MEASURE Evaluation in Angola
Compared to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Angola’s HIV/AIDS problem has been modest. With an estimated two percent of the country’s adult population living with the disease, Angola’s rate is half that of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, its neighbor to the north, and just over an eighth that of Zambia, its neighbor to the east.
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With an estimated two percent of the country’s adult population living with HIV/AIDS, Angola’s rate is half that of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, its neighbor to the north, and just over an eighth that of Zambia, its neighbor to the east. However, booming youth populations, coupled with increased cross-country travel since Angola’s decades-long civil war ended in 2002, threaten to trigger a more severe HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Population
13,338,541
Population Growth Rate
2.034%
Age Structure
43.2% (0–14 years)
54.1% (15–64 years)
2.7% (65 years and over)
Death Rate
23.4 deaths/1,000 population
HIV-RELATED DATA
Adult HIV Prevalence
2% (2009 est.)
People Living with HIV
200,000 (2009 est.)
OTHER RELEVANT DATA
Infant Mortality Rate
98 infant deaths/1,000 live births
Total Fertility Rate
5.6 children born/woman
Maternal Mortality Ratio
610 maternal deaths/100,000 live births
“The key thing in Angola is that the borders were pretty much closed while HIV exploded in the countries around them,” said Sarah Hileman, technical lead for one of MEASURE Evaluation’s activities in Angola. “The rate is much lower because of this. But now there is a big fear that the HIV epidemic will explode, so there is urgency to implement programs.”
PLACE Study
Because nearly 70 percent of Angola’s population is younger than 24, MEASURE Evaluation’s HIV-related work in the country has been adapted to emphasize HIV risk factors among youth. MEASURE Evaluation has been assisting its research partner, Population Services International (PSI)/Angola, in the technical aspects of conducting a PLACE study. PLACE refers to “Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts,” a rapid assessment tool used to monitor and improve HIV/AIDS prevention program coverage at venues where HIV transmission is likely to occur, such as bars where people meet new sexual partners and places where intravenous drug users share needles. Use of this tool is especially critical because very little data on HIV and HIV risk in Angola exist.
MEASURE Evaluation and PSI/Angola plan to conduct five PLACE studies in different areas of the country. The first study centers on Rocho Pinto, a poor neighborhood in Luanda, Angola’s capital city. The second study will include sample areas of the nine municipalities that comprise Luanda. MEASURE Evaluation is providing technical assistance in implementing these first two studies, with the goal of leaving the remaining PLACE studies to PSI/Angola to complete, thereby building monitoring and evaluation capacity in the country. Once the studies are completed, a technical report detailing the findings and ensuing policy recommendations will be developed jointly with the relevant stakeholders.
