Overview of Ethiopia's Health System Evolution and Financing Strategies
This article provides a comprehensive historical analysis of Ethiopia's health system, tracing its development from the 1950s to the present. Initially focused on basic services through health centers, the system faced setbacks due to political and economic instability following the 1974 revolution. By the 1990s, services were largely urban-centric and curative. The 1993 Health Policy marked a pivotal shift toward decentralization, prioritizing primary and community-based care. A significant milestone was the 2003 launch of the Health Extension Program (HEP), which deployed community health workers to deliver preventive care and education in rural areas. Regarding financing, the Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) scheme was introduced in 2010 for the informal sector, expanding to hundreds of districts by 2017. However, the rollout of social health insurance for formal sector workers has experienced repeated delays. The revised Health Care Financing Strategy (2022–31) aims to align health financing with national economic goals, emphasizing innovative mechanisms and public-private partnerships to support Ethiopia's ambition of becoming a middle-income country.
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Overview of Ethiopia's Health System Evolution and Financing Strategies
This article provides a comprehensive historical analysis of Ethiopia's health system, tracing its development from the 1950s to the present. Initially focused on basic services through health centers, the system faced setbacks due to political and economic instability following the 1974 revolution. By the 1990s, services were largely urban-centric and curative. The 1993 Health Policy marked a pivotal shift toward decentralization, prioritizing primary and community-based care. A significant milestone was the 2003 launch of the Health Extension Program (HEP), which deployed community health workers to deliver preventive care and education in rural areas. Regarding financing, the Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) scheme was introduced in 2010 for the informal sector, expanding to hundreds of districts by 2017. However, the rollout of social health insurance for formal sector workers has experienced repeated delays. The revised Health Care Financing Strategy (2022–31) aims to align health financing with national economic goals, emphasizing innovative mechanisms and public-private partnerships to support Ethiopia's ambition of becoming a middle-income country.
Commonwealth Fund