News             

            Fixed dose combination ARV drugs were launched officially

The Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (FHAPCO) launched a fixed dose combination of antiretrovirals (ARVs) national wide. The fixed dose combination ARVs were launched at antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence baseline assessment dissemination and way forward national workshop held on 19 June 2008 at Gion Hotel, Addis Ababa.. Speaking on the occasion Dr.Betru Tekele, Director general of FHAPCO said the integrated HIV/AIDS intervention activities being carried out by the office in collaboration with the government and other stakeholders are bearing fruit.

The Fixed dose drugs, which are part of the national free HIV treatment programme, are believed to transfer HIV/AIDs treatment  to a new stage. A directive on the utilization of the combination drugs would be distributed along with drugs. 

According to the Director General, the government plans to increase the number of ARV beneficiaries, which currently stands at over 100,000 to 200,000 until the end of 2009.

 Mengisteab Woldearegay, Head of planning, Drug Information Establishement and distribution Department with in DACA said the fixed dose combination drugs would contribute much to reduce the daily amount of pills taken by ART beneficiaries and  the authority has been carrying out various activities aimed at controlling the proper use of ARVs.

 A survey of adherence to ARV medicines in Ethiopia aimed at identifying approaches for adherence monitoring being used by major HIV/AIDS systems of care that provide or support the provision of ART services and estimate achieved rates was also presented in the course of the workshop.

 The survey was jointly prepared by DACA,International Network for the Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD) and Management Science for Health/Rational pharmaceutical Management plus (MSH/RPM+)

       Training on Drug and Therapeutics Committee and Drug Information Center

A “Training course on Drug and Therapeutics Committee and Drug Information Center” organized jointly by DACA and MSH/RPM+ SPS was held in five rounds in between January and July, 2008. A total of 367 trainees withdrawn from 105 hospitals and composed of medical directors, physicians and pharmacists were participated in the training.

The aim of the training course is to build capacity of health care professionals to establish new DTCs and DICs through which rational drug use and provision of drug information can be promoted. The training was a combination of technical presentations, group discussions and action plan development 

 Further to trainings and sensitization programmes, DACA and MSH/RPM+ SPS have planned to continuously follow up and monitor performances of DTC/DICs in the hospital to identify areas of strength and weakness and upgrade their function to impact RDU promotion

                      Training on Good Dispensing Practice (GCPP)

Drug administration and Control Authority of Ethiopia (DACA) with technical and financial support from MSH/RPM+SPS has conducted three days training course on good community pharmacy practice in five rounds for practicing pharmacy personne.

The training was objectively designed to build up the capacity of pharmacy professionals so that they can follow strictly the steps of good dispensing practices.  

A total of 400 pharmacy personnel working at private retail outlets, city council pharmacies and Red Cross pharmacies were participated in the training