Ethiopia continues to face a complex humanitarian crisis, with overlapping shocks from conflict, displacement, food insecurity, and recurrent disease outbreaks placing immense pressure on an already fragile health system. The latest Humanitarian response priorities and critical funding requirements for July to September estimate that 1.7 million people will require urgent health assistance. The Health Cluster made up of 66 partners and seven sub-national hubs, is leading the response, with US$57.8 million needed this quarter to sustain life-saving services. At the same time Ethiopia has taken important steps in defining its national set of high-priority health services for humanitarian response known as the H3 package.
To adapt the H3 Package to Ethiopia’s needs, two workshops were held in 2025: a Validation Workshop in Bishoftu in June, attended by 26 participants, followed by a Finalization Workshop in Addis Ababa in July, with 17 participants. Participants in both workshops were drawn mainly from the Ministry of Health and national nongovernmental organizations, reflecting their expertise and local insights into priority needs during crises.
.jpg?sfvrsn=caaad6fb_3 "Media (5)")
The H3 Package, developed by the Global Health Cluster and WHO in collaboration with humanitarian partners, provides a set of essential interventions that can be feasibly delivered in protracted emergencies. It is designed to strengthen accountability to affected populations and help link humanitarian and national health service packages. The package offers a framework which countries are encouraged to adapt to their specific health needs, service delivery platforms, and system capacities.
At the Validation Workshop, Ethiopia’s draft package contained a high proportion of “additional” services beyond those in the H3 package, particularly in the areas of Noncommunicable Diseases (81% additional) and Growth, Development & Ageing (79% additional). However, by the Finalization Workshop, Ethiopia’s package had been revised to better align with the H3 package: 80% of services in noncommunicable diseases and 43% in Growth, Development and Ageing were excluded, signaling a deliberate effort to standardize.
.jpg?sfvrsn=5074c388_3 "Media (11)")
A similar evolution occurred in the Foundation of Care category, which initially showed significant gaps. Initially, around 54% of the core services identified in the H3 package were missing. By the Finalization Workshop, the inclusion rose to 80%, narrowing the gap significantly and ensuring that essential services were part of the country’s humanitarian response.
Ethiopia’s approach to closely aligning with the H3 package while tailoring it to local realities should result in a practical, accountable, and context-specific service package that is better equipped to address the health needs of its population that is affected by crisis.