Welcome to ALERT

The All Africa Leprosy, Tuberculosis and Rehabilitation Training Centre(ALERT) would like to welcome you to the ALERT campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

We would like you to have a comfortable stay with us, so we ask you to take a little time to read this. It introduces our training centre and its activities. We hope that it will help you to make the most of your time here.

The ALERT training facilities

The ALERT training centre is well equipped with spacious classrooms and all the necessary training facilities and audio-visual support. There is a video room to watch training videos and a reading room where all literature relevant to the courses can be consulted. The trainees also have access to a very well stocked scientific library, which ALERT shares with the Armauer Hansen Research Institute.

There is a 240-bed teaching hospital with very busy dermatology,ophthalmology and surgery departments, an orthopedic workshop and access to a community based rehabilitation programme. The ALERT Leprosy and Tuberculosis field programme has been integrated into the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme and remains accessible for field training purposes.
ALERT also closely collaborates with Addis Ababa University, the urban TB Control programme and the Armauer Hansen Research Institute.

Weather

Addis Ababa is 2, 400meters (7,500 feet) above sea level, so it can be cold in the mornings and evenings. You will need warm sweaters, shoes and socks.Temperature can drop to ± 5°C at night. The days are usually warm and sunny but may still be cool inside buildings. The rainy season is from mid July to the beginning of October. There may be light rains during the rest of the year. You need a light raincoat.

Food

The Ethiopian national dish is injera, a type of pancake eaten with wot, a variety of stews. Ethiopians like their food spicy with chillies. The ALERT hostel serves mainly European dishes but the menu will be adapted to various needs. There are plenty of green vegetables and fruit.

Money

The Ethiopian currency is called Birr. There are 100 cents to the Birr. At the airport you may have to change some money in order to get your visa. You may be asked to declare how much foreign currency you have with you and fill in a blue form. Keep this with you. You will need to hand it in at the airport when you leave the country.

Traveller’s cheques can be changed at the Central Bank but it is advisable to come with some US dollars in cash.

Health

ALERT does not provide health insurance. Please make sure that you are suitably insured before coming to ALERT.

You need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended. Although there is no malaria at ALERT, you may be exposed during field visits.

• Calculator
• Light and warm clothes
• Light rain coat
• Walking shoes
• Torch
• Tennis gear (if interested)
• Swimming trunks (if interested)
• Sun block for the fair skinned
• World radio if you want to keep in touch
  with what’s happening in the world
• Walkman or discman if you like listening to music

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