An Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Flagship Initiative helps Ethiopia to be well prepared, to effectively detect and respond to public health threats and emergencies
The Ethiopia EPR Flagship Initiative Roadmap validation workshop was organized in Addis Ababa, by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Nonhlanhla Dlamini from WHO? said that the EPR flagship initiative was aimed to promote health security in Africa through strengthening member state’s capacity to prepare, detect, and respond to public health threats and emergencies. The flagship projects would build on existing infrastructure to put in place a well-organized support system that augments government capacity when needed, incorporating lessons from COVID-19, Ebola and other health emergencies.
Dr. Mesay Hailu Director General of EPHI, in his opening speech, said, “On the top of leveraging on existing structures and achievements, the EPR flagship initiative helps Ethiopia to build capacities in areas of coordination, surveillance, and risk communication. It also helps develop in-country highly skilled, resourced, and well-coordinated teams of professionals capable of arriving at a scene of disasters or disease outbreaks within the shortest time possible, to deliver appropriate response and recovery activities.”
Directors for Public Health Emergency Management wing of the EPHI, Mrs Neima Zeynu, Mr Mesfin Wossen, and Dr Yaregal Fufa presented the three flagship initiatives, SURGE, TASS, and PROSE respectively.
After through discussion, the Roadmap was launched in the presence of partners, donors and stakeholders.