Addis Ababa Ethiopia Research Articles

Utilization of immediate post-partum long acting reversible contraceptives and its associated factors among mothers who gave birth in Addis Ababa public hospitals, Ethiopia: An institutional based cross-sectional study.

An immediate postpartum period is a good opportunity to utilize immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraceptives for women whom they want to delay pregnancy. Long-acting reversible contraceptive methods like intrauterine device, Jaddel and implants can improve maternal and newborn health by preventing unintended pregnancy. Despite on their advantage, evidence on its utilization and associated factors is limited in our study area.Ethiopia. This study assessed the utilization of immediate postpartum long acting reversible contraceptives and its associated factors among mothers who delivered in selected public hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2022. An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 420 study participants to assess the immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraceptive utilization and its associated factors from August 30- September 25, 2022. Systematic sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data was entered into epi-data version 4.6 and analysis was performed by using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used. All statistical tests were significant at P-value < 0.05. A total of 417 postpartum women were participated in the study making a response rate of 99.3%. Of the total study participants, 30.7% [95% CI (26.1, 35.3)] utilized immediate postpartum family planning. Women at the age of 25-34 years (AOR = 3.228[95% CI: 1.140-9.136]), had discussion with their partners about family planning (AOR = 1.891[95% CI: 1.003, 3.565]), received counseling about immediate post-partum long acting reversible contraceptive (AOR = 3.146 [95% CI: 1.489, 6.647]), had positive attitude towards immediate post postpartum long acting reversible contraceptive (AOR = 3 [95% CI: 1.770-5.648]) were associated with utilization of immediate post-partum long acting reversible contraceptive. Almost one in three women delivering in health facilities of Addis Ababa Ethiopia started using immediate post-partum long acting reversible contraceptives. Discussion about contraception with partners, getting counseling about family planning on antenatal care, attitude toward contraception and the age of women were all factors that could increase IPPLARC uptake. Healthcare providers clarify any rumors about contraceptives to assure a positive and supportive attitude to increase its uptake.

Comparative efficacy of apneic oxygenation with face mask versus face mask alone pre-oxygenation to Prevent desaturation during endotracheal intubation of elective Pediatric surgical patients at St. Peter hospital, Addis Ababa Ethiopia:A single center prospective cohort study

BackgroundApneic oxygenation using a nasal cannula is used to deliver oxygen continuously during the apneic period of endotracheal intubation to prevent desaturation. Pre-oxygenation using face mask alone technique may be insufficient to provide a safe apnea period in pediatric patients who are at high risk for rapid desaturation compared to added apneic oxygenation. This study compared the efficacy of apneic oxygenation with a face mask (AO) versus a face mask alone (FMA) pre-oxygenation to prevent desaturation during endotracheal intubation in elective pediatric surgical patients. MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted on two equal groups of elective pediatric patients observed in either use of apneic oxygenation with a face mask (AO) or face mask alone(FMA) pre-oxygenation during endotracheal intubation at the study hospital from early December 2021 to late March 2022. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The primary outcome variable was the desaturation SpO2 (<94%) observed during endotracheal intubation. The categorical data were analyzed using a χ2-test. Parametric data were analyzed using an independent t-test or one-way ANOVA as appropriate with a 95% CI and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The Bonferroni post hoc analysis was employed to test the significance of means between the groups. ResultsThe mean desaturation level was (SpO2 = 95.74 ± 2.99) in apneic oxygenation with face-mask group and (SpO2 = 93.96 ± 3.74) in the face-mask alone group(p = 0.006) with medium effect size (Cohan's d = 0.06). A one-way ANOVA showed a statistically significant difference in the mean (±SD) of desaturation level with the number of attempts at endotracheal intubation within the groups (P = 0.005). The Bonferroni pairwise comparison within groups, showed that the mean (±SD) desaturation level during endotracheal intubation for the participant with >2 attempts is significantly lower than for participants with only 1 attempt (p-value = 0.004). Conclusion and recommendationA continuous administration of apneic oxygenation (5-l/min) by nasal cannula during endotracheal intubation significantly reduced desaturation in pediatrics. We recommend the use of apneic oxygenation (AO) in pediatrics during intubation time.

Identifying and Analyzing the Technical Challenges of Grid Tide Inverters for PV System: A Case Study of Ethiopia and Zambia

Zambia and Ethiopia are two countries from southern and eastern of Africa due to their geographical location and other factor the environment condition is different. The research aims at identifying and analszing the technical performance issues of Grid tide Inverter (GTI) for PV system due to operating climate and others factors. In Zambia the study focused on the two main solar plants which is under ZESCO national grid at malty facility zone (MFZ), the first one is the 54 megawatts Bangweulu solar power plant by Neon Investment of France, second one is 34MW Ngonye solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. In Ethiopia eight min off-grid site under Ethiopian Electric Utility(EEU) is included. Beltu, Behima, Mino, Ungoge, Korhele,Tum, Omorate and Kofetu. A survey is conducted focusing on identifying and analyzing the technical performance issues of GTI in the above-mentioned area.&#x0D; Using Microsoft excel the environmental \climate condition, Solar radiation, Air temperature, Rain falls and Wind of the two country Zambia and Ethiopia is investigated and analysedfor each selected site. A questionnaire and a Sime structure interview is conducted. The basic inverter challenges are investigated from the collected data and the problem is analyzed based on the specific inverter data sheet. The data sheet of the inverter for each site under this study.&#x0D; Finally, the real-time performance of the inverter of the off-grid PV mini-grid system installed in a small remote town in Ethiopia and on-grid PV system from Zambia at multi facility zone is analysed using measured meteorological data. From on- grid and off-grid inverter performance challenges, which the researcher collected from different plant the main ones are climate or environmental effect and also over load. Overload is one of the frequent challenges in koftu, behama and amorita this can be due to high population growth and unexpected power demand from the community. &#x0D; Environmental condition affects almost all solar plant site which is under this study. If we compere the climate of east which is Addis Ababa Ethiopia and southern of Africa Zambia Lusaka. The temperature of Lusaka is higher than Addis Ababa by 5.63°C and even in the plant under this study, temperature rise is one of the challenges on the inverter performance, sensitive electronic component bent due to excessive temperature.&#x0D; On the other side in Ethiopia Addis Ababa excessive rain affect the inverter. Finally, Addis Ababa has about 1.32 times more rainfall than Lusaka, (Addis Ababa’s 79.54mm vs Lusaka’s average of 60.34mm). For that reason, most of the inverter in Ethiopia on the mini off-grid site are affected by heavy rain condition.

Alternative epidemic indicators for COVID-19 in three settings with incomplete death registration systems.

Not all COVID-19 deaths are officially reported, and particularly in low-income and humanitarian settings, the magnitude of reporting gaps remains sparsely characterized. Alternative data sources, including burial site worker reports, satellite imagery of cemeteries, and social media-conducted surveys of infection may offer solutions. By merging these data with independently conducted, representative serological studies within a mathematical modeling framework, we aim to better understand the range of underreporting using examples from three major cities: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Aden (Yemen), and Khartoum (Sudan) during 2020. We estimate that 69 to 100%, 0.8 to 8.0%, and 3.0 to 6.0% of COVID-19 deaths were reported in each setting, respectively. In future epidemics, and in settings where vital registration systems are limited, using multiple alternative data sources could provide critically needed, improved estimates of epidemic impact. However, ultimately, these systems are needed to ensure that, in contrast to COVID-19, the impact of future pandemics or other drivers of mortality is reported and understood worldwide.

Editor's note

摘要本篇编者按简要概述了本期收录的文章并邀请读者予以响应和提交稿件。

Prevalence of Episiotomy and Factors Associated with Its Practice in Three Teaching Hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: Episiotomy is a surgical incision into the perineum and posterior vaginal wall during the second stage of labor to increase the diameter of the soft tissue pelvic outlet to facilitate delivery. Episiotomy rates vary from population to population. Limited information exists related to the practice of episiotomy in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the prevalence of episiotomy practice and associated factors at three teaching hospitals (Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Gandhi Memorial Hospital, and Zewditu Memorial Hospital) in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. Method and Materials: Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2022 to March 2022 on 386 mothers who had a vaginal delivery in the three hospitals. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was entered, coded, and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. P value ? 0.05 was used to determine the level of statistically significant variables. Results: The prevalence of episiotomy was 49%. Age ?24 years (AOR=0.17, 95%CI=0.055, 0.52), operative vagainal delivery (vacuum AOR=3.1, 95%CI=1.50,18.67 and forceps AOR=3.5, 95%CI=1.87, 11.06), duration of second stage of labor ?2HR (AOR=3.5, 95%CI=1.87, 11.06), birth weight of newborn ?4000 grams (AOR=5.3, 95%CI=95%CI, 1.28, 22.02) and FGM (AOR=2.8, 95%CI=1.64, 4.94) were factors significantly associated with episiotomy practice. Conclusion: The prevalence of episiotomy in this study (49%) is higher than the WHO’s recommendation (10%). Variables that remained associated significantly with episiotomy were maternal age, instrument delivery, duration of the second stage of labor ?2HR, newborn weighing ?4000 grams, and FGM. An effort should be made to reduce the prevalence of episiotomy by adhering to the correct indications and preparing periodic on-job training regarding the indication of episiotomy to all obstetric care providers.

Time to recovery from obstetric fistula and its predictors among women admitted to Addis Ababa Hamlin fistula Addis Ababa Ethiopia: survival analysis

Time to recovery from obstetric fistula and its predictors among women admitted to Addis Ababa Hamlin fistula Addis Ababa Ethiopia: survival analysis

Dietary diversity and associated factors among adolescent girls in Nifas Silk Laphto sub city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2021

BackgroundAddressing the nutritional problems of adolescent girls is important as their nutritional status has a negative effect on the future generation. However, the evidence revealed the variation and unrelated data on the prevalence of dietary diversity and lack of including all adolescent age and community groups in Ethiopia. Hence, this study assessed dietary diversity and associated factors among adolescent girls in Nifas Silk Laphto Sub-city, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, 2021.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 475 adolescent girls at Nifas Silk Laphto sub-city, Addis Ababa Ethiopia from July 1 to 30, 2021. Multistage cluster sampling was employed to select adolescent girls. Pretested questionnaires were used to collect the data. The data were checked for completeness and entered by Epidata version 3.1 and cleaned and analyzed by SPSS version 21.0. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with dietary diversity scores. The degree of association was assessed using an odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and variables with p-value ≤ 0.05 were considered significant.ResultThe mean and the standard deviation of dietary diversity scores were 4.70 and 1.21 respectively. The proportion of low dietary diversity scores among adolescent girls was 77.2%. Adolescent girls’ age, meal frequency, wealth index of household, and food insecurity were significant determinants of dietary diversity score.ConclusionThe magnitude of low dietary diversity scores was significantly higher in the study area. Adolescent girls’, meal frequency, wealth index, and food security status were predictors of dietary diversity score. School-based nutrition education and counseling and designing strategies for improving household food security programs are crucial.

Coproduced urban water services: When technical and governance hybridisation go hand in hand

This study questions the processes of technical and governance hybridisation in the coproduction of water services in cities of the Global South. The existing literature addresses the compensatory role that water services coproduction plays in urban and peri-urban areas, where access to centralised and reliable water resources is often lacking. However, less research focuses on the evolution of coproduced practices in relation to wider transitions of urban spaces, water resources, centralised infrastructure, and service delivery strategies. Still, the resulting technical and governance configurations stemming from these situations are largely unexplored. This study considers four cities, namely, Hanoi (Vietnam), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Cochabamba (Bolivia), and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). All our case studies are somewhat characterised by rapid land-use changes, juxtaposition of rural and urban activities, varying urban typologies, and increasing poverty, sociospatial inequality, and exclusionary service provision. We draw on data collected from field surveys and participatory workshops with inhabitants and institutional actors between 2017 and 2020 as part of a recent research project. We explore the evolution of water coproduction from technological and governance perspectives. The cases analysed in the research highlight that the time and social development of water coproduction do not follow a linear path. It is rather characterised by cycles of emergence, maturation, and decline. It may build upon pre-existing forms of community-based water management that were established in rural areas (for irrigation or water harvesting, for instance). The results show that water coproduction may have different evolutions, entailing different hybridisation processes. Water coproduction can be characterised by either complementary or concurrent service configurations, by blurring actor categories, and by different drivers in the hybridisation process. Ultimately, evolution in urban coproduced practices appears as a process of technical and governance hybridisation, rather than as final and fixed hybrid systems.

Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in Ethiopia: A Single Center Experience in a Developing Country.

In developing countries, the diagnosis of congenital heart diseases (CHD) is growing as the availability of echocardiography is increasing with most diagnoses made after birth. However, the access to pediatric surgery is still low and is mainly done by global surgical campaigns rather than local surgeons. Ethiopia has trained its local surgeons, and this is expected to improve the care of children with CHD. We aimed to evaluate the experience of local pediatric CHD surgery and its outcome in a single-center in Ethiopia. A hospital-based retrospective cohort study was done by including all patients with CHD and acquired heart disease in patients under the age of 18 operated at children's cardiac center in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. We set in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, and the prevalence of complications including major complications after cardiac surgery as the primary outcomes. A total of 76 children were operated. The mean age at the time of diagnosis and surgery was 4 (±5) and 7 (±5) years, respectively. Forty-one (54%) were female. Ninety five percent of the 76 operated children were with the diagnoses of congenital heart diseases while the rest (5%) with acquired heart disease. Of those with congenital heart disease, Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) accounted for (33.3%), Ventricular septal defect (VSD) for 29.5% and Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) for 10% and Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) for 5%. According to the RACS-1 category, 26 (35.1%) were in category 1, 33 (44.6%) were in category 2, 15 (20.3%) were in category 3 and none of the children were in category 4 and 5. In-hospital mortality was 2.6% whereas there was no patient who died within 30 days after discharge. Operative mortality was 2.6%. Various types of lesions were treated in the hands of the local teams with VSD and PDA ligations as the commonest of all. The 30day mortality was within acceptable range and this outcome shows congenital and acquired heart diseases can be operated on in developing countries with good outcome despite the limited resources.

Effect of Package of Interventions on the Use and Quality of Postpartum Family Planning Services at Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College (Y12HMC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP), which aims to prevent high risk unintended and closely spaced pregnancies during the first year following childbirth, is one of the highest impact interventions to avoid increased risk of premature birth, low birth weight, fetal and neonatal death, and adverse maternal health outcomes. This study aimed to assess the combined effect of a package of interventions on the use and quality of PPFP services at Y12HMC, Addis Ababa Ethiopia. Cross-sectional study design was conducted to evaluate the effect of the package of chosen interventions: creating a private counseling space near the postpartum ward and providing training for health care providers on the WHO decision tool kit and Long Acting Contraceptive Methods (LACM). Interviews were conducted with 470 women (235 before and 235 after the intervention). Frequency tables and graphs were used to describe the study variables and statistical significance between pre and post intervention indicators was declared at P value <.05. From 470 participants, 421 respondents participated which makes response rate of 90%. The majority of the participants were in the age category 20 to 29 years, married/lived together, completed at least primary education and had more than one child both at baseline and post intervention. The proportion of women who chose PPFP increased from 55.8% at baseline to 69% after the intervention. The most preferred contraceptive method was implant. The overall service satisfaction level of the study participants was 95.4% post intervention, significantly higher than at baseline (78%, P < .05). Providers indicated that clients are satisfied with the service and that the institutional structure is appropriate for delivering integrated services following the intervention. This study demonstrated that quality improvement interventions like creating a private counseling space and providing training using WHO decision tool kit can achieve significant improvement on satisfaction of clients and PPFP uptake.

Clinical Pattern and Outcome of Burn Injury in Children in AaBet Trauma Center Addis Ababa Ethiopia: Prospective Study.

Burn injuries are among the most prevalent health conditions worldwide that happen mainly in children, military, and victims of fire accidents. The previous literature had general limitations in that it focused on the retrospective study design, which can be prone to incomplete data or lack the full evidence of the problem, however, this study is a prospective study that gives a clue to the possible determinant factors of burn injury in pediatrics. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical pattern and outcome of burn injury in children at the AaBet trauma center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between July 2016 and July 2020. An institutional-based prospective study was conducted in an AaBet trauma center. The study participants were chosen using a systematic random sampling method and followed for 4 years to determine their clinical outcomes after burn injury. A pretested observational check list was used to collect the data. The collected data were coded, entered Epi-data version 4.6, and exported to SPSS version 26 for descriptive and inferential analysis. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with burn injury on the adjusted odd ratio with a 95% confidence interval at a p-value of < .05. A total of 256 patients were recruited for this study. Scald burns accounted for 50.8% of the injury mechanisms, with 93.8% of the incidents occurring in private residences. Second-degree burns were the most common presentation of the victims (83%). Lower limbs were the most frequently burned body part (47%). Over 70% of the victims had 20% of their body surface area burned. Intentional burns accounted for 1.2% of all burn victims. The length of the hospital stay ranged from 1 day to 164 days with a mean stay of 24.73 days. Eight patients (3.1%) died during the study period. Pediatric burn incidences showed no significant discrepancies between males and females. Scald and open flame are the common causes of burn injury. Most incidents occurred in indoor settings, and most of the victims had not received first aid at home. Most patients left the hospital with no or minimal complications. Only 3.1% of the patients died. Patients who had burn-associated injuries were 98.8% less likely to be alive than those who had no associated injuries at all. For all governmental and non-governmental bodies, it is highly recommended to give priority to preventive measures and education on the need for appropriate prehospital care.

Association of Blood Pressure, Anthropometric Indices and Blood Group among Hypertensive Patients at Health centers in Addis Ababa Ethiopia

Uncontrolled BP is a major health problem both in developed and developing countries. Life style, behavioral or genetic factors are some of the risk factors for uncontrolled BP. There are many researches have done on the risk factors for hypertension.

Prevalence of Surgical Site infections among Surgical operated patients in Zewditu Memorial Hospital. Addis Ababa Ethiopia December 2020.

Background: Surgical site infections are the most common kinds of hospital-acquired infections. It's a common complication that can cause serious morbidity and mortality after surgery. It is also the major cause of extended hospital stays, accounting for up to 20% of hospital expenses. Methods and materials: A random sample of 144 surgical patients was analyzed utilizing a hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study technique from January 1 to December 31, 2019. The information was acquired using a World Health Organization-developed modified standardized checklist for surgery safety and the national surveillance network for nosocomial infections. A rigorous random sampling strategy was used to choose study participants. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage were used to describe the data. Result: A total of 13 of the 144 patients who were operated on had surgical site infections (9.02 percent). Elective surgical cases made up 102 (71%) of the total, while emergency surgical cases comprised 42 (29%). Preventive antibiotics were administered to the remaining 99 (69%) research participants, with 73 (73%) receiving ceftriaxone, 3% receiving ampicillin, and 23 (24%) receiving a combination of ceftriaxone and metronidazole. There were 13 cases of surgical site infections in all (9.02 percent). Six (46%) were superficial surgical site infections, four (31%) were deep surgical site infections, and three (23%) were organ space surgical site infections. 11 (84%) patients were treated with IV antibiotics and wound treatment, 1 (8%) cases with wound debridement, and the remaining 1 (8%) cases with laparotomy, antibiotics, and wound management. Conclusion: In this study area, surgical site infection is infrequent. The bulk of the population is made up of women. The use of prophylactic antibiotics and the age of the patients were both variables in the development of surgical site infections

Knowledge and Experience of Women with Breast Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy in Selected Public Hospitals, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, 2021: Cross-sectional Study

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, in 2018 2.1 million new cases are diagnosed. In Ethiopia due to the increasing awareness of breast cancer patients are taking chemotherapy in different parts of the country but patients’ knowledge of chemotherapy and experience of chemotherapy have not been assessed very well and this study tried to assess patients’ knowledge about chemotherapy. Objective: The objective of the study is to assess the knowledge and experience of women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy in selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, in 2021. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted and data was collected from Tikur Anbessa Specialised Hospital and Saint Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College from February 8 to March 1, 2020. Data was entered into Epi-data version 4.6.0 and exported to SPSS version 26. Descriptive statics such as frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviation were done and displayed in tables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed. Results: The study involved 250 participants. The mean age of the respondents was (43.35±11.1). Of the total 135 (54%) respondents were not knowledgeable and 115 (46%) were knowledgeable. Age &gt;45 years and patients who lived in Addis Ababa were associated with higher knowledge. Respondents who took chemotherapy fourth to the sixth cycle and who are currently single were associated with the worst experience and the distance-time it takes to get to the hospital when is three to six hours were associated with the tolerable experience. Conclusion and recommendations: The study revealed that more than half of the participants were not knowledgeable and more than half of the participants had the worst experience. Hence healthcare providers should provide information about chemotherapy to their patients and should teach them how to manage the possible side effects.

Institutional logics and regional policy failure: Air pollution as a wicked problem in East African cities

This paper’s conceptual contribution is to highlight the need to place the identification and analysis of institutional logics at the centre of the hybrid framework for policy analysis, with a focus on air pollution as a wicked problem. Different post-structural approaches to policy development have been developed but there is a need to conceptualise and theorise further how different institutions, organisations, and groups, with different institutional logics, contextualise, construct and prioritise wicked problems as policy challenges; additionally, challenges encountered in specific local contexts have to be untangled. Conflicting institutional logics play an important but overlooked role in the analysis of regional policy cycles. This is the first paper to engage in these debates by identifying and exploring the role institutional logics play in conceptualising wicked problems as policy priorities. To do so, it applies and develops post-structuralist approaches to policy analysis developed in education, combined with an institutional logics approach to explore why no effective air quality policy is yet to emerge in East Africa and specifically in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Kampala (Uganda) and Nairobi (Kenya). Four contexts of policy formulation and implementation are identified: context of influence, policy formation, implementation and outcomes along with three types of institutional logics: ‘science’, based on rigor to render societal problems visible; ‘influencer’, led by NGOs and other stakeholders (e.g. citizens) involved in translating problems to foster awareness and support/fund specific programmes and actions to increase viability; and ‘political’ linked to decision-making and policy prioritisation. Conflicting institutional logics as we demonstrate can prevent the formulation and implementation of policy solutions.

Can the Dragon Make the Lion Breathe Fire? The Links of Chinese Entrepreneurs in the Addis Ababa Economy

China’s increasing role in many African economies has given rise to discussions about the drivers of these economic relations and the benefits that Africa can reap. This article, based on field work carried out in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), aims to contribute to this discussion by shedding light on a group that is often overlooked: the Chinese small entrepreneurs. Our investigation of five specific economic linkages shows how Chinese entrepreneurs mainly operate in secluded market segments, but also are impactful players in the local economy of Bole Rwanda (Addis Ababa). Their presence has both direct and indirect economic effects: even though focusing mainly on serving the Chinese community, these entrepreneurs play important roles in employment generation, and the transfer of knowledge of particular markets, while simultaneously offering new opportunities for Ethiopian entrepreneurs and transforming the existing vegetable market. The dragon helped the lion to breathe fire—the challenge is to make it a far-reaching and long-lasting breath.

Admission and outcome patterns among neonates admitted to the Federal Police referral hospital's neonatal intensive care unit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: The rate of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period remains high in Ethio-pia. Assessing the Neonatal intensive care unit cases regularly is vital as the disease pattern and mortality are not known in the police population.Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the number, types, clinical features of sick neo-nates admitted and their discharge outcome at the neonatal intensive care unit of Federal police hospital, Ethiopia since the time of its establishment two years ago.Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional retrospective review of medical records of sick neo-nates 0-1 month of age admitted to the neonatal unit at the Federal police Hospital, Addis Ababa Ethiopia from September 01, 2019 to October 30, 2021.Results: The medical records of all 155 sick neonates during the study period were included in this study. Among the estimated 3600 deliveries at federal police hospitals during the study peri-od, the neonatal admission rate was 155/3600 (4.3 %). The majority of neonates, 130 (83.9%), were admitted with the age less than 48 hours. Ninety-one (58.7 %) were male and 64(41.3 %) were female neonates making the male to female ratio 1.4:1. Prematurity accounts for 54 (34.8%) of admissions. Sepsis was the main reason for admissions 58 (37.4%), followed by birth asphyxia 12 (7.7%), and neonatal jaundice 10(6.4 %). On discharge, 133 (85.8%) were improved and dis-charged, 2(1.29%) left against medical advice, and 3(1.9%) were referred while 17(10.9%) of the admitted patients died.Conclusion: Prematurity related causes, neonatal infection and birth asphyxia were the main rea-sons for neonatal admissions and neonatal mortality was high in the first 24 hours of age. Neonatal admissions at Federal Police Hospital NICU mirror the national profile of Ethiopian Neonatal In-tensive Care Units. Due attention should be given to address these issues and to reduce mortality.

Rethinking Development in Africa: Agenda 2063 and John Wesley’s Socio-Political Theology

Africa remains underdeveloped despite many years of conceptualising, formulating and implementing different development policies and programs. Africa’s developmental challenges have attracted attention from various stakeholders and many factors have been identified as contributing to the problem. The African Union, at its Golden Jubilee celebration in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) in 2013, adopted a new development plan aimed at making Africa a key player in global affairs by 2063. Africa’s new development Agenda has been engaged at various conferences and seminars. However, not much theological engagements with the document have been witnessed so far. The purpose of the paper is to explore how a contextual application of selected aspects of John Wesley’s socio-political theology might catalyze the achievement of two of the seven aspirations set out in Agenda 2063. The main thesis of this paper is that human political activities are deeply rooted in God’s political nature and hence must be exercised within God’s sovereign rule. The paper concludes that the development of Africa must not only focus on socio-economic progress but also on moral/spiritual development. The paper contributes to the ongoing scholarly discussions on Agenda 2063 and provides Christians, political leaders in Africa and other stakeholders with theological framework for achieving a holistic and sustainable development in Africa.

Priorities and barriers for urban ecosystem service provision: A comparison of stakeholder perspectives from three cities

Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) can provide many needed ecosystem services (ES) to help address challenges like biodiversity loss and climate change while contributing to the health and wellbeing of urban inhabitants. In order to optimize UGI for a given city, a first step is to assess the local ES needs and the potential barriers to ES provision. However, it is not known how consistent these needs and barriers are among cities in different settings. To help address this knowledge gap, the aim of this study was to assess ES priorities and existing barriers to ES provision for three cities varying in socioeconomic, cultural and climatic setting: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Cincinnati (USA) and Malmö (Sweden). In case studies of each of the three cities, we carried out workshops with key stakeholders and collected their assessments of both current provision of ES from UGI and future priorities. The workshops were followed by expert stakeholder interviews aimed at highlighting existing barriers to ES provision. In spite of the different urban contexts, expressed ES priorities were similar among the cities, with the highest cross-cutting priorities being climate change adaptation, stormwater runoff management and water quality, mental and physical health, biodiversity, and provision of local food. Stakeholder-expressed barriers to ES provision were also broadly similar among cities, falling into three main categories: structural pressures, gaps in governance, and lack of ecological awareness and vision. Our results suggest that certain key ES priorities and barriers may apply broadly to cities regardless of climatic or socio-cultural context. These generic needs can help direct the focus of future studies, and imply a clear benefit to international, even cross-continental study and knowledge-exchange among practitioners and researchers working with UGI.