Health in Ethiopia: a summary of 52 district health profiles

ABSTRACT

This paper integrates the data contained in 52 district health profiles completed during the years 1988 to 1991. These profiles encompass approximately 40 percent of the Ethiopian population and thus provide a summary assessment of health services and health status. Thirty percent of children were found to be attending school; 33 percent of children under five years of age were malnourished; and 35 percent of the population had access to safe water. The analysis was stratified by districts; urban versus rural populations; and hospital versus non hospital health institutions. Large disparities between districts were found in measures of health and human development. On a per capita basis; urban districts benefit from three times the number of physicians; four times more nurses; and double the number of health assistants. Nearly; 70 percent of physicians and nurses were hospital based. Of the 1.88 birr per capita yearly health expenditure; hospital budget accounted for 60 percent. This summary review of health profiles provides baseline data on the health of Ethiopians early in the establishment of district health services from which future trends can be monitored