Quality of integrated community case management services at public health posts, Southwest Ethiopia.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the quality of an integrated community case management service (ICCM) and associated factors at health posts in Ethiopia. DESIGN AND METHODS: Institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted in the health posts of Jimma zone. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Binary logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of client satisfaction on services and the qualitative data were presented by triangulating with quantitative findings. RESULTS: This study indicated that 80%, 65% and 55% of health extension workers (HEW) correctly assessed cases, classified cases and prescribed drugs of ICCM cases respectively. Some caregivers (40.2%) knew about danger signs which they heard from HEWs (81.9%). More than one-fourth (29.01%) of caregivers reported that their children were exposed to illness like diarrhea (39.1%) in the last two weeks. HEWs have demonstrated to a large number of caregivers (66%) how to give medications. Being a housewife [AOR = 0.17(0.05,0.56)], having a farmer husband[AOR = 3.77(1.09,12.98)] and having a government employed husband [AOR = 5.32(1.03,27.48)] were significantly associated with ICCM services. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of health extension workers correctly assessed, classified and prescribed drugs for ICCM cases. Some caregivers knew about danger signs which the majority of them heard from health extension workers. Being a housewife and paternal occupation were significantly associated with clients' satisfaction in ICCM services. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Findings of this study can be used to guide the development of programs to improve integrated community case management service in Ethiopia by informing policymakers and other stakeholders about challenges of ICCM services.

Ethnoveterinary Survey of Medicinal Plants Used for Treatment of Animal Diseases in Ambo District of Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia.

Traditional knowledge on the use of medicinal plants is in danger of extinction because of different changes taking place all over the world including Ethiopia, and thus, there is a need for its immediate documentation for the purpose of conservation, sustainable utilization, and development. Thus, an ethnobotanical study was conducted in Ambo District, Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia, to document and analyze local knowledge on medicinal plants used for the treatment of animal diseases. Data were collected between November 2017 and April 2018 mainly through semi-interviews conducted with purposively selected informants. Data collected mainly included demographic information of respondents, local names of medicinal plants, plant parts used, preparation methods, mode of applications, diseases treated, and habit and habitat of the reported plants. Based on data obtained through interviews, informant consensus factor (ICF) values were computed. A total of 55 medicinal plants used to manage livestock ailment were reported by informants in the Ambo District. Herbs were commonly used in the preparation of remedies. Leaf was the most frequently utilized plant part accounting for 49.1% of the total reported medicinal plants. The majority (69.0%) of the medicinal plants used in the study district were uncultivated ones mainly harvested from edges of forests and bushlands, roadsides, riverbanks, and grasslands. High ICF values were obtained for ophthalmological (0.82), dermatological (0.79), febrile (0.77), and gastrointestinal ailments (0.77). The current study shows that there is still rich traditional knowledge on the use of plants to control various animal diseases in the study district. However, such a claim needs to be scientifically verified with priority given to medicinal plants used in the treatment of ailment categories with high ICF values as such plants are considered to be good candidates for further pharmacological evaluation.