Austria has supported the Somali Regional Health Bureau (SHRB) since 1999. The current programme builds on the Health Sector Development Plan IV and the Strategic Planning and Management of the SRHB. It consolidates already initiated  interventions both at regional and woreda (district) level. This financing period (01.07.2010 - 31.12.2012) follows up the first phase (ended 30.06.2010).
The programme accommodates global and national initiatives such as the national health policy, the health sector strategy of the government of Ethiopia and the MDGs and is in line with the country's current poverty reduction programme. The  overall goal of the programme is to contribute to an improved health status of the people of the Somali Regional State, while the purpose is "improved health service coverage and utilisation through sustainable quality of health care  service".
The target beneficiaries of this programme include 1,8 mio. inhabitants in twelve woredas as well as the following institutions:
(1) Jijiga Health Science College, (2) Gode Health Science Training Institute, (3) the Regional Women's Affairs Bureau, (4) SRHB.
After creating technical and administrative capacity of the SRHB and an enabling environment at woreda health offices in the first phase, this second phase will now achieve (1) consolidation of SRHB's and the woredas' capacity, (2) improved human  resource for better and more accessible health services, (3) a more pastoralist-fiendly and gender-sensitive health service delivery.
Through this support the number of target woredas is extended from eight to twelve, financial resources allocated to the woreda level will increase and the Gode Health Science College will be allocated substantial resources and entrusted with  power of execution by the SRHB.