Global Health

Despite major strides in improving the health of the population over the last decade, the Ethiopian people still face high rates of death and disease. About 350,000 children die each year, and more than 90 percent of child deaths are due to preventable or treatable causes such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS. Ninety percent of births occur without the assistance of a skilled health professional, and as a result, approximately 19,000 new mothers die each year.

USAID's integrated health care program focuses on improving maternal, neonatal and child health; voluntary family planning and reproductive health; preventing, controlling, and treating infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria; increasing access to clean water and sanitation; and improving the nutritional status of women, infants and young children.

USAID also supports the development of much needed human resources and health systems. USAID has helped train and deploy over 32,000 health extension workers and 4,000 health officers, greatly increasing the reach of primary health services. USAID also supported the creation of decentralized financial systems at 76 government hospitals and 934 health centers, resulting in improved service quality and financial management.

To support healthy policies, USAID has helped the Government of Ethiopia adopt legislation promoting workplace and community-level health insurance, the first of its kind in the country. USAID has also supported evidence-based policy change to allow community-based health extension workers to provide life-saving treatment for childhood fevers.

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