Supporting the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Building Capacity at Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health

Workshops and events supported

AIHA supported multiple workshops organized by the FMOH Women and Social Affairs Executive Office, including:

• Translation Health Sector Disability Inclusion Manual and Guideline. 
• International Women’s Day, which was held in Jigjiga.

Engagement of International Consultant

AIHA engaged an international consultant to conduct the HSTP II Mid-Term Review, who took the lead on the Service Delivery and Public Health Emergencies components component, which is part of the HSP II transformation agenda, and assessed the effect of conflict and emergencies on the health system’s performance.

Blood bank awareness creation workshop

Improving the quality of clinical practice by expanding safe blood transfusion services is one of the strategic interventions identified on the HSTP. To this effect, the National Blood and Tissue Bank Service organized a national voluntary blood donation awareness creation and mobilization program in Adama. Over 400 people participated from religious institutions, governmental, non-governmental, and private institutions.

Technical Assistance for Documentation of Lessons Learnt in Conflict-Related Health Emergency Response

AIHA engaged a consultancy firm to provide Technical Assistance for “Documentation of Lessons Learnt in Conflict-Related Health Emergency Response, produce knowledge products and dissemination strategies.” The assessment focuses on Documentation of Lessons on the Health Emergencies from the Northern Conflict in Ethiopia. The assessment covered four zones in Afar and Amhara Regional States. A conflict-related health emergency response learning product was developed through an inclusive and detailed learning framework, creating a link to policies and strategies in consultation with the FMOH.

Recruited consultants to support the Minister of Health as part of the Ministerial Team

The Office of the Minister and State Ministers is the highest coordinating office responsible for translating Ethiopia’s Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP) into actions and delivering tangible impactful results. To ensure the attainment of the ambitious objectives of HSTP II while mitigating the impacts of health emergencies, the Ministry needs to be strengthened by a high-performing delivery-focused team composed of exceedingly skilled senior professionals. 

AIHA continued to support the Minister and her Team through the recruitment of consultants including the Senior Nutrition Advisor, Senior Advisor for the Ministerial Delivery Unit, and Senior Advisor for Public Health Emergency Management.

Launching of the rebranding of the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA’s) logo

AIHA continued to support the production and dissemination of EFDA’s different programs through the printing of promotional items and via media production and placement. Promotional items were distributed to various regions throughout the country. One component of the rebranding effort was the launching ceremony held in Addis Ababa on July 7, 2022, in the presence of FMOH’s State Minister of Health, stakeholders, and partners, which AIHA supported. 

Risk Communication and Community Engagement

AIHA continued supporting the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) by engaging high-level and qualified production companies to produce audio and video messages to improve public knowledge and adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. AIHA supported EPHI in producing different public service announcements, educational dramas, and documentaries that were aired in various broadcasting media. These helped to address the growing misinformation and disinformation about the transmission and prevention of COVID-19 among the community.

FMOH’s 24th Health Sector Annual Review Meeting 

AIHA supported the FMOH’s 24th Health Sector Annual Review Meeting with the theme “Equitable and Quality Health Services for All,” held in Sidama, Hawassa, on October 21 and 22, 2022. At the event, the Annual Performance Report for EFY 2014 (2021-2022), HSTP II – Woreda Based Health Center Annual Core Plan, and comprehensive plan of the EFY 2015 (2022-2023) were shared and extensively discussed. In addition, site visits were arranged where participants could visit the Sidama Regional Health Bureau activities and best practices on the ground.

International engagement of the leadership

FMOH’s senior leadership participated in different international platforms, during which Ethiopia’s demands and positions were reflected. To mention a few, Ethiopia has been represented in the 75th World Health Assembly and participated in the seventy-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa. AIHA also provides logistics support for these meetings, including the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP 27), and the 6th Annual Health Financing Forum (AHFF), with the theme “Financing Primary Health Care: Opportunities at the Boundaries.”

Recruited and Placed senior advisors to the Minister of Health as part of the Ministerial Team

AIHA continued recruiting and placing Advisors to the Minister of Health that started in 2018, including a Senior Nutrition Advisor, Senior Communications Advisor, Senior Advisor for Public Health Emergency Management, and Senior Advisor for the country’s COVID 19 national response.

Procurement of and installment training in thermographic camera for the COVID-19 response

AIHA procured fifty Temperature Screening Thermographic Bullet Cameras with accessories to be used at different high foot traffic places throughout the country, such as the ports of entry (both land and air), government offices, treatment facilities, and at the Millennium Hall, which is being used as COVID-19 isolation and treatment center. This has significantly helped the Ministry of Health screen the temperature of the people coming and going from the selected facilities. In addition to the procurement, AIHA supported the user and installment trainings. 

Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)

AIHA is supporting the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) and other stakeholders who have been working aggressively to improve the public understanding about COVID 19 and adherence to preventive measures and to make communities part of the response—recognizing that the current information fatigue, misinformation, disinformation, and info-demic require various creative and innovative communication strategies. Such strategies need strong national and regional capacity in the production and dissemination of standardized testimonial and emotional messages to targeted audiences through trusted sources of information. This communication project is intended to help the risk communication and community engagement team at EPHI- EOC to provide accurate and timely messages to health professionals and the public and to strengthen the capacity of multimedia communications production through engaging audio and video production companies.

Support to the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration (EFDA) 

AIHA supported the EFDA with various activities over the past year, including:

• The production and transmission of various TV and radio programs and advertisements, panel discussions, and short dramas by the EFDA to create awareness about illegal food, medicine, and cosmetics. This was done by using both popular personalities, as well as the average citizens. 
• Equip a studio to be established at the EFDA, which will be used to produce various media and communication works with the objective to create awareness for the public on the existence of illegal food and drug trade, food adulteration, tobacco, and EFDA’s role in regulation in general.
• Printing of various promotional materials with the new branded EFDA logo, as per the new branding manual. This includes teeters, business cards, organizational flags, brochures, leaflets, and various stationery materials. 

Senior Advisors to the Minister of Health as part of the Ministerial Team

AIHA continued the support of Advisors to the Minister of Health that started in 2018, including a Senior Communications Advisor, Senior Advisor for Information Revolution, Policy and Strategy, Senior Advisor for Developing Compassionate, Respectful, and Caring Health Care Professionals, Special Advisor on Emergency Care and Strategic Partnership, and Access, Senior Nutrition Advisor, Senior Advisor for Public Health Emergency Management, and Senior Advisor for COVID 19 National Response.

22nd Annual Review Meeting (ARM)

AIHA supported the Health Sector ARM for over 200 participants from FMOH, Regional Health Bureaus, affiliated agencies, Implementing Partners, Professional Associations, etc., in Addis Ababa, held from November 4-5, 2020.

Multi-Sectoral Wereda Transformation 

AIHA supported a baseline assessment to support the Multi-Sectoral Woreda Transformation (MSWT), which provides the means to cascade the SDG agenda to subnational and district levels. The assessment will be conducted by the Central Statistics Agency (CSA). 

Printing of Primary Health Care Clinical Guideline

AIHA facilitated the printing of the Ethiopian Primary Healthcare Guidelines and supporting documents to be used at 1500 health centers.

International Travels Supported

AIHA supported the travel of the Minister of Health to Dubai to attend an experience-sharing meeting on COVID-19 outbreak preparedness. 

Meetings conducted

AIHA supported workshops hosted by the Federal Ministry of Health as part of the preparation for Health Sector Transformation Plan II to enrich and develop the HSTP II of the Health Sector of the country.  

Printing of Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) tools- Central Register

The FMOH implemented District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS 2) in all regions and facilities with efforts to strengthen the Health Information System in Ethiopia. The shortage of revised HMIS data recording and reporting tools posed a significant challenge to collecting and reporting quality health data through DHIS2. To this effect, revised HMIS register and tally sheets needed to be printed, and AIHA supported the printing of 30,452 Central Registers, which have been distributed to all regions and to date is still being used at different health facilities to collect quality health data.

5th Annual Global Digital Health Forum

The 5th Annual Global Digital Health Forum brought together key actors, different country representatives, donors, implementers, and technology partners. Given many of the key global digital health stakeholders’ participation in the forum, the FMOH organized a side meeting on “Ethiopia’s Information Revolution: Experience of Leading Health Sector Transformation through Digital Technologies.” AIHA supported the travel for the Director of the FMOH’s Health Information Technology Directorate to participate in the forum, which was held in Washington DC, USA, on December 10 and 11, 2018. 

Meeting on the establishment of the state-of-the-art Kidney Hospital at Black Lion Hospital

AIHA supported the travel for two Physicians from FMoH and Addis Ababa Tikur Anbessa Hospital to meet with high officials in Qatar regarding the establishment of the state-of-the-art Kidney Hospital at Black Lion Hospital in partnership with the Government of Qatar. The meeting was held from August 18 – 22, 2019.

69th session of the WHO Regional Committee Meeting for Africa 

AIHA supported the travel of 12 delegates led by the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health to participate in the 69th session of the WHO Regional Committee Meeting for Africa, which was held in Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo from August 19-23, 2019.

Gavi Funding Policy Review Steering Committee meeting

The Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health and the Communications Advisor of the Office of the Minister participated in the Gavi – Funding Policy Review Steering Committee meeting, which was held in Geneva, on September 11-12, 2019, and supported by AIHA.

2nd International Symposium on Community Health Workers 

The State Minister of the FMOH participated in the 2nd International Symposium on Community Health Workers that was held from November 22-24, 2019, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The theme of the Symposium was “Potentials of Community Health Workers in the prevention and control of NCDs in the context of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).” The Symposium aimed to facilitate better strategic pathways for developing community-based programs to prevent and control Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the context of UHC and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Health Policy Stakeholders meeting

The Federal Ministry of Health organized a Stakeholders Consultation meeting on Health Policy for Universities, Professional Associations, and the Private Sector on March 28 – 29, 2019. AIHA supported the two-day meeting of 45 regional participants.

21st Annual Review Meeting (ARM)

AIHA provided support for over 300 participants who came to Addis Ababa from all the regions to participate in the 21st Health Sector Annual Review Meeting, which was held from October 14-18, 2019.

Ministerial Team Meeting

The Ministry of Health organized a two-day workshop following the establishment of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program enablers that will drive the process of implementation of the priorities of the Health Sector. To this effect, senior leadership members, Director Generals, and Deliverology Unit Senior Advisors participated in the workshop which was held on November 1-3, 2019, supported by AIHA. 

Overtime allowance for Blood Bank mobile team

The National Blood Bank Service (NBBS) has placed due focus on expanding and consolidating the blood safety program in order to establish efficient and sustainable national blood transfusion services with the aim of ensuring universal access to a safe blood supply. Most of the blood donations have been conducted through the mobile campaign. AIHA supported eight Mobile Clinic Case Teams who were engaged in blood donation activities through mobile campaigns in Addis Ababa. 

Facebook subscription for the Minister of Health

AIHA supported the Facebook page for the Minister of Health to promote health care and service as well as address the public and deliver critical information on health-related issues. 

Recruitment of Consultants for Africa CDC Launch 

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s leadership have had extensive deliberations on the Africa CDC and Prevention’s Public-Private – Philanthropic sector engagement (Africa CDC 4Ps) and the Africa CDC foundation. The law of the Africa CDC authorizes it to develop partnerships with other stakeholders, especially within the private sector. The Africa CDC 4Ps strategy aims to leverage the public, private, and philanthropic sectors’ engagements as stakeholders in Africa’s health and economic security. It also intends to advance Africa CDC strategic priorities through linkages to innovative financial mechanisms targeting increased investment in African health systems that generate both positive development and returns on investment through efforts to promoting an enabling environment for the private and philanthropic sectors amongst the African Member States. It is believed that the Africa CDC 4Ps, as well as the Africa CDC Foundation, will serve as a vehicle to interact with the private and philanthropic sectors. 

To this effect, AIHA supported the recruitment of two international consultants who have been working as Senior Private Sector Consultant and Innovative Financing Mechanisms for Development from March 2018– December 2019.

National Residency Matching Program (NRMP)

The FMOH launched a national residency matching program in 2017 in 12 medical schools with 22 specialty programs. These are expected to address the critical shortage of specialists across the country to improve the quality of specialized medical care by designing different strategies, one of which is improving the number, quality, skill mix, and geographic distribution of specialist doctors. The NRMP  process includes strategic steering group meetings, exam item preparation, curriculum harmonization, and conduct the examinations. 

AIHA provided support related to the professional fees, meetings, and travel expenses that allowed them to prepare and conduct the examinations.

Consultant recruitment for the Pharmaceutical Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA)

AIHA supported the recruitment of three International experts who have been engaged in the development of the SCMP in collaboration with other local consultants. The three international experts have been working as Network and Distribution Strategist, Procurement expert and Supply Chain Strategist, Project Manager, and Team Leader.

Consultant recruitment to conduct Mid-Term Review of the HSTP 

The Federal Ministry of Health implemented the Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP), which covers the period 2008-2012 EFY (July 2015-June 2020). Aligned with the second national Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the plan was jointly developed with relevant stakeholders in the country guided by the FMoH and the Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs). AIHA supported the hiring of the consultant to conduct the mid-term review of the HSTP.

Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa (SDGC/A) Conference  

AIHA supported the travel of the Director-General of the Federal Ministry of Health to participate in the conference titled: Every Life Matters: Building and Strengthening Accountability in African Health Systems that was held in Kigali, Rwanda, from March 8-9, 2018. 

The 2nd International Conference of the Food and Drug Administration

AIHA provided support for the travel of the Director-General for the Ethiopian Food Medicine and Healthcare Administration and Control Authority in the  2nd International Conference of the Food and Drug Administration titled “Pharma Industry and Clinical Trials, Growth and Innovation” that was held from March 9-11, 2018 in Jordan. 

User fee Revision Workshop

The Federal Ministry of Health organized a three-day workshop to revise user fees at Federal and University Hospitals. The objective of the workshop was to finalize the grouping of health services collected from Federal and University Hospitals, collect additional data on human resource cost and other relevant data used to finalize data collection and costing exercise of user fee revision by engaging senior specialists and other health professionals. AIHA provided support in relation to the workshop. The workshop was held on March 22-24, 2018, in Bishotu. 

The 71st World Health Assembly

AIHA supported the State Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health and delegation of five Director Generals from FMOH, FMHACA, and EPHI at the 71st World Health Assembly that was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 21-26, 2018. 

Health Care Financing Workshop

The Federal Ministry of Health organized a platform to discuss with stakeholders the priority of the health care financing agenda and how to strengthen a healthcare financing structure at the sub-national level. The workshop was held from May 14-16, 2018, in Bishoftu. AIHA supported the workshop, including the travel of meeting participants.

Consultant recruitment as Senior Advisors to the FMOH as part of the Ministerial Team

AIHA has been able to support the recruitment of five consultants who are part of the Ministerial Team and have been engaged as: Senior Communications Advisor, Senior Advisor for the National Quality and Equity Health services, Senior Advisor for Information Revolution, Policy and Strategy, Senior Advisor for Developing Compassionate, Respectful, and Caring Health Care Professionals, and Special Advisor to the Minister on Emergency Care and Strategic Partnership.

Meeting with Colleges, Universities, and the Diaspora in the West Coast of the USA

AIHA supported the travel of the Vice President of the Amhara Region to attend a meeting with Colleges and Universities to form partnerships and alliances with the Amhara Region, in particular the Amhara Regional Health Bureau on the West Coast of the USA. The meetings were held in San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles from August 7 – 21, 2018. 

WHO Regional Committee for Africa 68th session 

AIHA supported the participation of the Minister of Federal Ministry of Health and a delegation of four Directors from FMOH and EPHI in the 68th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, which was held in Dakar, Senegal, from August 27-31, 2018. 

73rd United Nations General Assembly

AIHA supported the participation of Ethiopia’s delegation led by the Minister of Health, which was held in New York City, from September 21-27, 2018  

Meeting with the Egyptian representatives regarding the Ethio- Egypt Friendship Hospital 

AIHA provided travel support for a delegation of six members to meet with the Egyptian representatives to discuss the establishment of Ethio- Egypt Friendship Hospital in Addis Ababa. The meeting was held in Cairo, Egypt, from October 19-22, 2018.

20th Health Sector Annual Review Meeting (Mekele, October 24-26, 2018)

AIHA supported the Ministry by providing logistical support for this important annual meeting, “Realizing Universal Health Coverage by Building a Resilient Health System,” which was attended by more than 700 individuals.

Psychiatry Association Annual Congress

Ethiopian Psychiatric Association, in collaboration with the Association of African Psychiatrists, organized a regional Congress under the theme of “Integrating Mental Health in Primary Care: evidence, experience, and innovation’ which was held on November 21 -23, 2018. The congress aimed to create an opportunity for sharing innovations and experiences on the integration of Mental Health in Primary Care. AIHA supported this three-day meeting. 

Ministerial Mindset Program for University Gold Medal Graduates (Addis Ababa, July 23-29, 2018)

AIHA supported this initiative of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, which was designed to honor and motivate 500 gold medalist students who graduated from 37 public and private universities across the country. Graduates met with representatives from the African Union, Ethiopian Airlines, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and Ethiopia’s Ministries of Science and Technology, Health, and Foreign Affairs, among other notable organizations.

Procurment of Server for the Ministry of Health

AIHA procured two servers that the Ministry of Health is still using to implement an e-Health system in accordance with its Information Revolution Strategy. 

3-day Advisory Committee Workshop (Bishoftu, March 7-9, 2017)

AIHA and the Ministry convened a multidisciplinary group of 12 highly experienced professionals who work outside the formal government structure to deliberate on selected Ministry priorities, including reform of the Pharmaceuticals Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA), standardizing healthcare quality and cost, the school health program, and national data archiving. 

Ethiopian Activities for World Malaria Day (Gambella, April 23-25, 2017)

AIHA supported a series of events and activities designed to raise public awareness about malaria, including how the disease is contracted, how it can be prevented, and the importance of seeking prompt treatment for suspected cases.

Global Acting on the Call Summit (Addis Ababa, August 24-25, 2017)

AIHA supported the 4th International Global Acting on the Call Summit, bringing together approximately 25 Ministers of Health, along with national delegations and global leaders in maternal and child health, to continue with progress in improving health outcomes.

WHO 67th Regional Committee meeting 

AIHA supported Ethiopian delegates to attend this meeting. It included the Minister of Health and four Ethiopian Directors from various Directorates who went to Zimbabwe to attend WHO’s 67th Regional Committee meeting conducted from August 28 – September 1, 2017.

HPN consultant meeting

As part of the national coordination mechanism, FMOH conducted a two days’ consultation meeting to strengthen the existing partnership and optimize harmonization and alignment in the Ethiopian Health sector.  

• AIHA supported the participation of the Minister of Health and Chief of staff of the Office of the Minister on the 4th global health security agenda high-level ministerial meeting with a theme: “Health Security for All: Engaging Communities, Non-Governmental Actors, and the Private Sector.” The meeting was held on October 25-27, 2017. 

• AIHA supported the participation of the State Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health at a resource planning meeting regarding the building of a state-of-the-art referral hospital, which is being constructed in Addis Ababa by the Ethio-American Doctors Group (EADG). The meeting was held in Washington, DC, from October 13 to 15, 2017.