2merkato

Ethiopia is to introduce a new health insurance program ratified by the House of People’s Representatives last summer. The new program will include organizations which already provide health insurance for their employees.

Permanent employees of private, governmental and non governmental organizations will contribute 3% of their salary to take part in the new health insurance program. Although organizations will be allowed the option to provide another type of health insurance they will have to participate in the program unless they have less than ten employees.

The health insurance program will be effective across the country will include coverage for families as well.

The Ethiopian Quality Awards honored nine organizations with awards for quality in a ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel in the presence of Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hailemariam Desalegn.

The excellence awards were given to Biruh Tesfa Irrigation and Water Technology, Bishoftu Hospital, Dashen Brewery, Harar Brewery, Kality Metal Factory and Kombolcha Textile SC, while Betel Teaching Hospital and Mekelle University and Kombolcha Steel Products Industry were the recipients of merit awards.

Ethiopia’s Airport Enterprise received the International Civil Aviation Organization certification for Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, making it one of a handful of airports in Africa who have the certificate.

A UN agency based in Canada, ICAO establishes the principles and techniques for international air navigation and promotes the planning and development to ensure the safety and orderly growth of international air transport.

The Airport’s Enterprise trained its personnel and obtain new technology to meet the Agency’s criteria for certification explained an official.

Ethiopia is to establish a chemical corporation to handle state owned chemical related industries in the future. The new corporation will be under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and will be a part of the complex fertilizer project.

The fertilizer complex will be under the control of the chemical corporation expected to be set up by the end of the current fiscal year according to Tadesse Haile, State Minister of Industry.

Appropriate studies have been conducted for the establishment of the new corporation and it is expected that its formation will be ratified by the government soon said Tadesse.