Pattern of treatment outcome and safety of prednisolone in the treatment of leprosy reactions among leprosy patients in ALERT hospital: a retrospective cohort study Gemechis Mikael Mamo, Samrawit Solomon Ethiopia, Tolesa Diriba Biratu, Daniel Legese Achalu BMC Infectious Diseases, 2026 Leprosy reaction is inflammation caused by the body’s immune system attacking the leprosy bacteria. If left untreated or improperly managed, it may lead to irreversible nerve damage, causing mortality, disability, and physical deformities. Oral prednisolone is a recommended drug to manage these reactions. Despite this, the treatment outcome and safety of prednisolone in treating leprosy reactions in clinical practices have not studied well. Thus, this study aimed to assess the status and factors of treatment outcomes and safety of prednisolone in the treatment of leprosy reactions. A hospital-based retrospective cohort study was conducted. Data were collected using a data abstract form, entered into Epi-Data version 4.0, and then exported to SPSS version 25 for further analysis. Descriptive statistics were computed to get summary results, and binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to predict factors that affect the treatment outcome and safety of prednisolone. In this study, 262 patients’ record files were reviewed. The median age of patients was 30 (IQR 25–42.5) years. Two-thirds (66.8%) of patients were males. Of 262, only 62.2% of the patients improved from the leprosy reactions with prednisolone treatment. Patients with WHO disability grade-0 showed more improvement than those with higher grades. Furthermore, out of 262 patients, 79.4% experienced at least one adverse event during the course of treatment. The starting dose of prednisolone and treatment duration were significantly associated with the occurrence of the adverse events. A considerable proportion of the patients didn’t show improvement in their reaction status with prednisolone for both type one and two reactions. The prevalence of adverse events was higher, and the magnitude was proportional to duration and dose of prednisolone, suggesting the need to optimize treatment strategies. Not applicable.
Barriers to safe abortion care among internally displaced persons in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study Samrawit Solomon, Andamlak Gizaw Alamdo, Fanna Adugna, Ferid Abas, Mitikie M Sisay African Journal of Reproductive Health, 2025 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ethiopia face significant barriers to safe abortion care, influenced by socio-cultural, economic, and structural factors, alongside widespread sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). A cross-sectional study was conducted in four IDP camps in the Amhara and Oromia regions from April to July 2024, involving 1,452 randomly selected women. SGBV was reported by 16.6%, with 36.9% of cases perpetrated by security forces. Of the participants, 5.8% had undergone abortion, and 1.7% had induced abortions in the camps. Fewer than half of women in IDP camps reported using a contraceptive method (41.7%), though 80.7% also reported that they had a history of discontinuing use due to access issues. Barriers to abortion care included religious beliefs (67.7%), cultural norms (63.8%), and the lack of service awareness (56.3%). Urgent Action is Needed. We recommend that the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia and stakeholders should prioritize appropriately tailored interventions to break down barriers, improve access to safe abortion care, and address the pressing needs of women in IDP camps.
Barriers to safe abortion care in internally displaced persons camps in Ethiopia: a qualitative study Samrawit Solomon Ethiopia, Andamlak Gizaw Alamdo, Fanna A. Debele, Ferid A. Abubeker, Mitikie M Sisay African Journal of Reproductive Health, 2025 This qualitative study examines barriers to safe abortion care among women in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Ethiopia using the Social Ecological Model (SEM). Data were collected through in-depth and key informant interviews with displaced women, healthcare providers, community leaders, NGO representatives, and policymakers. The findings reveal multi-level challenges, including personal and structural barriers, where cultural and religious beliefs, financial constraints, and limited education prevent women from access to safe abortion care. Social networks and healthcare providers play a critical role, with unsupportive partners and providers' moral objections worsening the situation. Community stigma and social norms perpetuate misinformation and isolation, while societal barriers such as inadequate healthcare infrastructure and policy gaps further limit access. Urgent, coordinated action is critical. The Ministry of Health, humanitarian organizations, and local leaders must expand healthcare access, ensure legal protections, combat Sexual and Gender Based violence, and dismantle stigma. Without urgent intervention, displaced women will continue facing life-threatening risks.
Health-related quality of life and its associated factors among infertile women compared with fertile women in public hospital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study Biniam Yohannes Wotango, Bezatu Mengiste, Samrawit Solomon BMC Women S Health, 2024 Background Infertility can have detrimental physical, psychological, and social effects that significantly impact health-related quality of life. Although the impact of infertility on quality of life is well established, there is a lack of research comparing the quality of life between fertile and infertile women in Ethiopia. Methods A hospital-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 287 infertile and 301 fertile women. Participants were selected using systematic random sampling. A structured, validated tool was used to collect data. An independent sample t-test was conducted to determine if there was a difference in the study participants' quality of life domains and the mean total quality of life score. Multiple linear regressions were used to correlate quality of life scores with significant predictor factors for the infertile group. Results Infertile women had a mean total Herbal of 66.54 ± 10.18, and fertile women (72.68 ± 7.57) were found to be statistically different between the groups. All domains except the physical domain were significantly different between the groups. Duration of marriage (β = -0.529), number of previous sexual partners (β = -0.410), total number of working hours per day (β = -0.345), types of infertility (β = -0.34), and history of the sexually transmitted disease (β = -0.277), in decreasing order of effect, were found to be associated with the quality of life of infertile women (R2 = 0.725). Conclusions The study found that infertile women had a lower mean HRQoL score compared to fertile women, with all domains except for the physical domain being significantly different between the two groups. This suggests that infertility can have a significant impact on various aspects of a woman's life, including her emotional well-being, social functioning, and psychological health. The factors associated with the quality of life of infertile women were the duration of marriage, the number of previous sexual partners, the total number of working hours per day, the types of infertility, and the history of sexually transmitted diseases, with duration of marriage having the strongest association. These findings highlight the need for healthcare providers to address the psychological and social aspects of infertility.
Digital continuous glucose monitoring systems for patients with HIV-diabetes comorbidity in Ethiopia: a situational analysis Tsegahun Manyazewal, Mohammed K Ali, Tedla Kebede, Samrawit Solomon, Damen Hailemariam, Shivani A Patel, Cam Escoffery, Yimtubezinash Woldeamanuel, Francesco Marinucci, Michele Joseph, Tewodros Getinet, Wondwossen Amogne, Abebaw Fekadu, Vincent C Marconi Scientific Reports, 2024 In patients with HIV-diabetes mellitus (DM) comorbidity, invasive blood glucose testing can increase the risk of HIV-related blood contamination and discourage regular glucose monitoring. Digital continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems may allow real-time glucose monitoring without the need for blood specimens. However, in high-burden HIV-DM countries, current glucose monitoring practices and their challenges are insufficiently explored to guide digital CGM research and developments. This study sought to explore the lived experiences of patients with HIV-DM comorbidity and their healthcare providers regarding glucose monitoring practices, and their openness to CGM and other digital technologies, to provide formative insights for a planned implementation trial of digital CGM in Ethiopia. A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted among patients with HIV-DM and their providers at the two largest public hospitals in Ethiopia. Both groups were interviewed face-to-face about DM clinic workflows, blood glucose monitoring and self-testing practices, and potential benefits and limitations of digital CGM systems. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically. A total of 37 participants were interviewed, consisting of 18 patients with HIV-DM comorbidity and 19 healthcare providers. Patients had an average (min-max) duration of living with HIV and DM of 14 (8-31) and 6.6 (1-16) years, respectively, with 61% taking insulin-33% alone and 28% alongside oral hypoglycemic agents-and 79% having comorbid hypertension. The thematic analysis identified five main themes: "Diabetes routine clinical care and follow-up", "Blood glucose monitoring practices", "Perceptions about digital CGMs", "Technology adoption", and "Financial coverage". Home self-testing was deemed beneficial, but the need for regular follow-ups, result cross-referencing, and glucometer reliability were emphasized. Patients performed fingerstick themselves or with family members, expressing concerns about waste disposal and the risk of HIV transmission. They rely mainly on health insurance for DM care. Patients and providers are happy with the quality of DM services but note a lack of integrated HIV-DM care. Very few providers and patients possessed background information about digital CGMs, and all have not yet utilized them in practice, but expressed keen interest in trying them, representing an important step for upcoming CGM clinical trials in these settings. Given the crucial role of regular glucose testing in managing HIV-DM comorbidity, it is essential to explore testing options that align with patient preferences and minimize the risk of HIV transmission.
Diagnostic accuracy of barium enema versus full-thickness rectal biopsy in children with clinically suspected Hirschsprung's disease: A comparative cross-sectional study Tesfahunegn Hailemariam, Abenezer Kebede Bekele, Tsegahun Manyazewal, Daniel Zewdneh Solomon, Yocabel Gorfu, Zelalem Shiwarega, Tewodros Getinet, Meti Wole, Samrawit Solomon, Samuel Sisay Hailu Health Science Reports, 2024 Background and AimsHirschsprung's disease (HSD) remains a common cause of pediatric intestinal obstruction. Barium contrast enema (BE) is the primary imaging modality for the evaluation of clinically suspected cases. Here, we aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of BE in children with clinically suspected HSD when compared to a gold standard full‐thickness rectal biopsy (FTRB).MethodsWe recruited and consecutively enrolled children with clinically suspected HSD at two tertiary teaching hospitals. Participants underwent BE imaging and two radiologists interpreted the findings independently. Participants further underwent FTRB by pediatric surgeons as the confirmatory test. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) with the area under the curve (AUC) were calculated on Stata version 14.2, taking FTRB as the standard.ResultsWe enrolled 55 cases, of which 49 completed the evaluation and were included in the final analysis. The median age was 9.4 months (interquartile range: 2–24], with a male‐to‐female ratio of 4.4:1. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of BE were 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI] [0.81–0.99]), 0.73 (95% CI [0.39–0.94]), 0.92 (95% CI [0.82–0.97]), and 0.80 (95% CI [0.50–0.94]), respectively. On AUC, the diagnostic accuracy of BE compared to the confirmatory FTRB was 0.84 (95% CI [0.69–0.98]). The diagnostic accuracy was higher in neonates (ROC: 1.00) when compared to infants (ROC: 0.83) or those above 1 year of age (ROC: 0.798). HSD‐suggestive BE findings were associated with absence of ganglion cells on FTRB (χ2 = 23.301, p < 0.001). Inverted rectosigmoid ratio and transition zone were more sensitive in detecting HSD of 0.92 (95% CI [0.74–0.98]) and 0.81 (95% CI [0.63–0.92]), respectively.ConclusionBE is sufficiently accurate in the diagnosis of children with HSD, suggesting BE would likely be used to inform surgical management in settings where confirmatory biopsy is lacking. However, clinical judgment is warranted in interpreting negative BE findings.
Mapping digital health ecosystems in Africa in the context of endemic infectious and non-communicable diseases Tsegahun Manyazewal, Mohammed K. Ali, Tedla Kebede, Matthew J. Magee, Tewodros Getinet, Shivani A. Patel, Damen Hailemariam, Cam Escoffery, Yimtubezinash Woldeamanuel, Nardos Makonnen, Samrawit Solomon, Wondwossen Amogne, Vincent C. Marconi, Abebaw Fekadu Npj Digital Medicine, 2023 Investments in digital health technologies such as artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and telemedicine may support Africa achieve United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal for Health by 2030. We aimed to characterize and map digital health ecosystems of all 54 countries in Africa in the context of endemic infectious and non-communicable diseases (ID and NCD). We performed a cross-national ecological analysis of digital health ecosystems using 20-year data from the World Bank, UN Economic Commission for Africa, World Health Organization, and Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were used to characterize ecological correlations between exposure (technology characteristics) and outcome (IDs and NCDs incidence/mortality) variables. Weighted linear combination model was used as the decision rule, combining disease burden, technology access, and economy, to explain, rank, and map digital health ecosystems of a given country. The perspective of our analysis was to support government decision-making. The 20-year trend showed that technology characteristics have been steadily growing in Africa, including internet access, mobile cellular and fixed broadband subscriptions, high-technology manufacturing, GDP per capita, and adult literacy, while many countries have been overwhelmed by a double burden of IDs and NCDs. Inverse correlations exist between technology characteristics and ID burdens, such as fixed broadband subscription and incidence of tuberculosis and malaria, or GDP per capita and incidence of tuberculosis and malaria. Based on our models, countries that should prioritize digital health investments were South Africa, Nigeria, and Tanzania for HIV; Nigeria, South Africa, and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) for tuberculosis; DROC, Nigeria, and Uganda for malaria; and Egypt, Nigeria, and Ethiopia for endemic NCDs including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and malignancies. Countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Mozambique were also highly affected by endemic IDs. By mapping digital health ecosystems in Africa, this study provides strategic guidance about where governments should prioritize digital health technology investments that require preliminary analysis of country-specific contexts to bring about sustainable health and economic returns. Building digital infrastructure should be a key part of economic development programs in countries with high disease burdens to ensure more equitable health outcomes. Though infrastructure developments alongside digital health technologies are the responsibility of governments, global health initiatives can cultivate digital health interventions substantially by bridging knowledge and investment gaps, both through technology transfer for local production and negotiation of prices for large-scale deployment of the most impactful digital health technologies.
Digital health in the era of COVID-19: Reshaping the next generation of healthcare Emnet Getachew, Tsegaye Adebeta, Seke G. Y. Muzazu, Loveness Charlie, Bibie Said, Hanna Amanuel Tesfahunei, Catherine Lydiah Wanjiru, Joan Acam, Violet Dismas Kajogoo, Samrawit Solomon, Mary Gorret Atim, Tsegahun Manyazewal Frontiers in Public Health, 2023 COVID-19 is one of the most deadly diseases to have stricken us in recent decades. In the fight against this disease, governments and stakeholders require all the assistance they can get from various systems, including digital health interventions. Digital health technologies are supporting the tracking of the COVID-19 outbreak, diagnosing patients, expediting the process of finding potential medicines and vaccines, and disinfecting the environment, The establishment of electronic medical and health records, computerized clinical decision support systems, telemedicine, and mobile health have shown the potential to strengthen the healthcare system. Recently, these technologies have aided the health sector in a variety of ways, including prevention, early diagnosis, treatment adherence, medication safety, care coordination, documentation, data management, outbreak tracking, and pandemic surveillance. On the other hand, implementation of such technologies has questions of cost, compatibility with existing systems, disruption in patient-provider interactions, and sustainability, calling for more evidence on clinical utility and economic evaluations to help shape the next generation of healthcare. This paper argues how digital health interventions assist in the fight against COVID-19 and their opportunities, implications, and limitations.
A Five-Year (2016-2020) Trend Analysis of Malaria Surveillance Data in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia Zalalem Olani, Samrawit Solomon, Zalalem Kaba, Haile Bikila Biomed Research International, 2023 Background. Continuous malaria surveillance data analysis plays a significant role in monitoring trends over time and evaluating the effectiveness of malaria prevention and control programs. Hence, this study was part of an effort to achieve this goal. This study’s main aim was to analyse five years (2016-2020) of malaria surveillance data in the Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to analyse the five-year (2016-2020) trend of malaria cases in the Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Results. A total of 5,843,373malaria suspected cases were reported during the five-year period. Among the total reported cases, 727,738 were a total of both clinical and parasitological confirmed cases. The average total malaria annual parasite incidence (API) was 4 per 1,000 persons. The highest malaria cases were observed during the spring and summer seasons. Conclusions and Recommendation. Trends of total clinical and confirmed malaria cases decreased from year to year except for the recent year with an exceptional variability in 2019. The highest or peak of malaria cases was observed during spring season (September-November). Malaria indicator-based performance plans and achievements should be regularly and strictly reviewed and evaluated at each level.
MAGNITUDE OF METABOLIC SYNDROME AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG RENAL TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS: EXPERIENCE FROM A NEW CENTER, ADDIS ABABA Ethiopian Medical Journal, 2020
