Background COVID-19 has proved to have an indirect impact on essential health services in several parts of the world which could lead to increased morbidity and mortality and loss of the gains made in the past decades. There were no synthesized scientific evidences which could show the impact of COVID-19 epidemics/pandemic on essential health services in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impacts of COVID-19 epidemics/pandemic on essential health services provision in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Methods A pre-post study design was used to assess the impacts of COVID-19 on essential health services delivery in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia in the second quarter of 2020 (Post COVID-19) compared to similar quarter in 2019 (Pre COVID-19). The study focuses on five categories; namely; maternal, neonatal and child health care; communicable diseases with a focus on HIV and TB-HIV co-infection; prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV; basic emergency, outpatient, inpatient and blood bank services, non-communicable diseases and road traffic accidents (RTAs). Analysis was done using Stata version 14.0 software package. The effects of COVID-19 epidemics/pandemic were calculated taking the differences between post COVID -19 and pre COVID-19 periods and the levels of service disruptions presented using proportions. Wilcoxon sign rank test was done and a significance level of ≤0.05 was considered as having significant difference among the two quarters. Results There were significant increase in institutional delivery, delivery by Caesarian Section (CS), still birth, postnatal care within 7 days of delivery, the number of children who received all vaccine doses before 1st birthday, the number of under 5 children screened and had moderate acute malnutrition, the number of under 5 children screened and had severe acute malnutrition and children with SAM admitted for management. However, there were significant decrease in HIV testing and detection along with enrolment to antiretroviral therapy (ART) care, number of patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk ≥ 30% received treatment, RTAs, total units of blood received from national blood transfusion service (NBTS) and regional blood banks, total number of units of blood transfused and emergency referral. There were no significant changes in outpatient visits and admissions. Conclusion Despite commendable achievements in maintaining several of the essential health services, COVID-19 has led to an increase in under nutrition in under five children, decline in HIV detection and care, CVD, cervical cancer screening and blood bank services. Therefore, governments, local and international agencies need to introduce innovative ways to rapidly expand and deliver services in the context of COVID-19. Moreover, lower income countries have to customize comprehensive and coordinated community-based health care approaches, including outreach and campaigns. In addition, countries should ensure that NCDs are incorporated in their national COVID-19 response plans to provide essential health care services to people living with NCDs and HIV or HIV-TB co-infection during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Background Animal source foods provide high-quality protein and essential micronutrients within the human diet and are of particular significance for the health and development of children. Despite the availability of domestic livestock in rural households of Ethiopia, the diets of children are often monotonous and mainly cereal-based with low energy and nutrient density. Objective Explore barriers and facilitators for the consumption of animal source foods among 6-23 months old children from the rural communities of Northern Ethiopia. Methods A community-based exploratory qualitative study design was conducted in July through September 2018. A total of eight focus group discussions (56 individuals) and twenty-four qualitative interviews were conducted with mothers who are lactating, fathers, health extension workers, nutrition, and agriculture experts. Purposive sampling technique was used to include study participants based on their potential relevance in delivering a wealth of information. Thematic analysis strategies, a method for identifying, analyzing, and reporting themes within data, were used to code and grouped into related families and synthesize the qualitative data. Results Consumption of animal source foods among 6-23 months old children was very low and the home-reared livestock and their products were mainly used for market purposes. Animal products are consumed during special societal occasions since they are considered as

Background: Musculoskeletal pain is a leading cause of morbidity, low productivity. Thus; not only affecting the individual’s quality of life; it also creates a burden in the health system and affects the productivity of their institution and the country at large. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among academic staff in developed countries ranges from 47% to 85%. However, there was a scarce of studies in developing country, particularly in the study area. Purpose: the aim of the research was to assess the burden of musculoskeletal pain and associated factors among Mekelle University academic staff. Patients and Methods: An institutional based cross-sectional study was enrolled on 449 participants with a response rate of 92.2%. Multistage sampling technique was deployed to select representatives. Participants under the selected schools, institutes and departments were selected using random sampling method. Data was collected through face to face interview using structured and standardized Nordic questionnaire by trained data collectors at Mekelle University. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between dependent and independent variables. In bivariate logistic regression variables which have P value of <.25 were modeled to multivariate logistic regression. Those variables with P-value of <.05 with 95% CI in multivariate model were taken as statistically significant. Results: This study found that burden of musculoskeletal pain among Mekelle University academic staff in the previous 12 month was 65.2%, and in the last 7 days was 29%. Neck pain (41.5%) was most prevalent followed by low back pain (40.3%). Female gender (OR = 3.02, 95% CI: 1.58-5.76), Body mass index ⩾25 (OR = 3.68, 95% CI: 1.15-11.39), working hours per day (OR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.54-6.38), and physical inactivity (OR = 3.48, 95% CI: 1.69-7.16), were the independent factors positevly associated with musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion: The burden of musculoskeletal pain among Mekelle University academic staff was common. Female gender, being overweight and obese, working >5 hours per day, and being physically inactive increase the odds of experiencing musculoskeletal pains among academicians. Therefore the university authorities and all academicians are recommended that to take preventable measures of musculoskeletal pain.

Safe disposal of children's feces is as essential as the safe disposal of adults' feces. However, there is widespread belief that feces of infants and young children are not harmful. This study aimed to assess child feces disposal practice and associated factors in northern Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed among 445 mothers with children less than five years of age. Results are presented in tables, graphs, and texts. Mothers within the age category of 25–34 were 3.7 times more likely to practice safe child feces disposal than mothers in the age range of 15–24 [AOR (95% C.I.) = 3.73 (1.06, 13.10)]. Government employed mothers were 99.92% less likely to practice safe child feces disposal compared to housewives. Urban dwellers were 3.5 times more likely to practice safe child feces disposal than rural areas [AOR (95% C.I.) = 3.51 (1.24, 9.99)]. In general, child feces disposal practice was low in the study area. Higher age category of mothers, housewives, and urban dwellers were factors associated with safe child feces disposal practices. Therefore, further intervention should be designed to improve safe child feces disposal among lower age category, employees, rural residents, and those defecating on floors.

Background: Timely infant testing for HIV is critical to ensure optimal treatment outcomes among exposed infants. While world health organization recommends HIV exposed infants to be tested between 4 to 6 weeks of age, in developing countries like Ethiopia, access to timely infant testing is still very limited. The study is intended to assess timely infant testing, testing for HIV at the 18th month, test results and factors influencing HIV positivity among infants born to HIV positive mothers in public hospitals of Mekelle, Ethiopia. Methods:A cross-sectional study design was employed on 558 HIV exposed infants, using consecutive sampling technique. A checklist was used to extract 4 years (Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, and binary logistic regression model was used to examine the association of independent variables with the outcome variables. Results: Timely infant testing for HIV accounted for 346(62.0%). Mothers who attended antenatal care (AOR: 2.77; 95% CI: 1.17, 6.55) and who were counselled on feeding options (AOR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.11, 3.65) were strongly associated with timely infant testing. Poor maternal adherence status was associated with infants' HIV positivity at the 18th month of antibody test (AOR: 15.93; 95% CI: 2.21, 94.66). Being rural resident (AOR: 4.0; 95% CI: 1.23, 13.04), being low birth weight (AOR: 5.64; 95% CI: 2.00, 16.71) and not receiving ARV prophylaxis (AOR: 4.70; 95% CI: 1.15, 19.11) were positively associated with the overall HIV positivity. Conclusions: A considerable proportion of exposed infants did not undergo timely testing for HIV. Antenatal care follow-up and counselling on feeding options were associated with timely infant testing. Mother's poor adherence status was associated with infant's HIV positivity at the 18th month of antibody testing. Being rural resident, being low birth weight, and not receiving ARV prophylaxis were the factors that enhance the overall HIV positivity. Timely infant testing, counselling on feeding options and adherence should be intensified, and prevention of mother-tochild transmission program in rural settings need to be strengthened.