The Ethiopian Emergency Medical Team (EMT) Strategic Plan (2024-2029) is critical to strengthen the nation’s capacity to respond to health emergencies. It provides a structured approach to developing a comprehensive, standardized, and resilient national EMT system that meets international standards.

To establish a robust framework for developing, maintaining, and enhancing a nationally coordinated EMT system. The plan aims to ensure that Ethiopia is well-prepared to respond to health emergencies timely, efficiently, and effectively at national, continental, and global levels.

The strategic plan was developed through a collaborative process involving experts from various disciplines. A thorough situational analysis was conducted, assessing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the current EMT system. This analysis was aligned with the institutional mission, vision, and values, as well as national and international humanitarian and health standards, regulations, and frameworks.

The strategic plan outlines six key initiatives to operationalize the EMT framework. These include establishing governance and leadership structures, enhancing stakeholder collaboration, implementing digital information and knowledge management systems, continuous capacity building for EMT members, strengthening operations and logistics support (OSL) systems, and ensuring standardization through the establishment of subnational EMTs. These initiatives are supported by actionable steps with a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure effective implementation.

The EMT Strategic Plan for Ethiopia is a critical document setting foundation for a responsive and resilient EMT. By integrating governance, collaboration, technology, training, logistics, and quality assurance, Ethiopia aims to create a world-class EMT system dedicated to saving lives and alleviating suffering during public health emergencies.