from the Governments of Sweden and other donors
to Afar and Oromia regions
UNFPA, the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency, handed over today five high-spec ambulances worth over 13.5 million Birr to the Oromia and Afar regions. The ambulances were purchased with the generous non-earmarked funding of the Government of Sweden and other donors as part of their support to UNFPA Ethiopia’s humanitarian response.
The ambulances would be deployed to strengthen the referral linkage for emergency obstetric and new-born care and other critical services at hospitals in the two regions whose health system has been devastated by the recent conflict and climate-induced crises.
Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, H.E. Hans Henric Lundquist, Ambassador of Sweden in Ethiopia said “Sweden and UNFPA have a long-standing and good cooperation in Ethiopia. Sweden alongside UNFPA responds to the national priorities by the Government of Ethiopia. What we see here today is the ambulances being handed over to Oromia and Afar Regional Health Bureaus, to help provide lifesaving services”.
The health system and services in the conflict-affected areas of the Oromia and Afar regions have been seriously compromised impacting access to sexual and reproductive health care and information. “The ambulances that were handed over today will strengthen the referral linkage in addressing obstetric complications and other critical cases thereby enhancing the efforts at promoting safe delivery and ending preventable maternal deaths,” said Mr. Koffi Kouame, UNFPA Representative.
Through its Humanitarian Preparedness and Response Plan, UNFPA is supporting interventions in the conflict-affected regions focusing on prevention and response to gender-based violence and building back capacity on the provision of services on sexual and reproductive health and rights (including on safe deliveries, fistula repairs, and family planning).
The hand-over ceremony was attended by high-level officials from the Ministry of Health and the Oromia and Afar regions as well as senior officials of the Embassies of Sweden and UNFPA.
