BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global public health problem. The burden of the disease is high in low and middle income countries like Ethiopia. However, for highly vulnerable groups such as health professionals, vaccination coverage is a major issue in the developing countries where health professionals are expected to pay for vaccination. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess health professionals’ acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) and associated factors for vaccination against HBV.MethodsCross-sectional study was conducted from March to April, 2017 in Gondar city administration governmental health institutions among 423 health professionals. Simple random sampling method was employed to select the study participants. Data were collected using self- administered questionnaire. Tobit model was used to analyze the determinants of WTP and the maximum amount of money the individuals might pay for HBV vaccination. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultA total of 423 health professionals (physicians, nurses, midwives, laboratory technicians/technologists, and others) participated in the study with a response rate of 100, and 62.4% of them were willing to pay for HBV vaccination. The mean amount of money the participants might pay for HBV vaccination was 325.83 ± 283.46 ETB (US$ 14.39 ± 12.52). The study indicated that the WTP for HBV vaccination of health professionals from health centers was 179.41 ETB less compared to health professionals from hospital. The WTP for HBV vaccination of the participants who had no experience of seeing previous patients with HBV was 157.87 ETB less compared to participants who had experience of seeing previous patients with HBV. As monthly income of the study participants increased by one ETB, the WTP was increased by 0.027 ETB.ConclusionThe study revealed that the mean amount of money the participants might pay for HBV vaccination was much less than the market price for HBV vaccination. Type of workplace and experience of seeing/observing patients with HBV, and income were the predictors of WTP for HBV vaccination. Availing the vaccine with affordable cost in governmental health institutions may increase WTP of health professionals for HBV vaccination.

Background: Despite significant progress in the reduction of under-five child deaths over the last decades in Ethiopia, still diarrhea remains the second cause of morbidity and mortality among under five children next to pneumonia. Objective: To show trends and determinants of diarrhea among under five children in Ethiopia based on the four Ethiopian Demographic and health surveys data (2000- 2016).Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 10753 in 2000, 10039 in 2005, 10946 in 2011 and 10337 in 2016 under five age children were involved. Multivariate decomposition and multilevel analysis based on Bayesian approach was performed.Results: Ninety seven percent of the change in diarrhea prevalence over time was attributable to difference in behavior. Being twin (AOR=1.3; 95% CrI 1.1-1.5), big weight (AOR=1.63; 95 % CrI 1.62–2.02), not vaccinated for rotavirus (AOR= 1.44; 95 % CrI 1.12–1.9) and for measles (AOR= 1.2; 95 % CrI 1.1–1.33), poor wealth status (AOR 2.6; 95 % CrI 1.7–4.06), having more than three under-five children(AOR 1.3; 95 % CrI 1.1–1.61), member of health insurance(AOR 2.2; 95 % CrI 1.3–3.8) and long distance from the health facility (AOR 2.7; 95 % CrI 2.2–3.5) were more likely to experience diarrhea. Conclusion: The prevalence of diarrhea was significantly declined over the last sixteen years and the decline was due to difference in coefficients between the surveys. Being twin , weight of child at birth, vaccinated for measles and rotavirus, number of under-five children, wealth status, distance to health facility, health insurance and child waste disposal method were significantly associated with diarrhea among under five children in Ethiopia. Therefore Ethiopian government should primarily focus on the strengthening and scaling up of behavioral change packages to prevent diarrheal disease.

Background: Commonly the incidence of malaria was determined by some meteorological parameters. However, updated evidences were not reported in the study area and recently malaria is reported as an epidemic disease in Ethiopia particularly in Amhara regional state. Therefore the study was aimed to estimate malaria incidence proportion linked with some meteorological parameters.Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study design was done in 8 districts of northwest Ethiopia. All malaria patients who visited the local health institutions in the study area were the study participants. A monthly malaria surveillance data were retrieved from 8 districts of North Gondar zone health department and metrological data were obtained from west Amhara metrology agency office monthly reported databases. Data was clean and analyzed by using R2 win bugs software. The bayesian generalized negative binomial regression model was fitted for parameter estimation. Results: The overall average cumulative annual malaria incidence rate during the study period was 29.9 per 100 populations. In this study relative humidity (IRR; 1.04 (95% BCI, 1.01-1.05), normalized difference vegetation index [IRR; 2.74(95% BCI, 1.35-5.58)], altitude [IRR; 0.97(95% BCI, 0.95 - 0.99], average maximum temperature [IRR; 1.07(95% BCI (1.05 - 1.09)] and average minimum temperature [IRR; 1.04 (95% BCI (1.02-1.07)] were the statistically significant predictors. However, monthly rainfall, length of a sunshine hour, monthly wind speed was not associated with malaria incidence. Conclusion: The research showed a greater incidence of malaria in the study area when compared to the national statistics. Climatic variability changes the pattern of the malaria incidence in the study area.