Background: Pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality continue to have a serious impact on the lives of women all over the world. Women in sub-Saharan Africa accounted for nearly two-thirds of global maternal deaths. The World Health Organization recommends monitoring maternal near-miss provides better information regarding the quality of maternal health care, on which to base action to prevent further death. Accordingly, this study sought to assess the incidence-proportion of maternal near-miss and its risk factors. We have also seen the near-miss-to-mortality ratio and overall maternal mortality index. Methods: An institution-based prospective cross-sectional study was carried out from February 6, 2017 to March 6, 2017, using the WHO criteria for maternal near-misses at the three randomly selected public hospitals. About 845 participants were enrolled in the study with systematic random sampling techniques. WHO multi-country survey on maternal and neonatal health tool was used. Descriptive statistics and bivariate logistic regression analysis were done. Variables with p-value <0.2 in the bivariate analysis were transferred to multivariable analysis, and during multivariate logistic regression analysis, variables with P-value <0.05 were considered as statistically significant with 95% CI. Results: There were 5530 live births, 210 maternal near-misses, 17 maternal deaths, and 364 maternal near-miss events. The overall proportion of maternal near-miss is 24.85%. Besides, the ratio of maternal near-misses to maternal mortality was 12.35:1, and the overall mortality index was 7.48%. Parity, residence, a distance of maternal home from the hospital, ANC follow-up, duration of labor, and administration-related problems were found to have statistically significant associations. Conclusion: The incidence-proportion of maternal near-misses is relatively high when compared against the national target and to other regional studies. Besides, with all its limitations, the outcome indicators and outcome measures in this study seem to suggest optimum care is being given to mothers who suffered from life-threatening complications.

Globally, 1.8 million HIV infected children live with HIV; nearly 53% of them were receiving HIV treatment. People who are infected with HIV are 18 times more likely to develop active TB. Despite antiretroviral treatment has shown marked reduction in TB incidence, TB continues to occur in Sub-Saharan countries including Ethiopia among HIV infected people. The effect of highly active antiretroviral treatment is quite successful in developed countries. However, in developing country TB/HIV co-infection remains perplexing among children on the treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ART on the incidence of TB among Children infected with HIV in Southwest Ethiopia. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on randomly selected 800 samples from ART clinic between 2009 and 2014. We used chi-square test, and Mann–Whitney U test to compare HAART naïve and HAART cohort. We used marginal structural models to estimate the effect of HAART on survival while accounting for time-dependent confounders affected by exposure. A total of 800 children were followed for 2942.99 child-years. The children were observed for a median of 51 months with IQR 31 and for a total of 2942.99 child-years. From 506 OIs that occurred, the most common reported OIs were Pneumonia (22%) and TB (23.6%). The overall TB incidence rate was 7.917 per 100 child years (95% CI, 6.933–9.002). Whereas among HAART (7.667 per 100-years (95% CI, 6.318–9.217) and 8.1686 per 100 person-years (95% CI 6.772–9.767) for HAART naïve. The mortality hazard ratio comparing HAART with no HAART from a marginal structural model was 0.642 (95% CI 0.442–0.931, p < 0.02). HAART reduced the hazard of TB in HIV-infected children by 36%. This is by far less than expected.

WHO has confirmed that COVID-19 disease is a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The disease is caused by a new virus called SARS-CoV-2. Since, the pandemic was announced around 18,854,287 cases and 708,639 deaths were reported as of August 7, 2020. This review aimed to explore the etiology, pathogenesis, manifestation and complication. The phylogenetic study showed that SARS-CoV-2 is a single-stranded RNA virus. The virus is very contagious and has rapidly spread globally. Its unique structure called S glycoproteins help the virus enters in and cause infection in the body. Children's body reacts against SARS-CoV-2 infections through the involvement of innate and adaptive immune system. The clinical manifestation in children is not specific and not determined. However, fever and cough have mostly been profiled. Though the severe condition is rarely reported in children compared with adults, life-threatening complications, and death associated with COVID-19 disease have been documented. Underlying chronic pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, immunosuppression, and obesity significantly contribute to the complications.

Background: Maternal near-miss refers to a situation where a woman who nearly died but survived from severe life-threatening obstetric complications that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy. It has been estimated that up to 9 million women survive obstetric complications every year. According to studies done around the world most mothers suffer from Near Miss due to the factors which includes, low socioeconomic status, patient related, health provider related, and health related and health institution related issues. Objectives: The objective of the study was to determine the proportion of maternal near misses and its associated factors in Selected Public Health Institutions of Keffa, Bench-Maji and Sheka Zones of South Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional state, South West Ethiopia, 2017. Methodology: Hospital based cross-sectional study design was employed and simple random sampling techniques (Lottery Method) was used to select the study institution and Systematic sampling technique was used to select 845 study participants every 5th interval. Information was collected by using pre-tested and structured interviewer administered questioner. Using SPSS version 21 software, descriptive statistics and bivariate logistic regression analysis was done and variables with p-value &lt;0.2 were transferred to multivariate analysis and during Multivariate logistic regression analysis Variables with P-value &lt; 0.05 were considered as statistically significant and AOR with 95% CI were used to control for possible confounders and to interpret the result. The results were summarized by tables, graphs and charts. Result: There were 5530 Live Births, 227 Sever Acute Maternal Morbidity cases of this 210 were Maternal Near-Misses cases and 17 were maternal deaths, 364 Maternal Near-Misses Events. The overall Maternal Near-Misses Proportion is 24.85%. The maternal Near-Misses outcome ratio was 41 cases/1,000 live births (LB); mortality ratio was 12.35cases/1 maternal death and 74.8/1000LB of mortality index. Parity, residence, distance of living place from hospital, ANC Follow up, duration of labor, and administrative related problems were found to have statistically significant associations. Conclusion: The proportion of Maternal Near-Misses is relatively high when compared to other regional studies and efforts should be done to lower the near-misses.

BACKGROUND: Children younger than 15 years, carry almost 80% of the global burden of HIV/AIDS. HIV worsens the progression of latent TB to active TB disease. Although antiretroviral treatment has shown marked reduction in Tuberculosis incidence, TB continues to occur in Sub-Saharan countries including Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of HAART on the incidence of tuberculosis among children infected with HIV in Southwest Ethiopia.METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2009 to 2014. We used chi-square test, and Mann-Whitney U test to compare non-HAART and HAART cohort. We estimated the effect of HAART on TB incidence using marginal structural model after adjusting for time dependent confounders affected by exposure.RESULT: A total of 844 children were followed. We observed them for a median of 51 months (IQR 31) and a total of 2942.99 child-years. The overall TB incidence rate was 7.917 per 100 child years (95% CI, 6.933-9.002). TB incidence for specific HAART and non-HAART cohort were 7.67 per 100 child-years (95% CI, 6.318-9.217) and 8.17 per 100 child-years (95% CI, 6.772-9.767) respectively. From marginal structural modeling, children on HAART were 36% (HR=0.642, 95% CI 0.442-0.931, p<0.02) less likely to develop TB compared to those who were not.CONCLUSION: HAART reduced the hazard of TB in HIVinfected children by 36%. This is by far less than what is expected.