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Addis Ababa Launches Major Hospital Expansion Drive, Adding 1,800 Beds Across the City
Addis Ababa, December 2, 2025 — The Addis Ababa city administration has inaugurated a new 320-bed inpatient facility at Zewditu Memorial Hospital, marking one of the most significant expansions to the capital’s public health infrastructure in recent years. Zewditu, one of the city’s oldest medical institutions, has struggled for decades with aging facilities and persistent capacity shortages. Officials and health experts say the new building represents a meaningful step toward addressing long-standing gaps.
A central feature of the expansion is a newly established Oxygen Production Center. Health professionals note that oxygen shortages have been among the most critical challenges in Ethiopian hospitals, particularly during public health emergencies such as COVID-19. The center is designed not only to supply Zewditu Memorial Hospital but also to support nearby facilities, strengthening the city’s emergency preparedness and clinical capacity.
Public health experts familiar with global health systems say the development aligns with international lessons on the importance of reliable oxygen supply, diagnostic capacity, and modern inpatient infrastructure. Ethiopia’s healthcare system has historically faced shortages in all three.
According to city officials, the investment at Zewditu is part of a broader healthcare expansion program led by Addis Ababa Mayor Adanech Abiebie. The administration has placed urban health services among its priority areas, citing the role of dependable medical care in improving residents’ welfare and supporting the city’s economic competitiveness.
Three additional hospitals are currently under construction across the capital. Together, they are expected to add approximately 1,500 beds and include modern surgical theaters, maternal and child health units, diagnostic centers, and emergency departments. Health planners say these facilities are intended to ease pressure on existing hospitals, reduce wait times, and offer services that have historically pushed many residents to seek treatment abroad.
Beyond the structural expansions, the city has also initiated reforms related to health-sector staffing, education, and workforce incentives. Officials argue that infrastructure alone is insufficient without parallel investments in personnel and updated clinical standards.
Analysts say the ongoing health projects form part of a wider push to modernize the capital, which in recent years has seen major investments in transport, river revitalization, public spaces, and urban corridors. The healthcare component is described as one of the most crucial to long-term stability and economic development, given the significant financial losses associated with outbound medical tourism and preventable health emergencies.
As construction continues on the three hospitals, public health observers note that Addis Ababa’s approach now resembles the early stages of system-strengthening efforts adopted by several middle-income countries. Whether the city can maintain funding, adequately staff the new facilities, and ensure reliable supply chains will determine the sustainability of the reforms.
The inauguration at Zewditu Memorial Hospital, reported by the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), is seen by city officials as an early milestone in a broader modernization drive aimed at aligning Addis Ababa’s healthcare system with international urban health standards.
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