The Ohio State Global One Health initiative (GOHi), through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, helped establish advanced molecular diagnostic laboratory capabilities. These labs will strengthen the national surveillance and response system by enabling the detection of infectious diseases such as influenza, COVID-19 and other pathogens of public health significance.
In addition to the advanced molecular laboratories GOHi inaugurated in Bahir Dar and Addis Ababa, this marked the beginning of service with similar laboratories established in Adama and Arba Minch regional laboratories in the presence of federal and regional higher officials.
These new labs enable Ethiopia's health system to be resilient and better monitor, detect, identify, report and respond to epidemics and pandemics.
GOHi will continue to work with the government to ensure ownership and sustainability of these laboratory capacities, supporting evidence-based public health actions and protecting the country from illness, death and economic consequence.