An organization is only as good as its teams on the ground

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, commenced her visit in Ethiopia with a meeting with the WHO Ethiopia Team. Dr Moeti commended the Country Office for its steps towards implementing the WHO Reform at country level and expressed her appreciation of the commitment the team has shown to WHO’s mission in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia: Exemplary Vision for Health Systems Strengthening

In a meeting with Dr Kesetebirhan Admasu, Minister of Health of Ethiopia on 27 March 2015, the WHO Regional Director for Africa congratulated Ethiopia for its achievements in the Millennium Development Goals and for the success in health systems strengthening. She assured the Minister that WHO will continue to provide technical support to Ethiopia’s health programmes. Dr Kesetebirhan acknowledged WHO’s support to Ethiopia’s efforts to strengthen its health systems for better health of all the people. 

Catalyzing the Power of Advocacy for Health

WHO Country Office for Ethiopia has been collaborating with the Office of the First Lady of Ethiopia since 2014 to support the First Lady’s advocacy work in the health sector, namely on HIV/AIDS, cancer and nutrition. The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, met with the First Lady of Ethiopia, Mrs Roman Tesfaye, on 29 March to discuss this partnership. Dr Moeti acknowledged the First Lady’s personal commitment to health and the key advocacy role she plays in mobilizing resources, as well as catalyzing political action to improve the health status of Ethiopia.  

WHO and AUC Renew their Commitment to Work together towards Building Resilient Health Systems

Dr Matshidiso Moeti met with Dr Mustapha Kaloko, African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs and his team on 29 March 2015 to discuss the further strengthening of the long-standing partnership between WHO and the African Union. Dr Moeti thanked the African Union for its response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. She also encouraged African countries keep the momentum seen in polio eradication. Dr Moeti and Dr Kaloko agreed to work together in ensuring the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) by member states and the strengthening of country-level capacity to respond to health events and epidemics.

Strengthening Collaborations with the UN Economic Commission for Africa

On 29 March, Dr Matshidiso Moeti and Dr Carlos Lopes, Under UN Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) agreed to work in partnership to improve financing for health, strengthening countries’ capacity in data and knowledge management, documenting attainment of health related MDGs. “We need to make our leaders understand that health is an investment, not a cost,” Dr Lopes underlined.