In Ethiopia, over one-third of health care providers are nurses and midwives, and in many regions, they provide the majority of patient care. A severe health worker shortage, however, is placing considerable strain on the existing workforce, hindering Ethiopia’s ability to combat malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, and other illnesses that contribute to the country’s high disease burden. Sufficient numbers of adequately trained nurses and midwives are needed to address essential population-based health care needs.