With most Ethiopians living in remote, rural areas, civil society organisations (CSOs) play a vital role mobilising communities to access health services. These images show the challenges facing CSOs in Bambasi Woreda in the north-western region.

  • Women and children carry water in Beshangul-Gumuz region. One of the world’s poorest countries, Ethiopia ranks 157th out of 169 on the UN’s 2010 human development index.
  • An Ethiopian girl poses for the camera in Beshangul-Gumuz. Some 85 percent of Ethiopia’s 81 million population live in rural areas with limited access to health services.
  • A chart at Bambasi Woreda health centre is a permanent reminder of the region’s most common childhood diseases.
  • Habtamu Mazingia, a health officer discusses immunisation records with the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) at Menge village health post. The IFRC has extensive contacts with field workers throughout Ethiopia.
  • Health extension workers like Zebura Ali (left) and Daragew Somirew (right) serve a population of about 1,300. Vaccinations are organised on the 28th day of each month.
  • Since their village has no refrigerator, one of these community health volunteers must walk 12 kilometres to collect the vaccine for vaccination day; the other reminds villagers about the need to bring their children.
  • Keeping accurate, detailed immunisation records helps the Kebele health centre keep track of how many children have received their full set of immunisations.
  • A kerosene-powered fridge stores vaccines at the correct temperature in Menge village health post. GAVI support funds staff training on the maintenance of fridges, inventories, and cold-chains.
  • Access and utilisation of health services is increasing in Ethiopia but much work remains to be done. Receiving about half a dozen visitors each day, this health post is made from mud.
  • Children at the Bambasi Woreda health centre. GAVI works with CSOs like the Christian Relief and Development Agency and the International Rescue Committee to immunise more children in hard-to-reach, semi-nomadic communities.
  • Dr. Gideon Tefera, emergency health & nutrition programme manager for World Vision Ethiopia, examines operational regions for GAVI-supported CSOs working to reach populations living outside the catchment of government services.
  • Child mortality rates have been falling steadily in Ethiopia from 210 deaths per 1,000 under-fives in 1999 to 109 in 2008, putting Ethiopia on target to achieve MDG 4 by 2015. The equivalent rate in the United States was 7.8 ( World Bank data).
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Last updated: 30 Sep 2019