Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, October 13, 2012 – The U.S. Government announced a new five year program to increase the number of health service professionals in Ethiopia. In support of the Government of Ethiopia’s Health Sector Development Plan, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Strengthening Human Resources for Health (HRH) project was announced on the heels of the Federal Ministry of Health’s Annual Review Meeting in Bahir Dar, Amhara Region. Minister of Health Tedros Adhanom and USAID Mission Director Dennis Weller addressed the invited health officials and academic partners from throughout Ethiopia.
The HRH program is a five year (2012 –2017) $55 million dollar program that will improve the health of Ethiopians through increased availability of health care professionals throughout the country. These health care professionals will play an important role in reducing infectious diseases such as malaria, TB, and HIV/AIDS. They will also work to prevent maternal and newborn death and child sickness in support of Ethiopia’s attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. Jhpiego will implement the program with funding from USAID, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI). Other partners involved in the program include Management Sciences for Health (MSH), Ethiopia Midwives Association (EMA), Ethiopia Association of Anesthetists (EAA) and The Open University.
The program will work with universities, regional health science colleges, vocational schools, and regional health bureaus to fill critical health management staffing shortages. The program plans to train over 5,500 midwives, 2,000 anesthetists, and 8,000 health extension workers to fill these shortages. As well, current health workers will increase their skills through in-service training and new postgraduate programs.
USAID Mission Director Dennis Weller explained the importance of the new project: “This program is designed to support Ethiopia’s goals for producing a responsive and productive health workforce. The U.S. Government, through USAID and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), invests the largest share of its support for development in Ethiopia into the health sector. This new Human Resources for Health program will help ensure that investment lasts and benefits the majority of the Ethiopian people.”