Innovative Program Fills Health Care Void
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Rahel Terefe (r) is part of a movement of health officers being trained to help fill the void of health care professionals in Ethiopia. |
Ethiopia faces a chronic shortage of human resources in the health sector. Those in the health sector struggle with alarming health conditions. The country has one of the highest newborn mortality rates in the world. One in six children dies a preventable death before they reach the age of five. Acute lack of access to health care has been leading many Ethiopians of all ages to die of common illnesses, leaving the life expectancy at only 41 years.
Since 1997, the Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative (EPHTI) has helped to address these alarming health issues through a landmark partnership between the Government of Ethiopia, seven Ethiopian universities, 21 Ethiopian hospitals, The Carter Center, and USAID. The initiative is making a true difference in the delivery of health care in Ethiopia. By enhancing the quality of pre-service training for health staff, more and more Ethiopians are receiving better health care services. (more)