Disease Prevention and Control Directorate is responsible to coordinate communicable and non-communicable disease programs. Accordingly, the Directorate coordinates the designing and development of national strategies, policy guidance, technical guidelines, protocols, Standard Operating Procedures, and intervention packages. Moreover, the Directorate is responsible for ensuring the availability and uninterrupted supply of commodities for the programs, which is mainly done in collaboration with the Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency (EPSA). The Directorate also engages in resource mobilization, funding proposals, technical capacity building, and program monitoring and evaluation, and evidence-based effective drugs and interventions selection.
Aim
- To end major communicable diseases by 2030
- To prevent avoidable non-communicable diseases and mental illness in Ethiopia
Mission
To reduce morbidity, mortality, and disability due to communicable, non-communicable diseases, and mental health problems and improve the health status of the Ethiopian people through providing a comprehensive package of promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative health service via a decentralized health system.
Vision
To see healthy and productive citizens who can actively engage in the socio-economic development of the country
Roles and Responsibilities
- Give overall guidance for prevention and control of communicable, non-communicable diseases and mental health problems.
- Develop strategies, guidelines, and implementation manuals for prevention and control of communicable, non-communicable diseases, and mental health and mental disorders.
- Conduct advocacy on communicable diseases, NCDs, and mental health disorders and their risk factors to increase the awareness and commitment of policymakers, health managers, and health care workers. Promote healthy lifestyles, reducing risk factors, and providing integrated evidence-based innovative, and cost-effective public health and clinical interventions.
- Creation of public awareness; improve survival by early recognition; improve diagnosis, treatment, and care; promote surveillance, registration, and research; foster partnership, collaboration, and innovation; integration; and promotion of community involvement and participation.
- Strengthen national capacity for communicable and non-communicable risk factors surveillance and research for prevention and control of the diseases.
- Strengthen international cooperation and advocacy to raise the priority accorded to prevention and control of both communicable and non-communicable diseases in the development agenda and in internationally agreed development goals.
- Develop funding proposals for mobilization of financial resources for prevention and control of communicable, non-communicable diseases and mental health disorders.
- Coordinate the efforts of bilateral and multilateral organizations, and the community at large in jointly working to combat disease burden and to achieve the set program-specific objectives and sustainable development goals (SDGs).
EXPECTED DELIVERABLES/RESULTS
- Strong national capacity for prevention and control of diseases: This is achieved through availing sound strategies, guidelines and expanding quality integrated health care, standardized training courses, optimal infrastructure, and sustainable supply of medication.
- Envisioning & sustaining progress: This is achieved through identifying and availing adequate resources required for long-term implementation of appropriate interventions; and empowering individuals, families, and population at large to promote their health, help protect themselves from risk factors and create enabling conditions that would facilitate target audiences to advance public health.
- Evidence-based decision-making: establish and strengthen information systems, evidence, and research for prevention and control of the disease.
- Effective partnership, team building, and coordination: will be ascertained through the involvement of partners at various levels in the development, planning, and implementation of interventions. The coordination forums and activities will be based on a clear definition and understanding of roles, responsibilities, and mandates.
Team/case team/structure
In order to discharge its responsibilities, DPCD has got the following six Programmatic Teams:
- HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control
- Tuberculosis and Leprosy Prevention and Control
- Malaria Control and Elimination
- Mental Health and Mental Disorders
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Prevention and Control
- Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases