Strong Partnerships for Better Health
Hospital Partnerships brings together healthcare professionals and institutions across borders to strengthen health systems through long-term collaboration, shared knowledge and mutual learning.The programme supports partnerships between medical and health institutions in Germany and their counterparts in low- and middle-income countries. Through these collaborations, healthcare professionals work together to address local health challenges, improve medical services, strengthen professional skills and create sustainable solutions that continue beyond individual projects.Our work is built on the belief that meaningful healthcare partnerships are created at eye level. Each partner contributes its own experience, knowledge and expertise, creating opportunities for shared learning and lasting impact.

Our mission is to strengthen healthcare systems by supporting sustainable international partnerships between healthcare institutions and professionals. We promote collaboration that focuses on:

Our goal is not simply to provide short-term support, but to help create sustainable improvements that can continue to benefit healthcare institutions and communities in the future.

Hospital Partnerships supports international healthcare cooperation through different funding opportunities, including Global, Academic, and special funding initiatives.Partnership projects are developed jointly by institutions and professionals who identify challenges, define priorities and work together to create practical solutions.Depending on the partnership and project objectives, activities may include:

In addition to financial support, partners benefit from technical advice, networking opportunities, workshops and exchange platforms that strengthen their ability to work effectively in international cooperation.

At the heart of Hospital Partnerships is a peer-to-peer approach. International cooperation is not a one-way transfer of knowledge. Instead, healthcare professionals learn from one another, share experiences and develop solutions together.Every healthcare system faces different challenges, and every partner brings valuable knowledge and experience to the collaboration. By connecting professionals from different countries, cultures and medical environments, partnerships create opportunities for innovation, professional growth and stronger healthcare systems.Through networking, workshops, webinars and professional exchange, Hospital Partners become part of an international community working toward a common goal: better health and better healthcare for all.

Ethiopia is among the countries where Hospital Partnerships has supported important collaborations between Ethiopian and German healthcare and academic institutions.These partnerships address a wide range of healthcare priorities, including infection prevention, paediatric cardiac care, emergency medicine, laboratory systems and professional training.One example is the partnership between Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Mekelle and Katholisches Klinikum Bochum in Germany. The collaboration has focused on strengthening infection prevention and control through improved cleaning and disinfection practices, the development of guidelines, training of healthcare professionals and sustainable knowledge transfer.
Other partnerships in Ethiopia have supported areas such as paediatric intensive care for children with heart conditions, digital laboratory information systems and academic cooperation between Ethiopian and German institutions.

The Hospital Partnerships programme has also supported a dedicated partnership focused on strengthening healthcare in Tigray, Ethiopia.The project brought together Etiopia-Witten e.V. in Germany and the College of Health Sciences at Mekelle University. The partnership focused on supporting the recovery and strengthening of healthcare services, particularly in communities affected by the devastating impact of conflict.The initiative addressed urgent challenges facing health facilities and healthcare professionals through activities such as:

The partnership demonstrates how long-term international cooperation can help respond to immediate healthcare challenges while also investing in the future capacity of local institutions and healthcare professionals.

Strong healthcare systems require more than equipment and infrastructure. They depend on skilled professionals, strong institutions, reliable knowledge exchange and meaningful cooperation.Hospital Partnerships creates opportunities for healthcare professionals and institutions to work together across borders, combining expertise and experience to address shared challenges.Guided by the principles of sustainability, partnership and mutual learning, the programme contributes to the global goals of improving health and well-being and strengthening international cooperation. Together with our partners, we work toward a future where stronger institutions, better-trained healthcare professionals and sustainable collaboration contribute to improved healthcare for communities around the world.