HHR and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) co-hosted a national forum themed “Evidence-Driven Action for Survival” on June 26, 2026, at EPHI’s National Training Center. Organized by HHR’s Impact and Engagement team and EPHI’s National Data Management Center (NDMC), the event aimed to translate scientific evidence into actionable maternal and newborn health policies.
Dr. Mesay Hailu, EPHI Director General, opened the event, emphasizing the critical need to convert national evidence into strategic healthcare investments and improved resource allocation. He noted that the central objective of the dissemination event was to translate scientific findings and expert recommendations into effective policies. This will serve as the foundation for national health policymakers to improve the quality of maternal and newborn care and direct resource allocation to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality across the country.
The HHR delegation, led by Prof. Nega Assefa, presented findings and contributed to the panel discussion. Yasir Younis delivered a detailed presentation on a cause-specific analysis of perinatal mortality in Eastern Ethiopia based on CHAMPS data, alongside a presentation on the burden, trends, and determinants of perinatal mortality triangulated from GBD, DHIS2, and PMA data.
HHR’s Dr. Yunus Edris joined senior clinicians and public health experts in a panel focused on bridging the gap between evidence and policy, addressing implementation barriers, and reforming quality of care.
Dr. Tigist Shumet, Directress of NDMC, closed the forum by reaffirming the strong, ongoing partnership between EPHI and HHR, based at Haramaya University’s College of Health and Medical Sciences, to generate local evidence that accelerates life-saving interventions for mothers and newborns across Ethiopia.