Ethiopia trains 100 Rapid Responders to handle Public Health Emergencies

Addis Ababa, June 13, 2023 (FBC) – The World Health Organization, in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), and Africa CDC, has successfully trained 100 rapid responders to handle public health emergencies in Ethiopia and beyond.

The month-long training consisted of four modules: Public Health Emergency Operating Center, Humanitarian and Health Cluster Coordination, Gender-Based Violence, and Rapid Response Teams.

The training aimed to ensure that every African country is prepared to respond to health emergencies and humanitarian crises within 24 to 48 hours from the time of the incident.

According to Dereje Duguma, State Minister, Ministry of Health, “Ethiopia is prone to health emergencies and requires robust coordination and proper training to prepare, prevent, and respond promptly in the event of an outbreak.

He added the country is responding to public health emergencies, including COVID-19, measles, and cholera, as well as humanitarian crises such as conflict, drought, and floods.”

“I want to thank WHO for this very important training. It has come at an opportune time when the country is addressing emergencies. With more trained rapid responders, Ethiopia is more than geared up to tackle and beat any outbreak or public health emergencies efficiently within the first 24 to 48 hours of confirmation”, said Nesibu Yasin Deputy Commissioner, Ethiopian Disaster risk management commission.

It is stated that the African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC)-SURGE training is a crucial course that builds the skills and competencies of rapid responders to manage emergencies efficiently.

A virtual meeting was recently held with Lia Tadesses, the Health Minister of Ethiopia, Dlamini Nonhlanhla, the WHO Ethiopia Representative and Fiona Braka, the WHO Afro Emergency Operations Manager.

The meeting aimed to highlight the importance of the AVoHC SURGE Multidisciplinary Training and to emphasize the need to strengthen national capacity for responding to health emergencies.