Ethiopia’s Digitization Journey: The Path to Paperless with Dr. Girma Tadesse

Episode 47  |  71 minutes

Discover the key ingredients to Ethiopia's incredible progress in digital health as Ali Flaming and Amie Vaccaro speak with Dr. Girma Tadesse, electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS)  Project Manager with JSI. Stemming from a clear vision for improving health outcomes and data use, the Ethiopian government has been on a digital health transformation journey starting in 1991. As Project Manager for this effort, Dr. Girma shares Ethiopia’s journey moving towards a fully paperless system. You’ll hear how with government ownership and strategic resource allocation, they're establishing a strong foundation for long-term success, while also investing in the people and skills needed to create meaningful change. This is a must-listen for anyone working in and with governments and Ministries of Health wanting to learn how to leverage technology to support higher quality services. Ethiopia has been leading the charge of enabling healthcare workers by building scalable platforms and ecosystems for sustained impact and this conversation provides an inside look at how.

Topics included: 

  • The impact of a clear government vision focused on improving health outcomes and service delivery 
  • Exploring a data-driven approach to inform improvements and achieve universal health coverage
  • The importance of government ownership and buy-in 
  • The need for clear communication of goals and resource allocation
  • Investment in talent and expertise through university programs
  • Moving beyond digitizing paper processes to creating real impact in healthcare delivery
  • Utilizing digital platforms for multiple use cases and digitizing various health services
  • Building scalable platforms and ecosystems for sustained impact
  • Embracing an iterative approach to digital health transformation

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