TTAF wants to contribute to the care of the poorest of the Ethiopian population. It is difficult for them to get good medical care. This is related to the poor accessibility of good hospitals, but also to the quality of care in rural areas.
The lack of good medical care not only leads to medical problems, but also to other negative social consequences, such as exclusion outside the community and unemployment. In addition, the psychological distress caused by the lack of care is great. Anyone who has been in the hut of a sick day labourer knows what is needed.
TTAF has therefore set itself the goal of realizing one or more Health Centers. In the Ethiopian context, a Health Center has the following characteristics:
The workforce consists of approximately 30 employees.
TTAF believes that the healthcare should be able to run independently financially. The model used for this assumes that profits are made in both the Health Center and the associated pharmacy. The realised profits are used to serve 1 in 4 children and/or the poorest patients free of charge. The profits therefore benefit the healthcare sector.
In this model, TTAF and its partners limit themselves to the necessary initial investments and possibly additional expansion investments. Short-term financial support in the initial period of a clinic (start-up costs) is obvious. Permanent support of possible operating deficits does not take place, unless sponsors and partners commit themselves to this.
The clinic will operate under the name 'Burka Faya Health Center'. Burka Faya in Oromifa means 'Source of life'.
The first clinic will be built in Sashamene, about 250 km south of Addis Ababa.
A number of important milestones are the following:
January 2018: final choice for the realisation of a Health Center
February - June 2018: development of building plans and drawings by medical architects
August 2018: establishment of the final drawing for the licence application
September 2018: Burka Faya Health Care PLC (an Ethiopian legal entity) established
October 2018: building plan submitted to Ethiopian architects for the permit application.