The German Development Cooperation, the Bavarian Office for Africa and Menschen für Menschen (MfM) hand over medical equipment valued at EUR 1.2 million to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health to strengthen the Ethiopian health system.
Today, a handover ceremony of high-quality medical equipment took place at the MfM Project Coordination Office in the presence of Dr Lia Tadesse, Minister, and H.E. Dr Ayele Teshome, State Minister, Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MoH), German Ambassador Stephan Auer, Mr Dirk Meyer, Director-General for Global Health; Economic Transformation; Employment; Digitalisation; Food and Nutrition Security, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and stakeholder representatives.
The medical assets handed over included a wide range of essential medical equipment, such as ventilators, diagnosis machinery, laboratory equipment, operation room facilities, ICU machinery, maternity facilities as well as ward and admission facilities. These were donated to the MoH by the German Government (BMZ, German Federal Ministry of Health and German Foreign Office) through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and by the Free State of Bavaria through the Menschen für Menschen (MfM) Foundation.
The medical equipment will support health facilities in Ethiopia, including the conflict-affected
Amhara, Afar and Tigray regions, assisting in the enhancement of healthcare services and facilities in these areas, ultimately benefiting local communities and individuals in need. The provision of specialized training for medical and technical personnel, also guarantees the effective utilisation of the equipment’s clinical capabilities, thereby effectively addressing the diverse needs of individuals and local communities.
Dr Lia Tadesse, Minister of Health, on her part highly appreciated the donation of this equipment at this point in time: “The donation supports the Ministry in overcoming setbacks in our health system due to the conflict and shortage on material resources. The medical equipment not only contributes to reestablishing health services but also to improving the quality of clinical management of patients and provision of critical care services at our health facilities”.
German Ambassador Stephan Auer stated: “Ethiopia has achieved commendable strides in advancing its healthcare services. Consequently, this invaluable contribution not only aligns seamlessly with the long-term support strategy of German Development Cooperation, but also further strengthens the Ethiopian health system.”
Mr. Dirk Meyer, Director-General, BMZ added: “The availability of state-of-the-art medical equipment will help in rebuilding health services in the conflict-affected regions. Better treatment options are needed for treating not only infectious pulmonary diseases, such as COVID-19, but also for patients affected by other medical conditions.”
The German Development Cooperation and the Bavarian Office for Africa and MfM continue to reaffirm their commitment to enhancing the Ethiopian health system for the benefit of the people of Ethiopia. The MoH and MfM will distribute the donated medical equipment to health facilities in areas most in need.