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Background A patient's knowledge, attitude and practice toward diabetes self-care is found to be imperative for them to attain the desired treatment targets and contribute meaningfully in the management of their disease. Objective To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards diabetes self-care with the associated factors among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine knowledge, attitude, and practice toward diabetes self-care. Three hundred and seventy-one T2DM patients attending Jimma Medical Center from March 30 to June 1, 2019 were included in this study and an interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. SPSS version 20 was used for descriptive and logistic regression analysis. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals together with p -value <0.05 were used to declare statistical significance. Results Out of 371 patients, 201 (54.2%) were male. Of the total, 235 (63.3%) had good knowledge, 221 (59.6%) had positive attitude, and 201 (54.2%) had good self-care practice toward diabetes. Primary educational level (AOR=1.895) was associated with poor knowledge of diabetes, while urban living (AOR=0.570) was protective for low knowledge of diabetes. Monthly income <1000 Ethiopian birr (ETB); (AOR=2.723) and 1000–3000 ETB; (AOR=1.126), illiterate (AOR=2.3), and duration of diabetes mellitus (DM) <5 years (AOR=2.242) were significantly associated with negative attitude. Having other comorbidities (AOR=0.602) was less likely to have negative attitude towards diabetes. Patients age, 41–50 years (AOR=2.256), and 51–60 years (AOR=2.677), education: being illiterate (AOR=4.372), primary level (AOR=4.514), and earning monthly income <1000 ETB (AOR=4.229) were significantly associated with poor self-care practice. On the contrary, being male (AOR=0.198) was less likely to have a poor self-care practice. Conclusion The knowledge level, attitude status and self-care practice among T2DM patients were found to be optimal.

Background Malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum is among the major public health problems in most endemic areas of the world. Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) has been recommended as a first-line treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria almost in all endemic regions. Since ineffectively regulated medicines in resource limited settings could favour infiltration of poor quality anti-malarial medicines into pharmaceutical supply chain and jeopardize a positive treatment outcome, regular monitoring of the quality of anti-malarial medicines is critical. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the quality of fixed dose combination (FDC) artemether (ART)/lumefantrine (LUM) tablets available in Jimma zone, Ethiopia. Methods This study was conducted in Jimma zone, Ethiopia. A total of 74 samples of FDC ART/LUM (20 mg ART/120 mg LUM) tablets were collected from 27 public facilities. All samples were subjected to visual inspection and the relevant information was recorded. The samples were transported to Jimma University Laboratory of Drug Quality (JuLaDQ) and stored at ambient temperature (20 °C to 25 °C) until analysis. The Pharmacopoeial conform/non-conform methods and the risk-based Derringer’s desirability function approach were employed to assess the pharmaceutical quality of the investigated products. Results The visual inspection results revealed that there were no signs of falsified in the investigated products. Identification test results of samples indicated that all samples contained the stated active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The results of uniformity of mass indicated that all samples complied with International Pharmacopoeial specification limits. The assay results, expressed as percent label claim (%lc) of ART (89.8 to 108.8%, mean ± SD = 99.1 ± 3.9%) and LUM (90.0 to 111.9%, mean ± SD = 98.2 ± 3.8%) revealed that, all samples complied with International Pharmacopoeia acceptance specification limits (i.e. 90–110%lc), except one generic product (IPCA Laboratories Ltd., India) which contains excessive LUM (111.9 ± 1.7%lc). The risk priority number (RPN) results revealed that assay (RPN = 392) is relatively the most critical quality attribute followed by identity (RPN = 280) and mass uniformity (40). Quality evaluation based on psycho-physical Harrington’s scale revealed that more than 96% of samples were within the acceptable ranges (D ≥ 0.7–1.0). Conclusions Both Pharmacopoeial and risk-based desirability function approaches to quality evaluation applied to the investigated products revealed that above 96% FDC ART/LUM tablets circulating in public settings of Jimma zone are of good quality. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-019-2872-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: Dissolution is the critical quality control parameter and used to predict an in vivo oral bioavailability, and it is used to support bio-waiver. Aim: To evaluate and compare the dissolution profile of eight brands of metformin HCL 500 mg tablets available in Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia. Methods: The study was conducted in Jimma town, Ethiopia. Eight (seven brands and one comparator) metformin HCL 500 mg tablets were included. The dissolution study was conducted as per United States Pharmacopeia, and the dissolution profile was compared by one-way ANOVA, model-dependent and model-independent approaches. Results: All of the included tablet brands complied with single-point dissolution study specification. Statistical comparisons of the dissolution profile by one-way ANOVA revealed that all brands had similar dissolution profiles (p=0.89). All of the brands had a similarity factor (f 2 ) >50% and the difference factor (f 1 ) <15. The entire brands followed the Weibull curve approach (the highest coefficient of determination and lowest Akaike Information Criteria) for the release of an active pharmaceutical ingredient. Conclusion:All of the brands complied with single point dissolution study and all of them could be used interchangeably with the innovator drug. All brands followed the Weibull method for the release of the drug substance.

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) restores immune function and reduces HIV-related adverse outcomes. Patients on ART are recommended to periodic monitoring to ensure effective and durable treatment outcomes. Treatment failure is the main indication for ART switching and assessed by criteria used to define virologic, immunologic or clinical failure. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine incidence and clinical predictors of ART failure in ART user adult HIV patients in North West Ethiopia. Methods: A retrospective follow up study was conducted from June 1, to August 30, 2018 to determine the incidence and associated factors with first line ART failure among 315 adult ART users who started treatment between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2017. Data regarding patients' socio-demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatmentrelated information were collected through review of their medical charts. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Bi-variable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify predictors of treatment failure. P ≤ 0.05 was used to declare association. Result: Among 315 patients enrolled, 185 (59%) were females. Median age was 35 years (IQR 30-40 years). During 13,374 person-months of follow up, 32 (10.2%) persons failed their first line ART regimen at incidence of 2.39 failures per 1000 person-months of observation. Inadequate adherence (AHR (95% CI) = 6.01 (2.543-14.661), P value = 0.001), WHO clinical stage 3 and 4 (AHR (95% CI) = 4.471 (1.625-12.301), P value = 0.004), low base line BMI (AHR (95% CI) = 3.343 (1.552-7.201), P value = 0.002), and presence of ART drug toxicities (AHR (95% CI) = 2.470 (1.013-5.594), P value = 0.03) were found to be significant predictors of ART failure. Conclusion: Incidence of ART failure in ART clinic, University of Gondar hospital was considerable. Inadequate adherence was found to be the strongest predictor of first line ART failure. Close follow up and focused care is important to identify early treatment failure using the available resources.