Ethiopia becomes a member of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a coalition launched in January 2017 to finance and coordinate the development of new vaccines to prevent and contain epidemics.
During the inaugural board meeting of CEPI in Addis Ababa, Minister of Health Professor Yifru Berhan Mitke announced that Ethiopia would be become the first African country to partner with CEPI.
“I have a firm belief that CEPI will substantially improve preparedness for and respond to potential emerging and re-emerging outbreaks through encouraging and incentivizing vaccine development. It will help countries prevent- or at least contain outbreaks through vaccines before they cause humanitarian crisis,” the Minister said.
CEO of CEPI Dr. Richard Hatchett stated that Ethiopia has made enormous progress in primary health care over the past twenty years thanks to successive ambitious Health Sector Development Plans. It is a model for effective health system reform and governance and successful African-led development.
“We are hopeful and excited about the prospects of working with the Government of Ethiopia on our joint goals of developing medical countermeasures and harnessing institutional collaboration to strengthen our ability to assess and respond to epidemics threats in time,” Hatchett said.
The announcement that was made on March 9, 2018 of Ethiopia’s membership comes following a recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CEPI and the Ministry of Health. The MoU speaks to how CEPI and Ethiopia can work together in the end-to-end scope of vaccine development.
This will focus on both bridging essential gaps for re-emerging infectious diseases of epidemic potential where no vaccines currently exist, and building new technologies that can speed up the creation of vaccines for new diseases when they emerge.
It is stated that a major epidemic in Ethiopia could put the health and economic gains being achieved by the country at risk. Given its geographic location Ethiopia is also at particular risk of transmission from other countries. This includes diseases like MERS which has been found in camels in Ethiopia. CEPI’s investments to advance vaccine development and manufacturing for MERS, including through a grant announced this week by CEPI, will help build the insurance policy against the future epidemics that Ethiopia and other countries need.
“We’re delighted to be able to convene our Board in Ethiopia. Today’s meeting marks an important step in our mission to work with Ethiopia in its efforts to create platforms for epidemic preparedness, and we look forward to strengthening our partnership in the years ahead,” Jane Halton, Chair of CEPI, and former Secretary of the Australian Department of Finance said.
CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic and civil organizations. It was founded in 2017 by the governments of India and Norway, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome and the World Economic Forum. To date, CEPI has also received investment from the governments of Germany, Japan, Australia, Belgium, and Canada. It has reached USD 630 million of its target of USD one billion in funding.
Ethiopia becomes first African country to join CEPI
Hawassa demolishes Saint George 4-1
With a historic home demolition over defending champion Saint George on Thursday, Hawassa jumped three steps to finish in 8th place after the first round. Six points clear and a game in hand over league leader Dedebit has an interesting second round start while Saint George may not repeat as usual.
Two goals from diminutive play maker Tafesse Solomon and one goal each from Ferew Solomon and Eserael Eshetu, home side Hawassa destroyed visitors Saint Gorge with a shocking 4-1 score line that turned out the fast growing sea side town’s football fans into a frenzy.
Despite having the best local players plus five foreign players and under the stewardship of the Pinto from Portugal, Saint George appears to be off course and are winless in their last three games. For the home side it was a huge result that left the players as well head Coach Webetu Abate proud. Wubetu’s mid field domination and the unusual sharpness of the front players made the day for the home fans that started celebrating after the third goal from Tafesse Solomon.
Following the shocking result Dedebit has a six point lead and a game in hand over second place with 25 points Jimma AbaJifar and third because of goal differences Mekele. Saint George is fourth with 23 points.
Wolayta entertains Zamalek at Hawassa on Wednesday
Ethiopian Knock-out cup holders and Confederation Cup new comer WolaytaDicha entertains visitors Zamalek on Wednesday at Hawassa International stadium in the 2nd preliminary round first leg home qualification showdown. The return leg takes place in Alexandria after nine days.
An amazing turn around to a successful Ethiopian Premier League mid-season followed by a 2-1 aggregate victory over Zimamoto of Zanzibar in the club’s first ever international stage, WolaytaDicha has the backing of the home supporters to mount a strong showdown over one of the continent’s giant sides Zamalek on Wednesday. The senior players that had been absent in Zimamoto’s two leg encounters are returning to the lineup and Togolese international Jaco Arafat in top form, the home side has every armament to take visitors Zamalek by sheer surprise.
The 107 year-old five time African champion Zamalek is among the very best team of Africa and currently 2nd in the Egyptian league table twenty-one points behind leaders Ahly. However it doesn’t mean in bad form for they won the last five consecutive matches thus the hosts are in need of some respect. Had the game taken place in Addis Ababa, Wolayta could have had a high altitude advantage. But the resort town might help ease the burden for the visitors that are famous for playing an away defensive formation then a slaughtering attack at home front.
Back from a defeat at the hands of Jimma AbaJifar, Dicha needs a strong home showdown. “Our players are ready to mount a huge challenge over Zamalek and the current performance not history will set us free,” emotional Wolayta head coach Zenebe Feseha said.
Jimma AbaJifar is EPL’s big surprise
Emerging a strong title contender in its first ever Ethiopian Premier League season Jimma AbaJifar is considered the biggest surprise package of the first round sitting second on the table with 25 points from 15 matches. Beefing up the squad for the second round is already a priority agenda. Though he didn’t have a good record during his time with Trans-Ethiopia, the former Saint George and national team player Gebremedin Haile has done well with AbaJifar steering the side to second place. They have seven wins, four draws and four defeats and have scored eleven goals while conceding only six. It is not only the expertise of Okiki Afolabi’s one man strike force with nine goals in 11 appearances, but also for the strength of the defense.
What makes the story even sweeter is AbaJifar’s bad start with a single win in its first six outings and three consecutive defeats. A historic home win over Ethiopia Bunna in the seventh fixture, it was AbaJifar all the way through the first round with only one defeat on the road to Saint George. Handing strong side Dedebit its first defeat after a 2-0 away victory, the Jimma based outfit appears a force to be reckoned with.
A striker Afolabi from Nigeria, in good form goal keeper Daniel Agyei and a midfielder Aminu Mohammed both from Ghana and a defender SisocoAdama from Mali, the foreign investment appears to have paid off. A little brush-up for the second round and some luck, boss Gebremedin could write a new chapter in his football history book becoming the recent time’s first footballer to win a title both as a player and a coach
