Ethiopia News

Addis Ababa, 5 May 2025 — Ethiopia launched the global commemoration of World Health Day 2025 with a spirited “Walk the Talk” event at the scenic Entoto Park in Addis Ababa. Held on the morning of 27 April, the event brought together a vibrant cross-section of society—government officials, UN representatives, health workers, families, and citizens—united in a shared commitment to promote maternal and newborn health under the theme “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.”

From May 2 to 3, 2025, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) organized a meeting with the technical and financial support of the World Health Organization (WHO) through the Pandemic Fund. Over 80 participants attended, including representatives from federal ministries, regional public health institutes, sentinel hospitals, academic institutions, and international partners. The purpose of the meeting was to review the achievements and challenges faced during the 2024 implementation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance.

Integration has emerged as a cornerstone strategy in Ethiopia’s efforts to accelerate the reduction of zero-dose (ZD) children—those who have not received a single routine vaccination. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Integration Resource Guide, integrating health services, such as vaccination programs, significantly enhance resource efficiency and improves overall healthcare delivery.

Ethiopia has made notable progress in its efforts to reduce the number of zero-dose (ZD) children, these are children who have not received any routine vaccinations. As of April 8, 2025, the country has reached 958,725 children, representing 24% of the estimated 3.9 million zero-dose children nationwide. This marks a significant increase from 16% coverage in December 2024, with nearly 100,000 children vaccinated in just the past two months.

For Meseret Gelaw, a mother in Furustale village of Jimma town in Oromia region, ensuring that her 8-month-old son receives every necessary vaccine is a matter of life and health. 

“I want my child to grow up healthy, free from diseases like polio. When I heard about the vaccination campaign, I made sure he was among the first to receive the polio vaccine,” Meseret shared, holding her son tightly after the procedure.

Women today are more likely than ever to survive p

Emergency preparedness and response are critical for global health security in an era of increasing public health threats. From pandemics to natural disasters, African nations face complex health emergencies requiring swift and coordinated responses. Recognizing the urgency of strengthening health security, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa, and Dr. Abdou Salam, WHO Regional Emergency Director, conducted a high-level mission to Ethiopia from March 13 to 14, 2025.

Ethiopia has taken a significant step in strengthening its public health emergency response capacity with the successful completion of the 3rd cohort African Volunteers Health Corps - Strengthening and Utilizing Response Groups for Emergencies Corps (AVoHC-SURGE) Onboarding Training in Adama city 13th January to 13th February 2025.

Ethiopia has reaffirmed its commitment to global health security by submitting its annual health security assessment, known as the State Party Self-Assessment Annual Report (SPAR), to the World Health Assembly (WHA). This mandatory report, required under Article 54 of the International Health Regulations (IHR), evaluates the country's capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health risks.