Ethiopia Gains $63 Million For Digital Health Tools

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Health, located in Addis Ababa, announced the launch of the new $63 million investment in digital information solutions to further strengthen the country’s health system and improve the quality of services. 

Announced on November 14, 2019, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) inaugurated this new partnership with Minister of Health Dr. Amir Aman, which builds on U.S.-Ethiopian efforts to create a modernized health information system that ensures the entire sector has access to the data, analytics, and skills necessary to improve the health and well-being of all Ethiopians.

With over 109 million inhabitants, Ethiopia is the 2nd-most populous nation on the African continent, located in the Horn of Africa.

This 5-year program will train doctors, nurses, health extension workers, and policy-makers at all levels of the health system to utilize technology more effectively and enable them to better serve patients and families across the country. 

The USAID will also partner with local universities to introduce courses that develop competencies in health innovations, digital solutions and establish career paths that empower young Ethiopians to drive digital solutions across the sector. 

The Digital Health Activity will also create opportunities for entrepreneurs and youth-led tech organizations to utilize their expertise in providing support to health centers.

The United States is the largest bilateral provider of support to Ethiopia’s health sector, with approximately $150 million per year in funding for tuberculosis; HIV/AIDS; malaria; maternal, neonatal, and child health; nutrition; and water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Ethiopia vaccine news

• Ethiopia’s Measles Outbreak Exceeds 8,500 Cases
• Ethiopia Disease Outbreaks: Chikungunya, Cholera, Measles, Poliovirus

Overall, the United States has provided approximately $4 billion in development and humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia over the past 5 years.

To notify visitors about their health risks, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises all visitors to Ethiopia to ensure they are immunized against the measles virus and other diseases.

The CDC updated its Ethiopia travel vaccine recommendation to include Routine vaccines, which include the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, varicella, the annual influenza vaccination, Polio, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid.

Furthermore, the CDC issued a Chikungunya alert on October 8th. There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat chikungunya. The most effective way to prevent infection from the chikungunya virus is to prevent mosquito bites. 

And, a Polio outbreak notice was issued by the CDC on August 21, 2019.

Anyone departing from the USA can schedule pre-departure vaccination services and travel medication counseling appointments with a local pharmacy by visiting Vax-Before-Travel.

Travel news published by Vax-Before-Travel