Ethiopia

The Ethiopia country profile provides an overview of the community health system in Ethiopia according to the most up-to-date policies available. It particularly focuses on the country’s community health providers, the structures that support them, and the services they deliver across many health areas – with a spotlight on family planning. The profile is targeted towards policymakers, program implementers, donors, researchers, and others interested in the country’s community health system.

The table below captures key information from the full, downloadable country profile. The complete CHS Catalog data set is also available for download, including information for Ethiopia.

Community Health Quick Stats

Main Community Health Policy / Strategy | Last Updated
  • Essential Health Services Package for Ethiopia | 2005
  • Health Extension Program Implementation Guideline (Revised) | 2012
  • Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP) (2016–2020) | 2015
Number of Community Health Provider Cadres

1 main cadre: Health extension workers (HEWs)
Recommended Number of Community Health Providers

41,664 HEWs1
Estimated Number of Community Health Providers

Over 38,000 HEWs
Recommended Ratio of Community Health Providers to Beneficiaries

1 HEW: 2,500 people2
Community-Level Data Collection Yes
Levels of Management of Community-Level Service Delivery

National, regional, zone, woreda, kebele
Key Community Health Program(s)

Health Extension Program

1 Estimate of the number needed by 2020.
2 Policies express this as two HEWs per health post, which covers approximately 5,000 people.

Key Policies and Strategies

[No author]. n.d. Facilitator’s guide for iCCM.

Ministry of Health, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. 2005. Essential Health Services Package for Ethiopia. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health (accessed January 2017).

———. 2007. The Health Sector Development Program Harmonization Manual (HHM) First Edition. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health.

———. 2010. Health Sector Development Programme IV 2011/11–2014/15. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health (accessed January 2017).

———. 2012a. Community Based Nutrition: Training Guide for Training of Health Workers and Health Extension Workers. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health.

———. 2012b. Health Extension Program Implementation Guidelines (Revised). Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health.

———. 2012c. National Nutrition Programme June 2013–June 2015. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health.

———. 2012d. Road Map for Accelerating the Reduction of Maternal and Newborn Morbidity and Mortality in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health.

———. 2013a. Ethiopian TVET-System Model Curriculum, Health Extension Service Level III based on Occupational Standard. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health.

———. 2013b. Health Sector Gender Mainstreaming Manual. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health (accessed January 2017).

———. 2015a. Health Sector Transformation Plan. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health (accessed January 2017).

 ———. 2015b. Health Sector Transformation Plan Woreda Based Health Sector Annual Core Plan EFY 2008. Addis Ababa: Federal Ministry of Health (accessed January 2017).