Committee said Ministry’s performance is commendable

It was expressed that the Ministry of Health has achieved remarkable results on the accessibility of health services and institutions evenly distributed across the nation aiming at realizing the Millennium Development Goals.

The Chairperson of Social Affairs Standing Committee of the House, the Hon. W/ro Azeb Mesfin has stated this while concluding the 3rd quarter performance report of the 2000 fiscal year of the Ministry of Health on the 29th regular session of the House of Peoples’ Representatives held on 13 May 2008.

The Hon. W/ro Azeb said that the Ministry of Health has carried out commendable activities on the distribution of drugs to control tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and the high maternal and child mortality rate in the country.

Besides, the Ministry should undertake additional efforts to access health service to the Somali region and improve the ongoing health service delivered to the society in hospitals, she has noted.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health his Excellency Dr. Tewodros Adhanom said that in order to protect the maternal and child mortality rate, the ministry has established health centers, trained health professionals so as to intensify fundamental health services.

As to the services delivered by the hospitals, the Minister said that the Ministry has hired qualified foreign health professionals to develop the quality of the service rendered by hospitals.

The Ministry has realized the civil service reform programme therein to ensure institutional transformation, his Excellency remarked.

In order to render expected health service to the public, the Ministry has trained many health extension workers, he noted.

His Excellency stated that the ministry has given awareness creation lessons to the public on how to manage the endemic of Malaria and HIV/AIDS as well as epidemic diseases by creating participatory schemes for the public on the prevention and control thereof.

To stop the brain drain of health professionals after training, a provision is provided for the professionals to secure personal guarantee for 320,000 Ethiopian Birr to go abroad, minister mentioned.

Meanwhile several questions were forwarded by the members of the House to which the minister, his Excellency Dr. Tewodros Adhanom, responded.