Ethiopia launched its ambitious five-year Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP) at the opening of the 17th Annual Review Meeting of the Health Sector that was in session 28 October 2015 in Adama Town. 
Explaining the ambitious goals of the HSTP, Dr. Kesetebirhan Admasu, Minister of Health Ethiopia, said, “It took us over 25 years to reduce child mortality by 70% and maternal death by 75%; now we are aiming to halve child and maternal death in the next five years.”

The HSTP also targets to eliminate malaria from the mid-lowlands and lowlands in the north and eastern parts of the country, and improve case detection and treatment of TB, including access to diagnosis and treatment of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB. The HSTP encompasses what it calls ‘Fast-Track Cities Initiative’ towards the global 90-90-90 targets, which aim that by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression. Dr. Kesetebrihan, stated that the 90-90-90 strategy will pave the way towards an AIDS-free generation and will also help the country to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending the epidemics of AIDS by 2030. Nutrition, non-communicable diseases, neglected tropical diseases, trauma and injury – particularly those related to accidents, and hygiene and sanitation are among the priorities of the HSTP. 

The country put forward four transformation agenda that will help to achieve the HSTP’s ambitious targets: Transformation towards quality and equity in health service, “woreda transformation”*, a movement towards compassionate, respectful and caring health professionals and information revolution. While the country has so far been focusing on expanding the coverage of health services, the HSTP places more emphasis on quality and equity of services. 

The Minister underscored that the strong commitment from the government and the public, the key role played by the private sector and the involvement of development partners is crucial for the success of the HSTP. The newly launched HSTP is the first phase of a 20 year health sector strategy dubbed ‘Envisioning Ethiopia’s Path to Universal Health Coverage through Strengthening of Primary Health Care’. 

WHO Ethiopia will continue working with the Government of Ethiopia to provide technical support in the implementation of the country’s Health Sector Transformation Plan towards ensuring the health of the Ethiopian people. 

[* Woreda transformation entails three things: create model kebele, reach 100% community-based health insurance and make all the health facilities in the woredas high-performing facilities. A model kebele will have at least 80% of the families in the kebele implement all the health extension packages, will be free from open defecation and free from home birth.]

For more information, contact:

Program: Dr Paul Mainuka;  mainukap [at] who.int

or

Communication: Kibnesh Chala;  chalak [at] who.int