WHO Assistant Secretary-General Pays Courtesy Call on Deputy PM & Foreign Minister

Addis Ababa April 14/2021 (ENA) Assistant Secretary-General and WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti had paid a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen today.

During the discussion they held, Demeke noted that the organization’s enduring assistance since Ethiopia was developing its first Public Health Policy toward the end of the imperial period in the late 1950s.

Ethiopia is keen to work with WHO to add up on the achievements registered in expanding Primary Health Care to the population, he said, adding that the country was able to build remarkable health system in the last decades.

Regarding COVID-19, the minister highlighted that global solidarity is indispensable more than ever before to effectively respond to this unprecedented crisis.

Following talks on the vaccination of people in Ethiopia, Demeke reiterated that the vaccine should be a global public good for no one is safe until everyone is safe which necessitates the price to be affordable by the majority of the people in the world.

Dr. Moeti on her part said Ethiopia is a longstanding partner with the World Health Organization and their working relationship should further be cemented with expanded health-sector engagements.