A comprehensive effort is underway in Ethiopia as the country launches the Ethiopia Pandemic Multi-Sectoral Prevention, Preparedness and Response Project (EPPR), marking a shift toward a holistic and multi-sectoral approach to addressing public health crises.
With a total budget of $113 million, the EPPR aims to address public health crisis by integrating health and agriculture to bolster food security, improve zoonotic diseases surveillance, and foster sustainable livelihoods in vulnerable communities.
Health Minister Lia Tadesse revealed during the project launch that Ethiopia's Pandemic Fund will contribute $50 million, which will be supplemented by an additional $63 million from development partners.
The minister emphasized the strategic focus on strengthening laboratory functions, surveillance capacity, and human resource development to reinforce the country's ability to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies.
over the next three years, the ministry will focus on the One Health Approach to enhance Ethiopia’s preparedness and response capabilities.
Agriculture Minister Girma Amante highlighted that the One Health Approach will significantly improve the national capacity for animal disease detection, reporting, community engagement, awareness campaigns, policy alignment, and resource allocation.
Mr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC), highlighted the significance of adopting the One Health Approach, stressing the necessity of unifying all components and entities in collaborative efforts to effectively address public health challenges.
He also emphasized the importance of the upcoming regional and multi-country proposals, and the need for joint action and coordination to achieve success.