Supporting Rural Health Centres in Ethiopia

I am a medical doctor in Addis Ababa, as well as being THET’s Ethiopia Country representative.

With your support, over the last months we have been able to respond to the healthcare crisis which COVID-19 created. Ethiopia was one of the hardest-hit countries in Africa, and our healthcare system was put under immense pressure. Those with underlying vulnerabilities felt this most acutely, and much of the regular treatment and care that was needed was not available. As someone who has dedicated my career to helping those with NCDs, this was extremely difficult to witness.

In light of this issue, THET responded by ensuring NCD patients in rural areas could still access the care they needed without having to risk making long journeys to health centres. THET has been working with health workers and facilities to ensure they could provide patients with phone consultations. We have also been working with facilities and Ministry representatives to encourage longer prescription refills. This has been a lifeline to patients who need regular care, and will undoubtedly teach us lessons that can be applied during Covid and beyond.

We are now further scaling up our Covid response through additional training for healthcare workers on COVID-19 and NCD care. This training will focus on infection prevention and control, and has been adapted to ensure that it is inclusive to the most vulnerable in the community. The training will be delivered through a cascade model to ensure that the training can continue to be delivered after the project has ended.

With low vaccination rates and limited testing capacity, it is likely that COVID-19 will continue to affect Ethiopia for the foreseeable future. THET will continue to respond and adapt so that we can continue to reach those who need care most. We are grateful for your continued support.