East Hararghe Research Articles

Indoor air bacterial quality and associated factors in prison inmate cells of East Hararghe Zone and Harari Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia.

Bacterial indoor air load refers to the level of bacteria within and around dwellings and other structures. Pathogens, bacterial cell fragments, and bacterial organisms' byproducts can all pose major issues indoors, especially in prison inmate cells. However, there is lack of data on bacterial load and contributing factors in the East Hararghe zone and Harari regional state. The lack of studies on microbiological indoor air quality in prisons with contributing factors will therefore be filled by this investigation. The study aimed to assess bacterial indoor air load and contributing factors in prison inmate cells from October 1 to October 30, 2020. An institutional cross-sectional study was employed. All of the prisons in the East Hararghe zone and the Harari regional state served as the study's and source population. 62 prison cells were used in the investigation. Samples were obtained using the passively settling plate technique. The data were evaluated through the use of SPSS statistical software, Excel, and the statistical procedures of ANOVA, correlation, and chi-square test. The maximum and minimum bacterial loads, were recorded at 8:00 am (3027 CFU/m3) and 2:00 pm (1048 (CFU/m3) respectively. The correlation between the temperature and bacterial load was strongly positive (r = 0.680, p = 0.047), and the correlation of the moisture content and bacterial load was strongly negative (r = -0.671, p = 0.039). The levels of bacteria were higher than the guideline (2000 CFU/m3). While the relative humidity of indoor air was negatively correlated with bacterial load, temperature and bacterial load were significantly positively correlated. Harari regional state and East Hararghe zone prison commissions should be alarmed to alleviate these problems. The building standards need to be completely updated to the latest standards.

Effect of harvesting time on root yield and nutritional composition of orange-fleshed sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] varieties in East Hararghe

In eastern Ethiopia, sweet potato is a vital food and nutrition security crop; moreover, orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) varieties are rich in beta-carotene content and have the potential to alleviate chronic Vitamin A malnutrition in the region. However, the unavailability of adaptable varieties and lack of information on production and post-harvest handling practices have limited its production and utilization in eastern Ethiopia. The research was conducted to identify the proper harvesting stage of OFSP varieties for optimum yield and nutritional compositions at Rare and Babile research stations of Haramaya University during the main rainy season of 2022. Three varieties (Alamura, Kabode, and Bakule) and four harvesting periods (120, 150, 180, and 210 days after planting (DAP) in factorial combinations were evaluated in randomized complete block design with three replications. Data were collected for growth, yield, and physicochemical composition-related parameters. Combined analysis of variance revealed the interaction effect of harvesting time and varieties had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on yield, yield-related parameters, and physicochemical components. Alamura variety produced comparable above-ground biomass (28.99 t ha−1) and the highest marketable root yield of 36.40 t ha−1 at 150 DAP, with dry matter content of 33.01 and 30.58 % at 150 and 120 DAP, respectively. Harvesting Alamura at 150 DAP also had the highest ꞵ-carotene, zinc, and iron contents of 11809 μg/100 g, 3.79, and 14.47 mg/100 g, respectively. It was concluded that growing the Alamura variety and harvesting at 150 DAP was better for obtaining higher root yield with good nutritional compositions in the study area.

Time to recovery from moderate acute malnutrition and its predictors among children aged 6-59 months in Fedis Woreda, East Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia.

Acute malnutrition is a major global public health problem, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. A targeted supplementary feeding program is an approach recommended to address moderate acute malnutrition in food-insecure settings. Preventing and treating moderate acute malnutrition requires identifying factors shown to affect the treatment outcome and duration of stay on treatment. This study aimed to determine the time to recovery from moderate acute malnutrition and its predictors among children aged 6-59 months in Fedis Woreda East Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia, from January 1 to December 31, 2022. A facility-based retrospective cohort study was conducted on 567 children with moderate acute malnutrition in Fedis Woreda, East Hararghe Zone, eastern Ethiopia. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed, and data was collected using a structured checklist. Data were extracted from randomly selected records after obtaining ethical clearance. Data were cleaned, coded, entered into EpiData 4.6, and analyzed using STATA/SE version 14. Descriptive statistics and analytic analysis schemes, including bivariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, were conducted, and finally, statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. The overall median time to recovery was 16 weeks. The major predicting factors for time to recovery among children aged 6-59 months were admission with a mid-upper arm circumference of 12.1-12.4 centimeters (AHR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.19), access to transportation to facilities (AHR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.36-0.81), children using specialized nutritious foods (RUSF; AHR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.36-3.11), and children who had diarrhea (AHR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.31-0.71). The study found a median recovery time of 16 weeks for children with targeted supplementary feeding. Significant predictors included admission with a MUAC of 12.1-12.4 centimeters, transportation access, RUSF use, and the presence of diarrhea. These findings highlighted the importance of these factors in determining and improving recovery from moderate-acute malnutrition.

Assessment of Reproductive Health Disorders in Dairy Cattle and Its Associated Risk Factors in Melka Belo Woreda of East Hararghe Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

One of the key elements affecting the profitability of the cow-calf business is reproductive disorders. From March to August of 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Melka Belo Woreda East Hararghe Zone with the aim of identifying reproductive health issues in dairy cattle and the risk factors associated with them. According to the current study, of the 50 respondents, 37 (74%) were men and 13 (26%) were women, with respect to various occupational and educational backgrounds. Of the 50 respondents, 2 (4%) worked in Artificial Insemination, 17 (34%) in animal health, and 31 (62%) as animal owners. All of these respondents were representative of the study population in the study area. Out of the 397 cows that were analyzed, 126 (31.74%) had at least one reproductive issue that was found through both routine follow-up (n = 13) and retrospective analysis (n = 384). The study found that dystocia (8.85%), retained fetal membrane (7.3%), repeat breeder (5.2%), prolapse of the uterus and vagina (4.43%), anestrous (3.13%), and abortion (2.34%) were the main reproductive issues. Breeds and parity had no statistically significant (p&gt;0.05) impact on the incidence of reproductive difficulties in dairy cattle, while the prevalence of assessed reproductive disorders showed a significant difference (p&lt;0.05) with respect to age and body condition. In general, the current findings showed that reproductive health issues are prevalent in the study region, as indicated by their percentage and categories, which occasionally vary. This study demonstrated the strong correlation between reproductive problems and dairy cows’ ability to reproduce. Therefore, consistent control of reproductive health and appropriate husbandry techniques may offer ways to mitigate issues that arise in various production systems. The primary reproductive health conditions in the research region should be the subject of more thorough investigations.

Predictors of time to recovery from uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition among children in eastern Ethiopia.

Managing severe acute malnutrition (SAM) involves an outpatient therapeutic program (OTP), targeting more than 80% of SAM children where the quality of primary healthcare remains poor. Treatment success and recovery from SAM remain poor and could be affected by many factors, where such evidence is limited in East Hararghe. This study assessed the predictors of time to recovery from SAM in eastern Ethiopia. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 402 records of SAM children under 5 years of age enrolled on OTP at 12 health posts retrieved from 2020 to 2021. We used the Kaplan-Meir estimate along with the p-value of the log-rank test and the survival curve to compare the time to recovery across categories. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was fitted to identify predictors of time to recovery from SAM. A p-value below 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. A total of 402 records were reviewed, and the cure rate from SAM was 89.6% [95% confidence interval (CI), 87-93]. Moreover, a death rate of 0.7%, a default rate of 9.5%, and a non-responder rate of 0.2% were obtained with a median length of stay of 7 weeks. The median time to recovery was significantly shorter for children from shorter distances from OTP sites with edema, amoxicillin, (p < 0.05). Edema at admission [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.33-2.29], without diarrhea (AHR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.18-1.94), taking amoxicillin (AHR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.19-2.02), shorter travel time to the OTP site (AHR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.13-1.85), breastfeeding (AHR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.27-2.02), adequacy of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) (AHR = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.90-1.65), and new admission (AHR = 1.62; 95% CI: 0.84-3.10) were important predictors of recovery from SAM. Recovery from SAM was found to be acceptable in comparison with the Sphere Standards and is predicted by edema, diarrhea, distance from the OTP site, amoxicillin, and RUTF adequacy. These allow for focused interventions that address the identified factors for better recovery from SAM.

Does livestock-crop diversification improve food and nutrition security? Evidence from Eastern Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Pastoral and agro-pastoral households are the most vulnerable parts of the population to climate change-induced shocks and they are increasingly subject to acute food and nutrition insecurity. We identified drivers of livestock-crop diversification and examined its effects on improving households’ food and nutrition security using cross sectional data collected from 258 households across five districts in the East Hararghe zone in Ethiopia. Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) analysis was used to identify factors associated with the households’ food and nutrition security outcomes and estimate the causal effects of livestock-crop diversification on the households’ food and nutrition security. Our results show that land certification, mobile phone ownership, and access to pastoral training centres were positively and significantly associated with livestock-crop diversification. In contrast, being located in Meyu Muluke and Kumbi districts were negatively and significantly associated with livestock-crop diversification, compared to Chinaksen district. The average treatment effect estimations suggest that livestock-crop diversification has positively and significantly improved diversified households’ nutritional security outcome. The findings also reveal that non-diversified households’ food insecurity would have reduced had they diversified. Nonetheless, livestock-crop diversification is neither enough to pull farm households fully out of food and nutrition insecurity nor the only factor influencing farm households’ food and nutrition security outcomes. Hence, there is also a need to strengthen access to physical infrastructure, credit facilities, extension services, provision of farm inputs, and pastoral training centres to reduce food and nutrition insecurity in the study area.

Genotype by Environment Interaction and Stability Analysis for Yield of Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in East Hararghe, Ethiopia

Genotype by Environment Interaction and Stability Analysis for Yield of Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in East Hararghe, Ethiopia

Adaptation Trial of Improved Papaya (Carica papaya L.) Varieties in East Hararghe, Oromia, Ethiopia

Adaptation Trial of Improved Papaya (Carica papaya L.) Varieties in East Hararghe, Oromia, Ethiopia

Effect of Staking, Mulching, and Organic Manure on Tomato Yield and Yield Components at Fedis, East Hararghe Zone

Effect of Staking, Mulching, and Organic Manure on Tomato Yield and Yield Components at Fedis, East Hararghe Zone

Understanding associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in Ethiopia: findings from a mixed-methods longitudinal study

ObjectiveTo understand the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and menstrual hygiene management (MHM) among adolescent girls in Ethiopia and to explore which girls were most affected by pandemic disruptions.DesignTwo rounds...

Unleashing student potential through co-curricular activities in East Hararghe Secondary Schools, Ethiopia

Co-curricular activities are essential for students' overall development, offering valuable life skills, personal interest exploration, and enriching educational experiences. This study aimed at to explore the effect of co-curricular activities on students' holistic development and education quality. Data was gathered from eight supervisors, ten principals, 14 vice-principals, 20 co-curricular coordinators, 109 teachers, and 259 students across ten schools through purposive and stratified random sampling techniques. A questionnaire and interviews were employed for data collection. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for analysis. The results revealed that co-curricular activities in secondary schools are currently deficient in terms of quantity and quality. Issues such as disorganization, structural challenges, limited student participation, and inadequate training contribute to this problem. Consequently, these activities have limited influence on students' overall development and education quality. The study's implications extend beyond the specific Ethiopian region, highlighting the potential of co-curricular activities to unlock students' potential.

Farmers resilience to climate variability and perceptions towards adoption of climate smart agricultural practices: evidence from Kersa district, East Hararghe of Ethiopia

Farmers resilience to climate variability and perceptions towards adoption of climate smart agricultural practices: evidence from Kersa district, East Hararghe of Ethiopia

Assessment of community knowledge, attitude, and practice towards rabies and its determinants in Kersa District, East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Despite the prevention and control efforts against rabies, it remains a health problem for humans and animals in Ethiopia. A cross- sectional study design was employed from February to July 2022 to assess community knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards rabies and associated factors in the Keresa district of Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from 384 households, and logistic regression was employed in the data analysis. Fifty-three percent (95% CI= 47.9-58.1%), 62% (95% CI= 57.3- 66.9%), and 50% (95% CI= 45.1-54.9%) had adequate knowledge, a desirable attitude and good preventative practices towards rabies, respectively. 92.7% (95% CI= 90.1-95.3%) of participants had heard of rabies before, and 52.9% (95% CI= 47.9-58.1) of their primary source of information was the community. Nearly all respondents, 95% (95%CI= 93.8-97.7%), admitted to eating rabid animal flesh, and 56.3% (95%CI= 51-61.5%) believed that eating rabid animal meat may transmit the disease. One-fourth, 25.5% (95%CI=21.1-29.9%) of study participants believed that rabies is related to spirits, and 27.9% (95%CI= 23.4-32.6) claimed that holy water might treat rabies. Sex, level of education, occupation, and training status affect the knowledge of study participants. Age, family size, occupation type, and source of information were all linked to preventive practice, but sex and age were the only variables associated with attitude. Respondents having good knowledge and desirable attitudes had better preventive practices against rabies. Therefore, further awareness and disease-related training are needed for the district population and beyond to improve their knowledge of rabies prevention and control.

The NLR SkinApp: Testing a Supporting mHealth Tool for Frontline Health Workers Performing Skin Screening in Ethiopia and Tanzania.

Background: The prevalence of skin diseases such as leprosy, and limited dermatological knowledge among frontline health workers (FHWs) in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, led to the development of the NLR SkinApp: a mobile application (app) that supports FHWs to promptly diagnose and treat, or suspect and refer patients with skin diseases. The app includes common skin diseases, neglected tropical skin diseases (skin NTDs) such as leprosy, and HIV/AIDS-related skin conditions. This study aimed to test the supporting role of the NLR SkinApp by examining the diagnostic accuracy of its third edition. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in East Hararghe, Ethiopia, as well as the Mwanza and Morogoro region, Tanzania, in 2018-2019. Diagnostic accuracy was measured against a diagnosis confirmed by two dermatologists/dermatological medical experts (reference standard) in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. The potential negative effect of an incorrect management recommendation was expressed on a scale of one to four. Results: A total of 443 patients with suspected skin conditions were included. The FHWs using the NLR SkinApp diagnosed 45% of the patients accurately. The values of the sensitivity of the FHWs using the NLR SkinApp in determining the correct diagnosis ranged from 23% for HIV/AIDS-related skin conditions to 76.9% for eczema, and the specificity from 69.6% for eczema to 99.3% for tinea capitis/corporis. The inter-rater reliability among the FHWs for the diagnoses made, expressed as the percent agreement, was 58% compared to 96% among the dermatologists. Of the management recommendations given on the basis of incorrect diagnoses, around one-third could have a potential negative effect. Conclusions: The results for diagnosing eczema are encouraging, demonstrating the potential contribution of the NLR SkinApp to dermatological and leprosy care by FHWs. Further studies with a bigger sample size and comparing FHWs with and without using the NLR SkinApp are needed to obtain a better understanding of the added value of the NLR SkinApp as a mobile health (mHealth) tool in supporting FHWs to diagnose and treat skin diseases.

Assessment of on-farm sorghum grain loss under farmers' traditional postharvest practices in the East Hararghe Lowlands of Ethiopia

Assessment of on-farm sorghum grain loss under farmers' traditional postharvest practices in the East Hararghe Lowlands of Ethiopia

Floristic Composition, Diversity, and Regeneration of Woody Plant Species of Dabal Forest in Southeastern Ethiopia: Implication for Conservation.

Floristic composition, population structure, and regeneration status of woody species of Dabal forest found in East Hararghe zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, were studied. Vegetation data were obtained from 52 main plots of 20 × 20 m for mature woody species and 5 subplots of 5 × 5 m for seedlings and saplings. Density and dbh of each live woody plant species found in each sample plot were recorded. Frequency, basal area, importance value, and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices were also computed. Totally 59 woody plant species distributed in 33 families were documented. Of these, 45.80, 44.10, and 5.08% were shrubs, trees, and lianas, respectively. Species diversity and evenness indices were 3.56 and 0.87, respectively. Stem count of all woody species was 3379 stems ha-1. Out of this, 44.6, 30.8, and 24.59% were seedlings (dbh <3.5 cm), saplings (dbh between 3.5 and 10 cm), and mature (dbh >10 cm) individuals, respectively. Total basal area of all individuals with dbh ≥3.5 cm was 29.88 m2 ha-1. Juniperus procera, Cupressus lusitanica, Eucalyptus globulus, Afrocarpus falcatus, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Myrsine africana, Maytenus undata, Hagenia abyssinica, Ekebergia capensis, and Cordia africana were species with top ten IVI. Most of these species were top densest, dominant, and frequent. Analysis of population structure based on pooled densities of all species in each dbh class showed that density of seedling > sapling > mature individuals, signifying healthy population structure with good natural regeneration potential. On individual basis, however, 35.6 and 8.5% of species showed fair and poor regeneration statuses, respectively, that deserve attention for conservation.

Genotype x Environment Interaction and Yield Stability Analysis of Early Maturing Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor] Genotypes in East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia

Genotype x Environment Interaction and Yield Stability Analysis of Early Maturing Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor] Genotypes in East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia

Assessment of on-farm sorghum grain loss under farmers' traditional postharvest practices in the East Hararghe Lowlands of Ethiopia

Assessment of on-farm sorghum grain loss under farmers' traditional postharvest practices in the East Hararghe Lowlands of Ethiopia

Assessment of Participatory Awareness on Major Constraints of Livesck Productions and Market Accessibility in Kumbi District East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia

An attempt was made to study major health problems of livestock in kumbi Woreda, Eatarn Ethiopia, from December 2015 to April 2016 Questionnaire survey was carried out on 100 livestock owners to collect information on the livestock production system and the major health problems recognized by farmers in the study area, observational also were conducted. The questionnaire survey result revealed that in cattle infectious diseases (58.5 %) followed by miscellaneous case (27%) and parasitic problem (14.5%), in sheep parasitic problems (50.3%) followed by infectious diseases (46.2%) and miscellaneous cases (3.5%) are the common health constraints and similarly in goats the most important health problems were those caused by parasites (20.5%) followed by infectious cases (63.1%) and miscellaneous diseases (16.3%). In equines miscellaneous cases (63.5%) followed by parasitic diseases (11.5%) and infectious diseases (25.5%) were identified. In poultry NCD (53.5%) was the most devastating. e retrospective study showed that infectious disease with an average of 28.2%, parastic 46.4% and miscellanosis 25.4% were frequently recorded in the woreda veterinary clinic. The study also addressed that the animal production system in the study area in general is traditional with a number of problems. Most of the respondents complained that animal feed followed by water shortage is serious problem. They also indicated that due to uncontrolled animal movement specially from kumbi district, disease transmissions problem. Infectious disease.

Assessment on Indigestible Foreign Bodies of Cattle and Associated Risk Factors at Selected Slaughtere House of East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2023 to March 2024 with the aim of assessing the prevalence of indigestible foreign bodies and associated risk factors in cattle slaughtered at selected districts of east Ararghe municipal abattoirs. A total of 384 cattle were selected randomly and examined to check for the presence of indigestible foreign bodies in the rumen and reticulum of study animals. Among them, 109(28.39%) were found positive for the occurrence of indigestible foreign bodies in rumen and reticulum. Age, body condition and origin of the animals were determined during ante mortem examination while animals were examined for indigestible foreign bodies during postmortem examination. Age, body condition score and origin of animals had significant (P&lt;0.05) effect on the prevalence of foreign bodies. Foreign bodies were highest in cattle old age groups 58(36.71%) followed by young 28(23.53%) and adult 23(21.50%). The prevalence rate recorded in poor, medium, and good body condition of cattle were 62(68.89%), 34(32.69%) and 13(6.84%), respectively. The significantly (P=0.000) higher foreign bodies in rumen and reticulum were found in cattle originated from Babile 58(60.42%) followed by kombolcha 24(25.00%) and Girawa 17(17.71%) and the lower prevalence were observed in Gorogutu 10(10.42%). Out of 109 (28.39%) total positive cases of foreign bodies 56(14.58%), 35(9.11 %) and 18(4.69 %) prevalence rate of foreign bodies were observed in rumen, reticulum and both rumen and reticulum, respectively. Rumen harbored mostly non-metallic foreign materials while reticulum was the major site for the retention of metallic objects. Plastic 38(9.90%) were recovered as the most common foreign bodies followed by rope 16(4.17%), cloth and plastic 16(4.17%), Nail 13(3.39%), wire 12 (3.13%), cloth 7(1.82 %), and rope and plastic 7(1.82 %). Presence of the foreign bodies in the rumen and reticulum of the current study area was expose cattle to health associated problems and contribute for reduction in production. Consequently, appropriate solid waste disposal system need to implement in the study area to prevent health risk of ruminants and also to protect the environment.