Stewart Tichaona Muchapera, Communications Officer, East and Southern African FP2030 Regional Hub 

The Ethiopian government recently signed two additional budget agreements with development partners for the procurement of reproductive health commodities as part of its continued efforts to increase access to family planning.  

The extra budget of US$36 million for the coming three years is critical in closing the financial gap in the procurement of reproductive health commodities. The government’s contribution from the recurring budget amounts to US$11.27 million while US$24.8 million is coming from development partners.  

State Minister of Health, Dr. Dereje Duguma, noted that family planning is one of Ethiopia’s flagship programs that is implemented down to the health extension services, yet few women of reproductive age have access to it.  

“To attain a healthy prosperous society, we need to increase access to family planning to all women and girls, and this calls for us to look at our investments in the sector and explore ways we can increase co-financing to cover the funding gaps,” said Duguma. 

The development partners who signed the agreements are Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation (DLPF). 

Dr. Sheila Macharia, managing director, FP2030 East and Southern Africa Regional Hub, welcomed the provision of additional funding by the Ethiopian government and development partners as this will increase supply of family planning commodities.  

“These agreements are critical in closing the financial gap in the procurement of family planning commodities and it is encouraging to note that despite all the challenges you are facing Ethiopia still has an excellent family program,” said Dr Macharia. 

She also highlighted Ethiopia’s special focus on adolescents and young people as an essential component of the government’s strategies on reproductive health given Ethiopia’s high population of approximately 120 million, of which 28% are aged 15 to 29 years.  

“I would like to appreciate Ethiopia's commitment to ensure all women and girls, particularly young people, have access to family planning services, and this will not only help Ethiopia to realize the demographic dividend, but ensure a prosperous and health future.” 

Under the new Adolescent and Youth Health Strategy, Ethiopia seeks to reduce teenage pregnancy from 13% to 7%, raise the median age at first marriage from 17 to 18 years and reduce HIV prevalence among young people to 0.1 percent.  

 The Ethiopian government seeks to achieve this target through multiple responses for displaced youth including the establishment of youth-friendly services at health centers.   

The new strategy goes beyond sexual and reproductive health, including other important health issues affecting young people including nutrition, substance abuse, and gender-based violence. 

The strategy gives special attention to the most vulnerable groups and hard-to-each young people including those living with HIV, disability, and those living and working in disaster prone areas.