The Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) concluded its 28th Annual Conference which has been underway for two days beginning February 17, 2020, at Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, Addis Ababa. As the tradition at ESOG dictates the annual conference was preceded with a series of CME courses that were being held at the Ethiopian Public Health Institutes (EPHI) on Saturday and Sunday, February 15 & 16, 2020. There were also hands-on training at Black Lion Specilaized Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College.
The Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) in collaboration with the Maternal and Children’s Health Directorate at the Ministry of Health (MoH) conducted four-day catchment-based clinical mentorship skill training. The training was conducted in Adama town at Adama German Hotel from January 22-25, 2020.
A dissemination workshop was conducted on an evaluation of residency exams at Elilly Hotel on December 27, 2019. The workshop aimed at presenting results on evaluation that was undertaken on in- training examination for residents administered under OB-Gyn departments in 12 institutions.
The series of launching events concluded for the project entitled-- Strengthening Capacity and Improving Quality of Reproductive Health (Family Planning (FP) and Compressive Abortion Care (CAC)) and Reducing Stigma on Abortion Care Service Providers. The series of these events came to an end with a launching event in Chiro, the capital of West Hararge in Oromia Regional State on December 15, 2019. One day earlier the same event was conducted in Ambo town of the same region.
The same events were being conducted in Debre Birhan, Woldia and Assela towns on November 16, 23 and 30 2019, respectively. The workshops have been conducted in the Amhara and Oromia Regional States, where the project is focused.
The overall goal of the project is to improve the quality of FP and CAC in the primary health care units to increase service uptake and support the Ministry of Health (MoH) on developing effective de-stigmatization strategies for safe abortion care among health care workers. To achieve this end the projects aims at institutionalizing FP and CAC and newborn health mentorship programs at primary hospitals and health centers through producing Emergency Surgical Officers (ESOs). Strengthening the quality improvement programs in FP, CAC, maternal and child health at primary hospitals and health centers and reducing stigma and discrimination against abortion care providers are also the objectives of the project.
The project involves a total of 100 health centers and 12 hospitals in two zones, North Shewa and North Wollo of the Amhara Regional State and in three zones: Arsi, West Shewa and West Hararge of the Oromia Regional State.
The workshop brought together medical doctors, gynecologists, ESOs and other health workers from health centers, hospitals and health bureaus from zonal to a regional level. During the workshop, participants have discussed various challenges and opportunities for the project.
Accepting the project as a great opportunity to improve health services, participants have cautioned on various matters: the culture of passing mentorship skills down to other members in facilities and lack of awareness regarding gaps at various level of the health structure, among others, are challenges raised by participants.
Funded by David and Lucile Packard Foundation and partnering with MoH, regional health bureaus, woreda health offices, hospitals and health centers, the project will run until February 2021.
The series of launching events concluded for the project entitled-- Strengthening Capacity and Improving Quality of Reproductive Health (Family Planning (FP) and Compressive Abortion Care (CAC)) and Reducing Stigma on Abortion Care Service Providers. The series of these events came to an end with a launching event in Chiro, the capital of West Hararge in Oromia Regional State on December 15, 2019. One day earlier the same event was conducted in Ambo town of the same region.