Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, the Joint Team made significant contributions to increase HIV prevention and treatment for key and vulnerable populations, including people affected by the conflict and those in refugee camps. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is now included in the national prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) guidelines and PrEP services are offered in all antiretroviral treatment (ART) centres. The Government also introduced HIV self-testing and implemented a pilot HIV testing service for children 2-15 years through care givers with technical support from the Joint Team (UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat).

Access to HIV diagnosis services was expanded to tens of thousands of people in the country by implementing Point of Care (POC) Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) technologies. The new national six-month Paediatric HIV Programme Acceleration Initiative (PHPAI) was also launched in high-burden regions in 52 “level one” health facilities to close the gap and accelerate progress towards the 95-95-95 targets among children and adolescents (UNICEF, WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat).

A total of 516 853 adolescents and young people, including people with multiple vulnerabilities and special needs not only improved their knowledge of HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and safe choices through peer education, behaviour change and life skill programmes but also accessed these services. HIV and SRH education programmes and school mini-media club guidelines were developed to promote safe and gender-equitable learning environments. In addition, 2200 community leaders, parents, service providers, members of youth organizations and people living with HIV were empowered to respond to the HIV and SRH needs of adolescents and young people in their communities. The Children, Adolescent, and Youth Positives Association in Ethiopia (ASK-US) developed its five-year strategic plan, and 40 young people living with HIV (33 females) were trained as HIV leaders to advocate for the health rights of adolescents and young people (UNFPA).

Revision of the national gender polices, and the newly developed national gender roadmap will help ensure key and priority populations have access to stigma and discrimination free services. A total of 35 member associations of the National Network of Positive Women in Ethiopia (NNPWE) are better equipped to identify and address social and structural barriers preventing women from accessing quality HIV services; and identify existing policy and legal frameworks related to HIV and gender-based violence (UN Women).