Ethiopia: Dr. Tedros's Meeting With U.S. Senators

Dr. Tedros met yesterday (August 21) with a group of US Senators including Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Richard Burr, Senator John Thune, Senator John Barroso and Senator Mike Johanns. Their discussions largely focused on the impact of US support to Ethiopia especially in the health and agriculture sectors. Dr. Tedros thanked the US government for its generous and bipartisan support for the PEPFAR program which, he said, had tremendous impact for tackling the country's HIV/AIDS epidemic.

He said the HIV infection rate had fallen from 7% to 1.6% over the past few years; and HIV/AIDS related mortality had dropped by 90% with the advent of the treatment that had been provided through the support of PEPFAR. He said Ethiopia had been able to use PEPFAR in a unique way to build a health system predicated on the promotion of preventive health through a primary health care system. Dr. Tedros briefed the senators on the dramatic changes in the reduction of major killer diseases such as TB, Malaria, and HIV/AIDS brought about by training of 38,000 women health extension workers. Huge successes were also seen in the reduction of mother to child HIV transmission prevention and there had been a sharp decline in infant mortality rate in general. He extended his appreciation to the US government's support for agricultural development in Ethiopia through the Safety Net program and the Agricultural Transformation Agency. He said: "the support we are getting through the safety net is particularly important in ensuring food security and improving productivity because our agricultural policy focuses on boosting productivity of smallholder farming through provision of expanded mechanization, improved seeds and fertilizers."

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