Partners Praise Efforts Made to Fight HIV/AIDS 

International and National partners lauded the efforts being made to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. Representatives of Network of Networks of the Associations of Positive People living with the Virus /NEP+/, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief /PEPFAR/, the World Bank, UNAIDS and others made the remark at the opening of a three-day semi-annual performance review meeting held on February 17-19, 2010 in Hawassa, the regional capital of SNNPR.  

The meeting was officially opened by H.E. Ato Shiferaw Shigute, President of SNNPR who extended his gratitude for choosing his region’s capital to host this important national event.  He promised that he would do his level best in the fight against the pandemic in his region.  Ato Shiferaw also outlined the commitment of the Ethiopian government to address health issues in general and HIV and AIDS in particular. Dr. Betru Tekle, Director General of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office /HAPCO/ also made a welcoming speech during which he stressed the importance of proper and timely utilization of the fund allotted for the purpose it was meant for and prompt report to the concerned body.  The Director General called upon the leadership at all level to closely monitor the utilization and timely reporting regarding the fund.  Also speaking at the opening ceremony, representatives of different partners pledged to do everything possible to further strengthen the national effort to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS and other related health problems. Apart from reviewing the performance of the last six months the participants were provided with the opportunity to discuss presentations on burning issues such as usage and timely report of the recently secured RCC fund, Partnership Framework, Current Status of PMTCT Challenges and the Way Forward, Status of Strategic Information /ANC, BSS, MARPS population based survey/, Challenges and Next Steps and HIV Commodity Procurement and Distribution Status. At the end of the review meeting donors and implementing bodies vowed to work much harder to attain the goal of universal Access /UA/ in 2010. The joint performance review meeting takes place regularly by all partners and stakeholders on the basis of “three ones” ie. one plan, one monitoring and evaluation /M&E/ and one coordinating body.