The Beginnings Fund, a philanthropic initiative backed by the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, has launched a US$90 million, five-year partnership with the Ethiopian government to improve access to quality maternal and newborn healthcare and reduce preventable deaths across the country.
The partnership, announced in Addis Ababa, aims to strengthen Ethiopia’s maternal and newborn health services through investments in healthcare workers, medical equipment, essential medicines, infrastructure and emergency referral systems.
The programme will cover eight regions and 210 health facilities, focusing on expanding access to affordable, evidence-based interventions designed to improve the quality and timeliness of care for pregnant women, mothers and newborns.
According to the announcement, the investment is intended to support Ethiopia’s national health priorities and complement existing government programmes and donor commitments. Of the total funding, $10 million has already been channelled through Ethiopia’s Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Compact, a government-led mechanism that coordinates domestic and donor financing for maternal, newborn and child health services.
The initiative is expected to contribute to Ethiopia’s efforts to prevent approximately 86,000 maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths by 2031.
Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, Dr Mekdes Daba, described the partnership as an important investment in the country’s ambition to improve maternal and newborn healthcare and ensure that more women and babies receive the services they need.
Over the next five years, the partnership will focus on recruiting and developing skilled maternal and newborn healthcare professionals, improving the availability of essential medicines and medical equipment, and strengthening health facility infrastructure.
The programme will also support improvements in health data systems and emergency referral services, which are critical to ensuring that women experiencing pregnancy or childbirth complications can receive timely medical attention.
Alice Kang’ethe, chief executive officer of the Beginnings Fund, said the partnership would help direct resources towards areas where they could make the greatest difference.
Working alongside the Ethiopian government and other partners, the fund aims to expand access to quality healthcare for women and newborns regardless of where they live, while supporting lasting improvements in the country’s health system.
Dr Shamma Khalifa Al Mazrouei, director-general of the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, said the initiative builds on the foundation’s longstanding partnership with Ethiopia and its commitment to improving maternal and newborn health.
The Beginnings Fund is a $525 million philanthropic initiative launched in Abu Dhabi in 2025 to work with African governments to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths.
By 2031, the fund aims to expand access to quality healthcare for 34 million mothers and babies across 10 African countries and prevent more than 300,000 avoidable deaths.
Its supporting organisations include the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, the ELMA Foundation and the Gates Foundation.
Ethiopia is the third country, after Kenya and Malawi, to announce a partnership with the fund.
The new investment comes as Ethiopia continues efforts to strengthen its healthcare system and improve access to essential services. The partnership’s success will depend on effective implementation, adequate staffing, the availability of essential supplies and the ability of participating health facilities to deliver timely, high-quality care.