ADDIS ABABA – Ministry of Health (MoH) has unveiled a plan to control HIV/ AIDS by 2030 with the implementation of community led monitoring project designed to support vulnerable and affected people.
The ministry in collaboration with Tamra for Social Development Organization (TSD) has launched Community Led Monitoring (CLM) project worth 599,000 USD with a financial assistance from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Lead Executive Officer with the Ministry of Health, Fikadu Yadeta said during the launching event that Community Led Monitoring is a significant project to treat and capacitate HIV vulnerable and affected communities with smart spending and cooperative works.
He added that the ministry has formulated a policy and manual to achieve the CLM project in the country.
“Close to 600,000 citizens are living with HIV” he said, emphasizing the need to promote combined efforts to tackle the spread of the virus. The ministry is also facilitating differentiated service delivery (DSD) for vulnerable communities based on their interests.
Fikadu underlined that maintaining good health and combating HIV requires political commitment, domestic resource mobilization and integration.
TSD’s Executive Director, Biruk Yergalem on his part said that the main purpose of the CLM is maximizing services through community based approach in fulfilling the needs of anti-HIV drug users and creating suitable environment in combating the disease.
Biruk added that some 14 organizations will jointly implement the project in 12 states and two city administrations. The project will be implemented in 84 districts and 103 health institutions in the coming one year.
In this regard, over 47,000 focused groups particularly people who have taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) will be beneficiary. PEPFAR supports will bring significant outcome in addressing HIV challenges and increasing productivity, he added.
The U.S. has allocated three billion USD to support HIV response in Ethiopia over the past two decades, according to PEPFAR Ethiopia Country Office Coordinator, Tsedey Alemseged.
As to her, PEPFAR has 1,200 treatment sites and benefited over 540,000 women and children since its inception. PEPFAR believes that community-level service is the center of achieving and maintaining high quality HIV service and reduce the disease’ impact.
She noted that her agency has been working in close with 28 local civil society organizations (CSOs) for common understanding in supporting health issues.
Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Authority Deputy Director General, Fasikaw Molla on his part said that civil society organizations have been playing crucial role in the various development activities.
Some 4,400 civil society organizations are domestic and the national reform has increased the potentials of the CSOs to perform their tasks efficiently, he stated.
Fasikaw called the international CSOs to support the local ones through finance, knowledge, skills, technology, and the likes to achieve common goals.
Though local CSOs have been benefiting people in various ways, much work remains to be accomplished with regard to improve citizens’ lives, he added.
BY MESERET BEHAILU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2024
