DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE AIDS CONTROL PROGRAMME IN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Realizing the enormous implications of AIDS (acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome) in terms of human suffering, social effects, and costs for health services, the National Task Force on the Prevention and Control of HIV -infection and AIDS in Ethiopia was established, in 1985 -prior to the first laboratory diagnosis of HIV or reported AIDS case. The Government of the PDRE recognized the extraordinary dimensions of the threat of AIDS to the national health, and responded with full commitment and support from the onset of the Programme onward.
Initially, measures focused on the development of a National Policy on AIDS, specific operational guidelines, a situational analysis of the problem, and, an assessment of the existing capability to cope with the problem. In collaboration with experts from the Global Programme on AIDS (GP A), the Ethiopian Short Term and Medium Term Plans for the Prevention and Control of AIDS were developed in March and May of 1987, respectively. National strategy required the development of a strong and comprehensive National AIDS Prevention and Control Programme; the highest priority was given to national programme development.