The HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office, which came into being in 2002, is an autonomous federal government organ with its own legal personality. It is the secretariat of the National AIDS Council (NAC), which was established in April 2000 and chaired by the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Its members include: the Deputy Prime Minister and other high ranking government officials, the Speaker of the House of Peoples Representatives, representatives of NGOs, religious institutions, the media and civil society organizations.

 

The main task of the Council is to oversee the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) and to examine and approve annual plans and budgets submitted to it by its secretariat, FHAPCO, and to monitor performance and impact.

 

The objectives of FHAPCO are to coordinate and direct the implementation of the country's HIV/AIDS policy. It is a national authority charged with coordinating multisectoral response in the country. It involves a wider consultation with sector ministries, regional HAPCO's, regional health bureaus, civil society organizations, associations and networks of PLHIV, the private sector, as well as multilateral and bilateral development partners.

 

Power and duties vested in FHAPCO include:

 

• Submit for the approval of the Government a national HIV/AIDS program prepared on the basis of the recommendations of NAC; follow-up and coordinate the implementation of the same;
• Mobilize partners and utilize resources appropriately;
• Coordinate the activities of federal and regional government organs and non-governmental organizations engaged in HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities and facilitate conditions for integration, mobilize the community and coordinate the sectors and build their capacity to create ownership.
• Collect and compile information on general situation of HIV/ AIDS in the country and disseminate same to all partners
• Organize local and international meetings and workshops for enhancing knowledge of the society about HIV/AIDS.
• Establish monitoring and evaluation system.
• Ensure money secured in donation and the budget allocated by the government is properly utilized
• Increase the coverage of quality services and speed up implementation of comprehensive HIV/AIDS promote to satisfy the needs of clients in order to prevent and control the spread of the epidemic and mitigate the impact.