Source: U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |

The United States Agency for International Development Built Health Center to Serve 25,000 People

Nine more health center construction projects are underway and expected to be completed in 2018

This health center will provide lifesaving and essential health services such as immunization, child delivery, HIV care and treatment services, and more

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 6, 2017/APO Group/ --

In a ceremony today, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officially handed over a newly constructed health center to the Amhara Regional Health Bureau. This newly constructed facility will serve over 25,000 people of Gulem Dejen and the surrounding areas.

The United States has a long history of partnership with Ethiopians on improving health care outcomes. We firmly believe that a healthier Ethiopia is key to a healthier, safer world for all. We see our cooperation to increase Ethiopia's capacity in health care as a key component of our efforts to enable Ethiopians to achieve a more prosperous future.

Speaking at the opening of the health center today, Sophia Brewer, the Deputy Office Chief of the Health, AIDS, Population and Nutrition Office from USAID said, “This health center will provide lifesaving and essential health services such as immunization, child delivery, HIV care and treatment services, and more.”

This USAID constructed health center is part of the Ethiopia Health Infrastructure Program, funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and will provide essential health services to the local population, including to people living with or affected by HIV. The program will support Ethiopia’s efforts to control the HIV epidemic by building facilities in the major regions so pregnant women can give birth and people living with HIV can receive antiretroviral treatment in clean and safe wards.

This is the 13th of 22 health centers being constructed by USAID with funding from PEPFAR. Nine more health center construction projects are underway and expected to be completed in 2018. In addition, USAID's support to build the National Blood Bank began in 2016 and is also expected to be completed by 2018. 

Through the Ethiopia Health Infrastructure Program, USAID has built ten pharmaceutical warehouses to store and distribute medicine and other health commodities and renovated 10 existing health care centers. As one of the recipients of PEPFAR resources, Ethiopia benefits from the multi-sector HIV programs administered by USAID, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense, Peace Corps, and the State Department’s Population, Refugees, and Migration Bureau. Through PEPFAR, the U.S. Government enabled Ethiopia to decrease the number of new infections and AIDS-related deaths by at least 50 percent since 2005.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.