The HaSET Program has been officially launched

The HaSET (“happiness” in Amharic) program is a collaborative undertaking by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. HaSET focuses on local capacity building, evidence generation, and evidence to policy translation in the area of maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH).

HaSET aims to introduce the culture of evidence-based policy formulation and good clinical practice through on-the-job capacity building of interested academicians and senior-level health system and MNCH program leaders from idea generation to execution of research and use for decision making. HaSET offers technical expertise, a field site to nest research studies, and a fellowship program to train the next generation of MNCH leaders. The HaSET program plans to catalyze an innovative, creative, and impact-focused research environment with institutions and academic universities to advance the health of mothers, newborns, and children in Ethiopia, and is made possible through funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The objective of the launching was to introduce the HaSET program to partners and stakeholders involved in maternal and child health research, including policy makers and implementers. Thus, representatives from donor and partner organizations, government and non-governmental organizations, higher officials, and senior experts are expected to attend this event. As per the current Covid-19 prevention measures, a hybrid method of in person and virtual approaches were organized for the event.