Strengthening Pre-Hospital Care Through Collaboration
The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) convened a high-level discussion with the Ministry of Health today at its headquarters, focusing on strengthening collaboration among institutions providing pre-hospital medical services.
The meeting focused on preparing Ethiopia to deliver coordinated, efficient, and reliable emergency medical services during the upcoming COP32 Climate Change Conference, scheduled for November 2027.
Speaking at the event, State Minister of Health, H.E. Ms. Sahrela Abdullahi, highlighted key challenges in the current system. She noted that pre-hospital medical services in Ethiopia remain fragmented, with duplicated efforts and inefficiencies. She emphasized that closer collaboration with experienced partners like the Ethiopian Red Cross Society is essential to building a more effective and unified system.
With an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 participants expected at COP32, H.E. the State Minister stressed the importance of aligning resources and responsibilities. She further underlined that this moment presents a unique opportunity—not only to meet the demands of the conference—but also to establish a sustainable emergency medical service system that will benefit communities long after the event.
On his part, ERCS Secretary General Ato Abera Lulessa reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to strengthening pre-hospital care. He noted ongoing efforts to standardize ambulance services in line with Ministry guidelines, ensure deployment of qualified medical professionals, and maintain the sustainability of service delivery. He emphasized that coordinated action among stakeholders is critical to save resources and deliver life-saving services effectively.
Ato Abera also acknowledged existing challenges, including failure to meet the ministry’s standard, budget constraints, and security concerns in some regions. Despite these hurdles, he pointed to encouraging progress, particularly in the digitalization of pre-hospital services, as a step forward in improving efficiency and responsiveness.
The delegation led by the State Minister also visited the ERCS Emergency Operations Center at the HQ.
Ethiopia’s hosting of COP32 in Addis Ababa marks a significant opportunity to strengthen emergency medical systems through partnership and shared commitment.
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