Australia provides $45 million to Ethiopia’s health sector

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (WIC) – Australia on Thursday signed over $45 million bilateral agreement with Ethiopia to strengthen the health program in the country over the coming four years.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Kevin Rudd and Ethiopian Minister for Health, Dr Tedros Adhanom, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments.

“Australia’s support will deliver real results to the people of Ethiopia,” Rudd said at the signing ceremony held on January 26, 2012 at Hilton Hotel.

The support will build on Ethiopia’s impressive health gains made since 2005, and help keep the country on truck to meet the millennium development goals in the health sector, he added.

Rudd further noted that his country will continue investing in the health programs of Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Minister of Health, Dr Tedros Adhanom, on his part said the support that we obtained from the government of Australia today will help Ethiopia to further improve its health services.

Dr Tedros added the support will enable the nation to increase the number of midwives, birth attendants, address infant and maternal mortality in the country and attain the MDGS.