In early 2024, Ethiopia opted-in to be one of the first Collaborative Action Strategy for Health Campaign Effectiveness (CAS) implementation focus countries. The Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health’s decision came after careful consideration of the HCE Coalition Leadership Team’s invitation to adapt and implement the CAS.
Ethiopia was invited to be a CAS focus country because of the enormous potential for success and impact. Ethiopia has a significant disease burden and a high number and variety of health campaigns, regional and cultural diversity, and the second largest population in Africa. Importantly, Ethiopia is well-placed to build on previous campaign collaboration experience and political momentum to integrate campaigns, making a strong foundation on which to build through CAS adaptation and implementation. We anticipate that CAS implementation in Ethiopia will surface key learnings that will benefit other ministries of health – in East Africa and beyond – interested in adapting and implementing the CAS to catalyze more effective health campaigns in their own countries.
The CAS’ vision for deeper collaboration between all campaign stakeholders – funders, implementers and national health agencies – will better-position the Ethiopian government to effectively and efficiently respond to and prevent multiple diseases. This includes repeated outbreaks of yellow fever and measles, and multiple neglected tropical diseases, among many others.
Under the leadership of the State Minister for Health Services and Programs, the newly formed CAS National Steering Committee is busy customizing the strategy’s 12 recommendations to respond to the Ethiopian context, and designing an implementation plan that will begin rolling-out in Q4 of 2024.