WHO hails Ethiopia's pandemic fund initiative

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday commended the launch of the Ethiopian Pandemic Multi-Sectoral Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Project (EPPR).

The initiative is a "remarkable move" towards strengthening the East African country's defenses against potential pandemics, WHO said in a statement.

The EPPR is a comprehensive three-year project that addresses issues of pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response specific to Ethiopia's complex landscape.

Supported by a grant of $50 million from the Pandemic Fund, a multilateral financing mechanism, and an additional $63 million in co-financing, the EPPR is a partnership between key stakeholders bringing together the Ethiopian government, different UN agencies, and other partners.

The project aims to strengthen surveillance systems, enhance the national laboratory system, and ensure the availability of skilled and competent health professionals for a sustainable and functional public health system to enable prevention, detection, and response to pandemics, the WHO said.

WHO Ethiopia Representative Dlamini Nonhlanhla said the key components and project activities are aligned with the national plans.

"The establishment of this initiative reflects a firm commitment from the Ethiopia government and our partner organizations to invest in a sustainable and comprehensive approach to pandemic prevention, preparedness and response," Nonhlanhla said.

The WHO said the initiative will strengthen existing training, management, and response teams across human and animal sectors at all levels.

It said the project will help Ethiopia's laboratory systems increase services and accessibility, including improved detection of priority pathogens. It will also enhance Ethiopia's surveillance of outbreaks at points of entry and improve the alert system mechanism for the country.

According to the WHO, Ethiopia has a high burden of both communicable (such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS) and non-communicable diseases.