What kinds of home care are there in Addis Ababa?
Most families end up combining two or three, and the mix shifts as your parent recovers or needs more help.
| Type | What it covers | Who comes | Book it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse visit | Injections, wound dressings, medicines | Licensed nurse | A doctor has prescribed a treatment |
| Doctor visit | Assessment at home, prescription, care plan | Licensed doctor | Your parent is unwell and struggles to get out |
| Lab samples at home | Blood and other samples, taken to a laboratory | Nurse or lab technician | A doctor has asked for tests |
| Caregiver | Washing, meals, dressing, moving around, by day or night shift | Trained caregiver, not always a health professional | Your parent needs help every day |
| Physiotherapy | Rehabilitation after a stroke, fracture or operation, in a series of sessions | Licensed physiotherapist | Walking has got worse after an illness |
How do I check a home care provider is licensed?
In Addis Ababa, the city’s Food and Drug Authority (AAFDA) certifies health facilities and registers and licenses health professionals. Ask the provider for its certificate and the name of the licensed doctor or nurse in charge. To check a provider or complain, call 8864 or +251 11 828 4038.
Every nurse, doctor or physiotherapist who comes to the house should show a professional licence. A caregiver who only helps with daily tasks may not be a health professional: ask who supervises them and what they must not do, such as injections.
What should I ask before booking?
Send the same questions in writing to two providers, and put the answers side by side.
- Who assesses your parent before care starts, and who writes the care plan?
- How long is a visit or shift, and who covers if the carer is ill?
- Which supplies and medicines are included, and which are billed on top?
- In an emergency, who calls 907, and to which hospital?
- How do reports reach the family, with your parent’s consent?
- What is the total price, the deposit and the notice period to stop?
How much does home care cost in Addis Ababa?
There is no official price list. Each provider sets its own rates in birr, per visit, per shift or as a monthly package. The price moves with who comes (doctor, nurse, caregiver), how long they stay, the supplies and the distance.
Ask for a current written quote with supplies and transport included, and compare two providers for the same care. If you pay from abroad, use a bank or a licensed money transfer agent.
What can Medyc arrange in Addis Ababa?
In Addis Ababa, Medyc arranges a doctor or nurse home visit, lab samples taken at home, medicine delivery and appointments with partner facilities, and family abroad can set it up with their parent’s agreement. For long caregiver shifts or physiotherapy, choose a provider that offers them.
Your questions, answered
How much does a home nurse cost in Addis Ababa?
There is no official tariff: the price depends on the provider, the length of the visit or shift and the supplies. Ask for a current written quote in birr, supplies and transport included.
Who licenses home care providers in Addis Ababa?
The Addis Ababa Food and Drug Authority certifies health facilities and licenses health professionals in the city. Ask for the provider’s certificate and each carer’s licence, or call 8864.
Can I arrange home care for a parent in Addis Ababa from abroad?
Yes. Get your parent’s agreement, name a trusted local contact and ask for written prices and payment methods. Send money only through a bank or a licensed transfer agent.
Is home care cheaper than a nursing home in Addis Ababa?
For a few visits a week, usually yes; round-the-clock shifts at home can cost more than a place in a home. Compare written quotes for the same level of care.
Who do I call in an emergency in Addis Ababa?
907, the Ethiopian Red Cross ambulance, free and available 24/7, or go straight to a hospital emergency department. Do not call the home care provider first.
Sources & further reading
- Addis Ababa Food and Drug Authority: services and contacts
- Ethiopian Red Cross Society: ambulance services (907)
- National Bank of Ethiopia: licensed money transfer agents
- Medyc: home care in Addis Ababa
- Medyc guide: nursing homes in Addis Ababa
- Medyc guide: paying for a parent’s medical care in Ethiopia from abroad
This guide explains how to organise care. It does not provide a diagnosis or individual medical advice. How we write our guides
