed a qualitative approach with an ethnographic design. Three Qene Gubae Bets, one in Bahir Dar City administration and the other two in West Gojjam administrative Zone, were selected using purposive sampling for this study. Data was gathered through field observations, semi-structured interviews and focused group discussion from Yenetas (Qene Teachers) and students. Twenty-four participants have participated in the study. Data is analyzed and results are presented based on thematic approach. The findings indicate that Qene Bet church schools have their own indigenous pedagogical practices such as Qene "Qotera" (self-study), Qene "Negera" (oral presentation and defense) and Qene "Zerefa" (creating and presenting original Qene poems) that demands student centered and deep learning approaches. The findings also indicate that the practices of cooperative learning, peer learning, reflective learning, pace learning, critical interpretation, argumentative oral defense, differentiated instruction, self and peer assessment and scaffolding are central to the Qene education system. The study concluded that Qene Gubae Bet schools pedagogical practices have valuable insights for the current pedagogical practices of contemporary schools in Ethiopia.

This study examined secondary school science teachers’ conceptions of the nature of scientific knowledge (NOSK). The participants were convenient samples consisting of 48 (M = 38, F = 10) teachers from three secondary schools. An open-ended questionnaire was administered to collect data. Qualitative analysis involved comparing teachers’ responses to experts’ views on NOSK. Frequency counts and percentages were also used to describe the NOSK conceptions of participants. Based on the findings, the teachers held informed conceptions on two NOSK tenets and naïve conceptions on four of them. The participants generally held a naïve conception of NOSK, as evidenced by the fact that their conception aligned with informed conception only on two of the seven assessed NOSK aspects. Future research should use large samples, employing a quantitative approach to reveal secondary school teachers’ NOSK conceptions.

An in-depth understanding of the extent and pattern of genetic diversity and population structure in crop populations is of paramount importance for any crop improvement program to efficiently promote the translation of genetic diversity into genetic gain. A reference collection of 150 common bean genotypes selected from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture’s global core collection was evaluated using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to quantify the amount of genetic diversity, linkage disequilibrium, and population structure. The cultivars and landraces of the collection were diverse and originated from 14 countries, and wild accessions were used as controls for each gene pool. The collection was genotyped using an SNP array, generating a total of 5398 locus calls distributed across the entire bean genome. The SNP data quality was checked, and two datasets were generated. The first dataset (Dataset_1) comprised a set of 5108 SNPs and 150 genotypes after filtering for 10% missing alleles and an MAF < 0.05. The second dataset (Dataset_2) comprised a set of 2300 SNPs that remained after removing any null-allele SNPs and LD pruning for a criterion of r2 < 0.2. Dataset_1 was used for a principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), phylogenetic relationship determination, an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), and a discriminant analysis of principal components. Dataset_2 was used for a population structure analysis using STRUCTURE software and is proposed for a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The population structure analysis split the reference collection into two subpopulations according to an Andean or Mesoamerican gene pool. The Mesoamerican populations displayed higher genetic differentiation and tended to split into more groups that were somewhat aligned with common bean races. Andean beans were characterized by a larger average LD but lower LD percentage, a small average genetic distance between members of the population, and a higher major allele frequency, which suggested narrower genetic diversity compared to the Mesoamerican gene pool. In conclusion, the results indicated the presence of high genetic diversity, which is useful for a GWAS. However, the presence of significant linkage disequilibrium requires that genetic distance be considered as a co-factor for any further genetic studies. Overall, the molecular variation observed in the genotypes shows that this reference collection is valuable as a genebank-derived diversity panel which is useful for marker trait association studies.

Water yam (Dioscorea alata), also known as winged yam, is one of the most economically significant yam species, serving as a staple food crop in tropical and subtropical regions. Its widespread cultivation is due to its favorable agronomic characteristics, including high yield, improved tuber storability, and significant nutritional and health benefits. Despite these advantages, water yam often remains underutilized due to consumer biases towards its traditional food product quality, particularly for pounded yam preparations. In this study, we evaluated fifty-eight improved genotypes of water yams grown across three locations to assess their potential to produce superior food qualities comparable to the widely consumed white yams (D. rotundata). Seven white yams, including popular landraces, were used to set thresholds for desirable food quality. Through standardized analysis, yam samples were assessed for their biochemical composition and culinary and sensory texture attributes. The results revealed varying ranges of dry matter (DM), starch, sugar, protein, crude fiber (CF), fat, and amylose, spanning from 20.35 to 35.95 g/100 g, 42.81 to 83.31 g/100 g, 4.76 to 6.95 g/100 g, 4.33 to 6.62 g/100 g, 1.55 to 3.89 g/100 g, 0.32 to 0.53 g/100 g, and 29.27 to 38.52 g/100 g, respectively. The mean values (±SD) were found to be 29.85 ± 4.0 g/100 g (DM), 67.90 ± 44g/100 g (starch), 5.82 ± 0.64 g/100 g (sugar), 6.31 ± 1.31 g/100 g (protein), 2.14 ± 0.57 g/100 g (crude fiber), 0.44 ± 0.08 (fat), and 33 ± 16.43 g/100 g (amylose). Significant effects (p < 0.001) of the planting environments and genotypes on the biochemical composition of the yam samples were observed, except for the sugar content. Furthermore, specific water yam genotypes, such as TDa 0900354, TDa 9801174, TDa 1401619, TDa 1400301, TDa 140091, TDa 0100029, TDa 1100793, TDa 1401249, TDa 1100242, and TDa 1401276, exhibited biochemical properties and culinary and sensory textural attributes akin to the improved white yam genotypes and their landrace counterparts. These findings underscore the potential for promoting selected water yam genotypes to diversify food options and reduce reliance on a limited array of crops, particularly in traditional food-insecure regions of tropical Africa.

The general purpose of this study was to examine teachers' and students' perceptions and practices of peer-led learning in Ghion secondary and preparatory school in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. To conduct the research, quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. The sample of the study was taken from the population of 41 teachers and 629 students. Proportional stratified sampling technique was used to limit number of respondents of the sample groups.All 41 teachers and 189 students (grade 9th 102, grade 10th 69, and grade 11th 12, & grade 12th 6) were included in the sample. The main instruments of data collection were both open-ended and close-ended questionnaires. The findings of the study revealed that teachers and students have perceived peer-led learning positively. In spite of their good perceptions, their practices of peer-led learning were low. The opportunities to strengthen peer-led learning were teachers' and students' positive perceptions and distribution of check lists in the school. To conclude, school teachers and students have positive perceptions and low practices of peer-led learning. There is no significant difference in their perceptions. Based on the major findings, the researcher recommended minimizing problems encountered and maximizing the implementation of peer-led learning.

The main purpose of this research was to examine the relationship among parenting styles, academic self concept, academic motivation and students' academic achievement. The sample for this research consisted of 136 (82 males & 54 females) 9th and 10th grade students from Fasilo secondary school and was gathered using stratified random sampling. Data analysis was done descriptively by using means and standard deviations. Research results revealed that out of the four specific parenting styles, the authoritative style has the medium correlation 'r' value that is 0.327 at the significance level of 0.05 with academic achievement. The authoritarian style also has a negative significant relationship with achievement, with 'r' value of -0.225 at the significance level of 0.05 with academic achievement. Besides that, the permissive parenting style has a negative significant relationship with achievement, with its 'r' value of -0.366 at the significance level of 0.05 with academic achievement. However, there is no significant relationship between the neglectful parenting styles and achievement. The multi-regression analysis indicated that authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, neglected, self-concept, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation were affected by 47.6% of the variable in the academic achievement, so that great attention was given to the contribution of parenting styles, self-concept and academic motivation for academic achievement. The two-sample t-test indicated that as a group males scored significantly higher academic achievement than females in all predictor variables. On the other hand, there was no difference mean between males and females with respect to neglectful parenting style; academic achievement was found to be statistically not significant. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that, at the school level parent education programs should be incorporated and parents and teachers should come together as collaborators in enhancing the academic achievement of students.

Objective This study was designed to assess the level of uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and its associated factors among school-age adolescent girls.Design School-based cross-sectional study.Setting High schools in Mettu town, southwest Ethiopia, from 5 February to 10 March 2022.Participants Data were collected using a pretested and structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews with 667 adolescent girls selected via multistage random sampling. Data were entered into EpiData V.3.1 and exported to SPSS V.26 for analysis. Simple binary logistic regression was done, and variables with a p value less than 0.25 were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model; variables with a p value

Phenotypic and genotypic profiling helps identify genotypes with suitable and complementary traits for genetic improvement in crops. A total of 32 traits were assessed in 36 genotypes of white Guinea yam established in a 6 × 6 triple lattice design. The objective was to evaluate an array of plant traits that define the genetic merits of breeding lines for yam improvement. Different analytical tools were used to identify and prioritize relevant traits defining the genetic merits of breeding lines in the yam improvement program. Out of the 32 traits measured, the linear combination of 14 traits that minimize within-group variance and maximize between-group variance for discriminating the genetic values of yam breeding lines were identified. When best linear unbiased prediction with genomic relationship matrix (GBLUP) was used, the accuracies of genomic breeding values were higher (r=0.87 to 0.97) for the seven traits (dry matter content, intensity of flesh oxidization of shredded tuber, pasting temperature, pasting time, tuber flesh colour, yam mosaic virus and fresh tuber yield) with high broad-sense heritability values (H2m>0.6). While, for the remaining seven traits with low (H2m

Developing novel white Guinea yam (Dioscorea rotundata) varieties is constrained by the sparse, erratic, and irregular flowering behavior of most genotypes. We tested the effectiveness of nine agronomic and hormonal treatments to enhance flowering on D. rotundata under field conditions. Genotypes responded differently to flower-inducing treatments (p

AbstractThe paper examines the effect of trade openness on poverty using the panel Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) estimation technique from 1980 to 2019 in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. The paper focuses on non-income poverty; in this paper, non-income poverty is measured by the human development index since this measure looks at poverty beyond just income. The paper assesses the direct and indirect effects by including the mediating variables in the non-income poverty trade openness model. The study results assist SADC governments and policymakers in addressing poverty reduction policies amid the trade openness era and identifying appropriate complementary policies for reducing poverty in SADC countries. The study’s findings indicate that trade openness reduces non-income poverty (NPOV) in SADC countries in the long run. Again, the empirical results suggest that trade openness reduces NPOV when economic growth and human capital development are high. Yet, trade openness worsens NPOV when income inequality increases. Surprisingly an inconsistent result indicates that a mediating variable of trade openness and financial development has a negative effect on NPOV in SADC countries. This calls for SADC governments and policymaking institutions to revamp the trade opening reform by making economic growth sustainable and inclusive, improving the education system’s quality, maintaining income distribution, and making pro-poor financial systems across the region.