Steps and Procedures to Facilitate Donations of Medicines,
Medical Supplies and Equipment
A. Initial preparation and communication
We sincerely appreciate the overwhelming willingness and
efforts to support the restoration of health facilities in Ethiopia,
Below are the steps and requirements for all who want to
support these efforts, whom we will refer to as donors, for
donations that are made to restore the damaged health facilities:
l. Donors should review the list of priority items sent out by the
Ministry of Health on its official website to identify list of
materials they can donate.
2. Donors should then complete the online donation item
registration form on the oiT1cial Ministry of Health website 72
hours prior to departure for donations to be made at the
airport or 72 hours before delivery at the airline cargo office
moh.gov.et/site/donations
3. Once the donation form is filled, the list of items registered to
be donated will automatically be transferred to an email
address abnet.zeleke@moh.gov.et for approval.
4. An approval letter will be sent to donors on their personal
email account that should be brought along with the items,
i. Should be brought to the airport in Ethiopia to hand
over the items to EFDA/EPSA.
ii. Should be brought to Ethiopian airlines stations
worldwide to get the 20% discount for cargo
shipments.
5. Once approval letters are sent to donors, the list will be
relayed to EFDA for PIP (pre import permit) for cargo
uplifted items and for donation at Bole International airport
for items that are coming in a baggage.
6. One the approval is received from MOH, below are steps to be followed for cargo and baggage transport of the donated
items.
B. Steps for personal baggage transport to be donated at Bole International Airport.
We prefer for donors and volunteers to use air cargo to
send donated health equipment and supplies. However, if
and when passengers decide to bring items in their
personal baggage/ the following facilitation is arranged;
l. MOH in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines and Bole
International Airport has donation collection site at bole
international airport at a place between baggage claim and
customs.
2. Passengers should bring two copies of the approval letter sent
from the Ministry of Health onboard their flight and hand it
over along with the baggage to the donation site EFDA
(Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority) for inspection and
EPSA (Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Agency)} for
storage,
3, Items brought for donation do not have to go through
customs processing; EPSA as receiver of items will handle
processing with customs.
4. Items brought for personal use by passengers will go through
customs and security by normal procedure.
5. Passengers are advised to put items for donation in a separate
checked baggage or carryon bag.
C. Steps for cargo transportation
l. Donors will communicate Ethiopian airlines initially for cargo shipment.
2. A dedicated line will be established by ET stations worldwide solely for the purpose of information sharing regarding donation acceptance.
3. For cargo uplifting of donation items, ET will provide a 20% discount.
4. Air way bill will be given to donors which they will relay to MOH.
5. The MOH will relay this air way bill to EPSA.
6. Only EPSA can withdraw the items from the cargo.
7. Any personal item mixed with the donation materials will not
be removed for personal use and will be considered as a donation.
8. Cargo donation materials need estimated pricing since customs needs pricing for declaration.
9. Any other item other that medication, medical supplies and equipment that is not listed and approved by MOH/FDA will not be granted permission for entry.
N.B Below are the minimum requirements/standards by
Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration Authority (EFDA) the
donated items should fulfil.
I. All supplies and medication donated should have at least a
6-month expiry date window.
2. All items should have approval letter form MOH before
transportation. And we exceptionally treat and accept
donations that come without prior communication/ without
approval letter from MOH if they fulfil FDA requirements
3. Any reagents are allowed in the country provided they do
not contain any type of micro-organisms.
4. Any item that requires cold chain for transportation should
do so in a cold chain system of transportation.
5. Items are preferred to be brand new however any item that
is used or refurbished should have a refurbishment
certificate or any document that proves the functionality of
the item.
6. If possible, bring the receipt of purchase or receipt of
donation for the items.
7. All items should be packaged
8. Re-labeled items (name of the items, expire date, dosage.. i)
will not be accepted.
N.B Items will be collected from the airport by the Ministry of
Health and distributed through the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical
Services to facilities in need.
