Southern Ethiopia - Gwent Health Link

Wales for Africa Health Links Group

Our link worked closely with other health links in Wales, namely PONT and Dolen Cymruand and Welsh assembly in June 2007 to organize the first Wales for Africa Health Links Conference which was a huge success. Our link members organized seminar, presented lectures and poster as well as supported Dr Yifru making an excellent presentation regarding medical manpower crisis in Ethiopia. Following on from this our link has continued to work closely with the Chief medical officer for Wales, Welsh assembly and other Welsh health links in formation of a Wales for Africa health Links group

Working with other international charities

In 2007 our link started collaboration with ‘Safe hands for mothers’ in improving health education amongst women around WondoGenet HC. In November 2007 two members from the ‘Mothers of Africa’ charity visited with the link team and participated in training workshops. It is expected to develop jointly with them a CME workshop for the nurse anaesthetists in SNNPR in 2008.

In November 2007 our link team was joined by a BBC journalist who has made a documentary about the link’s activities in Ethiopia.

Our link’s success so far has been as a result of continuous hard work together between our link members in Gwent, THET and our colleagues in Ethiopia especially Dr Yifru, and Misganaw our link coordinators in Hwassa. In Abergavenny our link team has been inspired by the dedication of Peter Smith who in spite personal ill health has continued to work hard for the link. The midwifery team led by Carole Garrick and Melrose East has grown from strength to strength in 2007. In 2008 the link is expecting to continue with the training programmes for the frontline health workers and consolidate support for the exemplar health centres and work with the wider community in improving health care in SNNPR and strengthening friendship and understanding between the two communities.