ADDIS ABABA – Marie Stopes International (MSI) Ethiopia announced that it has provided healthcare services worth 19 million Birr to women who lack access to medical care over the past two years.
MSI Ethiopia has opened two of its branches for media visits to showcase the services the institution currently provides.
During the visit, MSI Ethiopia Country Director, Abebe Shibru (MD), stated that the institution has fulfilled its social responsibility by offering free medical services worth 19 million Birr to citizens who cannot afford treatment.
Social services are being provided to financially disadvantaged sections of society. Accordingly, MSI Ethiopia is covering the health insurance of approximately 1,000 households. Among the beneficiaries, 417 are from Tigray, 160 from Amhara, and 414 from Oromia.
“We are supporting Ethiopian women and mothers, and we bear a double burden at both the institutional and national levels,” he said.
Strengthening the health sector is one of the pillars of the government’s development plans. Given the current global crisis, the government cannot achieve this goal alone; it requires support from the community, individuals, and institutions. Therefore, MSI Ethiopia is committed to contributing its fair share, he added.
MSI Ethiopia is a key contributor to the national health sector plan and continues to strengthen its efforts in this regard, Abebe noted.
Six years ago, MSI Ethiopia was fully funded by international donors, but it now covers its own expenses. “We have redefined MSI’s approach and recognized our role in contributing to society,” he said.
Representatives from the Ministry of Health stated that MSI Ethiopia serves as a benchmark for other health institutions and that the Ministry will collaborate closely with it.
MSI Ethiopia is a healthcare institution that has played a significant role in the national effort to protect maternal health for the past 30 years.
BY ESSEYE MENGISTE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 29 MARCH 2025
