June 1, 2019
An overview of Eritrea’s health progress
By:Randa Osman
The roots of significant health progress in Eritrea can be traced to the years of the armed struggle against Ethiopia’s rule.
The Eritrean government, officially known as the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) at the time, had recognized the necessity of health for the cultivation of a productive, economically developed and resilient society, which led the front to take responsibility and establish a parallel state system in the already liberated areas. As a matter of fact, the war for independence wasn’t just aiming to liberate the Eritrean people from Ethiopia’s domination but also from “illiteracy, ignorance, disease and backwardness” (Findlay, 1989 in ODI, 2011). Thus, the EPLF developed mobile clinics, fully equipped underground hospitals, a drug manufacturing factory and skilled health workers with an eye towards the future. With advancements in all sectors, Ethiopia’s rule was forced to come to an end in 1991 with only 5 of the 31 heath facilities constructed, accredited to its…
