Hawassa: The World Health Organization, in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), and Africa CDC, has successfully trained 100 rapid responders to handle public health emergencies in Ethiopia and beyond. The month-long training consisted of four modules: Public Health Emergency Operating Center, Humanitarian and Health Cluster Coordination, Gender-Based Violence, and Rapid Response Teams. The training aimed to ensure that every African country is prepared to respond to health emergencies and humanitarian crises within 24 to 48 hours from the time of the incident.
 
According to H.E Dr Dereje Duguma, State Minister, Ministry of Health, “Ethiopia is prone to health emergencies and requires robust coordination and proper training to prepare, prevent, and respond promptly in the event of an outbreak. The country is responding to public health emergencies, including COVID-19, measles, and cholera, as well as humanitarian crises such as conflict, drought, and floods.”
 
“I want to thank WHO for this very important training. It has come at an opportune time when the country is addressing emergencies. With more trained rapid responders, Ethiopia is more than geared up to tackle and beat any outbreak or public health emergencies efficiently within the first 24 to 48 hours of confirmation”, said H.E Ato Nesibu Yasin Deputy Commissioner, Ethiopian Disaster risk management commission.
 
The African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC)-SURGE training is a crucial course that builds the skills and competencies of rapid responders to manage emergencies efficiently. WHO is committed to mobilizing resources to support the country in implementing the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) flagship initiatives. Ethiopia is one of the few countries currently implementing the program. WHO is supporting the government to continue implementing the activities outlined in the two-year roadmap for implementation drafted during the Scoping Mission for the Flagship. 

A virtual meeting was recently held with H.E. Dr. Lia Tadesses, the Health Minister of Ethiopia, Dr. Dlamini Nonhlanhla, the WHO Ethiopia Representative a.i., and Dr. Fiona Braka, the WHO Afro Emergency Operations Manager. The meeting aimed to highlight the importance of the AVoHC SURGE Multidisciplinary Training and to emphasize the need to strengthen national capacity for responding to health emergencies.
 
As part of the AVoHC-SURGE program, Ethiopia is developing a multidisciplinary roster of highly trained, equipped, and supported experts to respond rapidly to public health emergencies. The roster members will primarily respond to emergencies in Ethiopia, such as infectious disease outbreaks and disasters, and may also be requested to respond to African regions.
 
“It is amazing to see a long training journey like a marathon completed successfully, with great cooperation and resilience from you the trainee and stakeholders, including external facilitators from WHO AFRO and Headquarters, WHO country office and the government taking the lead through the Ministry of Health and EPHI. Our stakeholders here in Hawassa have played great roles towards successful marathon training. We are glad to see you come from the various sectors Ministry of Defense, Ethiopian Aviation Authority, Ministry of Agriculture, and Public Health Institute. “ Said Dr Patrick Abok, On behalf of WHO Ethiopia representative a.i