April 15-19, 2024 | Oromia and Sidama, Ethiopia
PEP’s Experimental Research Director visited project sites for the program to evaluate a new healthcare contribution system in Ethiopia.
PEP’s Experimental Research Director (third from left) meets with staff from the Ministry of Health
OROMIA AND SIDAMA, ETHIOPIA – The local project team currently working to assess the effectiveness of a new "contribution system" to increase equitable access to health care services in Ethiopia benefited from a field visit from their scientific mentor, PEP’s Experimental Research Director, Dr. Maria Laura Alzua.
The research team is conducting an impact evaluation via a randomized controlled trial to analyze the cost-effectiveness of the new "sliding scale system" for healthcare contributions based on the socioeconomic status of households. The project team, from Jimma University, is working in collaboration with the Ethiopian Health Insurance Service (EHIS), the government institution in charge of implementing this new "policy initiative". Find out more about this research program.
Dr. Alzua, usually based in Argentina, travelled to Ethiopia for a very productive visit from April 15 to 19, 2024. She supervised the ongoing baseline data collection activities, visited the implementing agencies and met with staff from the National and State Ministries of Health. She also participated in a series of work meetings to discuss enrollment to the proposed scheme being evaluated.
"The team and the government are working very well. Data collection is underway. Enrollment into the program has progressed as planned. We are very happy to see the project progressing according to plan,” said Dr. Alzua.
Dr. Alzua was joined by Dr. Anushka Chawla, a Program Officer for the Fonds d’Innovation pour le Développement (Fund for Innovation in Development) that is sponsoring the research program.
