Jimma University (JU) is a public research university located in Jimma, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. It is recognized as the leading national university in Ethiopia in research, education, and community services. Its affiliated teaching hospital, Jimma Medical Center is the only teaching and tertiary referral hospital in southwest Ethiopia with catchment population of over 20 million.

Jimma University Institute of Health contributes for most of research outputs by the university. It harbors major research centers that are contributing to the national health policy at large – Tropical and Infectious Disease Research Center with particular emphasis on malaria, Mycobateriology Research Center, and Drug Quality Control Research Center are some among others.

Since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jimma University Institute of Health is serving as emergency operation center for COVID-19 control and as the only intensive care treatment center in southwest Ethiopia. COVID-19 seroepidemiology study established since August 2020 by Prof. Esayas Kebede Gudina in collaboration with St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College (Ethiopia) and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Germany) has been studying the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in Ethiopia. It led to generation of the first large scale longitudinal seroepidemiological data from East Africa. It is investigating antibody responses in people with SARS-CoV-2 natural infection and COVID-19 vaccination.