Addis Ababa, Dec 16 Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Addis Ababa will boost the work that is being done by the Indian community in Ethiopia, Tariku Deressa, the CEO of Gandhi Memorial Hospital (GMH) - a leading public healthcare facility specializing in maternal and neonatal care - told IANS in an interview on Tuesday.
Deressa called the GMH an "icon" of the relationship between two nations as it has been built with the cooperation between the Indian community living in Ethiopia and the government of the country.
"The arrival of His Excellency Prime Minister Narendra Modi will boost, will capacitate the work that the Indian community and the Ethiopian community have been doing together here. The Indian Embassy has been supporting us for a long time, representing the Indian government. The Indian community has been coming here every time and they have been supporting the work that the hospital has been doing. So the arrival of His Excellency, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, will capacitate every activity, every deed that we have been doing with the community, with the embassy and the Indian government," Deressa told IANS.
"In addition to that, India has one of the largest medical industries in the world. So, the arrival of His Excellency will strengthen the ties between the Ethiopian government and the Indian government and it will be a great opportunity for Ethiopia to explore the mighty opportunity coming from the Indian medical industry as well. It will also serve as an opportunity for Indian investors, entrepreneurs to come to Ethiopia and boost or magnify the work they have been doing. We do have lots of Indian factories in Ethiopia who are producing medications and Indian companies which are helping Ethiopia here. They also have medical services here so the arrival of His Excellency will strengthen the ties between the two countries and it will also help the medical industry greatly," the CEO added.
PM Modi began his second leg of the three-nation tour as he arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan on a two-day State Visit - his first ever to the African nation - on Tuesday. In a special gesture, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali warmly welcomed PM Modi at the airport. This is the first visit to Ethiopia by an Indian Prime Minister since 2011 and Addis Ababa has been decked up with welcome hoardings, posters, and Indian flags in honour of PM Modi.
Deressa stated that India and Ethiopia have been working together for a long time in several sectors. However, he noted that the ties between two nations in the medical industry remain very significant and strong. He mentioned that many Ethiopian doctors and health professionals have undergone training in Indian universities and hospitals.
"India has been working with Ethiopia in close contact for a long time and the work ranges in many industries, in many ventures, but the strength is the ties between the two countries in the medical industry is very significant and very strong. For example, many Ethiopian doctors and health professionals have been getting their training in India in universities and hospitals and that has helped Ethiopia to have well-qualified medical professionals who are serving the community and the people at large. In addition to that we are importing many medical equipment and medicines and reagents and other medical products which are giving service in our hospitals and the health institutions and... many Indian investors and entrepreneurs are involved in different industries in Ethiopia which includes the medical industry," Deressa noted.
"So, the arrival of His Excellency and the official visit of His Excellency Prime Minister Narendra Modi will enhance, will boost, capacitate everything that the country and the bio-industry have been doing and we also expect as a doctor and as a leader of Gandhi Memorial Hospital where it will also boost, capacitate the work that the community and the embassy has been doing with Gandhi Memorial Hospital. We have been doing lots of work to help the Ethiopian community who are getting service from Gandhi Memorial Hospital. We are planning to do some projects including expansion of the current hospital," he added.
Ethiopia is considered an important and trusted partner for India in Africa and the Global South, and PM Modi's visit is expected to further elevate bilateral engagement.
Established in 1959, the hospital has been named in honour of Mahatma Gandhi, reflecting the strong historical, cultural, and diplomatic ties between Ethiopia and India. It is one of the leading specialized facilities for maternal, reproductive, and neonatal health in the country.
"The hospital is under the city administration of Addis Ababa. It is a public hospital and the first public maternal and child care hospital. The hospital was built 73 years ago by the cooperation of the Indian community who were living in Ethiopia. So, the Indian community in Ethiopia - teachers, traders, merchants came together and they raised some money and asked the Ethiopian government to provide land to build a maternity clinic. It is with this great ambition that the hospital was established 73 years ago and it was named Gandhi Memorial Hospital. The hospital being maternity and child care hospital, you see, maternity and child care is basically all about humanity and mankind. Mahatma Gandhi was a human rights fighter, a freedom fighter," said Deressa.
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