Ethiopia Transform: Primary Health Care (USAID)

The USAID Transform: Primary Health Care Activity launched in Ethiopia in 2017 and ended in September 2022. The goal of the Activity and its partner, Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health, was to strengthen the health system by expanding access to and improving the quality of services for nearly 58 million Ethiopians. In doing so, USAID Transform helped prevent 1.4 million deaths of children under five and 85,000 mothers by implementing the Health Sector Transformation Plan in 451 woredas in Ethiopia.

To achieve its goal, USAID Transform expanded more than 111,000 health workers’ knowledge and capacity, which improved health service quality. The Activity also strengthened service delivery, data management, and access to medicines and medical supplies. These efforts resulted in a reinforced health system providing significantly higher-quality services in over 11,000 health centers and posts across the country. Moreover, by supporting regional health bureaus, the number of high-performing facilities increased fivefold.

During its five years of implementation, USAID Transform used existing mechanisms and resources and fully incorporated Ethiopian communities in all processes. This strengthened and made the health system sustainable for generations to come.