Background More than one third of the neonatal deaths at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Debre Tabor General Hospital (DTGH) are attributable to birth asphyxia. Most of these neonates are referred from the maternity ward in the hospital. Concerns have also been raised regarding delayed intrapartum decisions for emergency obstetrics action in the hospital. However, there has been no recent scientific evidence about the exact burden of birth asphyxia and its specific determinants among live births at maternity ward of DTGH. Moreover, the public health importance of delivery time and professional mix of labor attendants haven’t been addressed in the prior studies. Methods Hospital based cross sectional study was conducted on a sample of 582 mother newborn dyads at maternity ward. Every other mother newborn dyad was included from December 2019 to March 2020. Pre-tested structured questionnaire and checklist were used for data collection. The collected data were processed and entered into Epidata version 4.2 and exported to Stata version 14. Binary logistic regressions were fitted and statistical significance was declared at p less than 0.05 with 95% CI. Results The prevalence of birth asphyxia was 28.35% [95% CI: 26.51, 35.24%]. From the final model, fetal mal-presentation (AOR = 6.96: 3.16, 15.30), premature rupture of fetal membranes (AOR = 6.30, 95% CI: 2.45, 16.22), meconium stained amniotic fluid (AOR = 7.15: 3.07, 16.66), vacuum delivery (AOR =6.21: 2.62, 14.73), night time delivery (AOR = 6.01: 2.82, 12.79) and labor attendance by medical interns alone (AOR = 3.32:1.13, 9.78) were positively associated with birth asphyxia at 95% CI. Conclusions The prevalence of birth asphyxia has remained a problem of public health importance in the study setting. Therefore, the existing efforts of emergency obstetric and newborn care should be strengthened to prevent birth asphyxia from the complications of fetal mal-presentation, premature rupture of fetal membranes, meconium stained amniotic fluid and vacuum delivery. Moreover, night time deliveries and professional mixes of labor and/delivery care providers should be given more due emphasis.

Background: Healthcare professionals are at the frontline facing the pandemic. Since the pandemic is new with sophisticated needs of resources, identifying perceived barriers of the healthcare institutions has an important input for the government in slowing the viral spread and prevents healthcare professionals from infection. Objective: The study was aimed to assessperceived barriers and preventive measures of corona virus disease among healthcare providers in Debretabor Town, north central Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare providers working in Debretabor town, north central Ethiopia from May 1 to 15, 2020. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were coded, entered, cleaned, and checked using Epi data statistical software version 4.2.0.0 and analysis using STATA Version 14 statistical software. Descriptive statistics of different variables were presented in figures, text, and tables. Chi-square (chi 2) test of independence was considered to examine the nonparametric association of factors with preventive practice, and association was considered at a P-value of less than 0.05. Results: A total of 183 healthcare providers participated in the survey, of which 67.76% were males, and 80.87% were in the age range of 25-35 years. About 45% of participants were nurses. In the current study, overall preventive practice was 68.3%. Despite recommendations by the World Health Organization, avoidance of outdoor, physical distancing, and avoiding meeting a person with a coughwere not implemented by 32.24%, 24.18%, and 13.11% of healthcare providers, respectively. Insufficient training, lack of policy, less commitment to infection control, and limitations of resources were perceived as major barriers for practicing preventive measures during the pandemic. Conclusion: Preventive measures taken by healthcare providers were poor. Multiple barriers, such as insufficient training related to the pandemic, limitation of resources, and less commitment of healthcare providers to infection prevention measures were reported. So, the government should work on reducing the pandemic propagation by fulfilling the barriers using different means or strategies.

Background Traditional neonatal uvulectomy is unsupervised, unscientific and potentially dangerous cultural malpractice. It is often accompanied with life threatening neonatal morbidities such as infection, septicemia, anemia, aspiration and oropharyngeal injury. However, there is no current regional and even national data of its public health importance in the health care system. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing the burden, associated factors and reasons of traditional uvulectomy among neonatal admissions at

Background: Different primary studies in Ethiopia showed the burden of nosocomial infection across geographical setting and variant period. However, the national level of burden and types of healthcare-associated infections were unknown. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the overall nationwide burden and types of healthcare-associated infections in Ethiopia. Methods: We searched PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, African Journal Online, and Addis Ababa University repository by date April 7, 2020. To assess publication bias, Egger's test regression analysis was applied. Weightinverse random-effect model meta-analysis was used. Subgroup analysis was conducted based on ward type, study region, study design, sample size and diagnostic method, ward type, and study participants. Results: A total of 18 studies with 13,821 patients participated in the overall prevalence estimation. The pooled prevalence of healthcare-associated infection was 16.96% (95% CI 14.10-19.82). Specifically, surgical site infection (39.66%), urinary tract infection (27.69%), bloodstream infection (19.9%), dual infections (SSI and UTI) (14.01%), and respiratory tract (13.51%) were the commonest types of healthcare-associated infection. In subgroup analysis, the highest overall prevalence was observed as surgical, gynecology, and obstetrics ward (22.42%). Conclusions: The national prevalence of healthcare-associated infection remains high. The most common type of HCAI was surgical site infection, followed by urinary tract infection, bloodstream infection, SSI and UTI, and respiratory tract infection. The overall prevalence was highest in surgical, gynecology, and obstetrics ward. Hence, infection prevention and control should be a priority agenda in healthcare with due emphasis for surgical patients.

Background: Globally, in 2016, about 38% and 3% of all neonatal death were recorded in sub-Saharan Africa and Ethiopia, respectively. In the same year, 47 neonates out of 1000 live births were not surviving in the first 28 days of age in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Despite the highest burden of neonatal death in the region, specific or the proximate determinants of neonatal death in the neonatal intensive care unit were not well identified.

Background Healthcare-associated infection is a global threat in healthcare which increases the emergence of multiple drug-resistant microbial infections. Hence, continuous surveillance data is required before or after patient discharge from health institutions though such data is scarce in developing countries. Similarly, ongoing infection surveillance data are not available in Ethiopia. However, various primary studies conducted in the country showed different magnitude and determinants of healthcare-associated infection from 1983 to 2017. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the national pooled prevalence and determinants of healthcare-associated infection in Ethiopia. Methods We searched PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and grey literature deposited at Addis Ababa University online repository. The quality of studies was checked using Joanna Brigg’s Institute quality assessment scale. Then, the funnel plot and Egger’s regression test were used to assess publication bias. The pooled prevalence of healthcare-associated infection was estimated using a weighted-inverse random-effects model meta-analysis. Finally, the subgroup analysis was done to resolve the cause of statistical heterogeneity. Results A total of 19 studies that satisfy the quality assessment criteria were considered in the final meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of healthcare-associated infection in Ethiopia as estimated from 18 studies was 16.96% (95% CI: 14.10%-19.82%). In the subgroup analysis, the highest prevalence of healthcare-associated infection was in the intensive care unit 25.8% (95% CI: 3.55%-40.06%) followed by pediatrics ward 24.16% (95% CI: 12.76%-35.57%), surgical ward 23.78% (95% CI: 18.87%-29.69%) and obstetrics ward 22.25% (95% CI: 19.71%-24.80%). The pooled effect of two or more studies in this meta-analysis also showed that patients who had surgical procedures (AOR = 3.37; 95% CI: 1.85–4.89) and underlying non-communicable disease (AOR = 2.81; 95% CI: 1.39–4.22) were at increased risk of healthcare-associated infection. Conclusions The nationwide prevalence of healthcare-associated infection has remained a problem of public health importance in Ethiopia. The highest prevalence was observed in intensive care units followed by the pediatric ward, surgical ward and obstetrics ward. Thus, policymakers and program officers should give due emphasis on healthcare-associated infection preventive strategies at all levels. Essentially, the existing infection prevention and control practices in Ethiopia should be strengthened with special emphasis for patients admitted to intensive care units. Moreover, patients who had surgical procedures and underlying non-communicable diseases should be given more due attention.

Background Risk perception, positive emotions, and preparedness are important parameters in predicting pandemic protective behaviors. Though, health care providers are required with sufficient knowledge, skills, preparedness and best practices towards corona virus 2019, there are limited studies in Ethiopia. Aim This study aimed to assess health care providers’ level of risk perception, preparedness and its associated factors among HCWs in North Central Ethiopia, 2020. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 217 health care providers working in South Gondar zone Hospitals from May 15–30, 2020. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were coded, entered, cleaned and checked using Epi data statistical software version 4.2.0.0 and taken in STATA Version 14 statistical software for analysis. Binary logistic regression was used for the analysis. Odds ratio along with 95% CI were estimated to measure the strength of the association. Descriptive statistics are presented in figures, text, and tables. Findings and conclusion The level of high risk perception among frontline health care workers was 57.6% (95% CI: 56.9, 58.3). Almost half, 49.8% health care providers were prepared for corona virus pandemic and only 43.78% of health care providers had good knowledge regarding COVID -19. Having good knowledge (Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR) = 2.83; 95% CI: 1.49, 5.34), training on COVID -19 (AOR = 2.16; 95% CI:1.07, 4.39), and avoiding meeting suspected/confirmed of COVID -19 (AOR = 2.67; 95% CI:1.05, 6.83) were significantly associated with risk perception. Risk perception, knowledge and preparedness for corona virus pandemic were low. Ensuring the improvement of knowledge, preparedness, and encouragement is important.

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