Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin ( am, ሊያ ታደሰ ገብረመድኅን; born 1976) is an

Ethiopian Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...

politician and physician serving as the current

Minister of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services. Some governments have separate ministers for mental health. Coun ...

since March 2020. Prior to her appointment, Lia served as State Minister of Health from November 2018. She also served as an

Executive Director Executive director is commonly the title of the chief executive officer of a non-profit organization, government agency or international organization. The title is widely used in North American and European not-for-profit organizations, though ...

at the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

's Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT) in

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor ...

, as a

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

and Vice Provost in St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC) in

Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...

and as a Project Director of USAID's Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) at Jhpiego-

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

Early life

Lia was born and raised in

, Ethiopia. She went to '' Miskaye Hizunan Medhanealem School'' for her

elementary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...

studies and completed her

secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

at '' Etege Menen Secondary School'' with a great distinction, and joined Jimma University to study

Medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

; she was among the four eligible female students to enroll. Lia earned a

medical degree A medical degree is a professional degree admitted to those who have passed coursework in the fields of medicine and/or surgery from an accredited medical school. Obtaining a degree in medicine allows for the recipient to continue on into special ...

, and also has taken a specialty training in

obstetrics and gynecology Obstetrics and Gynaecology (also spelled as Obstetrics and Gynecology; abbreviated as Obs and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...

from Addis Ababa University, and a

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

health care administration Health administration, healthcare administration, healthcare management or hospital management is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of public health systems, health care systems, hospitals, and hospital networks ...

from Jimma University, where she earned medical degree. Because her father was an

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

(

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...

Entomology Entomology () is the science, scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such ...

) and her mother was a teacher, from a young age she had a strong interest in becoming a

Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin language, Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a profes ...

Career

Lia served as the CEO and Vice Provost of St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa Ethiopia for seven consecutive years since 2007. Prior to this, she was a senior obstetrician and gynecologist at the Federal Police Referral Hospital in

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...

. She served over 20 years in the

Health Sector Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...

. Lia has been the Program Director for Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT) at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for three years since August 2015 and was a Project Director of Maternal and Child Survival Project at Jhpiego-Ethiopia for almost a year before that. In November 2018, Lia was appointed as a State Minister in the

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

Ministry of Health, and was promoted to Minister of Health in March 2020.

Awards

According to

Ethiopian News Agency The Ethiopian News Agency ( am, የኢትዮጵያ ዜና አገልግሎት ''Ye-Ityopya Zéna Agelgelot'' (IZA) or ENA) is the official news agency of the Government of Ethiopia. It is the oldest news organization in Ethiopia. IZA's inception d ...

, " iareceived the recognition award, Next Generation Award of Harvard School, for her strong contribution for enhancement of the health sector in Ethiopia and in other local and international organizations".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lia Tadesse 1976 births Living people 20th-century Ethiopian women 21st-century Ethiopian women politicians 21st-century Ethiopian politicians Ministers for Health (Ethiopia) State Ministers of Health (Ethiopia)