Knowledge, attitude, and associated factors towards COVID-19 among nurses who work in South Gondar Zone, hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia 2020. A multi-central institution-based cross-sectional study.

Coronavirus disease 2019 is an emerging respiratory disease that is caused by a novel coronavirus and was first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The world was affected by the Coronavirus Disease in 2019. In sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, there is no study conducted on the level of Knowledge, Attitude, and Associated Factors towards Coronavirus disease 2019 among Health care workers, specifically Nurses. This study aims to assess the level of Knowledge, Attitude, and Associated Factors towards Coronavirus disease 2019 among Nurses who work in South Gondar Zone, Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020. An Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among 166 Nurses in South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia, From 1 June to 30 June 2020. For selecting the study participants after proportional allocation of study subjects to each hospital, simple random sampling techniques were to be used. Data were entered into Epi info version 7.2.0.1, and exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences window version 24 for analysis. Binary and multivariable logistic regression was used to see the association between dependent and independent variables. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was computed. P-value < 0.05 was used to declare association. Finally, the result is presented in the form of texts, tables, and graphs. Of 166 Nurses, 166 (100% response rate) responded to the online interview questionnaire. Of the participating 166 nurses, 57.2% were females and 42.8% were males; 41.6 % of the respondents were between the ages of 20 and 29 years. About 84.9 % had good knowledge and 63.3% favourable attitude of COVID-19. Wearing general medical masks can prevent one from acquiring infection by the COVID-19 virus. AOR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.005-0.362 were factors of knowledge about COVID-19, whereas, 'I strongly agree' Medical staff were ready to participate in anti-epidemic in the community, AOR = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.003-1.76 were factors of attitude about COVID-19. Where factors of attitude about COVID-19. In this study, most of the nurses had good knowledge and a favourable attitude regarding of COVID-19. Wearing general medical masks that can prevent one from acquiring infection by the COVID-19 virus were factors in association with the knowledge of nurses on COVID-19. Similarly, Medical staff were ready to participate in anti-epidemic community factors associated with the attitudes of nurses on COVID-19.

Poor symptomatic tuberculosis screening practices in a quarter of health centres in Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

SETTING: In 2011, Ethiopia introduced a strategy of symptomatic tuberculosis (TB) screening for patients attending out-patient services to increase identification of presumptive TB. OBJECTIVE: To assess implementation and factors affecting symptomatic TB screening at out-patient departments in health centres in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia. DESIGN: Using a cross-sectional study design, 86 randomly selected public health centres providing DOTS were included in the study. Data were captured by reviewing TB registers and interviewing key informants at out-patient services. RESULTS: Of 86 health centres, 24 (28%) had poor symptomatic TB screening practices, defined as screening <80% of attending out-patients. Having an actively functioning multidisciplinary health centre team to assess TB services (aOR 2.29, 95%CI 2.23-30.80) and partner support for TB activities (aOR 4.84, 95%CI 1.05-22.40) were associated with higher TB screening rates, whereas availability of antiretroviral therapy was negatively associated. In all health centres combined, 1.6% of out-patient department attendees were identified as having presumptive TB. CONCLUSION: A quarter of health centres had poor symptomatic TB screening practices in the out-patient services in this study. Strengthening multidisciplinary teams and expanding partner support are recommended to improve TB screening practices at out-patient services in Ethiopia.

Contexte : En 2011, l'Ethiopie a introduit une stratégie de dépistage de la tuberculose (TB) basé sur les symptômes parmi les patients venant en consultation externe afin d'augmenter l'identification de patients suspects de TB.Objectif : Evaluer la mise en œuvre et les facteurs affectant le dépistage symptomatique de la TB en consultation externe dans des centres de santé de la région d'Amhara, Ethiopie.Schéma : Grâce à une étude transversale, 86 centres de santé publics, choisis au hasard et offrant des services DOTS, ont été inclus dans cette étude. Les données ont été recueillies grâce à une revue des registres et à des entretiens avec les personnes clé des services de consultations externes.Résultats : Vingt-huit pour cent des centres de santé (24/86) avaient une pratique médiocre du dépistage symptomatique de la TB, définie comme un dépistage de <80% des consultants externes. Les facteurs associés à un dépistage plus exhaustif comprenaient le fait d'avoir un centre de santé actif et bien fonctionnel, une équipe multidisciplinaire discutant des services liés à la TB (aOR 2,29, IC95% 2,23­30,80) et un soutien d'un partenaire pour les activités liées à la TB (aOR 4,84, IC95% 1,05­22,40) ; par contre, la disponibilité du traitement antirétroviral y était négativement associée. Dans tous les centres de santé combinés, 1,6% des consultants externes ont été identifiés comme suspects de TB.Conclusion : Dans cette étude, un quart des centres de santé avait une pratique de dépistage de la TB médiocre dans ses services de consultation. Il est recommandé de renforcer les équipes multidisciplinaires et d'étendre le soutien par un partenaire afin d'améliorer la pratique du dépistage de la TB dans les services de consultation externe en Ethiopie.

Marco de referencia: En el 2011 se introdujo en Etiopía una estrategia de detección sistemática de la tuberculosis (TB) sintomática en los pacientes que acuden a los servicios ambulatorios, con el objeto de mejorar el reconocimiento de los casos con presunción clínica de TB.Objetivo: Evaluar la aplicación de la estrategia de detección sistemática y los factores que influyen sobre sus resultados en los servicios ambulatorios de los establecimientos de salud en la región de Amhara en Etiopía.Método: En un examen transversal se seleccionaron de manera aleatoria, con el fin de participar en el estudio, 86 centros de atención sanitaria que prestan servicios de DOTS. Los datos se obtuvieron a partir del examen de los registros clínicos y mediante entrevistas a los informantes clave en los servicios ambulatorios.Resultados: Se observó que en 28% (24 de 86) de los centros sanitarios las prácticas de detección sistemática de la TB sintomática eran deficientes, pues alcanzaban <80% de los pacientes ambulatorios. Los siguientes factores se asociaron con una tasa más alta de detección: un equipo multidisciplinario operativo que examine los servicios relacionados con la TB en el centro (ORa 2,29; IC95% 2,23­30,80) y el respaldo de los organismos asociados a las actividades relacionadas con la TB (ORa 4,84; IC95% 1,05­22,40); la oferta de tratamiento antirretrovírico ofreció una relación inversa con la detección de la TB. En general, se estableció el diagnostico presuntivo de TB en 1,6% de los pacientes ambulatorios que acudieron a todos los centros.Conclusión: En un cuarto de los establecimientos sanitarios examinados en el presente estudio las prácticas de detección sistemática de la TB en los servicios ambulatorios eran deficientes. Se recomienda fortalecer los equipos multidisciplinarios y ampliar el respaldo de los asociados con el propósito de mejorar la detección de la TB en Etiopía.

Incidence of smear-positive tuberculosis in Dabat, northern Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) in Dabat District, northern Ethiopia. METHODS: Using a population-based longitudinal design, a TB surveillance system was initiated among 46,165 residents at the Dabat Health and Demographic Surveillance System site. Trained field workers visited each household every third month and interviewed all individuals aged ≥14 years using a uniform questionnaire to detect suspected cases of TB (cough ≥15 days), at which time two sputum (spot-morning) samples were collected for smear microscopy. RESULTS: A total of 281,820 person-months were observed during the 1-year period, which generated 74 smear-positive TB cases. The incidence of smear-positive TB was calculated at 311 per 100,000 person-years (95%CI 240-382). Higher rates were observed among females (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 2.08, 95%CI 1.24-3.52), persons with no schooling (IRR 2.74, 95%CI 1.11-6.78) and urban residents (IRR 2.39, 95%CI 1.39-4.12). CONCLUSION: The incidence of smear-positive TB is high in Dabat District, suggesting a high risk of transmission in the communities. TB control programmes thus need to improve case-finding mechanisms at the community level in Ethiopia, with greater emphasis on risk groups.

Pattern of Fatal Injuries in Addis Ababa; Ethiopia: A One-Year Audit

Background: Injury continues to account for a large number of clients attending emergency department in Addis Ababa. Reliable information on causes of death is essential to the development of health policies for prevention and control. The aim of this atudy was to identify the pattern and common causes of fatal injuries Methods: This is prospective study analyses autopsy data related to fatal injuries handled by Menilik II hospital between July1; 2006 -June 30; 2007. (Sene 24; 1998 - Sene 23; 1999) Results: A total of 2107 cases were analyzed. The victims were mostly male and the most vulnerable age group was found to be 15-44 years. Accidents versus homicide and accident versus suicide ratio was 1.8:1 and 5:1 respectively. Road traffic accidents were the most frequent causes of accident related death. Main means of homicide was hit by blunt or sharp object or firearm. More than 90of victims who committed suicide use hanging or poisoning.Ninety percent of deaths occur with in 24 hours of the injury and only 105 (5) died from the second day on wards. Eighty one percents of this patients had never received any medical care (either pre-hospital or hospital level). Conclusion: Road traffic accidents accounted for most causes of injury related deaths. Significant proportion of patients had no access to emergency medical care. The findings strongly suggest that more aggressive; regulatory; educational; and rapid emergency treatment is necessary to address the large number of injury related death

The FIGO Save the Mothers Initiative: the Ethiopia-Sweden collaboration.

The overall goal of the FIGO Save the Mothers Fund was to establish basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric care (EmOC) with the specific objectives of increasing the availability and utilization of quality obstetric care as measured by the UN indicators. As a result of this commitment by FIGO, the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) launched the Save the Mothers Project (SMP) in West Showa Zone (WSZ), Ethiopia in 1998 to implement and test a demonstration project and evaluate the feasibility and impact of the intervention. The overall objectives matched FIGO's-reducing maternal deaths by promoting the availability, access and utilization of EmOC services for women with complications of pregnancy and childbirth. The intervention package included capacity building as a major activity, and physicians and other service providers from Ambo Hospital, Shenen and Ijaji Health Centers were trained in EmOC. This was intended to combat the high staff turnover in the area. Equipment, materials and supplies were also provided to the demonstration sites to enable them provide basic and comprehensive EmOC services. The interventions, begun in 1999, led to improvements in availability, utilization and met need, which suggests that such an approach may eventually lead to the reduction of maternal deaths. The cesarean section rate for Ambo Hospital increased from 3.7% in 1998 to 17.3% in 2001--an almost six-fold increase. At Ambo Hospital both the total number of deliveries and cases admitted with obstetric complications have increased from baseline. Patients with obstructed labor comprise 39% of all obstetric patients making it the leading cause of hospitalization. Obstetric hemorrhage comes next with 24% of all admissions. The case fatality rate (CFR) (for direct maternal deaths) decreased from 7.2% at baseline, to 4.6% in 2001--showing a definite trend of improvement. Currently, there is 24-h EmOC service at Ambo Hospital where an obstetrician and general medical practitioners with EmOC training are responsible for the service. Shenen and Ijaji health Centers are upgraded in terms of training of staff members, provision of equipment and supplies, and regular supervision so that the community in these areas has access to basic EmOC services. To replicate similar activities, in a setting like ours, EmOC projects have to be low cost to attract decision-makers. The SMP used almost US dollars 100,000 over 3 years to ensure availability of EmOC services for women in WSZ. A favorable political climate such as maintenance of relative peace, and flexibility in adapting to local conditions also contributed to the success of the SMP.

Dialysis culture for determination of MIC and MBC of benzylpenicillin against Borrelia burgdorferi.

Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of benzylpenicillin (Pen G) against strains of Borrelia burgdorferi has earlier been determined by a recently developed dialysis culture technique which provides a constant concentration of Pen G. To further investigate this method, both MIC and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of Pen G against B. burgdorferi were determined and the results were compared with those obtained by other authors using different methods. The incubation period was 7 days and subcultures for MBC were observed for a further 2 weeks. The study showed results of MIC and MBC similar to those of broth microdilution, indicating sensitivity, but lower values than the majority of MIC and MBC results reported by other authors using broth macrodilution. It is essential for the results of antibiotic sensitivity testing in vitro against slowly growing bacteria like Borrelia burgdorferi that the concentration of antibiotics such as Pen G, which are unstable in solution, is constant during the incubation period.