Ethiopia extends health to its people

At a time when aid effectiveness is under scrutiny, Ethiopia is embracing a new approach to make health aid work – not least with an innovative programme to train and deploy thousands of ‘health extension workers’ in communities across the country. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was appointed health minister of Ethiopia in 2005, having worked at the ministry of health since 1986. As a malaria researcher, he has published articles in leading scientific journals, including a prize-winning study of malaria incidence among children living near dams in northern Ethiopia in the BMJ in 1999. He is chair of the UNAIDS board and was chair of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership from 2007 until May this year. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy in community health from the University of Nottingham in 2000, and a Master of Science in the immunology of infectious diseases from the University of London in 1992. He completed his undergraduate studies in biology at the University of Asmara in 1986. Co ur te st y of E th io pi an m in is try o f h ea lth