About Emory University Ethiopia

Vision

Emory University Ethiopia aspires to work in partnerships across Ethiopia to end preventable deaths among mothers, newborns, and children, and to build a healthier future for all.

Mission

Emory University Ethiopia is committed to enhancing the health and well-being of mothers, newborns, and children by reducing preventable deaths through equitable, evidence-based healthcare, empowering local providers, and fostering community partnerships. Our mission focuses on creating sustainable health solutions that can be scaled nationally and replicated globally.

Goals

  1. Enhance Maternal, Newborn, and Child Survival: Improve health outcomes by preventing and managing common health challenges, contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals.
  2. Ensure Access to Quality Health Services and Health Equity: Ensure the provisions of equitable, high-quality healthcare to optimize the well-being of all the mothers, newborns and children while addressing disparities to ensure health equity.
  3. Strengthen Public Health Capacity: Build skilled workforce capacity and enhance public health systems to support effective MNCH services and interventions.
  4. Maximize Impact through Collaboration: Leverage leadership, strategic partnerships, and collaborative efforts with local and international stakeholders to enhance program effectiveness and community health outcomes.

Background

The Emory University Ethiopia country office was established in 2011 to support the Maternal and Newborn Health in Ethiopia Partnership (MaNHEP) project, a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded project led by faculty in the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University. Emory University Ethiopia is registered as a foreign organization with the Agency for Civil Society Organizations.

Following the MaNHEP project, Emory University Ethiopia country office has implemented more than 25 projects focused on maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition; water, sanitation, and hygiene; maternal vaccination, neural tube defect and health systems strengthening. Emory University Ethiopia leverages partnership with government and universities, clinical training and mentorship, community outreach, and low-cost interventions to improve the outcomes of mothers, babies, and children across Ethiopia. More than 22 million pregnant women, 900,000 newborns, and 2.9 million children under the age of five years have benefited from Emory Ethiopia Office programs.

The Emory University Ethiopia country office team is comprised of individuals with diverse expertise in program development and management, public health, nutrition, clinical services, quality improvement approaches for healthcare, operational research, monitoring & evaluation, and communications. Emory University Ethiopia supports Ethiopia’s national policies and strategies, specifically complementing and strengthening the flagship Saving Littles Lives Program by ensuring a core package of maternal and newborn health interventions.

Together with local and international partners, and and with target beneficiaries themselves, Emory University Ethiopia works to address health and nutrition needs and undertake long term development work. Emory University Ethiopia works both in agrarian and pastoralist communities to promote a better understanding of maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition, and it campaigns for local and country wide actions that will help to end all the preventable causes of deaths among mothers, newborns, children and adolescents.

Values

  • Access to Quality Care: We believe that access to high-quality maternal, newborn, and child health services is a fundamental right essential for the well-being of individuals and communities everywhere in Ethiopia.
  • Equity and Inclusivity: We are committed to achieving health equity for all maternal, newborn, and child populations, actively working to eliminate disparities in access and outcomes.
  • Professionalism and Competence: We value the skills and dedication of our team, fostering a culture of innovation, efficiency, and excellence in all our initiatives.
  • Collaborative Partnerships: We recognize that our success relies on strong partnerships with local and international organizations, stakeholders, and communities, working together to eradicate preventable maternal, neonatal and child deaths.
  • Capacity Building and Empowerment: We prioritize empowering local healthcare providers and community health workers, equipping them with the knowledge and resources necessary for effective health service delivery.
  • Community Engagement: We actively engage communities in health promotion efforts, fostering awareness and accountability for maternal and child health.
  • Transparency and Accountability: We uphold principles of transparency and accountability in all our operations, ensuring stakeholders are informed and involved in our mission.
  • Innovation and Technology: We leverage innovative solutions and data analytics to enhance evidence-based health service delivery and monitor health outcomes effectively.
  • Policy Advocacy: We collaborate with stakeholders to influence health policies, ensuring they prioritize maternal and newborn health in alignment with global health goals.
  • Sustainability: We are dedicated to creating sustainable health solutions that can be scaled nationally and replicated globally, ensuring long-term positive outcomes for mothers, newborns, and children.

Strategic Approaches

  1. Enhance Local Capacity: Empower local healthcare providers and community health workers through targeted training, ensuring the delivery of high-quality maternal and newborn health services.
  2. Quality Improvement: Design and implement localized quality improvement solutions that address specific community health challenges, facilitating continuous enhancement of service delivery.
  3. Health System Strengthening: Provide mentorship focused on clinical practices and community outreach, along with essential medical equipment and supplies, to strengthen the health system.
  4. Comprehensive and Scalable Interventions: Expand the community-oriented health models to reach the large number of beneficiaries, emphasizing integrated maternal and newborn health services, nutrition education, and preventive care in resources limited regions with weak health care system.
  5. Strengthen Partnerships: Build strategic alliances with local and international NGOs, government agencies, and academic institutions to leverage resources, share best practices, and coordinate health initiatives effectively.
  6. Implement Innovative Solutions: Utilize technology and data analytics to enhance health service delivery, monitor outcomes, and enable real-time decision-making.
  7. Advocate for Policy Change: Collaborate with stakeholders to influence national and regional health policies, strategies and guidelines ensuring that maternal and newborn health remains a priority and aligns with global health objectives and standard care procedures.
  8. Promote Community Engagement: Mobilize communities to actively participate in health promotion campaigns, fostering a culture of health awareness and accountability in both agrarian and pastoralist communities.
  9. Improve Nutrition Outcomes: Integrate nutrition-focused interventions that address food security, breastfeeding, and maternal nutrition to enhance the overall health and well-being of mothers and children.
  10. Foster Gender Equity: Tackle gender-based disparities in health access and outcomes by empowering women and girls through education, advocacy, and community involvement.
  11. Enhance Data Quality and Evaluation: Implement robust data collection and evaluation processes, utilizing scorecards and digital tools for ongoing monitoring and assessment.
  12. Conduct Operational Research: Engage in thorough evaluation and operational research to assess the impact of health interventions, inform best practices, and continuously improve program effectiveness.
  13. Facilitate Program Learning: Position Emory University-Ethiopia as a model for maternal and newborn health that can be replicated in other regions, contributing to global efforts to eliminate preventable deaths among mothers and children.
  14. Ensure Local Ownership and Sustainability: Engage local stakeholders and build their capacity to ensure sustainable ownership of health initiatives.

 

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