Ethiopia News

“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.

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.

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.  

10 November 2016, ADDIS ABABA | WHO Country Office in Ethiopia along with the UN Country Team handed over a Biosafety Level 3 Mobile Laboratory to The Ethiopian Public Health Institute.  As a result, Ethiopia now has the in-country capacity to diagnose   disease-causing microorganisms, including viral hemorrhagic fevers and other emerging viruses. This is because of Ethiopia’s recent acquisition of a Biosafety Level Three Laboratory (BSL3) which meets the World Health organization standards.

28 October, 2016, ADDIS ABABA | WHO Ethiopia in collaboration with the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health, Rotary and other partners celebrated colorfully the 2016 World Polio Day on October 24th 2016. This year’s day was commemorated under the theme of “END POLIO NOW, MAKE HISTORY TODAY”. Each year, the WPD provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements gained in polio eradication and to emphasize the continued commitment needed to achieve eradication.

October 27, 2016 ADDIS ABABA | The fifth meeting of the Global Vaccine Safety Initiative (GVSI)was held from 25-26 October 2016 at the African Union Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The meeting was jointly organized by World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Union Commission. The meeting was attended by immunization program managers, pharmacovigilance staff of national regulatory authorities, from more than 30 countries and various stakeholders.

ADDIS ABABA, 24 OCTOBER 2016 |: Today, as the world commemorates World Polio Day, we, the Federal Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF and Rotary International, in collaboration with other stakeholders and partners, reaffirm our commitment to eradicate the polio virus once and for all from Ethiopia.

21 August 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Today, all forty-seven WHO Member States in the African Region adopted unanimously a new malaria framework for Africa. This framework aims to guide African countries on how to implement the Global Technical Strategy for malaria in the Region. It proposes specific priority interventions and actions to be implemented by Member States to reach “an African Region free of malaria”.

29 July 2016, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA | Dr. Akpaka Kalu, the newly appointed WHO Representative to Ethiopia, presented his credentials to  H.E. Dr Tedros Adhanom, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on 29 July 2016.

H.E. Dr Tedros Adhanom gave Dr. Kalu a warm welcome and assured him of the Government's continued support as he accepted Dr. Kalu’s credential. “I wish you all the best and we will support you in any way possible to make your stay successful,” he said.

May 18, 2016: The 6th African Vaccination Week has been officially launched in Ethiopia, in Assosa town of Benishangul Gumuz region. The launching was very colorful attended by partners including WHO, UNICEF, Rotary, CHAI, PATH, JSI/UI-FHS, Core Group, CUSO, World Vision, IRC as well as by the national and local medias and the celebration will continue with serious of events throughout the week from 18-24 May, 2016.