Regional groundwater flow system characterization of volcanic aquifers in upper Awash using multiple approaches, central Ethiopia.

ABSTRACTCharacterization of the groundwater flow systems is important for sustainable water resource management decision-making. We have used vertical profiles of electrical conductivity (EC) and water temperature taken at 2 m intervals during drilling of 109 boreholes, and samples for stable isotope analysis (δ18O, δ2H) taken from 47 boreholes to characterize groundwater recharge, flow and discharge. 222Rn measurements and piezometric evidence were used to complement results from the EC and stable isotopes. The converging evidence shows that groundwater in the study area is characterized by a mix of two different groundwater flow systems: i) the deep groundwater systems are connected to the regional groundwater flow originating from the highlands, outside the surface water basin, ii) the shallow groundwater systems get recharge from local rains. The local recharge zones are located in highly urbanized and industrialized zones posing risk to recharge reduction and pollution. Therefore, attention should be given to protect groundwater resources from contamination and increase groundwater resilience to climate change.

Water chemistry poses health risks as reliance on groundwater increases: A systematic review of hydrogeochemistry research from Ethiopia and Kenya.

Reliance on groundwater is increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa as development programmes work towards improving water access and strengthening resilience to climate change. In lower-income areas, groundwater supplies are typically installed without water quality treatment infrastructure or services. This practice is underpinned by an assumption that untreated groundwater is typically suitable for drinking due to the relative microbiological safety of groundwater compared to surface water; however, chemistry risks are largely disregarded. This article systematically reviews groundwater chemistry results from 160 studies to evaluate potential health risk in two case countries: Ethiopia and Kenya. Most studies evaluated drinking water suitability, focusing on priority parameters (fluoride, arsenic, nitrate, or salinity; 18 %), pollution impacts (10 %), or overall suitability (45 %). The remainder characterised general hydrogeochemistry (13 %), flow dynamics (10 %), or water quality suitability for irrigation (3 %). Only six studies (4 %) reported no exceedance of drinking water quality thresholds. Thus, chemical contaminants occur widely in groundwaters that are used for drinking but are not regularly monitored: 78 % of studies reported exceedance of contaminants that have direct health consequences ranging from hypertension to disrupted cognitive development and degenerative disease, and 81 % reported exceedance of aesthetic parameters that have indirect health impacts by influencing perception and use of groundwater versus surface water. Nevertheless, the spatiotemporal coverage of sampling has substantial gaps and data availability bias is driven by a) the tendency for research to concentrate in areas with known water quality problems, and b) analytical capacity limitations. Improved in-country analytical capacity could bolster more efficient assessment and prioritisation of water chemistry risks. Overall, this review demonstrates that universal and equitable access to safe drinking water (Sustainable Development Goal target 6.1) will not be achieved without wider implementation of groundwater treatment, thus a shift is required in how water systems are designed and managed.

Phosphate and Nitrate Removal from Coffee Processing Wastewater Using a Photoelectrochemical Oxidation Process.

Water quality, whether utilized for home, irrigation, or recreational reasons, is crucial for health in both developing and developed countries around the world. For the treatment of nitrate (NO3) and phosphate (PO3) from coffee processing wastewater, photoelectrochemical oxidation was used. This process is mainly used to destroy pollutants through the production and use of powerful oxidized species such as hydroxyl radical (OH). It investigated the effects of Uv/H2O2 on electrochemical processes and the effects of various parameters such as pH, time, current, and electrolytes. The results were calculated and analyzed using response surface methodology and Microsoft Excel. Hybrid photoelectrochemical oxidation (PECO) using UV and hydrogen peroxide (UV/H2O2) methods removed nitrates (99.823%) and phosphates (99.982%). These results were obtained with pH 7, current 0.40 amperes, and 1.5 g calcium chloride after 40 minutes of electrolysis. CaCl2 was more effective in removing organic compounds from coffee processing wastewater. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a 95% confidence limit was used to determine the significance of the independent variable.

Missed antenatal care follow-up and associated factors in Eastern Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Focused antenatal care improves the survival and health of the mother as well as the babies. However, there are real challenges in keeping the subsequent antenatal care follow up in Ethiopia. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess missed antenatal care follow up and associated factors in the Eastern zone of Tigray. METHODS: Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among systematically selected 548 women who came for delivery services from March to April 2016. The data were collected using pre-tested and structured questionnaire through face to face exit interview. Data entry and analysis were made using EPI info version 7 software and SPSS version 20 respectively. Both binary and multiple logistic regression was performed. RESULTS: This study revealed that 33.4% of participants were missing their Antenatal care follow-up. Having no formal education [AOR=1.778 (1.102, 2.869)], attending primary education [AOR= 1.756 (1.040, 2.964)], self-employee [AOR=1.589 (1.030, 2.452)], government employee [AOR=0.503 (0.503, 0.953)], being unmarried [AOR=2.36 (1.11, 5.04)], didn't informed about institutional delivery [AOR=3.34 (1.44, 7.78)], and travel distance more than two hours to hospital [AOR=1.93 (1.08, 3.44)] were factors significantly associated with missed Antenatal care follow-up. CONCLUSION: The proportion of missed antenatal care follow-up was lessened as compared to local and national evidences. Nevertheless, still a coordinated effort on tracking of pregnant women who missed their antenatal care appointment is required by health policy implementers so as to increase the uptake of four complete visits.

Data Descriptor: Daily observations of stable isotope ratios of rainfall in the tropics.

We present precipitation isotope data (δ2H and δ18O values) from 19 stations across the tropics collected from 2012 to 2017 under the Coordinated Research Project F31004 sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Rainfall samples were collected daily and analysed for stable isotopic ratios of oxygen and hydrogen by participating laboratories following a common analytical framework. We also calculated daily mean stratiform rainfall area fractions around each station over an area of 5° x 5° longitude/latitude based on TRMM/GPM satellite data. Isotope time series, along with information on rainfall amount and stratiform/convective proportions provide a valuable tool for rainfall characterisation and to improve the ability of isotope-enabled Global Circulation Models to predict variability and availability of inputs to fresh water resources across the tropics.

Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors in Child and Adolescent Health, 1990 to 2017: Findings From the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2017 Study.

Importance: Understanding causes and correlates of health loss among children and adolescents can identify areas of success, stagnation, and emerging threats and thereby facilitate effective improvement strategies. Objective: To estimate mortality and morbidity in children and adolescents from 1990 to 2017 by age and sex in 195 countries and territories. Design, Setting, and Participants: This study examined levels, trends, and spatiotemporal patterns of cause-specific mortality and nonfatal health outcomes using standardized approaches to data processing and statistical analysis. It also describes epidemiologic transitions by evaluating historical associations between disease indicators and the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income, educational attainment, and fertility. Data collected from 1990 to 2017 on children and adolescents from birth through 19 years of age in 195 countries and territories were assessed. Data analysis occurred from January 2018 to August 2018. Exposures: Being under the age of 20 years between 1990 and 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Death and disability. All-cause and cause-specific deaths, disability-adjusted life years, years of life lost, and years of life lived with disability. Results: Child and adolescent deaths decreased 51.7% from 13.77 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 13.60-13.93 million) in 1990 to 6.64 million (95% UI, 6.44-6.87 million) in 2017, but in 2017, aggregate disability increased 4.7% to a total of 145 million (95% UI, 107-190 million) years lived with disability globally. Progress was uneven, and inequity increased, with low-SDI and low-middle-SDI locations experiencing 82.2% (95% UI, 81.6%-82.9%) of deaths, up from 70.9% (95% UI, 70.4%-71.4%) in 1990. The leading disaggregated causes of disability-adjusted life years in 2017 in the low-SDI quintile were neonatal disorders, lower respiratory infections, diarrhea, malaria, and congenital birth defects, whereas neonatal disorders, congenital birth defects, headache, dermatitis, and anxiety were highest-ranked in the high-SDI quintile. Conclusions and Relevance: Mortality reductions over this 27-year period mean that children are more likely than ever to reach their 20th birthdays. The concomitant expansion of nonfatal health loss and epidemiological transition in children and adolescents, especially in low-SDI and middle-SDI countries, has the potential to increase already overburdened health systems, will affect the human capital potential of societies, and may influence the trajectory of socioeconomic development. Continued monitoring of child and adolescent health loss is crucial to sustain the progress of the past 27 years.

Medical professionalism: perspectives of medical students and residents at Ayder Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital, Mekelle, Ethiopia - a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Different forms of unprofessionalism in terms of lack of respect, preventable medical errors, inability to work together with colleagues, and discrimination while providing service these days can be explained by traditional perceptions of who is a good doctor and who is not. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the perspective of medical students and residents on medical professionalism. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. A validated tool has been used to collect data from 276 participants. SPSS version 23 has been used to analyze and summarize data. RESULTS: Only 30% of respondents were females and the rest were males. The overall mean score of professionalism was 174.96 out of 220. There was no significant difference between male and female respondents. However, students from a different phase of the study were significantly different in some of the core elements of professionalism. The role model was indicated as one way of learning professionalism. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION: The overall level of professionalism was observed to be positive. However, medical education should focus on the core elements of medical professionalism through the teaching and learning process. Medical teachers should also focus on being role models for their students as students consider them to be a means for learning the qualities of professionalism. The teaching institution could strengthen efforts through locating and recognizing professional faculty members who can be effective role models.

Estimating ungauged catchment flows from Lake Tana floodplains, Ethiopia: an isotope hydrological approach.

The isotope balance approach, which used (18)O content of waters, has been used as an independent tool to estimate inflow to Lake Tana of surface water flows from ungauged catchment of Lake Tana (50% of the total area) and evaporative water loss in the vast plains adjoining the lake. Sensitivity analysis has been conducted to investigate the effects of changes in the input parameters on the estimated flux. Surface water inflow from ungauged catchment is determined to be in the order of 1.698×10(9) m(3)a(-1). Unaccounted water loss from the lake has been estimated at 454×10(6) m(3)a(-1) (equivalent to 5% of the total via surface water). Since the lake is water tight to groundwater outflow, the major error introduced into the water balance computation is related to evaporative water loss in water from the flood plains. If drained, the water which is lost to evaporation can be used as an additional water resource for socio-economic development in the region (tourism, agriculture, hydropower, and navigation). Hydrological processes taking place in the vast flood plains of Lake Tana (origin of salinity, groundwater surface water interaction, origin of flood plain waters) have been investigated using isotopes of water and geochemistry as tracers. The salinity of shallow groundwaters in the flood plains is related to dissolution of salts accumulated in sediments covering former evaporation pools and migration of trace salt during recharge. The waters in the flood plains originate from local rainfall and river overflows and the effect of backwater flow from the lake is excluded. Minimum linkage exists between the surface waters in the flood plains and shallow groundwaters in alluvio lacustrine sediments suggesting the disappearance of flood waters following the rainy season, which is related to complete evaporation or drainage than seepage to the subsurface. There is no groundwater outflow from the lake. Inflow of groundwater cannot be ruled out. Discharge of groundwater to the lake is presumed to take place along rocky bottom in southern sector from Quaternary volcanics covering the southern sector of the catchment.