Cefazolin access and use in Ethiopia: A policy implication.

Healthcare systems in resource-limited nations have been challenged by the shortage of essential medicines. This study explores cefazolin access and uses history in the Ethiopian healthcare delivery system, for possible policy implications. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted from July to August 2021. Semi-structured questions and observation guides were used to extract necessary data from people, documents, and field visits to hospitals, government supply agencies, and pharmaceutical business firms. The data were transcribed, coded, organized into themes, and presented. Cefazoline is the recommended first-line surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) in the Ethiopian Standard Treatment Guideline (STG) and is included in the national Essential Medicine List (EML). However, it was not available for use in the Ethiopian pharmaceutical markets for years. While the shortage might stem from supply-demand mismatches, multiple unknown issues exist in the background of the shortage. This is evidenced by the removal of cefazolin from the recent government procurement list regardless of the recommendation set in the national EML and STG. This study found a historic shortage of cefazolin in Ethiopian healthcare settings. This implies that the antibiotic availability in the pull market may not reflect required usage at facilities for several reasons including the misalignment of national guidelines and national procurement processes, and miscommunication between pharmacies and clinicians at sites on drug availability. Changing the essential medicines list and/or procurement requests without active review of the supply chain system and prescribing practices at facilities can lead to the elimination of necessary antimicrobial agents from the national public health sector supply.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and its Reasons in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy becomes the major bottleneck to the global healthcare system in minimizing the spread of the virus. This study aimed at assessing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its reasons among residents of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between May 16 to 29, 2021 in purposively selected four districts of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire was developed and then designed on Google Forms platforms to collect data from study participants after obtaining a verbal consent form. A total of 422 study participants were included in the survey. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel and then exported to the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 for analysis. Results: Face masks and alcohol hand rub/ sanitizer are used by 50. 7 and 24.9% of respondents when required. COVID-19 was thought to have been generated by humans by a substantial percentage of study participants (38.2%). About half (50.7%) and 24.9% of respondents use face masks and alcohol hand rub/sanitizer always when it is required, respectively. A large number of study participants (38.2%) believed that origin of COVID-19 is man-made. Overall, 242 (57.4%) of study participants reported COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Fear of vaccine side effects (49.6%) was the most common reason for hesitancy. Doubt about its effectiveness (33.9%), not having enough information about the COVID-19 vaccine, preferring another way of protection, and unreliable of the vaccine (due to its short development period) were also the most frequently mentioned reasons for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rate was high in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during the study period. Fear of side effects, doubts about its effectiveness, and not having enough information about the COVID-19 vaccine were major reasons for hesitancy. Continuous awareness creation to the community on the importance of vaccination is warranted by health professionals and healthcare cadres.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and its Reasons in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy becomes the major bottleneck to the global healthcare system in minimizing the spread of the virus. This study aimed at assessing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its reasons among residents of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between May 16 to 29, 2021 in purposively selected four districts of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire was developed and then designed on Google Forms platforms to collect data from study participants after obtaining a verbal consent form. A total of 422 study participants were included in the survey. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel and then exported to the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 for analysis. RESULTS: Face masks and alcohol hand rub/ sanitizer are used by 50. 7 and 24.9% of respondents when required. COVID-19 was thought to have been generated by humans by a substantial percentage of study participants (38.2%). About half (50.7%) and 24.9% of respondents use face masks and alcohol hand rub/sanitizer always when it is required, respectively. A large number of study participants (38.2%) believed that origin of COVID-19 is man-made. Overall, 242 (57.4%) of study participants reported COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Fear of vaccine side effects (49.6%) was the most common reason for hesitancy. Doubt about its effectiveness (33.9%), not having enough information about the COVID-19 vaccine, preferring another way of protection, and unreliable of the vaccine (due to its short development period) were also the most frequently mentioned reasons for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rate was high in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during the study period. Fear of side effects, doubts about its effectiveness, and not having enough information about the COVID-19 vaccine were major reasons for hesitancy. Continuous awareness creation to the community on the importance of vaccination is warranted by health professionals and healthcare cadres.