Number of physicians growing at promising pace

Health State Minister Dr. Kebede Worku said the number of doctors graduating from various universities is growing at a promising pace.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of Arsi University School of  Health Sciences ,  Dr. Kebede  Saturday said: “12 years ago, there were  only three medical schools  allover the country, now we have over 28 public and eight  private referral and teaching colleges with the capacity to graduate over two thousand doctors a year.”

Indicating that  the doctor-to-patient ratio has currently fallen to one-to-fifteen thousand he said the ministry in partnership with the ministry of education is aggressively  working to reduce the ratio one-to-ten thousand in the near future.

In doing so ,13 universities have been selected to train those with the related  background to pursue  their education in medicine, Dr. Kebede added.

Moreover, he noted that in parallel to the teaching learning process, the referral and teaching hospitals are providing integral health care services to the community.

University School of Health Sciences Chief Executive Director Dr. Dejene Lema  said on the occasion that the then Assela hospital was established  50 years ago to  treat 60 inpatients.

Dr. Dejene said Assela referral and teaching hospital is rendering  health-care services to 3.5 million people  in  the environs .

One of the graduates, Dr. Zulefia Nur Mohamed told the reporter  that having spent  a great deal of time together in the camps , her classmates and her are now  like brothers and sisters. “ Aside from providing quality health care, we  are ready to serve our community with full respect and care.”

Among the 168 graduates,  98 are physicians , 30 public health officers, 40 nurses and 20 midwifes.

Assela Health Sciences College was transferred  from Adama Science and Technology University to  Arsi University two years ago, it was learnt.

source ethpress