Angola
Country Overview
Angola is one of the poorest countries in southern Africa. With a population of about 12.8 million, it ranks 157th out of 179 in the UN’s Human Development Index. Poverty is severe and disease is widespread. Angola has one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in Africa, and almost 70% of Angolans are infected with multiple neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Since the end of a 27-year civil war, economic growth in the oil sector and international loans has supported Angola in rebuilding public health infrastructure. Nevertheless, the population relies mainly on subsistence agriculture for a living—about half of the country’s food is imported.
Current Efforts
International donors are partnering with Angolan officials to tackle the country’s biggest health challenges. Individual disease control programs exist to address prevalent NTDs. One such program, led by the African Programme for Onchocerciasis, organizes community-directed treatment for onchocerciasis with ivermectin. With additional resources and training for local participants, all of these projects could grow to cover more of the at-risk and infected populations.
In 2005, the Angolan Ministry of Public Health—with assistance from international organizations—developed a five-year integrated plan for the control of lymphatic filariasis (LF), schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). In 2008, the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria awarded a two-year, $32 million grant to scale up malaria control efforts, yet efforts in NTD control remain under-funded. Small scale treatment programs currently in place continue to be limited by lack of funding.
Remaining Gap
Approximately $7 million over three years would leverage existing investments by the Angolan government and international donors to scale-up integrated NTD control and the coordination of NTD and malaria control efforts for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. To support NTD control efforts in Angola, please click here.
