Background: Depression is the most common mental health problem that affects women during pregnancy and after child-birth. Postpartum depression, in particular, has both short and long-term effects on the lives of mothers and children. Women’s health is a current global concern, but postpartum depression is a neglected issue in the maternal continuum of care and is rarely addressed. Therefore, this study aimed to assess postpartum depression and associated factors in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from August 1^st to 30^th, 2021 in Gondar city. A cluster sampling technique was employed to select 794 postpartum women. Data were entered by EPI DATA version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25 for further analysis. The multivariable logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify factors associated with postpartum depression. The adjusted odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval at a p-value of ≤ 0.05 was used to declare the level of significance. Results: A total of 794 women were included in the analysis, giving a response rate of 98.5%. The prevalence of postpartum depression was 17.25% (95% CI: 14.5, 20.2). Younger maternal age (AOR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.23, 5.85), low average monthly income (AOR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.24, 5.91), low decision-making power (AOR = 2.04, 95%CI: 1.31, 3.18), low husband/partner involvement in MNCH care service (AOR = 2.34, 95%CI: 1.44, 3.81), unplanned pregnancy (AOR = 3.16 95% CI: 1.77, 5.62), and experience of intimate partner violence (AOR = 3.13; 95% CI: 1.96, 4.99) were significantly associated with increased odds of postpartum depression. Conclusion: In this study, nearly 1/5^th of the study participants had postpartum depression. Thus, it is important to integrate maternal mental health services with the existing maternal health care services. It is also crucial to advocate the need for husband’s involvement in MNCH care services and ensure women’s decision-making power in the household. Moreover, community-based sexual and reproductive health education would be better to reduce risk factors of postpartum depression.

Background: Human Immune Deficiency Virus infection among children has continued to be a global concern with an estimated 160,000 new infections in 2018. Over 90% acquire HIV from their mother. Currently, 92% of pregnant women are on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Despite, greater achievements in coverage of PMTCT and ARV drug in Ethiopia as well as in west Amhara, child HIV infections are yet an important public health problem with a high transmission rate. There are limited studies done in Ethiopia on identifying determinants of child HIV infection. Objective: This study was aimed at identifying determinants of HIV infection among children born to HIV positive mothers on the PMTCT program at referral hospitals in the west Amhara, Ethiopia, 2021. Methods: An unmatched case–control study was conducted at referral hospitals in the west Amhara region, Ethiopia. Data were collected through document review, which has been registered from July 1, 2016 to July 1, 2020. A two-stage sampling technique was applied. Consecutive sampling technique for cases and simple random sampling technique for controls was done to include a total of 320 samples (66 cases and 254 controls). Epi data 4.6 for data entry and SPSS 23 for analysis were used. Variables with p- value ≤0.2 in bivariate regression were run in the multivariable logistic regression and AOR with 95% CI and a p-value ≤0.05 was used to declare determinants. Result: Home delivery (AOR = 4.3; 95%CI: 2.0, 11.6), mixed feeding (AOR = 10; 95%CI: 3.2, 17.9), poor maternal ARV drug adherence (AOR = 4.3; 95% CI: 1.4, 13.4), advanced WHO clinical stage (AOR = 11.4; 95% CI: 4.1,19.1), poor nevirapine adherence (AOR = 10; 95% CI: 3.2, 22.4) and late enrollment of the infant (AOR = 15; 95% CI: 3.0, 3.0,20.5) were determinants. Conclusion: Minister of Health and NGOs should work on mobilization of the community and awareness creation on the important of exclusive breast feeding, drugs adherence, on benefit of health institutional delivery as well as the risk of homedelivery.

Background: The immediate postpartum period is the most critical time for both the mother and the newborn. However, it is the most neglected part of the maternal continuum of care, and evidence in this regard was scarce in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the healthcare provider’s adherence to immediate postpartum care guidelines and associated factors in hospitals of Gondar province. Methods: A multicenter observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 406 healthcare providers from 15^th November 2020 to 10^th March 2021. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and direct observation using a structured questionnaire and standardized checklist respectively. Data was entered into EPI INFO 7.1.2 and analyzed by SPSS version 25. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out. The level of significance was declared based on the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) at a p-value of ≤ 0.05. Results: Overall, 42.4% (95% CI: 37.5, 47.2) of healthcare providers had complete adherence to immediate postpartum care guidelines. Having birth assistant (AOR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.10, 9.67), being married (AOR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.15, 3.31), availability of postpartum care guidelines at the maternity ward (AOR = 2.39; 95% CI: 1.44, 3.98), received basic emergency obstetric and newborn care (BEmONC) training (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.6), monthly income of ≥ 10001 Ethiopian birr (AOR = 3.55; 95% CI: 1.30, 9.67), and work experience of ≥ 6 years (AOR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.38) were significantly associated with healthcare providers adherence to immediate postpartum care guidelines. Conclusion: This study indicated that health worker’s adherence to immediate postpartum care guidelines was low. Hiring adequate health workers, availing postpartum guidelines at the maternity ward, improving the salary and education opportunities for healthcare workers of healthcare workers, and provision of BEmONC training will have a great role in improving healthcare provider’s adherence to immediate postpartum care guidelines.

Background: Prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission to newborns is one of the basic components of perinatal care in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, scientific evidence is compulsory for evidence-based practices. However, there was a scarcity of evidence on health care providers’ awareness of breastfeeding practice recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia, particularly in the study setting. Objective: The study aimed at assessing healthcare providers’ awareness of breastfeeding practice recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors among healthcare providers in northwest Ethiopia, 2021. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 healthcare providers working in hospitals of Gondar province from November 15, 2020, to March 10, 2021. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select the study subjects. Data were collected via a structured-self-administered questionnaire. EPI INFO version 7.1.2 and SPSS version 25 were used for data entry and analysis respectively. Binary logistic regression analyses were done to identify associated factors and the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) at a p-value of <0.05 was used to declare significant association. Results: The healthcare providers’ awareness of breastfeeding practice recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic was 40.7% (95% CI: 35.9, 45.6). Working in a tertiary hospital (AOR = 3.69; 95% CI: 2.24, 6.08), using COVID-19 guideline updates (AOR = 3.34; 95% CI: 2.1, 5.3), being trained on COVID-19 (AOR = 2.78; 95% CI: 1.74, 4.47), owning a smartphone and/or a computer (AOR = 2.26; 95% CI: 1.39, 3.68), and perceiving that COVID-19 is dangerous (AOR = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.05, 3.01) were factors positively associated with healthcare providers’ awareness of breastfeeding practice recommendations during the pandemic of COVID-19. Conclusion: Only two in five healthcare providers were aware of recommendations on breastfeeding practice during the COVID-19 pandemic and related to information of accessibility information on COVID-19. Therefore, expanding COVID-19 related information through the provision of COVID-19 training and guidelines to all levels of hospitals would improve health care providers’ awareness of breastfeeding practice recommendations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a newly emerging pandemic affecting more than 120 million people globally. Compliance with preventive practices is the single most effective method to overcome the disease. Although several studies have been conducted regarding COVID-19, data on healthcare provider’s adherence to COVID-19 preventive practices during childbirth through direct observation is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess healthcare provider’s adherence to COVID-19 preventive practices during childbirth in northwest Ethiopia. A multicenter study was conducted at hospitals in northwest Ethiopia among 406 healthcare providers from November 15 /2020 to March 10 /2021. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select the study subjects. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews and direct observation using a structured questionnaire and standardized checklist respectively. EPI INFO version 7.1.2 and SPSS 25 were used for data entry and analysis respectively. Binary logistic regression analyses were undertaken to identify associated factors. The level of significance was decided based on the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval at a p-value of ≤ 0.05. The proportion of healthcare providers having good adherence to COVID-19 preventive practices during intrapartum care was 46.1% (95% CI: 41.2, 50.9). Healthcare providers who had job satisfaction (AOR = 3.18; 95% CI: 1.64, 6.13), had smartphone and/or computer (AOR = 2.75; 95% CI: 1.62, 4.65), ever received training on infection prevention (AOR = 3.58; 95% CI: 2.20, 5.84), earned higher monthly income (AOR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.30, 3.57), and worked at health facility in the urban area (AOR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.07, 2.77) had a significant association with adherence to COVID-19 preventive practices. Moreover, the most commonly mentioned barriers for not adhering to the preventive practice of COVID-19 were crowdedness of the delivery room, non-availability of personal protective equipment, and shortage of alcohol or sanitizer. The healthcare provider’s adherence to COVID-19 preventive practices was low. Hence, stakeholders need to pay special attention to increase healthcare provides’ job satisfaction. In addition, the provision of continuous training on infection prevention would be helpful. Furthermore, personal protective equipment, alcohol, and sanitizer supply must be provided for healthcare providers.

Background: Adapting a tutor role in a hybrid problem-based learning (h-PBL) model is a challenge to novices. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the factors associated with the academicians’ knowledge and attitude toward the h-PBL curriculum. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from August 1st to 30th, 2021. A Simple random sampling was employed. Data were entered and analyzed with EpiData 4.6 and SPSS® version 25. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was fitted and adjusted odds ratio at a p-value of ≤ 0.05 and 95% confidence interval were used to declare significant association. Results: The study included 415 academicians with a response rate of 97.8%. Four-sixths (66.3%) of them have good knowledge (95% CI = 61.7– 70.8). Being age 30– 34 (AOR = 2.97; 95% = CI: 1.69– 5.23), being age over 34 (AOR = 3.36; 95% CI = 1.6– 6.66), currently teaching (AOR=1.84; 95 CI = 1.1– 3.07) and having received PBL training (AOR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.01– 2.7) were significantly associated with good knowledge. More than half (51.1%) had a favorable attitude (95% CI = 46.3– 55.9). Being age over 34 (AOR = 3.69; 95% CI: 1.98– 6.89), having 5– 9 (AOR = 2.21; 95% CI: 1.85– 2.34) and above 9 years of experience (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.03– 2.11), having received PBL training (AOR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.17– 2.8), ever-constructing PBL cases (AOR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.08– 2.68), and presence of rooms set aside for PBL sessions (AOR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.2– 4.16) were significantly associated with academicians’ favorable attitude. Conclusion: Academicians’ knowledge and attitude towards the h-PBL curriculum can be improved with training, participation in PBL case construction, and setting rooms aside for PBL sessions.