Ministry Stresses Need for Nat'l Medical Devices Policy

Addis Ababa , October 25/2019 Developing a national medical devices policy is critically important to fix the gaps that have been witnessed in the health sector in the country, according to Ministry of Health.

Presenting the policy proposal initiated by Ministry of Health today at the 2019 Korea Foundation for International Healthcare–Ethiopia Conference, Zerihun Ketema, a biomedical engineer at the ministry said the country does not have a policy or strategy to manage medical devices at a country level, although a lot of resource has been invested for the purchase devices.

In Ethiopia, about one third of the 1.4 billion USD total budget of the ministry was allocated for medical devices last Ethiopian fiscal year, he revealed.   

According to the expert, low practices of assessment, ineffective usage of technologies and inefficient use of human resource are among the major problems facing the health sector.

National medical devices policy needs to be developed to manage resources and resolve such gaps, he said, adding that all the processes need a proper management.

Zerihun stated that the national medical devices policy is a major factor that enhances the quality of health service delivery and improves medical management.

The policy is expected to be finalized within the coming two years, it was learned.

KOFIH Representative Don Ghyung Kang said the foundation will continue supporting the government of Ethiopia towards supplying and managing medical devices and equipment.