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MoH designs program to deliver quality service
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Bahirdar, October 3, 2007 (WIC) – Ministry of Health (MoH) has reportedly designed a program which enables it to make all-round activities by giving due attention to providing quality medical services.
Speaking at the launching of the 9th Health Sector Development Program in Bahirdar today, Minister of Health Dr. Tewodros Adhanom said the health development programs executed during the past few years with the commitment of the government and the support of stakeholders have yielded encouraging results. The efforts of training and deploying health extension workers to improve the health status of farmers was especially promising, he said, adding that it has been possible to deploy health extension workers in more than 80 percent of rural kebeles within a short period. Dr. Tewodros further indicated that more than 17,000 health extension workers were trained and deployed among farmers during the last two years, adding that over 7,000 workers would be trained and assigned to the remaining rural kebeles this fiscal year.
According to the minister, more than 900 new health posts were also constructed last budget year to realize the country’s health policy which is prevention-based and indicated that efforts have been underway to raise the number of health centers from 635 to 1,235 this budget year.
Besides strenuous efforts are being exerted with NGOs which have been partners of the government in the health sector to upgrade 1,354 health posts to health centers while efforts are underway to realize the goal of making available one health center for 25,000 people, the minister pointed out.
Dr. Tewodros also said a system has been put in place to enable health institutions deliver quality services by administering them with trained personnel and providing the necessary inputs.
More than 3,200 health officers are currently under training in various universities so that they can serve over 3,000 health centers, he said, adding that preparations have been finalized to directly enroll more than 1,000 preparatory level students in the field of medicine in bid to increase the number of health experts in hospitals.
Dr. Tewodros said the government has made over 70 percent salary increment to curb the migration of health experts from hospitals and health centers, adding that scholarship, on the job training and other fringe benefits as well as incentives were also guaranteed.
He further reaffirmed that the ministry, in collaboration with health experts and NGOs, is striving to register satisfactory performance in the health sector so that the ongoing development activities could be consolidated.
More than 500 participants drawn from various federal offices, governmental and non-governmental organizations are in attendance of the three-day meeting. |
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