First Private Health Sector Exhibition Held in Addis

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009 (Addis Ababa) – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Banking on Health Project, funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), is sponsoring today the first ever national Private Health Sector Exhibition in Ethiopia.  Following the theme of “Strengthening and Growing Private Practices in the Fight Against TB & HIV/AIDS”, the exhibition will provide a unique opportunity for nearly 200 representatives of private health clinics, hospitals, supply companies, and financial institutions to meet and share information in support of the growth of a high quality, affordable private health sector responsive to the needs of Ethiopians.

The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and the Medical Association of Physicians in Private Practice, will support the development of the private health sector, and the GoE’s partnership with the private health sector to improve safety, affordability and access to critical public health services.

Federal Minister of Health, Tewodros Adhanom, and USAID/Ethiopia Acting Deputy Director Gerald A. Cashion delivered remarks at the opening of the exhibition at Bole Rock Hotel.  In his remarks, Dr. Cashion said, “USAID is proud to sponsor this exhibition that will enable private medical clinic and hospital owners to obtain essential information, contacts, and inputs to help them sustain and improve their businesses.”

A variety of commercial representatives and exhibitors are participating in the Private Health Sector Exhibition including: medical equipment suppliers, pharmaceutical suppliers and distributors, insurance companies, professional associations, medical schools, literature and book suppliers, and banks interested in lending to private health providers. The exhibition also had panel presentations and paper presentations by health providers, healthcare management experts, banks, and government representatives. 

USAID’s Banking on Health project is creating linkages between financial institutions and private health providers to increase access to finance for private health providers, thus supporting the growth of their private practices.

The US government through PEPFAR is engaging 180 private health clinics and 13 private hospitals in Ethiopia to provide safer and affordable health service. Furthermore, The USG also strengthens the non- medical human capacity of the private health sector through management, accounting and human resource trainings and workshops.