The WOMEN FIRST 5km on March 13, 2011
Since 1990, Ethiopia has made remarkable progress towards improving access and use of contraceptives. For example, the average number of children born to a woman in her lifetime decreased from 6.4 in 1990 to 4.8 in 2011. This is partly due to DKT’s efforts to help legalize medical abortion in Ethiopia during that time. Contraceptive prevalence by currently married women has also increased dramatically over the period, with use of modern contraceptives increasing from less than 3% in 1990 to 27.3% in 2011.
Ethiopia’s robust economic growth and high levels of donor support suggest that these family planning indicators will continue to improve over the coming years. At the same time, more is needed to reach the 25.3% of currently married women 15-49 who say they want to use family planning but are not able to do so.
The 2012 UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic noted the progress Ethiopia has made in fighting HIV from 2001-2011, when new infections dropped by 90%, the largest drop of any country in Africa (and the second greatest in the world). What’s more, the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey reported HIV prevalence at a relatively modest 1.5%. However, HIV still represents a significant challenge and threat and much work remains to be done before HIV is eliminated.
DKT Ethiopia began operations in 1990 with the introduction of Hiwot Trust condoms. The program now socially markets condoms (4 brands), oral contraceptives (3 brands), an injectable contraceptive, an emergency contraceptive, and several other reproductive health and child survival products. It regularly supplies 32% of Ethiopia’s CYPs and 50% of the country’s condoms.
Click the image to read more about Postpill.
DKT Ethiopia maintains offices and warehouses across the country. The organization’s database of nearly 20,000 sales points provides real-time data that feeds back into the organization’s products and activities. DKT Ethiopia has tapped local entrepreneurial talent through the organization’s Young Marketers (YM) Initiative. YM includes nearly 200 anti-AIDS clubs that sell the organization’s condoms. YM clubs regularly account for a third of the organization’s condom sales.
DKT Ethiopia provides several brands across product type in order to reach all economic segments. The organization extensively promotes several brands of condoms and contraceptives with inspirational messages linking family planning and reproductive health with a better life.
In Ethiopia, DKT increases condom use through events like this parade during a holiday celebrated primarily by women. In 2012, DKT distributed nearly 65 million condoms and provided around one-third of Ethiopia’s modern contraception.
In addition to its core sales activity, DKT Ethiopia is considered a leader in innovative programming. DKT Ethiopia’s Wise-Up Program is one of Africa’s largest HIV-prevention programs targeting sex workers. DKT Ethiopia’s extensive distribution of condoms with Ethiopia’s military is considered one of the program’s greatest successes.
In 2012, DKT Ethiopia sold nearly 65 million condoms, 3.6 million cycles of oral contraceptives, and 2.3 million injectable contraceptives. In addition, DKT sold over 200,000 IUDs and over 135,000 medical abortion pills. This translates into 2,590,876 CYPs.
For more information:
DKT Ethiopia
Director: Andrew Piller
Address: Bole Kifle Ketema, Kebele 23, No. 2005, P.O. Box 8744, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: 251-11-663-22-22
Fax: 251-11-663-22-23
E-mail: Andrew@dktinternational.org
Web sites: www.dktethiopia.org, DKT-Ethiopia’s Wise-Up Program
