(Ecofin Agency) - The Ethiopian government has raised its health budget by 46% for 2020 to better face the fallouts of the coronavirus pandemic on the sector.

Speaking during a virtual conference this week, PM Abiy Ahmed said the health budget for FY2020-21 is $501 million, against $339 million in 2019-20. With more than 85,136 cases of covid-19 (1,301 deaths and 38,904 recoveries), Ethiopia is the fourth most affected country in Africa. PM Abiy says the health crisis has forced authorities to redefine development priorities.

While the health budget in recent years has been half the amount allocated for external debt servicing, the additional expenditure induced by covid-19 has made the health sector the fourth largest budget-consuming sector in Ethiopia. Investments have been used mainly to acquire more equipment, facilities, and to recruit more personnel.

“In many African countries, healthcare is a neglected sector. This pandemic has exposed our dark underbelly,” the minister said.

To date, Africa has 1.5 million cases of coronavirus with 38,597 deaths and 1.3 million recoveries.

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou