HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia: - Clinton Health Access Initiatives

ETHIOPIAHIV/AIDS LANDSCAPETHE RELATIONSHIPCHAI-ETHIOPIA AND UNITAIDIn Ethiopia, there are currently 1.2 millionpeople living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Ofthose, roughly 760,000 live in urban areas.Comprising 2.4% of the total adult population(ages 15 – 49 yrs), the prevalence of HIV islower than many countries in sub-SaharanAfrica. Notwithstanding, the disease stillinflicts a substantial burden on the localway of life—at present, nearly 400,000PLWHA require antiretroviral therapy. 1Ethiopia’s size in population and landmass,ethnic diversity, economic productivityand resource availability create immensechallenges for treating HIV/AIDS.Geographically, Ethiopia is the eighthlargest country in Africa and its populationof approximately 90 million people—comprised of over 80 different ethnicgroups—makes it the second most populouscountry in sub-Saharan Africa. The countryis divided into nine ethnically based regionalstates and two city administrations,which are further separated into 103zones, 800 woredas (districts) and 15,000kebeles (communities). The vast majorityof Ethiopians live in rural areas and itspopulation is the 9th fastest growing in theworld with an annual growth rate of 2.6%.Ethiopia’s Health Sector DevelopmentProgram (currently in Phase IV) outlined astrategic plan for combating HIV/AIDS, whichhas led to a robust expansion of the existinghealthcare infrastructure and improvedprotocol. While the spread of HIV continuesto grow—over 123,000 adults and 14,000children were newly infected in 2010—theEthiopian government, in collaborationwith myriad partner organizations, havecommitted vast resources in an effort tocurb the spread of the disease and aid inthe plight of those already infected. 2In 2006, CHAI was selected as the leadimplementing partner for UNITAID and begandirecting the procurement and supply ofpediatric and 2nd line HIV/AIDS commoditiesworldwide. Globally, UNITAID-financedand CHAI-implemented HIV programsprovide essential health commodities to 40beneficiary countries. In Ethiopia, the CHAIhas worked closely with the Federal Ministryof Health to increase access to care andtreatment for people living with HIV/AIDS,focusing specifically on two areas requiringspecial attention—pediatric ART scale upand adult 2nd line therapy.Since June 2007, through its Drug Accessand Nutrition program, CHAI-Ethiopia beganprocuring 100% of Ethiopia’s pediatricand adult 2nd line HIV medicines, as wellas a number of additional commoditiesrelated to the diagnosis, treatment andcare of children requiring ART. Thesesupplementary commodities include: Readyto use therapeutic food, (also known by itsbrand name, Plumpy’nut), for the treatmentof severe acute malnourishment in children;Co-trimoxazole, a prophylactic aimed atpreventing opportunistic infections in HIVweakened immune systems; and laboratorydiagnostic equipment, essential in the processof early detection and effective treatment ofHIV/AIDs.UNITAID, procured a total of $14,785,539USD worth of these commodities betweenJune 2007 and May 2011. At the end of2011, CHAI-Ethiopia’s Drug Access andNutrition program will phase out, handingover its activities to appropriate governmentcounterparts and partner organizations.Continued funding for these commoditieshas been secured through The Global Fundto Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.Source: 1 ETHARC 2010 National Factsheet sourcing Single Point HIV Prevalence Estimate, Federal HIV/AIDSPrevention and Control Office (FHAPCO); 2 UNAIDS5 CHAI and UNITAID in Ethiopia6