Amref launches IHSS project to benefit over five million people across five regions

Amref Health Africa has announced the launch of a $28 million Integrated Health System Strengthening (IHSS) project in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The project aims to benefit more than five million people across five regions in Ethiopia.

The IHSS project will integrate interventions at the provincial levels to address critical bottlenecks in primary health care facilities. Dr. Addis Tamire, Senior Director for Health System Investments at Amref Health Africa in Ethiopia, described the project as “a trailblazer for evidence-based health system transformation,” emphasizing its potential to revolutionize health service delivery at the grassroots level.

The project will be implemented in 50 districts across the Afar, Amhara, Oromia, Sidama, and Somali regions, aiming to benefit 5.3 million citizens. Dr. Addis Tamire stated that the project seeks to increase access to quality health care by improving primary health care management, enhancing health financing, and providing essential health system resources for service delivery.

Dereje Duguma, State Minister for Health Services & Programs at the Ministry of Health, remarked during the launch event, “The IHSS project represents a strategic investment in building resilient health systems that can effectively respond to the diverse health needs of our population.”

Over the next four years, Amref Health Africa will implement the IHSS project in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, regional health offices, and various other partners.

Amref has been active in Ethiopia since the 1960s and became fully operational in 2002. The organization has been partnering with the Ethiopian government and local communities to co-create solutions and implement diverse initiatives to bring lasting health change in Africa. Amref’s mission is to catalyze and drive community-led and people-centred health systems while addressing social determinants of health.

The article was published on https://www.capitalethiopia.com/2024/07/08/amref-launches-ihss-project-to-benefit-over-five-million-people-across-five-regions/