Eritrea News

The Ministry of Health Eritrea requested the technical support of WHO to assess the capacities needed to upgrade the microbiology laboratory which is part of the National Health Laboratory (NHL) and to develop the roadmap for the upgrading of the laboratory. In order to undertake this support WHO engaged a consultant for a period of 3 weeks (22 November to 10 December 2021). The consultant was supported by the WHO laboratory expert from WHO/AFRO who was in country from 7-18 December 2021 as well as WHO Country Office staff.

On 4 November 2021, the Ministry of Health, Eritrea, organized a Consensus building workshop for the National Health Research Agenda document which the country has developed. The objective of the priority health agenda consensus workshop was to give all the technical expertise an opportunity to review and further enrich the document before final printing and dissemination. The priority health research agenda is one of the key tools which can help the health sector to identify and implement research based on the need of the country.

With strong political commitment, the State of Eritrea has made enormous strides to improve the health and wellbeing of women and children since independence. 

The State of Eritrea has made huge strides in improving the health and wellbeing of women and children since independence. This is primarily due to the strong political commitment to social development, particularly the drive to improve the lives of the mothers and children. 

The Green Light Committee (GLC) Initiative, together with the Working Group on MDR-TB, promotes implementation of the component two of the Stop TB Strategy that calls for the control and prevention of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) through: (i) increased access to quality-assured second-line anti-TB drugs; and (ii) prevention of development of resistance to anti-TB drugs in accordance with the Global Plan to Stop TB (2006–2015) and the Global MDR/XDR-TB Response plan (2007–2008). 

Starting April 2021, the Ministry of Health of the State of Eritrea in collaboration with the World Health Organization is in a process of revising a national health research agenda to be considered for the next five years (2022 – 2026). The main aim of developing priority health research agenda is to produce evidence on areas of current interest that would help the Ministry of Health in addressing its key strategic goals.

WHO has been working hard to provide continuous support to the Government of the State of Eritrea. To satiate the high demand and request for information technology (IT) equipment of the ministry of health that is for the procurement of computers, printers, digital camera, the World Health Organization donated desktop computers, office computer tables and printers and a camera to the ministry of health to strengthen the health system’s response. 

As part of the Health Sector Strategic Development Plan III 2022 - 2026 development and consultations, the WHO team, led by Dr Prosper Tumusiime, WHO Health Systems consultant, conducted field visits in Zoba Debub and Semenawi Keih Bahri (Northern Red Sea) from 23rd -26th June 2021.

Zoba Debub 

The MOH in collaboration with WHO and partners has conducted a consensus building meeting on the draft document HSSDP III on 12th July 2021 at Orotta Conference Hall. 

The Ministry of Health, in partnership with WHO, conveyed HSSDPIII Consultation with 5 Zobas (Maekel, Anseba, Gash Barka, Northern Red Sea, and Debub), in Asmara on the 6th of July 2021. The consultative meeting was opened by Dr Berhane Debru, Acting Director General for Human Resources Development, Policy and Planning. Dr Berhane called on participants to fully engage in the consultation and emphasized the importance of the workshop, as part of the HSSDPIII development.