U.S. Ambassador Joins the Prime Minister and President in Launching Free HIV/AIDS Anti-Retroviral Treatment in Ethiopia

January 24, 2005
No. 05/05

Addis Ababa (U.S. Embassy) – U.S. Ambassador Aurelia E. Brazeal joined Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, President Girma Woldegiorgis, and other dignitaries today to highlight America’s commitment to cooperate with Ethiopia’s fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.    The program marked the launch of a series of important Ethiopian documents underpinning that fight, including the Ethiopian Strategic Plan for Intensifying Multi-Sectoral HIV/AIDS Response, a strategy on Social Mobilization for HIV/AIDS Response, the fifth Report on AIDS in Ethiopia along with the National Guideline and Implementation Manual for ART.  The occasion highlighted the launch of free anti-retroviral drug treatment (ART) to thousands of Ethiopians living with HIV/AIDS, financed importantly by the U.S. Government.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Brazeal emphasized the historic nature of the launch of free ART and the important role it plays in the broader U.S. program in Ethiopia of support for prevention, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS.  The program is starting with 20 facilities with the goal of initiating treatment for 15,000 patients by March 2005; it is designed to expand to reach 210,000 patients at over 100 sites by the end of 2008.  Free anti-retroviral treatment is made possible by funding from President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the groundbreaking five-year United States Government program that is providing $15 billion to the worldwide fight against the pandemic.

As one of 15 focus countries of the Emergency Plan, Ethiopia has already received over $43 million for this program.  The Emergency Plan is making possible a range of innovative programs ranging from ART to support for orphans and others whose lives have been devastated by the disease to behavioral-change information and education programs targeted at preventing new HIV infections.