Renovated Wahil Clinic to Improve Community Health Care

Dire Dawa, Ethiopia – American and Ethiopian partners dedicated a newly renovated health clinic at Wahil, outside Dire Dawa, on May 27, 2009.  Service members of the United States’ Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) worked with local contractors, Yauuea Construction Company, PLT, to renovate the clinic as part of our two countries’ ongoing partnership to improve health care and livelihoods for local communities.

At the dedication ceremony, United States Ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald Yamamoto, stressed the importance of working together to improve health infrastructure.  Echoing his words, Colonel Lorrie Oldham of CJTF-HOA said this project demonstrates the positive benefits of the Ethiopian-American partnership and the benefits it brings to the lives of people across the region.  The Ambassador and the Colonel joined regional and local officials to dedicate the new facility.

The renovations to the health clinic included the renovation and repair of the latrines, and the installation of a new cistern and plumbing. The project cost approximately U.S. $212,000 and included renovation of the main clinic building, generator shed, staff building, installation of a 30 kW generator and bio-waste incinerator, four small toilets, and the installation of a new 20,000 liter cistern.  In addition, windows with mosquito screens were also installed.

The clinic was identified for renovation by the Dire Dawa Health Bureau.  In response to the Health Bureau’s request, CJTF-HOA civil affairs team members worked with the contractor to complete the project in just over twelve months.  The newly completed facility will improve local health care for the people of Wahil and citizens throughout the Oromo District.  The next nearest health clinic is 75 kilometers away in Dire Dawa.
The work of CJTF-HOA’s service members contributes to United States Government efforts to promote a better tomorrow for all Ethiopians through projects to support clean water, functional schools, better roadways and improved medical facilities.  CJTF-HOA’s development projects are part of a strategy of Cooperative Conflict Prevention, and contribute to the task force’s overall mission to build security capacity, promote regional cooperation, and protect coalition interests to prevail against extremist activities. 
 
Last year, the U.S. Government invested more than U.S.$350 million to improve health care and infrastructure in Ethiopia through a variety of programs, including the President’s Plan for Emergency AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), USAID, CDC, Peace Corps, and such CJTF-HOA projects as the Wahil Clinic.