Karat District Hospital Inaugurated

Vice President of Southern Nations and Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) and Health Bureau Head, Kifle Gebre-Mariam, and Country Director for Save the Children, John Graham, inaugurated Karat District Hospital on May 31st 2014. Southern Nations and Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, the Konso administration and other stakeholders in partnership with Save the Children constructed Karat District Hospital which costs more than Birr 52.9 million (USD 2.8 million).

With an outlay of Birr 15,140,246 (USD 796, 855) which represents 29 % of the total cost, Save the Children helped the construction of a radiology and diagnostic block, an operation theatre block, a multipurpose hall and night duty rooms block, a morgue/cadaver room, a generator house, a pump house, an incinerator and placenta pit and two guard houses. Save the Children also supplied one ambulance, an X-ray machine, an ultrasound machine and a generator as well as supported site works. Additional support as part of this project includes supplying two other ambulances to Derashe and Alle districts located in the same zone as Konso.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Country Director for Save the Children, John Graham, said, “The construction of Karat District Hospital demonstrates the commitment of the Ethiopian government at different levels to expand improved health care services across the country.”
“The hospital will strengthen the capacity of health workers at health posts and health centers and serve as an important hub for local health information and planning,” added Graham.
The hospital, which is believed to serve more than 500,000 populations in Karat District, is linked to 11 health centers and 53 health posts. Save the Children provided the support for the hospital construction through its supporter, the Fiorentina Football Club.\