In a significant effort to enhance health emergency preparedness and response in Ethiopia and the surrounding region, the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) have launched an advocacy initiative for the establishment of a Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) Heart of Excellence. This initiative was unveiled at some stage in a high-level panel discussion in Addis Ababa, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Mekdes Daba, Minister of Health, stated, “Excellence is no longer a destination but a continuous pursuit—and with this spirit, we launch a daring initiative to elevate Ethiopia’s emergency preparedness and response to recent heights.”
Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting Regional Director of WHO Africa, added, “WHO is proud to stand alongside Ethiopia on this fling. We scrutinize forward to collaborating to enhance our regional journey and make constructive we are prepared for any emergency.”
The event, themed “Strengthening Health Emergency Preparedness in Ethiopia and the Region: Towards a Heart of Excellence,” gathered key stakeholders, including the Africa CDC, WHO, the World Bank, the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), and various national and international partners.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Mesay Hailu, Director General of EPHI, stressed out the urgent want to enhance Ethiopia’s public health emergency management by way of a dedicated heart. “The PHEM Heart of Excellence is no longer moral a vision—it is a necessity,” he emphasized. This may increasingly wait on as a hub for excellence in surveillance, preparedness, response, training, and innovation tailored to each national and regional wants.
The panel discussion delved into the rationale, strategic objectives, and potential advantages of the Heart, drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and recurrent cholera outbreaks. It also targeted on opportunities for mobilizing investments and partnerships essential for the Heart’s establishment and sustainability.
The envisioned PHEM Heart of Excellence aims to be a slicing-edge facility that affords advanced training, fosters innovation, and promotes regional collaboration for successfully timed and effective emergency response.
This launch marks the starting place of a campaign for advocacy and resource mobilization to steady the political, technical, and financial toughen essential to bring the Heart to realization.
