January 23, 2006, Over 120,000 infants and children are currently living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia, yet only a few hundred are accessing the care and treatment services they need, including antiretroviral therapy. The urgency of the pediatric HIV / AIDS situation cannot be understated without proper care and treatment, 50% of children living with HIV / AIDS will die before their second birthday. There are ample opportunities to improve the pediatric HIV/AIDS situation in Ethiopia, drawing upon pediatric program successes nationally and in other Sub-Saharan African countries. With dedicated commitment and resources, infants and children living with HIV /AIDS can be effectively treated, and go on to live longer, healthier lives.
A National Conference, Expanding Access to Pediatric HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment in Ethiopia: Challenges and Prospects, is being held from 25-27 January at the Hilton Hotel in Addis Ababa. The conference is hosted by the Federal Ministry of Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs, Ethiopia (ICAP-Ethiopia), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ethiopia (CDC- Ethiopia), and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Ethiopia (PEPFAR-Ethiopia).
This three-day conference will engage key stakeholders in pediatric HIV/AIDS and build upon international and local expertise and experience to jointly consider the Ethiopian pediatric HIV/AIDS agenda for the coming years. Results of a national situation assessment on pediatric HIV/AIDS car and treatment, conducted by ICAP-Ethiopia and the Federal Ministry of Health, will be presented, followed by panel sessions, discussion, and small working groups on specific areas of pediatric care and treatment. Outputs of the conference will include a list of specific recommendations to expand access to pediatric HIV/AIDS care and treatment in Ethiopian, and next steps in implementing these recommendations.
Conference participants include HIV/AIDS and pediatric experts from the Federal Ministry of Health, Regional Health Bureaus, local and international universities, donors, CDC-Ethiopia and partner organizations, USAID-Ethiopia, and associations of people living with HIV/AIDS. International participants from Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and the United Sates will also lend their experiences to help guide the Ethiopia pediatric HIV/AIDS care and treatment agenda. His Excellency, Dr. Tedros Adhanom is expected to deliver the closing remarks after recommendations are formally presented to the Federal Ministry of Health and other conference participants.
For more information on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia, please see:
Ethiopia AIDS Resource Center: www.etharc.org
ICAP-Ethiopia: http://www.columbia-icap.org/ethiopia/
The Federal Ministry of Health: www.fmoh-eth.org
CDC-Ethiopia: www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/gap/countries/ethiopia.htm
PEPFAR: www.state.gov/s/gac/countries/fc/ethiopia
USAID- Ethiopia: www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-saharan
africa/countries/ethiopia/index.html