The Ministry of Health held a forum with the German Embassy, the Robert Koch Institute, and the World Health Organization (WHO) on the initiative and partnership of emergency medical teams.
At the forum, German Ambassador Birgit Ori announced that Ethiopia will host the first international meeting of emergency medical teams, which demonstrates the country’s strong emergency response capacity and its ability to effectively prevent recent outbreaks, including the Marburg virus.
Minister of Health Dr. Mekdes Daba said that no country can fight outbreaks alone, stressing the need for cooperation and investment in national and regional preparedness. He said that the Ethiopian Emergency Medical Team, established in 2018, has carried out more than 50 domestic missions and participated in international responses, including the 2023 earthquake in Turkey.
More than 600 trained professionals are currently registered on the national emergency medical team roster, and the team is close to being registered internationally.
Dr. Mekdes called for continued partnerships to strengthen emergency health workers and build a strong health system that can effectively respond to future public health emergencies.