There's widespread poor health, e.g. life expectancy is only 52 years and infant mortality is around 8%. People have poor nutrition, poor sanitation and unclean water. Infectious diseases are very common. There's a shortage of medical processionals and health facilities, especially in remote rural area- in some places there are only three doctors per people.

Ethiopia's government receives foreign aid to improve health, sanitation and access to clean water. Some of the money's spent on preventative health care such as vaccinations and contraceptives.

Foreign aid funds the Health Extension Programme, which trains local health care workers in rural areas. Workers deliver basic health care (vaccinations, malaria treatments and maternity care) and health education (teaching about family planning, prevention of HIV/AIDS, hygiene and nutrition). But more health workers are still needed by many communities.

Money is being used to prevent disease. E.g. since 2005, millions of insectide treated bed nets have given out - a cost-effective way of preventing the spread of malaria by mosquitoes In one year, the number of new malaria cases fell by 20%