Ethiopia

HIV/AIDS

The SPS Program objectives in HIV/AIDS include—

Expanding access to and ensuring an uninterrupted supply of HIV/AIDS-related pharmaceuticals, laboratory supplies, and other commodities
Promoting the rational use of medicines and good dispensing practices
Supporting Ethiopia’s Drug Administration and Control Authority to build its capacity to enforce basic pharmaceutical quality standards
Strengthening human resource capacity in the pharmaceutical sector through training and staffing
Strengthening the country’s pharmaceutical information system to ensure up-to-date data needed for program decision making
Renovating facility infrastructure to improve proper storage and handling of pharmaceutical products

RPM Plus started work in Ethiopia in 2003 to support the pharmaceutical logistics related to prevention of mother-to-child transmission activities under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. At the time, Ethiopia had limited experience with HIV/AIDS-related medicines. We have since provided a broad range of technical assistance and resources to ensure an uninterrupted supply of antiretroviral drugs and establish a robust management system to control inventory, track patients, and improve rational medicine use, which has made health care better for all patients. In addition, we have helped hundreds of public and private health care facilities build their capacity in human resources, pharmaceutical systems, and infrastructure to provide antiretroviral therapy.

Malaria

The SPS Program objectives in malaria include—

Establishing partnerships with the government and other stakeholders to review and revise available antimalarial management approaches, materials, and systems
Reviewing and updating the current national antimalarial management policy; developing training materials; and training central, regional, and zonal level health professionals in how to manage malaria-related medicines
Helping establish and operationalize pharmaceutical management systems at hospitals, health centers, and health posts for antimalarials and related commodities

The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) is funding SPS Program activities in Oromia, Ethiopia’s largest region, where 68 percent of the region’s 27 million people are at risk for malaria. The SPS approach to strengthening antimalarial management uses Ethiopia’s existing pharmaceutical sector framework as a basis for building infrastructure, systems, tools, mechanisms, and staff at both central and regional levels. In collaboration with the National Malaria Control Program, the Regional Health Bureau, and other stakeholders, SPS provides technical assistance to local partners in antimalarial pharmaceutical management with the objective of reaching PMI’s goals of reducing malaria morbidity and mortality.