Tikur Anbesa (in Amharic) or the Black Lion Hospital is one of only two University Hospitals in Ethiopia and the largest general public hospital in Addis Ababa. Each day more and more patients arrive from this ever growing city in need of treatment.

The wards and corridors are packed with patients with their families or care-givers, waiting patiently for diagnosis, testing and treatment. The hospital sees much death - not surprising given that the probability of not reaching 40 years old in Ethiopia is a staggering 43.6% (CIA World Factbook). The overworked medical staff must rely on out-dated equipment and waning supplies to treat their patients, while basic construction upgrades are left on the way-side. The hospital's ventilation system no longer works and warm, wet air from the kitchens and laundry rooms cannot escape. Consequently, these rooms are rife with thick black mould - no place for healthy people to be, let alone those already battling illness.

The hospital is an important place, not just because of the sheer volume of patients it treats, but because here, a new generation of Ethiopian doctors and nurses for Addis Ababa University are being taught the essential medical skills and procedures needed to go on and save many more lives.

Ethiopiaid has been supporting the Black Lion Hospital since 2000, funding medical supplies and equipment. More recently, Ethiopiaid has committed to funding the construction of a new kitchen to replace the huge hygiene risk currently utilised.

With your help we can give the hospital the support it needs to treat the thousands of patients which rely on its service.