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Health Minister, Dr. Leya Tadesse, said the cooperation of all stakeholders is important to provide quality health services to the community.

6th National Health Conference Under the motto: “Integrated Human Services for Better Health System Outcomes and Confidence! ".
She also said that in order to have a better health system as a country, it should not only expand medical institutions but also work on human resource development in the sector.
Dr. Desalegn Bekele, Head of the Health and Quality Improvement Team at the Ministry of Health, said the provision of medical and pharmaceutical services, infrastructure problems and the provision of essential health services to the people in all parts of the country is essential for a better health system.
In addition to the construction of health facilities, maternal and infant mortality rates have been declining, he said.
President of the Ethiopian Medical Association, Dr. Tekle Yigzaw, on his part said the focus is on expanding the health sector and producing qualified professionals and providing medical equipment.
International organizations, professional associations and experts in the health sector participated in the discussion.

August 16, 2021

| Health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the year 2021 as the year of international health and care professionals.

International Health and Care Professionals Year will be celebrated under the motto "Protect. Invest. Together". It aims to increase the investment of international financial institutions and charities, give priority to health professionals for the CVD-19 vaccine, create a conducive and safe workplace, and work with all sectors of society to support health professionals. In her inaugural address today, the Minister of Health, Dr. Leah Tadesse, said 2021 has been designated as the Year of International Health and Health Professionals in recognition of the great sacrifices made by health professionals since the outbreak of the CVD-19 epidemic and their efforts to serve the community. They said. She recalled that health professionals in Ethiopia have been playing a leading role in controlling and responding to the CVD-19 epidemic. During this time, he said, due to their high vulnerability to CVD 19, they have been providing proper immunizations, providing training on CVD 19, giving priority to CVID-19 vaccine, and other similar activities.

August 16, 2021

| Health

The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted emergency approval for the COVID vaccine made by Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm.

It is the first vaccine developed by a non-Western country to get WHO backing.
The vaccine has already been given to millions of people in China and elsewhere.
The WHO had previously only approved the vaccines made by Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna.
But individual health regulators in various countries – especially poorer ones in Africa, Latin America, and Asia – have approved Chinese jabs for emergency use.
With little data released internationally early on, the effectiveness of the various Chinese vaccines has long been uncertain.
But the WHO on Friday said it had validated the “safety, efficacy and quality” of the Sinopharm jab.
The WHO said the addition of the vaccine had “the potential to rapidly accelerate Covid-19 vaccine access for countries seeking to protect health workers and populations at risk”.
It is recommending that the vaccine be administered in two doses to those aged 18 and over.
A decision is expected in the coming days on another Chinese vaccine developed by Sinovac, while Russia’s Sputnik vaccine is under assessment.
The green light from the global health body is a guideline for national regulators that a vaccine is safe and effective.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it would give countries “confidence to expedite their own regulatory approval”.
It also means that the vaccine can be used in the global Covax programme, which was set up last year to try to ensure fair access to vaccines among rich and poor nations.
The decision to list the Chinese vaccine for emergency use is expected to give a substantial boost to the scheme, which has been struggling with supply problems.
Prior to the WHO approval, the Sinopharm vaccine was already being widely used, with an estimated 65 million doses administered, according to reports.
In addition to China, countries already using the vaccine include the UAE, Pakistan, and Hungary.
The decision on Friday to approve the vaccine for emergency use was made by the WHO’s technical advisory group, which reviewed the latest clinical data and manufacturing practices.

August 16, 2021

| Health

The African Union (AU) on Thursday began the delivery of some 220 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to member states, with the potential to distribute an additional 180 million doses in the future.

The rollout of the initiative was announced by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is also the AU COVID-19 Champion.
It is expected to bolster the continent’s mass inoculation campaign which has lagged behind other regions so far.
“By working together and by pooling resources, African countries have been able to secure millions of vaccine doses produced right here in Africa. This will provide impetus to the fight against COVID-19 across the continent and will lay the basis for Africa’s social and economic recovery,” said Ramaphosa.
The vaccine distribution follows an agreement struck by AU member countries in March 2021 for the purchase of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The vaccine was selected because it is a single-shot regime, which makes it easier and cheaper to administer. It is also said to have a longer shelf life and is more suitable for storage in Africa’s conditions. In addition, the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is partly manufactured on the African continent, with fill-finish activities taking place in South Africa.
Some 6.4 million doses are expected to be shipped in August. Monthly shipments will continue and be continually ramped up, with a target of delivering about 50 million vaccines by the end of December.
Africa continues to lag behind other regions in COVID-19 vaccinations. So far, only around 1.1 percent of the continent’s population has received at least one dose of the life-saving jabs.
Experts are concerned that the highly contagious Delta variant could worsen the situation on the continent and overwhelm health systems.
The Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr. John Nkengasong expressed optimism that the vaccine shipments would help the continent counter the spread of the virus.
“During the last months, we have seen the vaccination gap between Africa and other parts of the world widen, and a devastating third wave hit our continent. The deliveries starting now will help us get to the vaccination levels necessary to protect African lives and livelihoods,” he said, according to CGTN.

August 16, 2021

| Health