Ethiopia Made Great Strides in Improving Quality Health Services: MoH

Ena December 4/2019 Over the past two decades and half, Ethiopia has made great strides in improving access to quality health services and improvements in health outcomes, Ministry of Health said.

The 13^thInternational Association of National Public Health Institute (IANPHI) annual meeting under the theme “Evidence-Informed Global Action for Trans-boundary Health Challenges kicked off today.

In her opening remark, Health State Minister, Liya Tadesse said the achievements were made possible through systematic implementation of Successive Health Sector Development Plans (HSDPs) since 1997 and five year Health Sector Transformation Plan I (HSTP I) since 2016.

“Ethiopia’s major health indicators have been remarkably improved from one of the worst in Sub-Saharan Africa to amongst the prominent performers in the region,” Liya pointed out.

She added that the successive development and implementation of HSDPs and HSTP-I over the past decades has contributed a lot towards building resilient, sustainable and strong health system in the country.

According to the State Minister, the theme is timely as increased mobility of people due to political and socio-economic reasons, local public health risks have become global  threats that can only be contained through evidence informed inclusive interventions.

Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) Director-General, Dr. Ebba Abate said that the institute has made invaluable contributions to the health and wellbeing of the society through promoting scientific biomedical and public health researches.

“As for Ethiopia, its national laboratory system and networks, research and evidence generation as well as public health emergency management systems are led and coordinated by EPHI at the highest level and are functioning in synergy to realize evidence to action to promote health and wellbeing of Ethiopians,” he stated.

IANPHI President, Andre Van der Zande said on his part “the organization is fairly young but there is a need that we have to respond too. The way we attract new members demonstrates that these needs are recognized.”

There is thought provoking planned to be deliberated, he said, adding that “I think leadership in public health for Africa is very much needed as the continent is growing.”

The scientific annual meeting, which brings participants from more than 64 countries, will provide opportunities for the national public health institute directors to share experience and expertise, discuss common issues, and plan for future collaborations, it was indicated.