Dr. Bedaso MammoAwol Assen2023-12-112023-12-112022http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/606Most meat-borne bacterial outbreaks are usually attributed to contamination of the meat supply chain due to poor handling practices and incomplete operational facilities. Foodborne diseases (FBD) continue to pose significant public health, economic, and social burden around the world. As a main part of meat supply chain, investigations of risky hygienic practices and operational facilities on abattoirs and butcher shops are low in Eastern Showa Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study carried out in abattoirs and butcher shops found at Bishoftu, Mojo, and Adama towns from December 2021 to May 2022, to assess the hygienic practices of meat handlers and the operational facilities in the area. Three municipal abattoirs and two hundred thirty six butcher shops were selected for the assessment. And a total of 286 respondents (n=50, from abattoirs and n=236, from butcher shops) were interviewed face to face with observational checklists employed to assess operational facilities and hygienic practices of the meat handlers. Inadequate operational facilities and poor conditions of abattoirs (Bishoftu, Adama and Mojo) were observed in all the study areas. Particularly, the municipal abattoir in Bishoftu town was less equipped with facilities and located between residential and industry. In this abattoir slaughtering process was conducted on floor. Still municipal abattoirs in Mojo and Adama towns were also not in a condition to ensure production of safe meat. With regard to hygienic practices of meat handlers in butcher shops and abattoirs, 64% of them had a poor practices. A multivariable and univariable logistic regression in this study indicated trained meat handlers from abattoirs (n=15, 95% CI=1.203-15.605), and from butcher shops (n= 41, 95% CI=1.21-4.79) were 4 times and 2 times more likely to be involved in good meat handling practices respectively. Unhygienic practices and insufficient facilities in the abattoirs and butcher shops identified in this study, might predispose consumers to meat-borne diseases and potential public health risks. Therefore, awareness creation on hygienic practices of meat handlers and improving operational facilities standard are essential for production of safe meat and to reduce meat borne pathogens in meat supply chainenAbattoirsButcher shopsHygienic practicesMeat handlersOperational facilitiesThesis