About
ImpactHDSS Ethiopia (IHDSS) is implemented in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MoH), as a partnership consisting of the MoH, Ethiopian Public Health Institute’s National Data Management Center (EPHI/NDMC), 16 HDSS sites, HDSS site hosting universities, regional health bureaus, other national stakeholders, and Vital Strategies.
By establishing standardized surveillance systems and strengthening analytical capacity, the project supports improved monitoring of fertility, mortality, and population health trends, enabling informed public health decision-making and policy response.
Meeting the IHDSS team. Left to right Dagmawit Tesfaye, Program Associate, Nardos Legesse Financial Grants Manager, Efratise Bekele, Gender Equity Manager, Bantalem Yeshanew, Deputy Project Director, Alemnesh Hailemariam Mirkuzie, Project Director, Yimer Seid Adem, Senior Project and M&E Manager and Tsegaye Shewangzaw, Senior HDSS Network Coordinator
Core Components of the IHDSS Project
Strong governance structures, including a gender-balanced Management Oversight Committee, Technical Working Group, and Thematic Task Teams to guide strategic implementation and ensure national ownership
A national HDSS network is being rejuvenated through establishment of a host institution, a dedicated secretariat, and an embedded network coordination mechanism to strengthen collaboration across HDSS sites.
National standards for HDSS and SRS are being developed to harmonize tools, operations, data pooling, analysis and systems. Standards will be piloted, validated, and scaled across sites.
The project supports site-level capacity strengthening through assessments, training programs (including a “mini-university” and eLearning modules), IT system upgrades, mentorship, and operational support to enable implementation of standardized systems and improved data quality.
Priority use cases have been defined by national stakeholders to ensure data meets policy needs. In partnership with the Data Impact Program, the project also supports routine analytics and leadership programs that strengthen data-to-policy translation.
Gender and equity considerations are embedded across all project activities to ensure inclusive governance, data systems, and analytical outputs that support equitable health policies.
Operational research studies will generate evidence on cost-effectiveness, digitization, data quality, and integration with civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems.
All data produced are owned by the Government of Ethiopia and managed through MoH, EPHI/NDMC, and HDSS repositories. The project promotes open-access knowledge sharing through publications, reports, conferences, and community feedback, while supporting government priorities for evidence generation.
The project engages a broad national partnership, including MoH, EPHI/NDMC, 16 HDSS sites hosted by Ethiopian universities, regional health bureaus, and national agencies such as Immigration and Citizenship Services and Ethiopian Statistical Services. Vital Strategies provides technical leadership through embedded project staff and specialized expertise.
Progress is tracked through structured monitoring systems, periodic reviews, and a dedicated learning agenda. Sustainability planning includes government absorption of key roles, routine costing for system maintenance, and coordinated donor engagement to ensure long-term impact.
The people driving change
Dedicated professionals committed to strengthening Ethiopia's health systems
Dr. Alemnesh Hailemariam Mirkuzie is a distinguished public health leader and researcher with over two decades of experience advancing impactful global health programs, research, and policy. She currently serves as the Project Director of the ImpactHDSS initiative at Vital Strategies funded by the Gates Foundation, where she leads efforts to strengthen Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS) across Ethiopia and transform them into coordinated platforms for public health surveillance, high-quality data generation, and evidence-informed decision-making.
Dr. Alemnesh has extensive experience working with governments, academic institutions, and international partners to design and implement large-scale public health programs. Her work has focused on strengthening health information systems, improving maternal and child health, advancing data-driven policy, and promoting equity in public health. She has led multidisciplinary teams and complex collaborations that bridge research, policy, and implementation.
Dr. Alemnesh is committed to building sustainable data systems that support improved health outcomes and enable governments to make informed decisions for the well-being of communities.
Bantalem is a public health leader with over 20 years of experience in Ethiopia in health information system, digital health, community health, research, and evidence-to-policy. Before joining Vital as the deputy director of ImpactHDSS project, Bantalem worked for international NGOs and MOH-Ethiopia holding roles with responsibilities spanning strategic planning, M&E of programs, policy optimization of MCH and community health worker programs, and harmonization and alignment of stakeholders.
Moreover, Bantalem has led application of behavioral economics and HCD in designing and institutionalizing of scalable community health interventions and HIS strategies. He has authored and co-authored more than seventeen peer-reviewed publications in various thematic areas. Having graduated with BSc in public health and MSc in Infectious Diseases, he is currently attending MSc in Data Science. He has acquired advanced data analytical skills using Stata, Python, R, and Tableau. Bantalem is passionate to advance evidence-informed decision-making practice in Ethiopia to drive better health outcomes.
Dagmawit is a PMP®-certified public health professional with over 7 years of experience managing donor-funded global health programs across research, implementation, and capacity-building initiatives. Currently, she coordinates program operations for the ImpactHDSS project at Vital Strategies, where she manages procurement, financial workflows, and high-level stakeholder engagements for this Gates Foundation-funded initiative.
With a Master of Public Health in Health Systems Management, Dagmawit excels at bridging the gap between technical, finance, and operations teams to ensure seamless program delivery. Her expertise lies in strengthening health systems through data-driven decision-making and ensuring rigorous compliance with major international donors.
Efratise Bekele holds a master’s degree in social work focused on Children, Youth, and Family, and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, both from Addis Ababa University. She currently serves as Gender Equity Manager at Vital Strategies and has previously worked as a Gender Advisor at Marie Stopes International Ethiopia (MSIE), a Gender Officer at CDF Canada, Gender Program Coordinator and Executive Program Assistant at PHE Ethiopia Consortium and Membership Development, Gender, and Program Officer at the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO). Efratise also volunteered with Meseret Humanitarian Organization (MHO), focusing on fundraising and awareness events. She started her career at E-Within Language and Leadership Center as Head of Research, Business Development, and Marketing. She is alumna of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and the World Youth Forum.
Nardos is a seasoned grants and program coordination professional with more than twelve years of experience managing grants and subgrants in strict compliance with donor regulations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Addis Ababa University and postgraduate degrees in development studies, development management, and governance & development studies from the University of the Western Cape, Ruhr University Bochum, and Hawassa University. His previous roles include senior grants manager, grants Officer, program coordinator, partnerships officer, and program intern at Freedom House Inc., Dexis Consulting Group, the International Rescue Committee, Center of Concern, and World Vision Germany.
Tsegaye Shewangzaw Zergaw is a multidisciplenary public health professional and data scientist with extensive experience in strengthening national health information systemsand coordinating large-scale M&E and surveillance platforms. He currently serves as the Senior Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) Network Coordinator for the ImpactHDSS project at Vital Strategies. In this role, he leads the strategic coordination and harmonization of 16 HDSS sites across Ethiopia, working to transform them into a unified, high-quality longtudinal surveillance data platform that generates population-based evidence to inform public health policy and decision-making.
Tsegaye brings over a decade of experience working across all levels of the health system, from community-level service delivery to national health programs provided him with a deep understanding of Ethiopia’s health data ecosystem. Tsegaye has led the development of comprehensive digital Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems and provided high-level technical support in digital health, data governance, data quality assurance, implementation research, and advanced data analytics. He has supported multiple institutions and multi-sectoral programs in building robust data systems that improve decision-making, accountability and program performance.
Yimer Seid Adem is a seasoned Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Project Management professional with nearly two decades of experience advancing impactful public health programs and data systems. He currently serves as the Senior Project and M&E Manager at Vital Strategies for the ImpactHDSS initiative in Ethiopia, funded by the Gates Foundation, where he leads efforts to design and implement robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems.
Yimer has extensive experience working with government sectors and global partners, including the Gates Foundation, USAID, CDC, and UNICEF, to design and manage large-scale health initiatives. His expertise lies in advocating for a culture of data-driven decision-making, leading multidisciplinary teams, and managing complex international consortiums.
Yimer is committed to building sustainable, technology-driven monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems for health and demographic surveillance. He leverages advanced proficiency in project and M&E management tools to enhance health outcomes and enable evidence-informed decision-making for communities across Ethiopia.
Our Partners
ImpactHDSS Ethiopia is funded by the Gates Foundation. The views expressed on this website are not necessarily those of the Foundation.