Strengthening health systems for a heathier future
The European Union is committed to supporting Ethiopia’s health sector through strategic investments under the Global Gateway initiative. These investments aim to strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC), improve health infrastructure, enhance medical skills, advance digital health solutions, and foster local pharmaceutical manufacturing. This comprehensive approach ensures sustainable health system strengthening, aligns with Ethiopia’s national priorities, and maximizes the impact of Global Gateway investments.
Advancing Ethiopia’s PHC agenda
Ethiopia has made significant progress in expanding primary health care (PHC) coverage, yet the country continues to face a triple burden of disease while its PHC system remains under resourced. Through the framework of equal partnerships, the EU is committed to advancing Ethiopia’s PHC agenda by crowding in public and private EU investments under the Global Gateway strategy. These investments focus on upgrading critical PHC infrastructures, skills development on biomedical sector, and addressing social determinants of health.
Health Infrastructure – Renovation of Regional Hospitals
Through the team Europe approach, the EU and Member States, particularly France, have mobilized resources for the renovation and re-equipment of regional hospitals in Dessie (Amhara), Adwa (Tigray) and Abala (Afar). These facilities serve over 20 million residents, significantly enhancing healthcare access and quality in these regions.
Health Skills – Medical Speciality Trainings
The EU supports skills development in critical specialities through a Team Europe Joint Initiative implemented by Spain and Italy. This program strengthens medical speciality trainings in eight universities hospitals across Oromia, Amhara, Tigray and Addis Ababa. It facilitates the mobilization of EU medical societies and specialists (from Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Belgium, Slovenia, and Austria) to support speciality trainings, fostering networking and potential investments between European and Ethiopian university hospitals.
Digital Health – Digital Transformation of Health Insurance System
The EU is advancing the digital transformation of Ethiopia’s Health Insurance system by developing and rolling out digital solutions. This initiative includes integrating and ensuring interoperability with other national digital systems, such as Digital Financial Services (DFS), Digital National ID, and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system to streamline health insurance claims processing.
Fostering local medical manufacturing capacities
Leveraging Ethiopia’s potentials for local production of pharmaceuticals and its market opportunities - including in neighbouring East Africa countries - the EU provides investment financing to build local manufacturing capacities. This includes developing regulatory capacities of the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) by enhancing laboratory infrastructure, upgrading of inspection facilities, and supporting skills development and digitalization of regulatory functions. These efforts create an attractive and reliable environment for investments in the pharmaceutical sector.
