Strengthening institutional and human capacity for improved public health service in Ethiopia

The Public Service of much of Ethiopian Health Care Institutions in past decades provides ample illustration of the importance of strengthening institutional and human capacity building in the development of workforce.  The importance is related to the linkage between health education and human power demands, including the analysis and formulation of human resource development (HRD), for attaining development objectives such as employment generation and poverty reduction.  The consequences of weak link , compounded by the effects of a shortage of skilled man power in the health sector have, inter alia, contributed to high and rising levels of open unemployment and underemployment, declining quality and effective public health service, and an increase in the incidence and intensity of (health difficulties) poor public health service delivery.  The persistence of these adverse consequences, which represent, a serious threat to public health service and sustainable development are somehow linked either as a cause or an effect to weaknesses (and instability) in the linkage between public health education and workforce employment in the sector.

Data for the study will be gathered and analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods.  The study limits itself to the public and private health education institutes, workforce needs of institutes, and employment and unemployment situations in major cities of the country. Lack of stakeholders’ participation in planning, inadequate capacity to design and implement HRD, and limited investment resources compounded (the inability for meeting workforce needs in the public health sector of Ethiopia) the problem of weak institutional capacity, leaving health institutions highly vulnerable to skilled workforce shortages.  Critical skill shortages in public and private health service delivery institutions in Ethiopia can hardly be addressed in the context of the current education and training system.  The consequences are seen in unemployed and underemployment of trained workforces, and HRD in health, and in poor health service delivery.