On 14 April 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MoH) launched a training centre for a new collaboration to strengthen the delivery of emergency medical and health services in the African Region during humanitarian crises. The launching ceremony was officiated by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, and Honorable Minister of Health, Dr Lia Tadesse.

The centre will be established in the premises of the Addis Ababa Field Hospital, which the Honorable Minister officially handed over to WHO. Dr Lia acknowledged the pressing need for every day preparedness and building a multilayer surge capacity, noting that one way of achieving this is through the establishment of self-sufficient national teams that adhere to international standards. “I would like to express my appreciation of WHO for establishing the regional EMT training centre in Ethiopia. This presents a unique opportunity to build in-country capacity and be a part of the overall EMT network,” she said.

“This centre will make a huge contribution to strengthening preparedness and response to health emergencies and disasters in our Region,” said DrMatshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, during the launching ceremony. She thanked the Government of Ethiopia for offering this premise and underscored the need for the full commitment of the national Emergency Preparedness and Response team to make the initiative a success.

The EMT training centre has the facility and equipment to allow simulation-based trainings enabling longer-lasting skills acquisition and retention. The center can play a significant role to building national capacities in the region, including through the transfer of knowledge and skills from international experts to national teams. To date, 87 trainees from the MoH and hospitals across the country have been trained in three consecutive training sessions.

In conjunction with the launching ceremony, certificates were handed over to the first group of national Emergency Medical Team (EMT) trainees who had just completed the training. “I am am grateful to be among the first trainees of Emergency Medical Team training centre. Such trainings will equip us with the skills and capability to respond to all kinds of emergencies and improve surge capacity in the country,” said Lullit Adugna, one of the trainees that received certificates at the launch.

National and international leaders in health emergency and humanitarian response attended the launching ceremony, including, Dr Catherine Sozi, The United Nation Ethiopia Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator Dr Cathrine Sozi, Director of the Office of the WHO Africa Regional Director Dr Felicitas Zawaira, , Director of Regional Emergency Preparedness & Response (EPR) Dr Abdou Salam Gueye, WHO Representative in Ethiopia Dr Bouriema Hama Sambo, Deputy Director General of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute.