Ethiopia News

Integrated Measles and EOS campaign protects 2.6 million children in Ethiopia’s Soma...

Measles is a highly infectious vaccine-preventable disease. While children that are not immunized are at risk, those that are also malnourished or are already affected by other diseases are especially susceptible to it. Children in countries and districts where there is an ongoing emergency such as the current drought which has led to water scarcity and food insecurity in the Horn of Africa are therefore more at risk of contracting the virus and developing complications that often lead to disability and even death.

Reaching key populations to prevent the spread of disease in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, thousands of pilgrims flock to holy water sites for spiritual cleansing and physical healing. People often drink the holy water and perform ceremonial cleansing for their bodies or those of their loved ones. But there is a risk that these sites can be contaminated with bacteria that cause acute watery diarrhea (AWD) or other waterborne diseases as open defecation is a common practice in open fields close to holy water sites. To protect the pilgrims, WHO is working with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Ministry of Health, UNICEF, OCHA and other partners to ensure that water safety and latrine access is improved around holy water sites.

Countries Agree To Work towards Strengthening their Public Health Emergency Operatio...

After five days of training and hard work, the first-ever East African Regional Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) and Incident Management Training Workshop concludes on a positive note. The workshop participants from the seven countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda) agreed on critical next steps to strengthen their national capacities for responding to emergencies.

Community engagement contributes to control of acute watery diarrhea in Ethiopia’s S...

After months of prevention and response activities by the Government of Ethiopia, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, the acute watery diarrhea (AWD) outbreak in Somali Region is showing signs of decline. Intensified risk communication, effective surveillance, and improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and case management contributed to the decline. 

The Regional Expert Meeting on Medicine Regulatory Harmonization Initiative is being...

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) convened the regional expert meeting on Medicine Regulatory Harmonization (MRH), on 17 July, 2017 which was conducted at the Intercontinental Addis Hotel, in Addis Ababa. The aim of the IGAD MRH initiative is to improve access to safe, effective and quality medicines by the population of the region. IGAD is one of the regional Economic Community (REC) of the Africa region established in 1996 with eight member states, and among these six have established the National Medicine Regulatory Authority.

WHO’s support to the response of the acute watery diarrhoea outbreak in Ethiopia’s S...

The Government of Ethiopia, through the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and the Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs) with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners is responding to an outbreak of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) in Amahara, Oromia, SNNP and Somali regions. To support the government’s response implementation, WHO has deployed surge teams of experts in surveillance, case management, WASH, nutrition, risk communication, administration and logistics to the affected regions to support implementation of response activities. Logistical supplies including vehicles, medicines, case management protocols, laboratory reagents, treatment kits and other materials have also been provided. Below is a kaleidoscopic view of activities in Somali region.

Dr Tedros Adhanom, the WHO Director-General elect visits WHO Ethiopia Country Office

Addis Ababa, 19 June 2017 - The Director-General elect of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom paid a familiarization visit to the WHO Ethiopia Country Office in Addis Ababa, on 19 June 2017. 

The WHO Representative to Ethiopia, Dr Akpaka A. Kalu welcomed Dr Tedros to the Country Office and congratulated him on his election as WHO Director General. The staff of the Country Office also gathered at the office lobby to extend their warm welcome.