Ethiopia Becomes First Civilian EMT in Africa to Get International Classification

Addis Ababa, September 16, 2026 (ENA) —Ethiopia has become the first civilian Emergency Medical Team (EMT) in the WHO African Region to achieve international classification, marking a major milestone in the country’s emergency preparedness and response capacity, WHO Regional Office for Africa announced.

The achievement comes as countries across the WHO African Region work to strengthen national emergency response capacity.

WHO said thirty countries are currently developing national EMT capacities under the Regional Framework on Emergency Medical Teams 2026–2030.

For Ethiopia, the milestone follows years of leadership, investment, training and partnership led by the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), with technical support from WHO and partners across the Emergency Medical Team Network, it was pointed out.

According to Ethiopian Public Health Institute Director-General, Dr. Mesay Hailu, the Ethiopian National EMT underwent a rigorous verification process against WHO standards covering governance, clinical services, logistics, information management, infection prevention and control, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and operational readiness.

"Earlier pre-verification and simulation exercises demonstrated the team's ability to establish and operate a fully functional field hospital and effectively respond to complex public health emergencies."

Health Minister Dr. Mekdes Daba said, “This is the moment we have been working toward, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together. The successful WHO verification of Ethiopia's National Emergency Medical Team demonstrates our readiness to protect communities when emergencies strike.

WHO Country Representative, Dr. Francis Chisaka Kasolo, said the achievement reflects Ethiopia's commitment to protecting communities through stronger preparedness and rapid response capacity.

"The successful verification of the Ethiopian National EMT demonstrates what can be achieved through national leadership, sustained investment, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to health security,” he added.

According to him, the verification confirms that Ethiopia’s National EMT meets internationally recognized standards for quality, readiness, deployment capacity and emergency medical response.

Earlier pre-verification and simulation exercises demonstrated the team’s capacity to establish and operate a fully functional field hospital and respond to complex public health emergencies.

Emergency Medical Teams are trained health professionals capable of rapidly deploying during health emergencies, disease outbreaks, natural disasters and humanitarian crises. They provide life-saving clinical services, emergency care, outbreak response and public health support while operating as self-sufficient units in challenging environments.