Mekdes Daba Feyissa (b. in Ethiopia) was appointed Minister of Health of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in February 2024, leading the nation’s health sector and overseeing public health policies and programs.
Mekdes is a medical professional and public health expert, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. She earned her medical degree at Hawassa University, completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Addis Ababa University, and undertook a family planning fellowship at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College. She also completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the World Health Organization (WHO). Mekdes is recognized as the first female Family Planning and Reproductive Health sub-specialist in Ethiopia.
Her career spans clinical practice, public health leadership, academia, and international health institutions. She has served as Team Lead at the Deputy Director General Office of WHO, Managing Director of the Center for International Reproductive Health and Training (CIRHT) Africa, President and Honorary Secretary of the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Head of the School of Medicine at Hawassa University.
As Minister of Health, Mekdes focuses on strengthening the health system, expanding access to care, improving maternal and child health, promoting reproductive health services, and advancing evidence-based policy and gender equality. Her leadership emphasizes integrated health initiatives and international collaboration to improve public health outcomes across Ethiopia.