Countdown to 2015: Challenges and Perspectives In Achieving the Millennium Development Goals In Ethiopia

Preliminary results from the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) give an overview of the recent progress towards the achievement of the health Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in Ethiopia. In particular, a consistent decline was observed in under 5 mortality rate (from 204 to 88 per 1000 live births between 1990 and 2011) and in infant mortality rate (from 122 to 59 per 1000 live births in the same period), being on track to achieve MDG 4 by 2015. Estimates of maternal mortality ratio (MMR) are not yet available from 2011 EDHS, but the slow progress in reducing the neonatal mortality rate in the past five years (from 39 per 1000 live births in 2005 EDHS to 37 per 1000 live births in 2011 EDHS) does not suggest large improvements in MMR. This is consistent with the 2010/11 findings from the Health Management Information System, showing a low percentage (17%) of deliveries attended by skilled health personnel, which is considered as the single most important factor in reducing MMR. However, a general increase in coverage of key MDG-related interventions for disease control (MDG 6) has been observed over time. Good progress has been achieved in malaria control, with a three-pronged approach being implemented, consisting of early diagnosis and effective treatment, selective vector control and epidemic prevention and control. Encouraging results have been achieved also in HIV/AIDS control, with combination of stable HIV prevalence, sustained prevention efforts and increased ART coverage (62% in 2010/11, above the average in sub-Saharan African countries). Results from the TB prevalence survey carried out in 2010/11 shows a TB prevalence (all forms) of 277 per 100,000 population which is much lower than previous WHO estimates from models (572 per 100,000), making it possible to achieve the TB target for MDG 6.