ABSTRACT
In 1952 the Ethiopian government began to develop a basic health service, with health centers as its backbone. The orientation of medical care remained heavily hospital-based and urban-biased, and much health spending was directed at vertical disease control programs. The orientation of medical care remained heavily hospital-based and urban-biased, and much health spending was directed at vertical disease control programs. The six-tiered national health care system consists of community health services, health stations, health centers, district hospitals, regional hospitals, and central referral and teaching hospitals. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is the major provider of modern health services in Ethiopia. Both mission health services, which provided most of the medical care in many rural areas prior to the revolution, and private pharmacies and drug shops have been largely taken over by the MOH as part of the nationalization of private firms after the revolution.
