A project, which is implemented by the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) and donated by David and Lucile Packard Foundation, is distributing Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs). The first round of distribution has reached the zonal health bureau with 20 health centers, Chiro and Gelemso General Hospitals.

The distributions are planned to reach to 13 hospitals and 100 health centers in the Amhara and Oromia Regional States, where the project entitled- Strengthening Capacity and Improving Quality of Reproductive Health (Family Planning (FP) and Compressive Abortion Care (CAC)) and Reducing Stigma on Abortion Care Service Providers- has been underway.

The gift packages contain surgical gloves, surgical face masks, hand sanitizers, soaps, bottles of alcohol, face shields, eye goggles, and aprons. The more than one million birr worth gift is expected to support the fight against COVID-19 in respective facilities.    

The overall goal of the project is to improve the quality of FP and CAC in the primary health care units to increase service uptake and support the Ministry of Health (MoH) on developing effective de-stigmatization strategies for safe abortion care among health care workers. To achieve this end the projects aims at institutionalizing FP and CAC and newborn health mentorship programs at primary hospitals and health centers through producing Emergency Surgical Officers (ESOs). Strengthening the quality improvement programs in FP, CAC, maternal and child health at primary hospitals and health centers and reducing stigma and discrimination against abortion care providers are also the objectives of the project.

Funded by David and Lucile Packard Foundation and partnering with MoH, regional health bureaus, woreda health offices, hospitals and health centers, the project will run until February 2021.