Ethiopian Diaspora Conference on Health

It is with great satisfaction that P2P announces the successful conclusion of the 4th Global Ethiopian Diaspora Conference on Health Care and Medical Education which was conducted at the Residence Inn by Marriott in Washington , DC on September 22, 2012.

Over 250 Health Care Professional from all corners of USA attended the conference. While most attendees were medical professional of Ethiopian origin, there were several foreigners (mainly from the US ) who have had working experience in Ethiopia and some others who plan to be involved with Ethiopia in the future.

Participants who came from Ethiopia included Tedros Adhanom (PhD), Minister of Health of Ethiopia. In addition, 5 medical schools from Ethiopia were represented by at least 1 person. The main theme of the conference was “The Status and Future of Tertiary Hospitals in Ethiopia and the Role of the Diaspora”. In addition to the presenters from Ethiopia , 2 Ethiopian Diaspora organizations who are working to establish “State of the Art” tertiary hospitals in Ethiopia were represented. These organizations are Ethio-American Doctors Group (EADG)) and Global Ethiopian Diaspora Healthcare Foundation(GEDHF). In addition to individual presentations, a very lively panel discussion and debate was conducted in regard to why Ethiopia needs “State of the Art” tertiary hospitals in both the private and public sectors and what activities are being undertaken.

During the conference, 3 individuals, selected by P2P after a competitive process, were given special awards. Malede Maru (prof.), the Founding Dean of Gondar College of Medical Sciences as well as the first Cardiologist in Ethiopia was given the “Life Time Achievement Award”, while Zerihun Abebe  (PhD), Dean of Mekelle University College of Health Sciences was given the “Rising Star Award” for his role in raising the profile of his young medical school and attracting international partnerships. The “Public Service Award” was given to Haile Gerima (prof.), Howard University , who is an internationally renowned film maker and artist for promoting issues relevant to Ethiopia and Africa .

Source: The Reporter