Do non-monetary incentives for pregnant women increase antenatal attendance among Ethiopian pastoralists?

In a pastoralist setting in Ethiopia, we assessed changes in attendance between the first and subsequent antenatal care (ANC) visits following the implementation of non-monetary incentives in a primary health care centre over a 3-year period from October 2009 to September 2012. Incentives included the provision of a bar of soap, a bucket, a mosquito net, sugar, cooking oil, a jerrycan and a delivery kit. The first ANC visits increased by 48% in the first year to 60% in the second. Subsequent visits did not show a similar pattern due to ruptures in incentive stocks. Incentives appear to increase ANC attendance; however, ruptures in stock should be avoided to sustain the effect.

Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in a pastoralist population in Ethiopia: are three sputum specimens needed?

OBJECTIVE

To assess the number of sputum specimens necessary for a reliable diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in a pastoralist population in Ethiopia.

METHOD

Using routine data from Ethiopia, where three sputum specimens are currently recommended for the diagnosis of PTB, we documented, (i) the proportion of persons with suspected, PTB who submitted a first, second and third sputum specimen for smear examination and (ii) the incremental smear-positive yield from the first, to the second and third specimens.

RESULTS

Of 505 persons with suspected PTB, 107 (22%) failed to submit three samples. Of 60 patients who submitted three sputum samples with at least one smear-positive sample, the first sputum sample was smear positive in 56 (93%) cases; the second sputum sample was the first to be positive in 3 (5%) cases and in only one case was the third sample the first to be smear positive (additional yield 2%).

CONCLUSION

In a pastoralist setting, a reliable diagnosis of PTB can be achieved with two sputum specimens and PTB diagnosis may be adequate with just one sputum specimen. However, if this more radical approach was adopted, ways of increasing diagnostic sensitivity should be explored.

[A clinical study of gingival tattooing]

Tattooing gingiva is a current practice in traditional areas. Only women are concerned by it. Thus this study recommends to evaluate clinical characteristics of tattooed gingiva and their influence on the woman's beauty and elegance. This study revealed that: explored tattooed gingiva do not show any significant lesions, tattooing the gingiva remains a woman's beauty mark, its produce esthetic effects and a wellbeing.