Adjacent Districts Research Articles

Health Survey of Monks Residing in Urban Areas: The Bangkok Noi Model

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of obesity and identify associated health problems and behaviors among monks residing in Bangkok Noi and its adjacent districts. Materials and Methods: Employing a cross-sectional design, this research incorporated self-report questionnaires and specialized health checkup programs at a university hospital. Eligible participants were monks aged 20 years or older, living permanently in temples within the Bangkok Noi District and its adjacent districts. Monks in shortterm ordination were excluded. Data collection occurred between February 2022 and July 2023. Results: Out of 560 monks who participated by completing both the questionnaires and health examinations, the average age was 46.49±16.97 years. Most participants resided in the Taling Chan (35.4%) and Bangkok Noi (31.8%) districts. Significant health issues included non-communicable diseases, with dyslipidemia affecting 57.8% and obesity 44.2% of the cohort. Monks over the age of 50 exhibited a remarkably higher rate of multimorbidity (50.2%) than their younger counterparts (24.2%, p < 0.001, 95% CI 20.71–27.97). Dietary habits revealed that younger monks were more prone to consuming fried, sweet and instant foods (74.5%, p < 0.001, 95% CI 70.67–78.07). Moreover, a significant proportion of younger monks demonstrated proficient e-health literacy (74.2%, p < 0.001, 95% CI 70.37–77.78). Conclusion: The study highlights a high prevalence of obesity among monks in urban settings. There is a pressing need for tailored preventive interventions that integrate health promotion and lifestyle modifications through Dhamma and Vinaya teachings. The interventions should address the distinct needs of different age groups.

Epidemiological changes of scarlet fever before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Chongqing, China: a 19-year surveillance and prediction study

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the epidemiological changes in scarlet fever before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (2005–2023) and predict the incidence of the disease in 2024 and 2025 in Chongqing Municipality, Southwest China.MethodsDescriptive analysis was used to summarize the characteristics of the scarlet fever epidemic. Spatial autocorrelation analysis was utilized to explore the distribution pattern of the disease, and the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model was constructed to predict its incidence in 2024 and 2025.ResultsBetween 2005 and 2023, 9,593 scarlet fever cases were reported in Chongqing, which resulted in an annual average incidence of 1.6694 per 100,000 people. Children aged 3–7 were the primary victims of this disease, with the highest average incidence found among children aged 6 (5.0002 per 100,000 people). Kindergarten children were the dominant infected population, accounting for as much as 54.32% of cases, followed by students (34.09%). The incidence for the male was 1.51 times greater than that for the female. The monthly distribution of the incidence showed a bimodal pattern, with one peak occurring between April and June and another in November or December. The spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed that scarlet fever cases were markedly clustered; the areas with higher incidence were mainly concentrated in Chongqing’s urban areas and its adjacent districts, and gradually spreading to remote areas after 2020. The incidence of scarlet fever increased by 106.54% and 39.33% in the post-upsurge period (2015–2019) and the dynamic zero-COVID period (2020–2022), respectively, compared to the pre-upsurge period (2005–2014) (P < 0.001). During the dynamic zero-COVID period, the incidence of scarlet fever decreased by 68.61%, 25.66%, and 10.59% (P < 0.001) in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, compared to the predicted incidence. In 2023, after the dynamic zero-COVID period, the reported cases decreased to 1.5168 per 100,000 people unexpectedly instead of increasing. The cases of scarlet fever are predicted to increase in 2024 (675 cases) and 2025 (705 cases).ConclusionsChildren aged 3–7 years are the most affected population, particularly males, and kindergartens and primary schools serving as transmission hotspots. It is predicted that the high incidence of scarlet fever in Chongqing will persist in 2024 and 2025, and the outer districts (counties) beyond urban zone would bear the brunt of the impact. Therefore, imminent public health planning and resource allocation should be focused within those areas.

Developing a new methodology for determining typologies of peri-urban agriculture: A case study of the Jakarta Bandung Mega Urban Region Indonesia

Peri-urban agriculture (PUA) has different ecological, socio-institutional, and economic conditions. The dynamic characteristics of PUA are driven by the location in a rural-to-urban transitional zone. In this context, a new approach should be developed for identifying PUA typologies to facilitate more effective and relatively quick policy management and planning. Therefore, this study aims to develop new categories and a set of methodologies to determine PUA typologies using statistical approaches such as variable simplification (Principal Component Analysis), cluster analysis (K-means), and village-based spatial characterization mapping. A structured selection was conducted to determine the case studies, and two adjacent suburban districts in the Jakarta Bandung Mega Urban Region (JBMUR) corridor were obtained. The results show that there is a new insight into the use of spatial approaches and the relationship between empirical conditions at the local level and policies related to PUA. The developed typology approach describes significant variations in agricultural conditions based on the intensity. Strategies and recommendations for PUA development based on typology are also proposed.

Management of Ischemic Stroke in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Existing Status and Prospective Opportunities.

Background and objective Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the third largest province of Pakistan by population and has a high incidence of ischemic stroke. We evaluated all patients who presented to the largest tertiary care facility in the province to learn about the current trends in the management of ischemic stroke and explore future opportunities in this regard. Materials and methods This prospective observational research was carried out at the Lady Reading Hospital-Medical Teaching Institute (LRH-MTI), Peshawar, in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The hospital's ethics committee granted the required permissions for the research. Any patient with an ischemic stroke diagnosis, regardless of age, met the inclusion criteria if their diagnosis was confirmed by clinical assessment, imaging (such as CT or MRI), or both. The clinical parameters that were evaluated included the duration since the patient's reported onset of symptoms, the patient's first mode of transfer to the hospital (such as ambulance, private vehicle, or other means), and the date and time of admission to the hospital. A structured database containing the data was utilized, and IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25 (released 2017; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) was used for statistical analysis. Results One hundred fifty-six stroke patients were diagnosed throughout the study period, with 76 of them having an ischemic stroke, accounting for 49% of all stroke cases. Approximately 43% (n = 33) of the patients were from Peshawar, with the remaining patients coming from adjacent districts. There was only a small percentage (19%, n = 15) of patients who were eligible for any thrombolytictherapy, and the majority (93%) were brought by private vehicles. There was a significant association between age and arrival in the emergency room (p = 0.003). Conclusion The study reveals subpar ischemic stroke management in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, requiring coordinated efforts, modernization of treatment methods, and increased public awareness to improve patient outcomes.

How can the digital economy reduce carbon emissions? Empirical evidence from China.

China is transitioning into the digital economy era. The advancement of the digital economy could offer a fresh mechanism to attain carbon peak and carbon neutrality objectives. Applications of the digital economy, such as smart energy management, intelligent transport systems, and digital agricultural technologies, have significantly reduced carbon emissions by optimizing resource use, reducing energy waste, and improving production efficiency. This research does so by devising a theoretical model that looks into the multi-faceted power of the digital economy under a two-sector paradigm. Utilising a panel model, a mediation effect model and a spatial Durbin model to assess the digital economy's power on carbon emissions. This research has determined that the digital economy can significantly diminish carbon emissions, with green tech innovations and industrial transformation being key contributors. The spatial spillover effect was used for the digital economy to aid in lowering carbon emissions in adjacent districts and upgrading better environmental stewardship. The influence of the digital economy has better performance in lowering carbon emissions in mid-western China than in the eastern area. This paper deepens understanding of the drivers of low-carbon growth and the significance, mechanism and regional disparities of the digital economy's effect on reducing carbon emissions. It offers valuable policy insights and guidance for globally achieving digital economy growth, reducing carbon emissions and reaching carbon peak and neutrality goals.

Successful Foreign Direct Investment Through the Development of Parts Supply Industries in the Host Country: A Study of India's Automobile Manufacturing Sector

Several large multinationals and a few local assemblers dominate the Indian automobile industry. The largest multinational, Maruti Suzuki, entered the Indian automobile industry with a policy of developing local automotive parts manufacturers to achieve high local content ratio. This study seeks to determine the extent to which foreign direct investment (FDI) in host countries contributes to the growth of automobile parts manufacturers. We use district‐level panel data from 2000 to 2008 to assess the linkage between the production of major automobile assemblers and the development of automotive parts suppliers located in the same and adjacent districts to those assemblers. Our regression results show the heterogeneity of the linkages, suggesting that the formation of industrial clusters by local parts suppliers and the expansion of their production capacity are likely to be key determinants of the success of FDI in the Indian automobile industry, rather than relying on in‐house parts production or imports.

Groundwater exhibits spatially opposing trends during the Australian Millennium Drought

The adverse impacts of Australia’s Millennium Drought on both surface and groundwater hydrological systems are extensively documented. During the Millennium Drought, the Murray Basin experienced a severe rainfall deficit. Our study revisited groundwater table trends in 451 wells within the Murray Basin during the drought from 1997 to 2009. These trends varied, 70% showed significant downward shifts, 19% were insignificant, and 11% even displayed upward trends. The results from K-means clustering analysis indicate a markedly slow recuperation of groundwater levels post-drought. We used multiple regression models to link interannual groundwater dynamics with climate variables, revealing climate as the primary driver of declining groundwater levels. This connection is influenced by land cover and thickness of the vadose zone, resulting in hysteresis effects and spatial variations. In cases with a thick vadose zone and minimal evapotranspiration, the influence of the Millennium Drought on the groundwater system is reduced. The increasing trends may also be related to lateral recharge from mountainous areas, human activities in adjacent irrigation districts, and east-west geostress. Our findings reveal the complex interactions between climate, land characteristics, and groundwater behavior during and after the Millennium Drought, holding significant implications for understanding hydrological processes under extreme drought conditions and for the sustainable management of water resources.

Land Cover Change using GIS and RS Techniques of the Padma River Floodplain in the Three Adjacent Districts in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a nation characterized by its reliance on river systems for various aspects of its socio-economic and geographical features. The region experiences a significant number of natural disasters every year as a result of the existence of the river. The region undergoes regular riverbank erosion as a result of the continuous changing of river channels. This study aimed to assess the changing of the Padma River and its impact on land use and land cover in the three adjacent districts of Munshiganj, Madaripur, and Shariatpur. Geographic Information System (GIS) along with remote sensing (RS) techniques were employed to analyze data collected between 1988 and 2023. Best results in detecting land-use/land-cover type and identifying erosional impact were achieved using K-means cluster unsupervised image classification. The accuracy of image preprocessing and classification was separately evaluated using the kappa coefficient. For the years 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2017, and 2023, the findings indicated an overall accuracy of 86.36%, 83.32%, 87.1%, 85.43%, 87.3%, 87.92%, 88.42%, 90.06% and a kappa coefficient of 83.02%, 83.32%, 86.66%,85.37%, 87.78%, 87.29%, 87.91%, 86.59% respectively. Arable land accounted for 56.40 percent of the overall accreted land area (26340.06 ha), whereas cropland accounted for just 5.99 percent (2798.10 ha) based on long-term river channel migration results. In 35 years, arable land (23661.21 ha) suffered the most erosion (55.42%), followed by inland water (3351.53 ha), which suffered the least (7.15%). The implementation of an embankment inside the research area is proposed as a potentially efficacious strategy for mitigating riverbank erosion in this particular region. The government may implement long-term rehabilitation projects to support individuals who have been displaced by bank erosion and are now landless. Jagannath University Journal of Science, Volume 10, Number I, Jun. 2023, pp. 43-54

Forest Tales? Unravelling Divergent Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC) Maps and State Narratives in Vietnam’s Northern Uplands

The Vietnamese state has advocated for the sedentarization and market integration of upland northern farmers over the past thirty years, leading to both agrarian and forest transitions. This article presents a comprehensive land use and land cover change (LULCC) analysis of two adjacent upland borderland districts, Phong Thổ and Bát Xát, in northern Vietnam, spanning two neighboring inland provinces, Lai Châu and Lào Cai. These districts are primarily home to ethnic minority farmers who are encouraged by Vietnamese state officials to not only protect forests but to also transition toward cash crop cultivation from less intensive semi-subsistence agriculture. Our LULCC maps, covering the period from 1990 to 2020, revealed a reduction in the speed by which closed-canopy forests were disappearing. During interviews, state officials were confident that this was due to a range of state policies and state-sponsored initiatives, including the promotion of tree crops and payments for forest environmental services. Our own fieldwork in the region suggests other factors are also supporting this decline in deforestation rates, rooted in ethnic minority farmer livelihood decision making. Some state officials were also able to point to factors hindering a more positive result regarding forest cover, including population pressure and new infrastructure. Interestingly, despite our positive findings on Land use and land cover change (LULCC) related to forest cover, one-third of state officials, upon reviewing our LULCC maps, firmly maintained that errors had occurred. Some even proposed that there was an actual rise in forest cover. Our study shows that these discrepancies raise compelling questions about officials’ political motivations and ongoing pressures to uphold the central state’s reforestation and agrarian transition discourses.

Объемная активность радона-222 в воздухе помещений города Тобольска и прилегающих районов

This paper presents preliminary results of quasi-integral measurements of the average for 4 days volumetric activity of radon-222 in the indoor air of residential and public buildings of Tobolsk city and adjacent districts – Tobolsk, Vagaysky, Uvatsky, obtained for March – August 2023.The lowest level of volumetric activity of radon-222 was found in residential nine-storey buildings of the Soviet period (years of construction: 1970–1990) up to 20 Bq/m3. Exceeding the level of volumetric activity of radon-222 over 400 Bq/m3 was not revealed in the studied residential and public premises of Tobolsk and adjacent districts – Tobolsk, Vagai and Uvat. The distribution of values of average for 4 days volumetric activity of radon-222 in the air of premises of Tobolsk city and adjacent districts, as well as in subfloors and basement floors is not normal, as p&lt;0,01. The distribution of values of average for 4 days volumetric activity of radon-222 obtained in residential and public premises is visually insufficiently coincided with lognormal, as there are values more than 200 Bq/m3, which agrees with the data of other researchers. In the investigated wooden dwelling houses the presence of a basement and lack of air exchange creates conditions for accumulation of radon-222 in the air, the presence of vents in the foundation prevents accumulation of radon-222 in living rooms.

Знахідки немишових гризунів у регіоні Національного природного парку «Бузький Гард»: Sciurus, Spalax, Myocastor

Data on observations of three mam¬mal species in the region of the Bug Gard National Nature Park obtained during background monitoring are presented: red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Podolian mole rat (Spalax zemni), and nutria (Myocastor coypus). Distribution, habitats, and behavioural features are characterised. The data on the distribution of Spalax zemni not only in the park but also in the adjacent districts of Mykolaiv Oblast during 2016–2023 have been updated. The nutria was recorded in the national park for the first time.

Optimizing map coloring: Using linear programming to find the minimum number of colors

Map coloring is a classic problem in graph theory and it relates to many optimization techniques in mathematics such as linear programming and simulated annealing. This paper investigates the minimum number of colors required to color a map under different constraints and situations using linear programming. Specifically, it examines three different scenarios: (1) coloring each district on the map with the constraint that adjacent districts must be colored differently, (2) adding the additional constraint that two regions bordering the same region cannot be colored the same, and (3) assigning two colors to each district with the constraint that adjacent districts must be colored differently. To proceed with the research, hypotheses are formulated regarding the impact of these additional constraints on the minimum number of colors required to color the map. The data in the paper is collected by creating sample maps and analyzing the minimum number of colors required to color them under each of the different scenarios. The findings of this research suggest that the addition of constraints, indicating a complex situation, increases the minimum number of colors needed to color the map. Thus, linear programming is found to be an effective optimization technique for solving map coloring problems under these constraints. This research makes a valuable contribution to the field of mathematics and computer science, providing insights into the application of optimization techniques to real-world problems like map coloring. The findings of the research have significant implications for practitioners working in the field of optimization and inform the development of more efficient algorithms for solving map coloring problems.

Edge-based compartmental modeling for the spread of cholera on random networks: A case study in Somalia

Cholera remains a major public health problem that threatens human health worldwide and its severity is continuing. In this paper, an edge-based model for cholera transmission on random networks is proposed and investigated. The model assumes that two communities share a common water source and includes three transmission routes, namely intra- and inter-community human-to-human transmission as well as water-to-human transmission. Intra-community human-to-human contacts are modeled through a random contact network, while both inter-community and water-to-human transmission are modeled through external nodes that reach each individual in the network to the same extent. The basic reproduction number and the equations of the final epidemic size are obtained. In addition, our study considers the cholera situation in Banadir, which is one of the most severely infected regions in Somalia, during the period (2019-2021). According to the geographical location, two adjacent districts are selected and our model fits well with the real data on the monthly cumulative cholera cases of these two districts during the above-mentioned period. From the perspective of network topology, cutting off high-risk contacts by supervising, isolating, quarantining and closing places with high-degree cholera-infected individuals to reduce degree heterogeneity is an effective measure to control cholera transmission. Our findings might offer some useful insights on cholera control.

An implementation analysis of a Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) teacher professional development program

Information about program implementation provides critical information for the interpretation of results from randomized trials. The present study provides an evaluation of the implementation of a Cognitively Guided Instruction mathematics teacher professional development as part of a large scale randomized controlled trial with teachers in first- and second- grade in eleven elementary schools in two adjacent school districts. We developed a measure of fidelity of implementation and used it during the in-person training sessions to determine the extent to which the training program was implemented as intended. The results from this study suggest that the program was implemented with high fidelity providing context for interpretation of overall program outcomes on teachers and students.

The correlation between broadband prices and the digital divide: A survey of Taiwan’s north coast

This study highlights the importance of differentiating between urban and rural areas when exploring broadband issues that matter to consumers and statistically sampling accordingly. To test the effectiveness of rural broadband programmes in improving internet usage, this study is based on a selection of five geographically adjacent administrative districts with varying population densities.During a survey using the double-bounded dichotomous choice model to measure people’s WTP, two research hypotheses were tested and verified through regression analysis. The results showed that consumers living in rural areas are significantly less willing to pay for broadband than those living in urban areas, which contradicts the findings of the study by Worden and Hambly (2022) conducted in Canada.Additionally, the significant t value test results found in this study showed that consumers are willing to pay more for download bandwidth than for upload bandwidth for every dollar spent. This result indicates that consumers have a clear preference for one over the other and highlights significant differences in their choices.In particular, the results of the willingness-to-pay survey revealed that the incumbent operator yield opposite results in the regression coefficients for their willingness to pay for each unit of download bandwidth and upload bandwidth. This result may be due to differences in the design of internet products offered by the two operators.Given the inevitable reality that income generated by service operators in rural areas is lower than that in urban areas, there is a need to study price differentials between urban and rural areas in order to promote greater use of broadband internet in rural areas in the context of the adoption of a single price throughout the region.

Kinerja Program Pendidikan di Kabupaten Kepulauan Yapen Provinsi Papua

Papua's Special Autonomy Policy, which is an opportunity to catch up with human resource development, has not been able to provide changes, especially education issues in the Land of Papua, especially in the Yapen Islands District, Papua Province. This research method is descriptive quantitative research. The results of this study showed that the percentage of school enrollment rate for residents of 7-12 years targeted at 99.22% of local governments succeeded in realizing 97.02% and a difference of 2.2%. Although it has not yet reached the target, this number is relatively small, meaning that the local government is quite successful in opening access to education for the community to receive elementary school education. Success in achieving the School Participation Rate target for residents aged 7-12 years and 13-15 years was not followed by the Participation Rate of residents aged 16-18 years. The local government targets 94.65% that has been achieved is 84.27%, a difference of 10.38%. The low participation rate is caused by the lack of educational infrastructure, especially high schools, which are only available in 3 districts out of 14 districts in Yapen Islands Regency. The conclusion in this study is that the high school enrollment rate is largely determined by the availability of existing infrastructure. The local government has prepared adequate educational infrastructure specifically for high schools in all districts or at least adjacent districts.

Identifying post-suburbanization: The case of the Jakarta metropolitan area (JMA)

The post-suburban notion suggests the transformation of suburbs due to infrastructure expansion and connectivity between primary and smaller cities, which leads to polycentricity. This paper examines post-suburbanisation by examining commuting patterns, origin-destination, and commuters’ socio-economic characteristics in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area (JMA). This study uses cross-sectional commuting survey data in 2014 and 2019 to investigate the post-suburbanisation process by three indicators; (i) spatial dependence of job and school activities to Jakarta is limited, (ii) maturity of sub-urban is higher in outer districts as it is more attractive for middle-upper class and older migrants and (iii) segregation as a higher share of commuters from adjacent districts. This paper contributes to the post-suburbanisation literature by highlighting the importance of commuting data and the dynamic of urban socio-spatial in a developing country that calls for multilevel institutional arrangements to manage the metropolitan.

MODERN RECORDS OF THE EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG (&lt;i&gt;ERINACEUS EUROPAEUS&lt;/i&gt;, ERINACEIDAE, EULIPOTYPHLA) IN SOUTHEASTERN FENNOSCANDIA

Southeastern Fennoscandia, which encompasses the Republic of Karelia and the adjacent districts of the Leningrad and Arkhangelsk regions, until lately remained an area of Russia’s European North especially poorly prospected as regards the status of the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). Modern (2001–2022) records of this species obtained through the authors’ original observations and based on reports received from respondents, altogether covering 212 hedgehogs and 182 encounters, are analyzed. Spatio-temporal patterns in the species’ records in the region are demonstrated, viz. an expanding distribution area and a growing frequency of encounters from northwest to southeast. The northernmost records are shown (64.368° N, 30.383° E), including yearlings (63.624°–63.924° N, 30.466°–30.901° E, northern taiga subzone), as well as the first reports of the species east of Lake Onego both in Karelia and the Arkhangelsk Region. The studies have revealed habitat preferences and the rate of use of urban territories in the north of the distribution range: high shares of records come from deciduous (34.0% of the total number of animals reported) and mixed (19.3%) forest sites, as well as farmland (10.8%), second-home communities (16.5%), and rural settlements (9.0%). Hedgehog encounters in cut-over places, pine and spruce stands, wetlands, abandoned hamlets, and solitary buildings in the woods were few (0.5–6.1%). Most of the records were a result of accidental sightings by humans (80.8%), while domestic dogs spotted 19.2% of the hedgehogs. The earliest encounters in spring were recorded on 25.04–11.05, the latest in autumn on 2–17.09. The number of hedgehog encounters during their active life period was the lowest in April (1.1%), growing sharply in May and June (16.7 and 17.8%, respectively), peaking in July and August (30.0 and 24.4%), and falling sharply in September (10.0%). Some of the population parameters were determined: an average brood was 2.8 young of the year, whose share amounted to 24.5% of the total number of records; active single animals prevailed among adults (86.3%), and much smaller shares belonged to active pairs (7.6%) and females with litter (6.1%). The main cause of the deaths was road killing by vehicles (77.4%). Climate warming and forest structure alterations may be reasons to expect further expansions of the area of hedgehog encounters, e.g., to transformed and urbanized boreal areas.

Readiness of Emergency Medical Teams of Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps for Response to Natural Disasters in Sri Lanka

Introduction:Sri Lanka has been divided into 26 districts. These 26 districts are Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Hambanthota, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Rathnapura, Kegalle, Badulla, Monaragala, Puttalam and Kurunegala. Ten key natural disasters have been identified in Sri Lanka as important to develop response capacity. These natural disasters are coastal erosion, cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, epidemics, floods, forest fires, landslides, lightning and tsunamis. Five battalions of the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (SLAMC) have been established in various parts of Sri Lanka. These battalions are named 1 SLAMC, 2(V) SLAMC, 3 SLAMC, 4 SLAMC and 5 SLAMC. The Army Hospital, Army Base Hospitals (ABH), and Medical Reception Stations have been located in various parts of Sri LankaMethod:Each battalion and hospital have Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) for response to disasters. An EMT consists of: one medical officer, two nurses, two nursing assistants and one ambulance with a driver. There are two EMTs in each battalion and each ABH. The Army hospital has three EMTs.Results:1 SLAMC is responsible for responding to disasters in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Rathnapura, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Puttalam. 2(V) SLAMC is responsible for responding to disasters in Hambanthota, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Monaragala. 3 SLAMC will respond to disasters in Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu. 4 SLAMC will respond to disasters in Jaffna and Kilinochchi dis. 5 SLAMC is responsible for disasters arising in Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara. When disasters happen in adjacent districts, hospitals will respond to those disasters.Conclusion:EMTs will be deployed to the disaster site as soon as possible and do treatments for casualties by staying seven days. The number of EMTs depends on the magnitude of the disaster.

Determinants of household energy choice for domestic chores: Evidence from the Semien Mountains National Park and Adjacent Districts, Northwest Ethiopia

Energy is a cornerstone and strategic tool to meet basic human needs and address many global development challenges. However, ensuring energy supply while limiting energy's contribution to environmental change is a major challenge confronting the energy sector in many developing countries. The challenge is more severe in Sub-Saharan Africa, where about 900 million people still rely on biomass fuels for cooking. Cooking with biomass might not be a problem by itself. Instead, it is the inability to use biomass energy resources sustainably. Improving the opportunities for modern and sustainable energy use is, thus, an essential prerequisite to enhancing the livelihoods of the poor. This study examines the determinants of household energy choice in the Semien Mountains National Park and adjacent districts in Northwest Ethiopia. A survey of 420 randomly selected households was administered using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and a multivariate probit model were employed to analyze the data. Results showed that households' energy utilization pattern is skewed towards biomass fuels, particularly fuelwood (87%), while only a few households use charcoal (32%) and electricity (17%) for domestic chores. The study also shows that the majority (87%) of households collect all of their energy sources themselves, while 13% purchase from the market. In addition, the results show that about 77% of households perceived that fuelwood availability had decreased over time owing to deforestation. Estimates of the multivariate probit model showed that a mix of factors, including age, gender, household size, education, income, access to electricity, off-farm activities, access to market, distance to forest, and housing type, determine household cooking energy choice and the extent of dependency on it. Thus, the findings proved that local communities prefer fuel stacking rather than ascending the energy ladder. Based on the results, the study recommended that the local community be encouraged to use biomass fuels in a more environmentally friendly way and use sustainable and affordable modern energy sources.