Dr. Amanuel Gessesew - Ethos Group

Professional Summary

Professor Amanuel Gessessew is a renowned Ethiopian Obstetrician and Gynecologist with over three decades of clinical, academic, and policy influence. He is a Professor at Mekelle University’s College of Health Sciences and is widely recognized for his pioneering work in task-shifting, maternal health, and reproductive health services, which has had a significant impact on national and international health policies.

Education and Specialization:

Specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (1997).
Doctor of Medicine (MD): Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (1989).
He holds numerous certificates in areas such as hospital management, Norplant training, Manual Vacuum Aspiration, and woman-centered abortion care.

Academic and Leadership Positions:

Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics: Endorsed by the Senate of Mekelle University (2023).
Associate Professor & Head of Department: Served as Head of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Mekelle University (2007-2013).
Medical Director: Served as Medical Director at Adigrat Hospital (1997-2004), where he also worked as an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist.
Coordinator: Coordinated an MSC program on emergency surgery and obstetrics, a collaboration between UNFPA and Mekelle University (2008-2013).

Research and Policy Impact:
Professor Gessessew’s research has directly shaped health policy and practice in Ethiopia and globally. His key contributions include:

Task Shifting: His work advocating for emergency surgery by non-physician clinicians (midlevel providers) was instrumental in developing this cadre of health workers in Ethiopia.
Abortion Law Revision: His research on unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion contributed to the evidence base that supported the revision of Ethiopia’s abortion law.
Community-Based Interventions: He pioneered research on the community distribution of misoprostol to prevent postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and injectable contraceptives by community health workers. This work influenced WHO and USAID recommendations and led to the registration of misoprostol in the Essential Drug List for PPH prevention.
Fistula Services: His research contributed to the decentralization of fistula repair services.

Honors and Recognition:
He has received numerous prestigious awards for his life-time contribution to health in Ethiopia, including:

Extraordinary Award for Lifetime Contribution to health advancement in Ethiopia from the Ministry of Health (2015).
Role Model Award in the prevention of maternal mortality from the Tigray regional government and the President of Ethiopia (2012).
Goodwill Ambassador of Health Professional Ethics (2015).
Lifetime Obstetrics and Gynecology Service Award and Best Senior Obstetrics Researcher Award from the Tigrian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2024).
Visionary Leadership Award from the Tigrian Emergency Surgeons Association for pioneering the task-shifting initiative (2025).

Professional Affiliations:
He is a long-standing member of the Ethiopian Public Health Association, Ethiopian Medical Association, and the Tigrian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and has served on multiple editorial boards.

Publications:
He has an extensive list of peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals and has authored books on reproductive health in local languages (Amharic and Tigrigna).