Newsletter

ENAHPA publishes a formal newsletter every other year which is distributed to our members and stakeholders. Please view our most updated news below.

September 2011

Dear ENAHPA Members and Friends,

“When you dream alone, with your eyes shut, asleep, that dream is an illusion.  But when we dream together, sharing the same dream, awake and with our eyes wide open, then that dream becomes reality”  Source Unknown.

In the past twelve years ENAHPA has made its indelible mark on Ethiopian soil and has extended its global health outreach through the myriad of programs designed to alleviate the great health care needs of the Ethiopian people.  I am proud to say that we have impacted many lives and laid a foundation for greatness.   Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians alike from within the diaspora have courageously rallied to our noble humanitarian cause.  But it isn’t enough.  Our sisters and brothers in Ethiopia are in even more need of our assistance and expertise as the world’s climate continues to change. 

The value we bring to international development - love, commitment, integrity, transparency and inclusive visionary leadership is enviable.  In my opinion, as we move forward the key to meeting the challenges on the road ahead is to never forget that many are counting on us, including the Ethiopian youth that are the leaders of tomorrow.  Congratulations to ENAHPA along with our Ethiopian colleagues on the ground for their courage, compassion and sacrifice in driving so many vital clinical and academic services in Ethiopia in such a short span of time. 

Since its inception, November 19, 1999, ENAHPA has raised healthcare awareness and has helped to enhance access and quality healthcare delivery in virtually every segment of medicine and surgery in Ethiopia from HIV care, preventative medicine (public health) to emergency medical services to the very first ever open-heart surgery and much more.  We have facilitated numerous observerships, traveling scholar fellowships at overseas universities and institutions for higher learning for physicians, nurses and allied health sciences and many others.  We have provided books, journals, teaching aids and distance learning.

One of the many critical, high priority healthcare initiatives of our organization is the Safe Mothering Program in Hawassa, Ethiopia.  Every minute, every day, 365 days of the year, somewhere in the world, one woman dies due to complications from pregnancy and childbirth.  For every woman who dies, 30 develop life-long illnesses and injuries related to pregnancy and childbirth, a staggering statistic.  Hence, the paramount importance of empowering women.

In October 2006, ENAHPA broke ground on our first state-of-the-art Maternal Child Health Center (MCH) in Hawassa, Ethiopia which is now designated a Primary Level Hospital.  In a collaborative partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia and the Hawassa Regional Health Bureau, ENAHPA completed the construction of the MCH Center and installed medical equipment, instruments and supplies.   The Center will serve as a “Pilot” Program in the region and provide the much needed skilled emergency obstetrical, gynecological and neonatal services for Hawassa and its surrounding population. It will also serve to train medical and allied health students from Debub University College of Health Sciences and Medical School.  Ultimately, it is anticipated that there will be additional nine MCH Centers throughout Ethiopia.  On February 18, 2011, ENAHPA and its dedicated MCH Committee, partners in Ethiopia and friends inaugurated the Hawassa MCH Center and began offering skilled emergency obstetric and neonatal services.  Since its inauguration the Center has more than doubled its volume. 

ENAHPA’s short and long range stated goals/objectives and strategy is to continue the journey in building upon its broad spectrum of quality healthcare programs and to help create sustainable and impactful Socio-Economic Development:  Its primary focus shall be helping enhance the Nation’s Capacity Building in:

• Infrastructure
• Public health / preventive services
• Comprehensive clinical services (centers of excellence)
• Environmental Health services
• Academic (transferring knowledge, skills, technology) and research activities
• Others (such as orphan outreach)

The Ethiopian Diaspora and friends should rise united to meet the challenges of the day and march forward toward a realization of our common goal and obligation to join hands and reach out to help mitigate the great healthcare and related needs of our citizens.  As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

I ask you to embrace a deeper purpose:  believe that every man is my brother and each man’s burden is my own.  Where poverty exists, all are poorer; where hatred flourishes, all are corrupted; and where injustice reigns, all are unequal.

So friends, on behalf of the ENAHPA Board of Directors, many thanks for sharing in ENAHPA’s humanitarian mission, vision  and values in helping mitigate preventable human tragedies and conditions and giving a “glimmer of hope” to those less fortunate and the helpless, either through your philanthropy or talent or both. You all have much to be proud of as you have contributed to making ENAHPA the great organization that it is today.  You have set an example to be proud of.  It is also important that we not forget our young and their many contributions.  They are the future of this great organization and will help to carry on its remarkable legacy.  We must continue to set a good example for our young as we make a positive impact and remind them of ENAHPA’s motto “Together We Can Make a Difference”.   I am excited about the endless possibilities!

With Gratitude,

Ingida Asfaw, MD, FACS

ENAHPA Founder and President 

August 2011

ENAHPA's Young Adult Council is undertaking a membership drive and it's annual give a gift for the holiday's fundraiser begining in early October. We are looking to partner with other youth led organizations to raise funds as well as a brand new partner to select a unique project to support for the next year. If you would like to partner with the young adult council or you have a great idea for an organization or cause within Ethiopia we should support please visit our facebook page and post your idea on our wall or contact the Chairman, Engeda Selemon Asfaw at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

PRESS RELEASE

The Ethiopian North American Health Professionals Association (ENAHPA) in partnership with Southern Nations Nationalities People’s Region (SNNPR) opened a State of the art Model Maternal Child Health Center (MCH) in Hawassa, Ethiopia.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2011
ENAHPA’s Press Office:
www.enahpa.org

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - A delegation of ENAHPA members led by Dr. Ingida Asfaw, President of ENAHPA, traveled to the city of Hawassa on February 18, 2011 to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the MCH center that was built and equipped by ENAHPA to address the needless suffering of women and children in the region. In partnership with the Regional Health Bureau, ENAHPA completed the construction and equipping of the first free standing MCH Center in the nation February 2011.

The center will serve as a model program in the region and will provide specialized services to care for expectant mothers, including providing C-sections and incubators for infants in distress for Hawassa and its surrounding population. It will also serve to train medical students and allied health professionals from various health colleges and medical schools in the region.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by His Excellency, Mr. Shiferaw Shigutie, President of SNNPR, His Excellency Dr. Tedros Adhanom, Minster of The Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Shikibu Maganena, Mayor of Hawassa, and several other city and state representatives, the medical community as well as members of ENAHPA and the general public.

Major donors that enabled the construction of the center include Dr. Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi, Volvo Cars of North America and the Liya Kebede Foundation. Other major