The government of the Netherlands has extended €19.6 million in grants to Ethiopia to finance its public health infrastructure development. The grant will be used primarily for the construction of a Cardiac Care Centre to be accommodated at the Black Lion Hospital in the capital Addis Ababa. Ethiopia’s State Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation, Admasu Nebebe and Dutch Ambassador Van Loosdrecht signed the grant agreement.

The main objective of the project is to expand access to quality public health infrastructure by establishing a sustainable and equitable cardiac centre. The construction of the cardiac care centre is part of the Netherlands government’s aspiration to improve Ethiopia’s health infrastructure.

Both countries have agreed to jointly finance the construction of the centre and the Dutch government will fund its construction. The Dutch government will also cover technical and consultancy services in addition to the financing support. The centre is expected to be the first in its kind in Ethiopia and will have some 94 beds and three operating fields.