The Political Impact of Chewing Khat (Chat) on Chewers: In the Case of Woldia City Administration of North Wollo, Amhara National Regional State

The main aim of this study was to investigate the political impact of chewing khat on the chewers in Woldia City Administration of North Wollo, Amhara National Regional State. As far as the researcher's reading, no research was conducted in Ethiopia dealing with the political impact of chewing khat on chewers. Accordingly, this study was conducted using qualitative methods of data collection. Semi-structured in-depth interview, focus group discussion (FGD), and complete observation were employed during data collection. The study used phenomenology design and the findings were analyzed thematically. The study found that khat chewers’ political unconsciousness, utopian involvement in politics, and fail in conspired politics were associated with khat chewing practices. Based on this findings, the researchers recommend that awarness creation about the anxiety of khat in political life is in need.

“Carnaval em casa”

The carnival of 2021 of Rio de Janeiro was unprecedently cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the city administration knew it would have to enforce the decision and convince residents to avoid celebrating despite the restrictions. Importantly, officials had the support of the samba schools and the blocos of street carnival, and the blocos organized a manifesto and campaign declaring that in 2021 carnival would be “at home.” While many scholars have shown how street music can mobilize revelers, this article shows that the blocos of Rio’s street carnival also have the capacity to demobilize them. Their campaign drew on familiar carnivalesque and Brazilian tropes to rationalize a biopolitical message of civic responsibility, respect for life, and resistance to virus denialism. They played on long-standing Brazilian tropes of carnival as an ephemeral moment whose presence is fleeting and soon experienced as saudade, or nostalgia. I explore various manifestations of the campaign, including its manifestos and arguments, as well as some of the alternatives that were offered, such as virtual carnival performances and new carnival songs adapted to the situation. By inverting their traditional demands to occupy the streets and instead limiting festivity to domestic space, the blocos framed their plea not as a departure from carnival tradition, but as fundamentally carnivalesque. I argue that classic carnival theories are best understood as performative rather than an explanatory; that is, it is how carnival practitioners deploy the carnivalesque tropes of inversion as elements of a persuasive discourse that is my focus.

Visual impairment and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care units at health institutions in Gondar City Administration, Northwest Ethiopia

Background Visual impairment is a major public health concern among women of reproductive age groups in Ethiopia, which is getting worse during pregnancy. Though visual impairment has lots of serious consequences across the life course of pregnant women, there is no previous study on this topic in Ethiopia. Thus, this study determined the prevalence of visual impairment and identified associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care units at the governmental health institutions in Gondar City Administration, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A systematic random sampling technique was used to recruit the study participants. We used an interviewer-administered questionnaire comprising of socio-demographic, clinical and pregnancy-related variables to collect the required data. Snellen’s illiterate “E” chart was used to determine visual impairment. EpiData 3 and Stata 14 were used for data entry and statistical analysis, respectively. Both bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were executed to identify associated factors of visual impairment. Variables with a p-value ≤0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression analysis were declared as statistically significant with visual impairment. Results A total of 417 (response rate = 98.6%) participants were involved in this study, with a median age of 27 years. The overall prevalence of visual impairment was 22.5% (95% CI: 18.5–26.6). Thirty (7.2%) and thirty-two (7.7%) of the study participants had moderate to severe visual impairments in their right and left eyes, respectively. Participants aged from 31 to 49 years (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1–4.0), being 3rd trimester (AOR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.3–4.5), multi & grand multipara (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.2–4.6), and history of contraceptive use (AOR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.2–6.3) had higher chance of visual impairment. Conclusion The magnitude of visual impairment among pregnant women was high in the study area. Therefore, routine screening and evaluation of pregnant women for visual condition during antenatal care visits is recommended. Further investigations of visual changes, particularly as a result of pregnancy, are warranted.

The Issue of Urban Transport Planning in Saudi Arabia: Concepts and Future Challenges

Sustainable mobility is a growing field that allows researchers to pay attention to the problem of public transit and its constraints. In spite of this, many developing countries often overlook this aspect of the question and focus on monetary issues instead. This causes an imbalance between a variety of sources of impact, such as the local economy, environmental problems, and even social interactions. The case of Riyadh, one of the essential transports and financial arteries of Saudi Arabia, was important because it showed that the city administration is yet to invest more resources in the existing Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and improve other non-quantifiable factors. The method applied for this research was a detailed review of the current plan that was completed in an attempt to highlight the biggest weaknesses and identify the opportunities to capitalize the future local transport planning. It was proposed to implement the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) method and formulate clearer objectives regarding how metro and bus stations should be located and maintained in order to make it easier for the citizens of Riyadh to reach all necessary destinations. A renewed framework is proposed to help the city administration cope with the increasing agglomeration and unemployment rates.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among individuals aged above 15 years and residing in congregate settings in Dire Dawa city administration, Ethiopia

Background Determining the extent of seropositivity of SARS-CoV-2 antibody has the potential to guide prevention and control efforts. We aimed to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among individuals aged above15 years and residing in the congregate settings of Dire Dawa city administration, Ethiopia. Method We analyzed COVID-19 seroprevalence data on 684 individuals from a community based cross-sectional survey conducted among individuals aged above 15 years and residing in congregate settings in Dire Dawa from June 15 to July 30, 2020. Data were collected using interview and blood sample collection. Participants were asked about demographic characteristics, COVID-19 symptoms, and their practice of preventive measures. Seroprevalence was determined using SARS-CoV-2 IgG test. Bivariate and multivariate multilevel mixed effects logistic regression model was fitted and statistical significance was set at p value < 0.05. Result The estimated SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 3.2% (95 % CI 2.0–4.8) in the study region with no differences by age and sex but considerable differences were observed by self-reported practice of COVID-19 preventive measures. The cluster effect is not significant (P = 0.396) which has suggested no evidence of heterogeneity in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among the clusters. The odds of SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence were higher for individuals who were employed and work by moving from home to work area (AOR; 9.73 95% CI 2.51, 37.68), reported of not wearing facemasks when leaving home (AOR; 6.4 95% CI 2.30, 17.66) and did not practice physical distancing measures (AOR; 10 95% CI 3.01, 33.20) compared to their counterparts, respectively. Our estimated seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among participants who reported not to have practiced social distancing measures was 12.8 (95% CI, 7.0, 19) and 1.5 (95% CI, 0.5, 2.5) among those who reported of practicing them. More than 80% of study participants reported of implementing infection prevention measures (face masks and physical distancing recommendations). Conclusion The detected SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among the study participants was low at the time of the survey indicating higher proportion of population yet to be infected. COVID-19 preventive measures were associated with reduced seroprevalence and should be promoted to avoid transmission to the uninfected majority.

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF PHARMACEUTICALS IN PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTIONS OF DESSIE CITY ADMINISTRATION, ETHIOPIA: A DESCRIPTIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Objective: This study was conducted to assess inventory management practices of pharmaceuticals in public health institutions of Dessie City Administration, Ethiopia. Methods: The research was conducted from February 5, 2019, to February 24, 2019, in 10 health facilities with a descriptive cross-sectional study using observation checklists. Results: Receipts, issues, losses, and adjustments were correctly recorded in seven stores. Invoices and bin cards were available in all stores. Logistic management and information system, Internal Facility Report and Resupply, and Report and Requisition Form were available in nine stores. Five stores had stock cards, but only three recorded prices correctly. The maximum, minimum, reorder, and buffer stock levels were not properly maintained (or automated). All stores had freezers but wall thermometers and lockable cabinets were absent in eight stores; seven did not use first expired, first out storage technique. Humidity and fire control mechanisms were absent in all and seven institutions, respectively. Nine institutions lack fireproof areas for combustibles, but eight stores held them with drugs. Conclusion: The inventory management practices of the institutions were not satisfactory. It is recommended that the health facilities should comply with standard operating procedures.