Russia to Train Specialists for Paramedic & Obstetric Centers in Ethiopia

Russia will provide training for specialists for Paramedical and Obstetric Centers (POCs) in Ethiopia, according to a memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday by the Russian "Heroes" Charitable Foundation for Medical Staff Assistance, Ethiopia's Bonga University, and the Russian company Pan-African PPP Development Center.

On this occasion, Sputink Africa spoke to the president of Ethiopia's Bonga University, Dr. Petros Woldegiorgis, and the president and founder of the "Heroes" foundation, Kirill Masliev.

Speaking about the advantages of cooperation with Russia in the field of medicine, Dr. Woldegiorgis stressed that "Russians were always supporting and assisting Ethiopia."

"It is inexpressible, to be honest. [...] It is not only that they are sending doctors to Ethiopia, also they are bringing students from Ethiopia. And they are giving education a chance. The memorandum of understanding we signed today is the extension of that. It is mutualism, now Ethiopia is under BRICS. So our friendship, our solidarity will continue and will be strengthened due to this and some other social service that your country is doing for my country," he said.

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He also highlighted that Russian medical specialists "are really skilled" and "well experienced."

"They are well experienced. You see, this is a developed country. [...] So, based on the knowledge they have from here, it is obvious that they are going to uplift the healthcare system of my country. That's obvious. They are really skilled as far as medicine and health issues are concerned," the university president noted.

A paramedic and obstetric center, which is planned to be built in Ethiopia, will be owned and managed by the country's Labor Ministry, the university president revealed.

"Support material delivery should be on the side of Public-Private Partnership and at Bonga University side, we are responsible for preparation of human resource, who is expected to mobilize this 2000 midwifery stations, which are going to be built in Ethiopia," Petros Woldegiorgis explained.

Commenting on the occasion, president and founder of the "Heroes" foundation, Masliev, pointed out that the initiative to sign the memorandum came from the Ethiopian side and that they were "extremely interested in building POCs."

Masliev underlined the importance of paramedic and obstetric centers "within the framework of the modernization of primary healthcare." He recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin recently held a meeting where he paid great attention to the development of these centers in Russia.

The president of the foundation also revealed that there are plans to establish partnerships in this field with other African countries and that the signing of a document with Ethiopia is "the first step."

"Today is the first step in the further large program that we are going to implement. We are very pleased that Ethiopia became the first country from Africa, with which we have more than 125 years of diplomatic, cultural and agricultural relations. Today is such a big step in the field of cooperation in healthcare. Of course, with other African countries as well. They are also interested, because they understand that POCs are extremely important for the population," he disclosed.

As for other Russia-Ethiopia cooperation initiatives in the field of medicine, in November 2023, the countries decided to conduct joint scientific research, which involves assisting Ethiopia in enhancing its laboratory facilities and strengthening their preparedness for epidemics.