Table 3.

Highlights from the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health Roadmap for Family Medicine

The Roadmap was created by using landmark publications regarding the value of family medicine and fundamental components of training programs combined with the authors' experience of establishing the first Ethiopian family medicine program.
Summarizes the value of family medicine in general, in the African context, and in Ethiopia.
Recognizes that incorporating family medicine will offer improvements and efficiencies in service and improve access to health care.
Suggests steps for a well-planned and careful implementation of FM in Ethiopia:

  • 1) Define clear but flexible role for FM in Ethiopian health care system based on both countrywide and local needs and resources. Align role of FM with other primary health care providers.

  • 2) Recruit trainees and establish training programs. Collaborate with international partners to provide faculty until sufficient Ethiopian family physicians have been trained.

  • 3) Introduce family physicians via a pilot program where 2 to 4 physicians lead a primary health care team in a local health care system.

  • WONCA.28