Ethiopia News

Harar, 30 December 2016 – The Qulubi Gebreal celebration that brings together more than half a million pilgrimage participants across the nation took place on 28 December 2016. This colorful ceremony has always been there twice a year on 28 July and 28 December each year. In such a situation where people are gathered, many are at risk of contracting communicable diseases especially AWD (Acute Watery Diarrhea). As a result, WHO Country Office in Ethiopia took part in the preparation and implementation of preventive measures against AWD and similar public health hazards.  

At a lunch meeting organized by GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance on the Unfinished Business of Immunization during the Ordinary General Assembly of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), immunization partners and OAFLA came together to renew their commitment to complete the “unfinished business with child health in Africa”. 

As part of its endeavors to ensure the health and wellbeing of its people, including women and children, Ethiopia has committed to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriage by 2025.  In line with this, the Ministry of Health banned medicalization of FGM in all public and private medical facilities in the country.  As per the circular passed on 4 January 2017, medical personnel who engage in any form of FGM in medical facilities will be subjected to legal action.

“A good planning is the road to success” said Dr. Kalu, WHO Representative to Ethiopia on his opening remark in the first quarter meeting of WCO held from 9-10 February 2017 in Addis Ababa, in the presence of programs and regional coordinators and program managers.

The objective of the meeting was to look back at 2016 annual performance of WCO and look forth for the 2017 first quarter planning as well as to receive updates from the management.

Ethiopia commemorated World Cancer Day under the global theme “We can. I can.” by inaugurating a comprehensive cancer treatment center in Addis Ababa in Woreda Eight Health Center on 6 February 2016. The center is the first ever at woreda (district) level and second in the country Black Lion Specialized Hospital. 

On Monday, 14 December 2015, the United Nations (UN) and the Government of Ethiopia signed the fourth United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) that will be in effect for five years, 2016-2020. 

ADDIS ABABA, 16 December 2015 | Ethiopia joins over 130 countries to introduce Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV) vaccine against poliomyelitis.

ADDIS ABABA, 28 December 2015 | The WHO Country Office, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), conducted a one-day induction workshop on emergency response for its repurposed staff and consultants.

Ethiopia launched its ambitious five-year Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP) at the opening of the 17th Annual Review Meeting of the Health Sector that was in session 28 October 2015 in Adama Town. 
Explaining the ambitious goals of the HSTP, Dr. Kesetebirhan Admasu, Minister of Health Ethiopia, said, “It took us over 25 years to reduce child mortality by 70% and maternal death by 75%; now we are aiming to halve child and maternal death in the next five years.”

In the quest to prevent cervical cancer, Ethiopia launched a pilot Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination pilot project in December 2015 targeting adolescent girls in the 9-13 year age group in Oromia and Tigray regions.