USAID opens $1,450,000 hospital surgery pavilion in Ethiopia

The United States commemorated the inauguration of a new surgical ward in Soddo Christian General Hospital, located in Soddo City, Wolayita Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region, through the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Since 2018, Soddo Christian General Hospital has been granted over $1.45 million (77.5 million Birr) from USAID to construct a new surgical wing, acquire state-of-the-art surgical equipment, and develop a new residential facility for faculty and residents. The American Schools and Hospitals Abroad initiative of USAID is in charge of funding this endeavor. Each year, over 20,000 Ethiopians receive life-saving interventions at the hospital.

At a ribbon-cutting event and the formal opening of the new surgical ward, USAID/Ethiopia Deputy Mission Director Tim Stein remarked that “USAID currently allocates over 12 billion Birr annually in Ethiopia to avert maternal and child mortality.”

As noted by Stein, financing for the surgical ward is part of USAID’s dedication to bolstering Ethiopia’s healthcare framework and training Ethiopian healthcare professionals.

During the event, Ephrem Gebreselassie, the CEO of Soddo Christian Hospital, along with Hon. Tesfaye Yigezu, the vice-president of the SNNPR, expressed gratitude to USAID for its commitment to the Ethiopian populace.

In 2022, USAID provided over $1.6 billion in humanitarian and developmental assistance to Ethiopia. This new initiative exemplifies yet another instance of collaboration between Ethiopian and American citizens.