Press Releases

ASI to Develop HIV/AIDS Resource Center in Ethiopia for CDC

ASI's health communications division is providing international support to design, develop and maintain the information resource center under its National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) contract with the CDC, in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.

"This projects represents the first time that ASI has established a specific program in another country," said Jesse Milan, Jr., vice president of health communications and an internationally recognized expert in the field of HIV/AIDS. "It is exciting to us because it is consistent with our plans to move into the international arena, and it enables us to expand the reach of our expertise in HIV/AIDS to the continent most impacted by the disease."

The Ethiopian-based resource center will be located in a new building in Addis Ababa that houses the offices of the country's National HIV/AIDS Secretariat. It will serve as a repository of print and audio/visual materials and informational resources on HIV/AIDS, STD and TB prevention. Those expected to use the center include Ethiopian non-governmental organizations working in the field of HIV/AIDS, journalists, politicians, religious leaders, community leaders and the general public.

ASI staff will work closely with the Johns Hopkins Center to offer technical services in Ethiopia, including databases, publication distribution, an information distribution network, Internet services and periodic training of service providers at the center.

The Ethiopian center will be similar to the CDC NPIN Resource Centers maintained by ASI in Silver Spring and Atlanta. Since 1998, ASI has operated the CDC NPIN, the government's most comprehensive reference, referral and distribution service for people and organizations around the world working to prevent on HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and other diseases.

Milan, along with a John Hopkins official, traveled to Addis Ababa late last year to determine the best location for the resource center, to ensure community involvement in all phases of the project and to identify a coordinator for the center. They met with a wide range of local, national and international stakeholders in Ethiopia's fight against HIV/AIDS, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S.A.I.D.), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Youth and Sport. They also interviewed nearly a dozen candidates for the center's coordinator position.

"Consensus building is very important in the Ethiopian culture," said Milan. "We found an ideal location, and there was complete agreement that the Secretariat was the best place."

In early spring, ASI will hire a center coordinator, who will be responsible for the development of the center's database and the site. Once the interviewing process is complete, ASI and Johns Hopkins will begin identifying resources for the center's core collection and designing the layout of the resource center.

About ASI

Founded in 1983, ASI is a privately held, award-winning contract research organization dedicated to helping government and industry clients enhance human health through innovative science, technology and knowledge solutions. ASI offers professional support services in the areas of health communications, statistics, public health research, information technology, data management, clinical trials management, and peer review and grants management. In addition to its Durham headquarters, ASI maintains regional offices in Atlanta, Ga., and in Bethesda, Frederick and Silver Spring, Md.