U.S. Government Supports Renovation of Debre Berhan Hospital Laboratory
Press Release
Debre Berhan, Ethiopia – The Debre Berhan Hospital Referral Health Laboratory was inaugurated today following a full renovation and refurbishment funded by the U.S. Government. The laboratory was renovated and equipped by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and I-Tech Ethiopia through partnership with the Amhara Regional Health Bureau.
The new state-of-the-art facility will provide services to approximately 2.4 million people in North Shoa, East Amhara Zone, with a capacity to perform daily testing and diagnostic services for an estimated 400-450 patients. The American people, through PEPFAR, committed USD $273,224 (5 million birr) for the renovation, which included extensive structural improvements to the walls and roof, the laboratories, sanitation facilities and waiting areas, as well as overall cleaning and outside landscaping.
The laboratory will perform disease surveillance for HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), tuberculosis (TB), and other opportunistic and tropical diseases, as well as play an integral role in Ethiopia’s public health emergency response system. It will also serve as a training site for professionals and as a hub for operational research.
The strengthening and modernization of this laboratory will support the work of the hospital and health centers in and around Debre Berhan. It will feature a government-private laboratory partnership program, thereby serving as an example of the positive impact of public-private partnerships in strengthening healthcare systems.
