U.S to support Ethiopia’s efforts to strengthen health sector

Addis Ababa, August 9 (WIC) - The U.S. announced plan on Tuesday to support Ethiopia's efforts to strengthen the health workforce.

Speaking at the 2nd annual meeting of Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI), US Ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald E. Booth said the U.S would provide support through the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) towards the same goal.

Ambassador Booth said supporting Ethiopia's efforts to strengthen the health workforce has been a top priority for the US.

The US government is also providing additional resources to improve pre-service for medical schools other than those participating in MEPI, the Ambassador said.

PEPFAR is now supporting government's efforts to ensure a quality education for the next generation of doctors.

The world is now on a path towards the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV and the goal of an AIDS free generation is now a realistic aspiration for all, the Ambassador said.

In a message delivered through a representative, Health Minister Dr. Tewodros Adhanom on his part said training capacity of medical schools and other health science colleges is under expansion in the country.

Dr. Tewodros said enrollment capacity of medical schools has grown to 3100 in the last academic year from 336 in 2004/05 academic year.

The number of public medical schools (university and hospital-based) has also increased to 23 from five in the same period.

He said the government is undertaking various activities to ensure the quality of medical education. Dr. Tewodros lauded the support by the US in all spheres of Ethiopia's development endeavors.

Research and Technology Transfer Vice-President with the Addis Ababa University (AAU), Professor Masresha Fetene on the occasion said the MEPI project has come at a point of addressing a critical national shortage of health care providers is launched.

Professor Masresha said MEPI is instrumental in developing and implementing interventions that would assure the output of well qualified physicians, foster capacity of faculty to engage in locally relevant research and contribute to career development opportunities and incentives, among others.

MEPI President with Medical School of the AAU Associate Professor Miliard Derbew also said medical schools in Addis Ababa, Hawassa and Haromaya universities as well as the defense force medical college have been equipped with sufficient textbooks in the efforts to ensure the quality of medical education.

Prof. Miliard said MEPI program is very unique as it complements the government’s efforts to scale up the training of human resources for health while maintaining or even improving the quality of training, among others. (ERTA)