AbstractIntroduction Despite the existence of numerous blood donation centers globally, there remains a significant gapbetween the demand and supply of blood. In Ethiopia, replacement blood donation is more common than voluntarydonation. The National Blood Bank of Ethiopia collects approximately 200,000 units of blood each year, while thedaily requirement is 18,000 units. Donors’ knowledge and attitudes are vital for ensuring a steady blood supply. Thissystematic review and meta-analysis sought to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of Ethiopian residents regardingblood donation and the factors influencing them.Methods Relevant research articles were identified through searches of various databases. Data extraction andorganization were performed using Microsoft Excel, and the data were then analyzed using STATA/MP 17.0. Aweighted inverse variance random-effects model with a 95% confidence interval was employed to pool the data.Heterogeneity was examined with the Galbraith plot and Cochrane I² statistics. To identify sources of heterogeneity,meta-regression, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis were conducted. Publication bias was assessed usingEgger’s test and managed with trim and fill analysis. The adjusted odds ratio was calculated to explore the relationshipbetween knowledge and attitudes towards blood donation, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05.Results The pooled prevalence of favorable attitudes towards blood donation was 65.95%. Moderators such as studyyear (p = 0.72), publication year (p = 0.877), and sample size (p = 0.291) were not significant, indicating they did notcontribute to heterogeneity. Studies from Northern Ethiopia reported the highest prevalence of favorable attitudes at69.95%, while research on healthcare workers also indicated a high proportion of favorable attitudes at 69.29%. Therewas a significant association between knowledge and attitudes towards blood donation (AOR = 2.03).Conclusion The pooled prevalence of favorable attitudes towards blood donation was 65.95%, with the highestlevels observed in Northern Ethiopia and among healthcare workers. A significant association between knowledgeand positive attitudes towards blood donation was found. To enhance attitudes towards blood donation, increasingpublic awareness and education about the importance and safety of donating blood is crucial.Keywords Blood, Blood donation, Knowledge, Attitude, Systematic review, Meta-analysis, Ethiopia

the main purpose of this study was to explore the social and cultural challenges andcoping strategies of women experiencing infertility in Bichena town, ethiopia. thisstudy followed a qualitative research approach and a descriptive phenomenologicaldesign. this study applied a purposive sampling technique and selected 30 samples.through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and key informant interviewswere used. thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. the findings revealed thatwomen experiencing infertility were challenged by social challenges; the major socialcomponents were isolation, stigma, family and social pressure, marital instability, andlow social status. Women experiencing infertility were also challenged by culturalfactors. Missing cultural rituals, trouble in asking newborn mothers, not considering fullwomen or motherhood, and missing the value of children were the major culturalchallenges of women experiencing infertility. Women experiencing infertility also useda variety of coping strategies, such as religious, traditional, medical, and informalfosterage. the study concluded that women experiencing infertility in the study areawere challenged by social and cultural factors that made their lives bitter and useddifferent coping strategies to manage their ongoing problems. this study has theoreticalimplications for current literature knowledge and practical implications.
KEYWORDS: Coping strategies; women experiencing infertility; cultural challenge; social challenge

Sea access is one of the major questions for landlocked states. Ethiopia is one of the largest landlocked states in Africa. Historically, it had sea ports and controlled the surrounding coastal territories. However, the country has been a landlocked state since the independence of Eritrea. Studies showed that being landlocked in Ethiopia resulted in diversified potential problems in the state. This problem, now, pushed Ethiopians, including the PM Abiy Ahmed, to reclaim their sea access in the Red Sea region. The current quest of Ethiopians about sea access faced difficulties because the coastal states, such as Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somalia, geographically detached Ethiopia from the Red Sea coast. The purpose of the research is, therefore, to analyze the rational possibilities of Ethiopia to get sea access. The researcher will reflect on Ethiopia’s current capability, which enables the evaluation of whether Ethiopia realizes its quest or not. Moreover, the quest for sea access resulted in security problems, which is the manifestation of the Horn region from below. So, the study will address how Ethiopia harnesses its quest without affecting other states' national interests and the Horn's security. To address these questions, the researchers collected both primary and secondary data that will be collected through interviews, questionnaires, documents, and discourse analysis. Finally, the collected data will be analyzed through a mixed approach. Lastly, the study will have the following two dominant roles. Firstly, it will contribute to the government as an input to effectively address the sea quest in the Horn region. Second, the overall result of the study will be a vital reference to readers as a source of knowledge. The findings of the study will be disseminated through seminars, conferences, and publications. The mega research will be accomplished in May 2025, and it will cost 320,000 Birr. Key Words: Ethiopia, Horn of Africa Sea, sea access, regional security, security dilemma

Background: People in Sekela District, like others in Ethiopia, have a long tradition of using medicinal plants totreat human and livestock ailments. However, medicinal plants and their associated indigenous knowledge arecurrently under threat. Thus, the study was carried out to compile ethnobotanical knowledge about medicinalplants in the district.Methods: A total of 352 informants from six study sub-districts (328 general and 24 key informants) were selectedrandomly and purposefully. Individual interviews, focus group discussions, guided field walks, and marketsurveys were used to acquire ethnobotanical data using semi structured interview questions. The informantconsensus factor (ICF), fidelity level, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, medicinal use, and Analysis ofVariance were used.Results: A total of 121 medicinal plants belonging to 106 genera and 55 families were documented. The Aster-aceae family had the most species with 11 (9 %), followed by Lamiaceae with 8 (6.6 %), while leaves were themost utilized part with 56 (37 %). The majority of the remedies were made as a concoction (32, 17 %) anddelivered orally (98, 57 %). There was a statistically significant difference in indigenous knowledge on medicinalplants among genders, ages, marital status, educational levels, and occupations (p Ë‚ 0.05). The dermatologicaldisease categories had the highest ICF (0.92) in human ailments.Conclusion: The study revealed that Sekela District is rich in medicinal plants for treating human and livestockailments, and has indigenous knowledge to utilize these resources effectively. However, overgrazing, agriculturalexpansion, and improper harvesting techniques threaten medicinal plants. This signals the need to make sig-nificant efforts to raise public awareness about their conservation and sustainable use.
Keywords: Ailments; Ethnobotany; Indigenous knowledge; Sekela; Traditional medicinal plants

Background: People in Sekela District, like others in Ethiopia, have a long tradition of using medicinal plants totreat human and livestock ailments. However, medicinal plants and their associated indigenous knowledge arecurrently under threat. Thus, the study was carried out to compile ethnobotanical knowledge about medicinalplants in the district.Methods: A total of 352 informants from six study sub-districts (328 general and 24 key informants) were selectedrandomly and purposefully. Individual interviews, focus group discussions, guided field walks, and marketsurveys were used to acquire ethnobotanical data using semi structured interview questions. The informantconsensus factor (ICF), fidelity level, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, medicinal use, and Analysis ofVariance were used.Results: A total of 121 medicinal plants belonging to 106 genera and 55 families were documented. The Aster-aceae family had the most species with 11 (9 %), followed by Lamiaceae with 8 (6.6 %), while leaves were themost utilized part with 56 (37 %). The majority of the remedies were made as a concoction (32, 17 %) anddelivered orally (98, 57 %). There was a statistically significant difference in indigenous knowledge on medicinalplants among genders, ages, marital status, educational levels, and occupations (p Ë‚ 0.05). The dermatologicaldisease categories had the highest ICF (0.92) in human ailments.Conclusion: The study revealed that Sekela District is rich in medicinal plants for treating human and livestockailments, and has indigenous knowledge to utilize these resources effectively. However, overgrazing, agriculturalexpansion, and improper harvesting techniques threaten medicinal plants. This signals the need to make sig-nificant efforts to raise public awareness about their conservation and sustainable use.
Keywords: Ailments; Ethnobotany; Indigenous knowledge; Sekela; Traditional medicinal plants

Abstract Mycotoxin contamination in stored sorghum grains poses significant threats to food safety, human health, and agricultural economies in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Ethiopia where poor post-harvest practices exacerbate fungal proliferation. This study, conducted in Dejen District, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, aimed to assess mycotoxin contamination levels, farmers' knowledge and management practices, isolate and characterize mycotoxigenic fungi, and evaluate the efficacy of microbial antagonists and botanicals as eco-friendly control measures. A cross-sectional survey of 212 farmers revealed low awareness (29% good knowledge) and practices (40.57% effective management), with significant associations to age, education, and village location (p < 0.05, logistic regression). Mycological analysis of 120 stored sorghum samples from underground pits identified diverse fungi, dominated by Aspergillus flavus (25%) and Fusarium spp. (20%), with low mycotoxin levels (aflatoxin B1 at 1.05 µg/kg, below EU limits). Six fungal antagonists; four Trichoderma (DMUA13, DMUA14) and two Penicillium isolates were isolated and screened via dual-culture assays, achieving 44.53–75.00% inhibition of radial growth against Aspergillus and Fusarium spp. (p < 0.05). Ethanol extracts of Clematis simensis and Laggera tomentosa leaves demonstrated dose-dependent antifungal activity against A. niger, reducing spore germination by up to 68.58% and 68.32% at 100 µg/mL, respectively, comparable to ketoconazole. These findings underscore knowledge gaps among farmers and highlight the potential of native Trichoderma/Penicillium isolates and plant extracts as sustainable biocontrol agents. Targeted education, improved storage, and integration of biological controls are recommended to mitigate mycotoxin risks, enhancing food security in resource-limited settings. This research provides baseline data for policy interventions and further field validation.

Abstract Mycotoxin contamination in stored sorghum grains poses significant threats to food safety, human health, and agricultural economies in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Ethiopia where poor post-harvest practices exacerbate fungal proliferation. This study, conducted in Dejen District, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, aimed to assess mycotoxin contamination levels, farmers' knowledge and management practices, isolate and characterize mycotoxigenic fungi, and evaluate the efficacy of microbial antagonists and botanicals as eco-friendly control measures. A cross-sectional survey of 212 farmers revealed low awareness (29% good knowledge) and practices (40.57% effective management), with significant associations to age, education, and village location (p < 0.05, logistic regression). Mycological analysis of 120 stored sorghum samples from underground pits identified diverse fungi, dominated by Aspergillus flavus (25%) and Fusarium spp. (20%), with low mycotoxin levels (aflatoxin B1 at 1.05 µg/kg, below EU limits). Six fungal antagonists; four Trichoderma (DMUA13, DMUA14) and two Penicillium isolates were isolated and screened via dual-culture assays, achieving 44.53–75.00% inhibition of radial growth against Aspergillus and Fusarium spp. (p < 0.05). Ethanol extracts of Clematis simensis and Laggera tomentosa leaves demonstrated dose-dependent antifungal activity against A. niger, reducing spore germination by up to 68.58% and 68.32% at 100 µg/mL, respectively, comparable to ketoconazole. These findings underscore knowledge gaps among farmers and highlight the potential of native Trichoderma/Penicillium isolates and plant extracts as sustainable biocontrol agents. Targeted education, improved storage, and integration of biological controls are recommended to mitigate mycotoxin risks, enhancing food security in resource-limited settings. This research provides baseline data for policy interventions and further field validation.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is highly infectious and poses significant global health challenges. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are particularly at risk of HBV infection due to occupational exposure through contact with infected blood or body fluids. To mitigate this risk, hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all healthcare workers and is administered in three doses at 0, 1, and 6 months, aiming to reduce exposure and provide immunity against the virus. However, the effectiveness of the HBV vaccine remains uncertain in the study area.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate hepatitis B vaccine efficacy and factors affecting vaccine effectiveness among healthcare workers in all Hospitals of East Gojjam Zone Amhara Region, North West Ethiopia
Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 healthcare workers from March 25, 2024, to November 30, 2024. Simple random sampling technique was used to recruit the study participants. Total sample size was allocated proportionally to each hospital. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. Moreover, venous blood samples (4–5 ml) were collected from the study participants, and serum samples were analyzed to measure and detect the concentrations of anti-hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and anti-hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV DNA) was assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 25. Logistic regression model with 95% CI was used to show the statistical association. P value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Results: The overall sero-prevalence of HBsAg among all study participants was 23/422 (5.5%) (95% CI: 3.0-8.0). In multivariable logistic regression, blood transfusion (AOR: 16.5, 95% CI: 1.53, 29.24) (P<0.011) and dental extraction (AOR: 13.5, 95% CI: 3.99, 45.57) (P<0.000) were significantly associated with HBsAg positivity. In addition, the overall sero-reactivity of anti-HBc was 30/422 (7.1%) (95% CI: 5.0-10.0). Injectable medication (AOR: 4.3, 95% CI: 1.73, 10.72) (P<0.002) was significant determinant for anti-HBc sero-positivity. Furthermore, of fully vaccinated healthcare workers, 346/422 (82.0%) (95% CI: 78.0- 86.0 %) of them were sero-protected (had anti-HBs titer ≥ 10 mIU/ml). The paradoxical sero-positivity of HBsAg and anti-HBs among fully vaccinated healthcare workers was 16(4.6%). Moreover, among HBsAg-positive individuals, HBV DNA was detected in 17 (73.9%) of them.
Conclusions and recommendations: The study identified intermediate HBV seroprevalence among vaccinated healthcare workers, indicating suboptimal vaccine efficacy. These findings emphasize the necessity of monitoring post-vaccination anti-HBs antibody levels to address gaps in protection.
Keywords: Hepatitis B vaccine effectiveness, Healthcare workers, Hospitals

Foodborne illnesses as a result of poor food handling practicespose a significant threat to public health. The main objective of thissystematic review and meta-analysis was to pool the level ofhygienic food handling practices among food handlers working inpublic food establishments in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Aninclusive search of databases was undertaken usingPubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and GoogleScholar from the 1st of January 2014 to the 30th of December 2023.Data was collected, entered into Excel, and finally exported toStata V.17 for analysis. Eyeball testing using forest plots, CochraneQ test statistics and I2 had been used to identify and measure het-erogeneity. The pooled prevalence of hygienic food handling prac-tices was estimated using a random effects model. The pooledprevalence of hygienic food handling practices of food handlers inthe Amhara region was 48% [95% confidence interval (CI): (43%,53%)] with significant heterogeneity (I2=94.39%, p

ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to identify best hot pepper varieties & planting method for yield and resistance to F. oxysporium in West Gojjam, Ethiopia under field and greenhouse condition. The green house experiment was conducted at Burie Campus by using plastic house prepared with 3.5 m height and an area of 4m by 3 m. The experiment was conducted by transplanting of 6 hot pepper varieties with 2 months seedlings. Inoculation was performed following the standard cut-root dip inoculation technique. Hot-pepper varieties were grouped in to: immune, resistant, moderately resistant, susceptible and highly susceptible. Oda Gibe was the best variety that showed 9.7 % wilt incidence followed by Oda Haro that showed moderately resistant with a reaction of 26.3 % wilt incidence. On the other hand, the field experiment was conducted at Mankus kebele, Jabi Tehinan Districts with a total of 12 treatment combination (6 hot pepper varieties: Bako local, Marko Fana, Melka Awaze, Melka Zala, Oda Gibe and Oda Haro with 2 planting methods: Ridge and flat plant bed).The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Two months old Seedlings were transplanted on plots having an area of 4 m x 3 m (12 m2). Observations of naturally occurring fusarium wilt development was inspected at 7 days interval three times. Growth parameters of hot pepper were affected by the main effects of variety and planting method but insignificantly by their interactions. Besides the varietal effect, the longer plants and more number of primary and secondary branches were recorded from raised bed that has showed less disease incidence than flat planting. On the other hand, all yield related parameters were significantly different by the interaction effect of variety with planting method. The highest mean marketable as well as mean dry total pod weight was obtained from ridge planting of Oda Gibe variety which has showed least susceptibility to fusarium wilt. Oda Gibe and Oda Haro variety integrated with Raised bed significantly reduced Fusarium wilt incidence as compared to the area production system of Marko Fana with flat planting method. However, the experiment was conducted at a single location, so that it would be better if it is repeated over season and location to provide comprehensive recommendations. Key words; - Planting method, Fusarium wilt, hot pepper, Incidence