Fact Ethiopia

Modern medicine was introduced into Ethiopia in the sixteenth century. However, the so-called modern medicine remained a privilege only to the members of the Royal Courts until the establishment of the first Russian tent hospital in 1889 (1896). In 1902 E.C.

(1910) Menilik II inaugurated the foundation of the first Ethiopian hospital named after him. Eight blocks, still serving today, were built on the site of the tents.

In the history of the Ethiopian Health Service one cannot ignore the role played by traditional medicine in Ethiopia, which was practised long before the introduction of modern medicine, and even today, it is still being extensively utilized by the majority of the population.

The traditional medicine practitioners can be divided into several categories:-
- Wogesha (Bone setters)
- Kitel betash (herbalists using vegetation as medicine),
- Tebel rechi (Spiritual healers, usually using holy water as medicine)
- Yelimed Awalaj (Traditional birth attendants)

However, it should be realized that a traditional medical practitioner can have several skills, i.e. more than one of the categories mentioned above.

The traditional Ethiopian Pharmacopia comprised items from the animal and vegetable kingdoms and even some minerals. Several surgical procedures are being practised. It should be mentioned that harmful procedures are also being widely practised.

(Source: National Atlas of Ethiopia)