By the end of Angola’s civil war in 2002, as many as 1 million Angolans had died, 4.5 million were internally displaced, and another 450,000 had fled the country.The decimation of infrastructure and public services during the war created serious development challenges, particularly, poor public health.

Child and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world: almost 1 in 5 children dies before his fifth birthday, and the maternal mortality rate is 610 per 100,000 live births. A high fertility rate of 5.8 births per woman places pressure on an already struggling health system to keep up with the growing population’s needs. Malaria is widespread—and the number one killer of children. However, HIV/AIDS rates are relatively low, presenting an opportunity to avert the devastating consequences of widespread disease seen in other southern African countries.

U.S. assistance is targeted toward major improvements in health through sustainable approaches and increased country ownership. We have partnered with the Government of Angola and other stakeholders to support the development of an integrated, comprehensive, and sustainable health system and a strong workforce capable of providing quality health services to all Angolans.

USAID supports the Ministry of Health to develop, strengthen, and sustain Angolan health systems to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases. U.S. assistance enhances Angola’s ownership by increasing capacity within the Government Republic of Angola  (GRA) and among community and civil society organizations.  USAID’s primary focus in the health sector is providing integrated prevention, care and treatment for malaria and HIV/AIDS along with strengthening universal access to high-quality voluntary family planning services and reproductive health care.  

HIV/AIDS

Through President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. government increases behavior change communication activities through information, education, and communication; provides voluntary counseling and testing centers for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections; and, distributes rapid test kits and condoms. In line with Angola’s National Development Plan and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the National Institute against the Fight of HIV/AIDs, USAID is pursuing an AIDS free generation.  Through a new shift in programming, USAID is focusing its resources and efforts to provide enhanced technical assistance through preventing infection and saving lives in Angola at approximately 25 sites.  

Malaria

Angola was selected as one of the first three countries to participate in the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), which has helped to reduce malaria-related mortality by 50 percent through spraying, the provision of bed nets, and the distribution of malaria treatments. 

Malaria deaths in Angola have decreased by 80 percent from 8,670 in 2008 to 1,759 in 2014, in the eight provinces that PMI supports. USAID increases the availability of bed nets, anti-malarial medications and the indoor residual spraying of homes while training health workers to scale up the intermittent malaria preventive treatment for pregnant women and efficiently use malaria diagnosis and treatment kits. USAID implements activities in Luanda, Huila and Huambo provinces. 

Maternal and Child Health

We assist the Angolan Ministry of Health in achieving better health for mothers and children through polio surveillance, routine immunizations, and nationwide health campaigns. 

Angola's first national measles-polio-vitamin A campaign in 2014 resulted in 7,772,946 child immunizations, a 96 percent coverage rate (WHO). 

Family Planning and Reproductive Health

USAID supports Ministry of Health’s primary goal of reducing maternal and child mortality. Key activities include creating demand for and promoting family planning as the main strategy to reduce maternal and child mortality and empower women and improve their economic status. We are strengthening health systems that provide access to high-quality voluntary family planning services and information and reproductive health care on a sustainable basis. We support training for health care workers on providing long-term family planning methods. USAID implements activities in Luanda and Huambo provinces.