Oromia HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office Activities

Ethiopia is one of the countries of the world that are hard hit by HIV/AIDS. The country is now facing a very serious problem to the survival of its people and its national development due to the fast spreading HIV infection and the grave social and economic impacts of AIDS.

The Oromiya Region being of the most populous and also geographical located at the crossroads of social and economic movements in the country; is one of the highly exposed regions to this problem. Cognizant of the urgent need to respond to the crisis, The Regional Government established the Oomiya HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office to coordinate, guide and support the activities of different organizations and groups in fighting spread of HIV/AIDS and mitigate its impacts.

On the basis of the mandate generated from its establishing proclamation and the guidelines it set for itself, OHAPCO has been playing a leading role in coordinating the war against HIV/AIDS managing available resources and supporting implementing partners. However, owing to the highly challenging nature of its mission, the novelty of the Organizations, the demand for setting clear directions and goals and developing workable strategies, OHAPCO realized that it needed to produce a strategic plan in a participatory process to guide its direction and action through 2003/04-2007/08.

With a financial support from UNICEF and the necessary encouragement from the Regional Government and the active engagement of the key stakeholders, a thorough process of strategic plan development was undertaken.

The regional HIV/AIDS response under the coordination of the regional council secretariat and multi secretariat response and multiple implementation channels has been underway since 2001.

OHAPCO, under the umbrella of national HIV/AIDS policy, national HIV/AIDS strategic framework, EMSAP/PIM, the national response momentum and the support and assistance of NACS/PCU has mobilized and coordinate the regional HIV/AIDS activities in 26 woredas and regional government offices as well as by civil societies.

The Organization has also conducted program review meeting with woreda administrators, regional government, zonal focal person, HAPCO, Woreda facilitators World Bank and staff as part monitoring and advocacy of the implementation.

For more information please read the Strategic Plan