The Government of France and the Ministry of health of Ethiopia have agreed to rehabilitate Ethiopia’s war-ravaged Dessie Hospital found in Amhara region of Ethiopia
Ministry of Health, the Embassy of France to Ethiopia and to the African Union, and Expertise France launched a project to expand their collaboration and support the resumption of essential health care in the Amhara region, specifically focusing on the rehabilitation and re-equipment of Dessie’s hospital.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Health in Ethiopia, Dr. Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin and the Ambassador of France to Ethiopia and to the African Union, Mr. Rémi Marechaux.
Ambassador Maréchaux stated said: “Following a field visit to North Wollo on January 21st, France launched a wide evaluation of the impact of the war on Dessie referral hospital and related health institutions. I am happy this important step forward could be taken in less than four months as access to health is an urgent necessity for the 10 million people living in the area. North Wollo is an area where various religious and ethnic communities have lived together in peace for centuries.”
“We hope that this reconstruction effort will be a prequel to further involvement from different partners in all areas affected by the conflict, including Tigray in the near future. The positive political signals sent recently towards peace and political dialogue must be solidified quickly and I hope this contribution can help foster reconciliation.”
The letter of intent and MOU will strengthen health recovery initiatives in Ethiopia and represents the starting point of a bilateral project aiming to provide support to ongoing stabilization efforts in the country. The project amounts to 1.5 million euros (82,6 million birrs) in its first phase.
It is funded by the Crisis and Support Centre of France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and implemented by Expertise France, the French public agency for the design and implementation of international technical cooperation projects in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Amhara Regional Health Bureau, and Dessie’s Hospital medical staff. This joint initiative will seek to promote the resumption of essential service provision for conflict-affected communities in Ethiopia.
France will strengthen conflict-affected communities’ access to health care through the rehabilitation and re-equipment of Dessie’s hospital, through a set of activities based on two mutually-reinforcing expected results.
The firstly, Dessie’s hospital will be rehabilitated and upgraded to provide an accessible comprehensive health care offer to the most vulnerable populations affected by violent conflicts; secondly, the staff of Dessie’s hospital will be provided with the necessary equipment to relaunch the provision of essential health care, according to the agreement.