ArticleBMC health services research2025
Exploring health system challenges and gaps for crisis response in Ethiopia: a scoping review of publications and reports from 2020-2024.
Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Is context considered in health inequity research and why? An examination of current trends in Ethiopia.Philosophy, ethics, and humanities in medicine : PEHM · 2026Pooled it
- The prediction of essential medicine demand using machine learning and traditional methods on EPSS Gondar hub 2018-2022 data.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2026Article
- Building the toolkit to address malaria resurgence and radical cure of vivax malaria in Ethiopia: a meeting report.Malaria journal · 2026Article
- Availability of essential medicines in conflict-affected african regions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Conflict and health · 2026Review
- Emergence of Marburg virus disease in Ethiopia: Implications for public health preparedness and its impact on Ethiopia's health system.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Review
- Determinants of human papillomavirus vaccine non-uptake among adolescent girls in Ethiopia: evidence from National Immunization Survey.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Availability of emergency drugs and essential resuscitation equipment and associated barriers in Addis Ababa Health Centers, Ethiopia: a mixed-methods study.African journal of emergency medicine : Revue africaine de la medecine d'urgence · 2026Article
- Resilience as recovery: stakeholder perspectives on Uganda's health system response to infectious disease shocks.Frontiers in health services · 2026Article
- Health Service Utilization by Women Members and Non-Members of Community-Based Health Insurance Schemes in Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, 2024: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.Health services insights · 2025Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundEthiopia's health system has faced significant challenges due to COVID-19, natural disasters, and conflicts, disrupting healthcare delivery. This scoping review examined health system gaps and responses during crises, aiming to recommend strategies for resilience.
methodWe followed a systematic scoping review approach using the five-step methodology: defining the research question, identifying relevant literature, selecting studies, charting the data, and summarizing/analyzing results. The review was guided by PRISMA-ScR and used the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework. We included all English-language studies published between January 2000 and December 2024 addressing challenges or responses of the Ethiopian health system during crises, regardless of study design. PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and Google were searched using MeSH terms/keywords. After title, abstract, and full-text screening, 44 articles were included for final analysis. Data were synthesized using descriptive analytical methods and narrative synthesis to summarize and interpret findings.
resultsFindings revealed crises severely impacted health services due to shortages of medical supplies, workforce, and infrastructure. Demand surges, transport restrictions, border closures, and financial constraints exacerbated these gaps. Additional challenges included poor data availability, high staff turnover, lack of emergency communication plans, and insufficient funding. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic and the northern Ethiopian conflict notably disrupted routine services, infrastructure, and health information systems. To build resilience, the study recommends: (1) developing scalable emergency plans for essential services, (2) strengthening primary healthcare and community-based systems, (3) maintaining medical stockpiles, and (4) providing crisis-specific training for health workers. These measures aim to enhance preparedness and sustainability in Ethiopia's health system amid future shocks.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.