User:Jillianb06/Health in Ethiopia

Health in Ethiopia

Malaria
The Carter Center conducted research in Ethiopia in the mid 2000s where they analyzed how malaria affects the Ethiopian population among various factors. The factors considered included living situations and housing conditions, as well as Ethiopian age and gender demographics. This study found that ones socio-economic position directly corelates to their chance of contracting malaria. Researchers concluded that a key method of reducing the prevalence of malaria in Ethiopia is by improving the quality of housing and living conditions. They found an effective disease countermeasure to be the use of anti-malarial spray, as households that had been sprayed had lower rates of infection. This research also concluded that while the poorest households are more likely to face these poor conditions, they are also the ones less likely to take steps towards malaria prevention, thus continuing transmission of the disease.

The Carter Center chose three specific areas in Ethiopia to assess the impact of the use of insecticide treated mosquito nets on malaria prevalence. During the course of the study, malaria prevalence fell to 0.4% from a starting 4.1%. This study concluded sleeping under these mosquito nets is an effective tactic for mitigating malaria in regions of concern. This study has revealed the importance and effectiveness of malaria prevention in Ethiopia, and thus has led to health workers promoting the use of these long lasting insecticidal nets in areas where use is still limited and disease prevalence is highest.

A research study done by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute revealed flaws with Ethiopia's laboratories and their workers as it pertains to malaria diagnosis. The study found 26.7% of the 106 Ethiopian laboratories assessed lacked adequate supplies needed for proper diagnosis. Researchers attributed this to multiple factors, such as insufficient lab funding and supporting third parties not providing supplies in a timely manner. The study also noted a lack of job competency in the microscopists who look for malaria in blood cells in these labs. The Ethiopian Public Health Institute found that, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and local health providers, they should be working to better educate, supply and monitor these labs and their workers in order to prevent further obstacles in malaria mitigation in Ethiopia.