During the formation, it was stated that EPHA has human resource potential - wide, enthusiastic and experienced membership that can be mobilized and engaged in research and training activities in collaboration with other partners. It is potentially one of the leading public health Institutions to serve as a center of excellence in public health related research and training.
Additionally, it was mentioned that the current FMoH’s Continuing Professional Development program has identified EPHA to act as both in-service training accreditor and provider, a huge potential for building the capacity of EPHA and its members.
On the same day, Prof. Mesganaw Fantahun was elected Chairperson of the TRAG; Dr Abraham Assefa and Dr Geremew Tarekegn as Co-chair for the research and the training wing respectively; and the RTP Directorate as Secretary of the TRAG.
EPHA has been giving long and short term training on leased facilities which are inconvenient, expensive, and have no residual capacity building effect. The RTF is intended to provide and facilitate short, medium & long term training, facilitate conferences, workshops and meetings, and serve as center of excellence in health related researches. The structural facility of the TRF will be in the new EPHA building, Ato Shoandange Belete, research coordinator at EPHA stated. He also notified that EPHA had attempted to undertake business plan preparations through consultants but the technical proposals were evaluated as unsatisfactory, and presented the issue to the TRAG for further direction on how to proceed.