Introduction: Occupational health problems are the major issues of the world, particularly in developing countries. Sanitation workers are facing various health problems with little attention while conducting their day today activities. The review emphasizes the critical need for policies that ensure safety standards, provide proper protective gear, and establish regular health monitoring to protect workers' health and wellbeing.
Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and associated factors among sanitation workers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Methods and materials: This systematic review and meta-analysis was done based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA 2020). Literatures were searched using various database like Google scholar, Science-Direct, Pub-Med (Medline), Hinari, and Google. From eligible studies, data was extracted using Microsoft excel and exported to STATA version 14 statistical software for analysis. The prevalence of respiratory symptom was estimated using a random effect model. Publication bias was determined using Egger test and funnel plot whereas heterogeneity was evaluated using I2. Fortunately, 13 studies were included with a total participants of 4,401.
Results: The pooled prevalence of respiratory symptoms among sanitation workers was 43.79% (95% CI: 35.26, 52.33; I 2 = 97.3%, p < 0.000). Sanitation workers with a history of respiratory illness were 4.16 times more likely to have had respiratory symptoms compared to those without a history (OR: 4.16, 95% CI: 2.67, 5.66). Additionally, sanitation workers who did not wear nose/mouse masks were 2.36 times more likely to experience respiratory symptoms compared to their counterparts (OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.40, 3.32). Moreover, Sanitation workers with working experiences of greater than five were 1.81 times more likely to experience respiratory symptoms than those with less than 5 years working experiences (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.26, 2.39).
Conclusion: Generally, half of the sanitation workers experienced respiratory symptoms. The symptoms were associated with history of respiratory illness, utilizing of nose/ mouth face mask and working experience. Hence, awareness creation session should conducted mainly for those with history of respiratory illness and poor personal protective users.

Keywords: Sub Saharan Africa; prevalence; respiratory–epidemiology; risk factors; sanitation workers; systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative agent of gonorrhea and accounts for the majority of sexuallytransmitted infections globally. There are few studies on the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patternsof N. gonorrhoeae in Ethiopia.Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and associated factorsof N. gonorrhoeae.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among women attending Debre Markos town health institutions;in Northwest Ethiopia from June 1, 2022 to October 30, 2022. An endocervical swab was collected and culturedon Modified Thayer Martin medium. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the modifiedKirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique for isolates, following Clinical and laboratory standards institute guidelines.Logistic regression was applied to show the relationship between dependent and independent variables. P-value

Introduction: Barber-related infections, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), continue to be a major cause of illness and death. Numerous beauticians use razors and scissors on multiple customers without adequately sanitizing these tools. There is a lack of published research on the prevention practices and associated factors of hepatitis B virus infection among barbers in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the practice and associated factors of hepatitis B virus infection among barbers.
Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 411 barbers selected through simple random sampling. Data collection was performed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and an observational checklist. The collected data were first cleaned and entered into EpiData version 4.6 and then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Model fitness was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and multicollinearity was evaluated with the variance inflation factor. A binary logistic regression model was employed for the analysis. To address confounding factors, explanatory variables with a p-value of less than 0.25 in the bivariable logistic regression were included in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Factors with a p-value of less than 0.05 in the multivariable analysis were considered statistically significant.
Results: Among the 411 participants, 328 (79.8, 95% CI: 75.6-83.6%) exhibited unsafe hepatitis B virus infection prevention practices. Unsafe practices were significantly associated with barbers who could not read or write (AOR 3.75, 95% CI: 1.39-10.12); primary and secondary education (AOR 3.44, 95% CI: 1.89-6.27) compared to those with college education and above; not using ultraviolet sterilizers (AOR 2.85, 95% CI: 1.30-6.27); insufficient knowledge (AOR 4.23, 95% CI: 2.13-8.40); unfavorable attitudes toward infection control (AOR 2.40, 95% CI: 1.34-4.31); and working hours of less than 8 h (AOR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.15-0.50).
Conclusion: Nearly four-fifths of barbers exhibited unsafe practices in preventing hepatitis B virus infection. Low education levels, not utilizing UV sterilizers, lack of knowledge, working fewer hours, and negative attitudes toward infection prevention were all strongly associated with unsafe practices in the prevention of hepatitis B virus among barbers. Consequently, these findings underscore the need for targeted educational programs, improved access to sterilization tools, and policy changes to promote safer practices.

Keywords: Ethiopia; barber; factors; hepatitis B virus; prevention practices.

Background: In any field, professionalism is essential. A profession can fulfill itsresponsibilities when professionals develop their knowledge in various ways, suchas continuing professional development, expanding their skill levels, adhering tothe norms of the profession, and demonstrating high levels of commitment.Developing professionalism in nurses is a key strategy for improving the qualityof nursing care and healthcare. However, no study has shown a comprehensiveoverview of professionalism in nursing in Ethiopia. Thus, this systematic reviewand meta-analysis aim to present a comprehensive assessment of the overalllevel of professionalism in nursing in Ethiopia.Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis standard was followed in the reporting of this systematic review andmeta-analysis. An extensive exploration of digital repositories, including PubMed(MEDLINE), EMBASE, Cochrane, Africa Journal of Online, Google Scholar, and anadvanced Google search, was conducted to obtain published studies detailingprofessionalism in nursing in Ethiopia. STATA version 17 commands created thepooled estimate with a 95% confidence interval. The I2 test and Egger’s test wereused to identify the presence of heterogeneity and publication bias, respectively.To manage heterogeneity, a subgroup analysis and random effect model wereused.Results: A total of 11 articles with a total of 3,581 participants were includedin the final systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled estimate ofprofessionalism in nursing in Ethiopia was 54% (95% CI: 44, 66%). In thesubgroup analysis, the highest pooled estimate of professionalism in nursingwas observed in South Ethiopia, which is 64% (95% CI: 43–86%).Conclusion: The level of professionalism in nursing in Ethiopia is suboptimal.Being female, having a higher educational level, having long years of experience,having a low workload, having favorable job satisfaction, being a member ofa nursing organization, having a good working environment, working in non-stressful units, and having a good organizational culture were the major factorsthat had a positive association with professionalism in nursing. Therefore,healthcare professionals, the Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders shouldfocus on interventions to enhance the organizational culture, job satisfaction,working unit, and working schedule for nurses.KEYWORDSnursing, nurses, Ethiopia, caring behavior, factors, professionalism in nursing

Background: In countries with a high prevalence of TB, such as Ethiopia, direct sputum smear microscopy remains the most cost-effective tool for diagnosing patients with infectious tuberculosis and monitoring their progress on treatment. However, poor-quality sputum microscopy services may lead to the failure to detect persons with active tuberculosis and may cause unnecessary anti-TB treatment for non-TB cases. Proficiency level is the percentage agreement between participants'readings and the reference panel results. The aim of this study was to assess proficiency and associated factors of laboratory professionals in sputum smear microscopy for acid-fast bacilli at selected peripheral public and private diagnostic laboratories in East Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia, in 2023.
Method: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from March 2023 to June 2023 at selected peripheral public diagnostic laboratories in East Gojjam Zone. 65 laboratory professionals were selected randomly from 41 peripheral public diagnostic laboratories in the study area. A validated questionnaire and 10 panel slides were used as data collection tools. The panel consisted of 5 pre-stained and 5 unstained slides. Data were entered and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS version 20). P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant when looking for associations between dependent and independent variables.
Result: The overall proficiency level of laboratory professionals in tuberculosis smear microscopy was 81.92% with 95% CI [78.46-85.38]. Previous TB smear microscopy training, work experience, and institution of education had a significant association with the overall performance of laboratory professionals in TB smear microscopy.
Conclusion: The overall TB smear microscopy performance level of laboratory professionals at peripheral diagnostic laboratories in Ethiopia, was satisfactory, indicating a good level of competence. However, notable technical errors related to smear reading and reporting were observed. Thus, higher education institutions, especially private institutions, and the Zonal Health Department, should implement educational and training interventions to address the identified gaps and ultimately contribute to the national TB control program.

Keywords: AFB microscopy; AFB panel slide preparation; Proficiency testing; Tuberculosis.

Heavy metals pose a significant threat to public health and economic stability in Ethiopia,contaminating various environmental media, including water, soil, and air. This paper aimed toprovide an overview of the public health and economic burden of heavy metals in Ethiopia.Exposure to heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic has been linked tonumerous adverse health effects, including neurological disorders, renal failure, cardiovasculardiseases, and cancer. In Ethiopia, populations are particularly vulnerable to heavy metal exposuredue to various factors, such as artisanal mining, industrial activities, agricultural practices, andinadequate waste management systems. The economic burden of heavy metal contaminationmanifests through increased healthcare costs, loss of productivity, and environmental remedia-tion expenses. Furthermore, the impact extends to sectors such as agriculture and tourism,affecting national development goals and exacerbating poverty levels. Efforts to mitigate thepublic health and economic burdens of heavy metals in Ethiopia require multidisciplinary ap-proaches, including policy interventions, regulatory enforcement, public awareness campaigns,and investment in sustainable development practices. Strengthening monitoring systems,implementing pollution control measures, and promoting research on alternative technologies forwaste management are essential steps toward addressing this pressing issue. In conclusion,addressing the public health and economic challenges posed by heavy metal contamination inEthiopia necessitates concerted efforts from the government, industry, academia, and civil societyto safeguard human health, preserve the environment, and promote sustainable development.
Keywords: Economic burden, Heavy metals, Lead, Public health, Strategies

Abstract: Plants are rich sources of phytochemicals, secondary metabolites like alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, saponins, phenolics, glycosides, and others, found in various plant parts including leaves, fruits, roots, and stem bark. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical components of Ruta chalepensis, Vernonia amygdalina, andZehneria scabraspecies in Senan District, Northwestern Ethiopia. Methanol and petroleum ether extracts of selected plant parts were subjected to standard qualitative phytochemical screening. The analysis revealed the presence of several phytochemical compounds in both methanol and petroleum ether extracts of the aerial parts of R. chalepensisand the leaves of V. amygdalinaand Z. scabra. Notably, methanolic extracts exhibited a higher abundance of phytochemicals due to the superior solubility of active compounds compared to petroleum ether. These findings highlight the potential of these plants as valuable sources of therapeutic agents. Traditionally, R. chalepensis, V. amygdalina, and Z. scabrahave been employed to treat various ailments. While this study provides a foundation for further exploration, additional research, including quantitative analysis, compound characterization, isolation, and pharmacological evaluation, is necessary to fully unlock these plants' therapeutic potential. Keywords:Ethnobotany,Medicinalplants,Phytochemicalscreening,Secondarybioactivechemicals

Background: Big health data is a large and complex dataset that the health sector has collected andstored continuously to generate healthcare evidence for intervening the future healthcare un-certainty. However, data use for decision-making practices has been significantly low in devel-oping countries, especially in Ethiopia. Hence, it is critical to ascertain which elements influencethe health sector’s decision to adopt big health data analytics in health sectors. The aim of thisstudy was to identify the level of readiness for big health data analytics and its associated factorsin healthcare sectors.Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 845 target employees using thestructural equation modeling approach by using technological, organizational, and environ-mental (TOE) frameworks. The target population of the study was health sector managers, di-rectors, team leaders, healthcare planning officers, ICT/IT managers, and health professionals.For data analysis, exploratory factor analysis using SPSS 20.0 and structural equation modelingusing AMOS software were used.Result: 58.85 % of the study participants had big health data analytics readiness. Complexity (CX),Top management support (TMS), training (TR) and government law policies and legislation(GLAL) and government IT policies (GITP) had positive direct effect, compatibility (CT), andoptimism (OP) had negative direct effect on BD readiness (BDR)Conclusion: The technological, organizational, and environmental factors significantly contributedto big health data readiness in the healthcare sector. The Complexity, compatibility, optimism,Top management support, training (TR) and government law and IT policies (GITP) had effect onbig health data analytics readiness. Formulating efficient reform in healthcare sectors, especially
or evidence-based decision-making and jointly working with stakeholders will be more relevantfor effective implementation of big health data analytics in healthcare sectors.
Keywords: Big health data, Data analytics, Data management, Health information revolution, Health sectors, Readiness

While Model Predictive Control (MPC) has been widely studied in power electronics, its real-time imple-mentation on DC-DC boost converters—particularly under variable loading conditions—remains limited. Thispaper proposes a new real-time implementation of the Model Predictive Control (MPC) law for a DC-DC boostconverter connected to variable loads. This implementation ensures precise current regulation through accurateduty cycle control updates, enabling the inverter’s frequency switching to be activated or deactivated as needed.This is achieved by proposing a predictive model of the current occurring in the first channel of the convertermodel, where a fitness function—comprising reference tracking and control effort—is minimized. Compared tothe proportional-integral (PI) controller, the MPC law proves more efficient, particularly in preventing oscilla-tions in both transient and steady-state output current responses. This advantage is validated through experi-mental tests for either a current inductance load or a resistive load. Since this type of real-time implementationhas not been previously applied on this converter, it constitutes the main contribution of this paper.
Keywords: PI controller, DC-DC boost converters, Model predictive control (MPC), Experimental validation

Background: Children on the streets are still vulnerable to early and unsafe sexual experiences. Having multiple sexual partners and the limited use of condoms were major risk factors for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among youths in Ethiopia.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the risk factors of sexual and reproductive health problems, service utilization, and challenges among street youths in the East Gojjam Zone.
Method: A phenomenological study design was employed on street youths residing in the East Gojjam Zone. Study participants were purposively recruited from four town administrations in the East Gojjam Zone. The primary study unit was street youths who live in the zone. Eight in-depth interviews and eight focus group discussions were conducted. The data were audio recorded and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.
Results: In this study, the risk factors that exposed street youths to sexual and reproductive health problems included low perceived susceptibility, lack of awareness of sexual and reproductive health, having multiple sexual partners, exposure to pornographic films, and utilization of alcoholic drinks and substances. Mainly, those street youths who were engaged in transactional sexual relationships were utilizing condoms consistently and had regular HIV screening tests. In addition, few street youths ever utilized maternal and child health services. The unsupportive behavior of health professionals, the absence of exact data, the health system, and lack of specific responsible organization on the sexual and reproductive health of street youths were considered major challenges.
Conclusion and recommendation: Most of the street youths were not utilizing reproductive health services. Limitation on the accessibility of sexual and reproductive health services to this segment of the population was the main contributing factor. So, the health system and policy should take front-line responsibility for the sexual and reproductive health of street youths and consider convenient reproductive health service programs for them.

Keywords: Risk factors; Sexual and reproductive health service utilization; Street youths.