Market Intelligence
Healthcare Ethiopia

Ethiopia Healthcare

Communicable and non-communicable diseases, nutritional diseases, and suboptimal quality of life are major health challenges in Ethiopia. While communicable diseases such as COVID, HIV/AIDS, TB, diarrhea, respiratory infection, malaria cover a big portion of the healthcare challenge, non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as cancer of different types, high blood pressure, diabetes, hepatitis, and cardiac problems are becoming a serious challenge. Recent studies show that non-communicable diseases caused 52 % of the total deaths. Currently, the priority for Ethiopian government is to work on NCD related diseases.

The healthcare sector is very challenged to accommodate a pandemic such as covid. Under the normal circumstances two healthcare workers serve 1000 people. As per the Ministry of Health’s 2020 report, a total of 25,548 healthcare facilities are available to provide healthcare services in Ethiopia. Out of this number only 396 are hospitals that can provide tertiary services. Ethiopian hospitals do not have enough capacity for specialty services both in terms of facilities and healthcare professionals. More than 6,000 patients seek overseas treatment per year (for advanced cardiac surgery, organ transplant cancer treatment, neurosurgery, fertility treatment, ophthalmologic issues, neurosurgery, etc.). This results in incurring 100 million dollars annually for overseas treatment and has a big foreign exchange outflow impact.

Opportunities

  • Surgical unit equipment, supplies and items
  • Early screening equipment and supplies 
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Radiotherapy equipment and solutions
  • Capacity building especially in the area of handling radiotherapy equipment

Public Private Partnership (PPP) areas that Ministry of Health is working on are:

  • Diagnostic, pilot PPPs on laboratory and imaging are under approval process.
  • Oncology services, feasibility assessment is under preparation.

Constraints 

  • Lack of available forex for the private and the public sectors to import the necessary equipment and supplies
  • Price sensitivity of the market and lack of expertise/awareness to differentiate between product qualities
  • Import of medical equipment and supplies is highly dominated by Chinese and Indian companies
  • Long bureaucratic chains in the registration and licensing agencies. Procurement processes are time taking and non-transparent
  • Lack of knowledge about new technologies amongst regulatory bodies and healthcare service providers
  • Delays in the bidding process
  • Poor data management and reporting for proper decision making

For more information please contact Commercial Specialist Yemesrach Kassu at tel: +251111306074 or email: Yemesrach.Kassu@trade.gov.