In September, Russian and Ethiopian personnel of the Russian Red Cross hospital in Addis Ababa celebrated 3 great events – Ethiopian New Year, Meskel (Cross) Day and the 64-th Anniversary of the Russian Red Cross hospital. Marina Akulova, the Russian Red Cross Board member participated in festive events, who also visited the hospital to train nurses on the issues of counseling and building adherence of PLHIV to the ART.
The Russian Red Cross hospital in Addis Ababa, named in honor of the national Hero of Ethiopia Dedjazmach Balcha, has become a real legend for many years of its mission and pride of the Russian Red Cross and a remote island of the Motherland on the African continent.
In September, Russian and Ethiopian personnel of the Russian Red Cross hospital in Addis Ababa celebrated 3 great events – Ethiopian New Year, Meskel (Cross) Day and the 64-th Anniversary of the Russian Red Cross hospital. Though Russia has traditionally helped the Ethiopians since the XIX century, since the time when Italy was in conflict with Ethiopia trying to colonize its territories. Addis Ababa and S-Petersburg had established official relationships before the Colonial war of 1896, which resolved by the complete defeat of the Italian armed forces. The Russian Empire supported the independence of Ethiopia – the Russian Red Cross squad was sent to Abyssinia. Later, in 1947, a partnership agreement was signed between the Public Health Ministry of Ethiopia and the Soviet Red Cross about the opening of the Russian Red Cross hospital in Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian Government granted one of the best buildings in the capital to host a hospital for 65 beds. Russian and Ethiopian specialists are continuing these good traditions now. 56 personnel are represented by doctors, nurses, and other specialists referred to the hospital from remote Russia; there are more than 200 Ethiopians. Today «Balcha hospital» is a multisectoral health care institution, which includes large policlinics, in-patient hospital, which consists of four units: surgery, theraupeutic, infection, and reanimation units. There is also a laboratory, physical therapy, X-ray, computered tomography, etc.
A great input of the Russian hospital in the development of Ethiopian Public Health is undoubtful. It can be illustrated by the fact that the hardest patients are always referred to Balcha. If no one can help, the Russian hospital remains the last hope, which is very famous as in the community and health care staff, so as in the businesses and embassies placed in Addis.
On September 24, a lot staff, friends, partners, and representatives of interested organizations gathered together to celebrate Ethiopian New Year and the 64-th Anniversary of the Russian Red Cross hospital. The festive event was opened by greeting speeches and the sincerest words addressed to those people who are working for the hospital and continuing its lovely traditions. Vivid and cheerful holiday was a success, despite the drizzling rain. It was full of bright colors and joy, with singing, dancing, and intertwining of various national cultures.
Marina Akulova, the Russian Red Cross Board member participated in festive events, who also visited the hospital to train nurses on the issues of counseling and building adherence of PLHIV to the ART. The Russian Red Cross Resource Center on HIV/AIDS, which is placed at RRC Irkutsk Oblast branch, has acquired a large experience in supporting HIV-patients in Russia. Important conditions of specialists’ professional growth are to learn new approaches, consider the existing Russian experience, and discuss opportunities of applying it in hospitals.
Though the hospital personnel are providing various kinds of support to HIV-positive patients, they are not dealing with the HIV-infection. The issue of including hospital into the general network of institutions that have a right to prescribe HAART is being addressed now. To achieve it, the hospital specialists need to get trained by the Ethiopian Ministry of Public Health and get a license to perform this activity.

Background
The epidemic of HIV-infection is one of the most urgent problems of the Public Health. Millions of people have died of HIV\AIDS, and 744100 children have orphaned since the first case of the HIV-infection was registered in 1984. In 2008, about a million of people were officially registered as HIV-positives. 2,2% of people were affected (7,7% of urban population and 0,9% of rural one). 125147 new cases of HIV-infection were registered; about 58290 adults and 9284 children died. In 2008, 289734 people needed HAART (including 17264 children).
Ethiopia started to fight against the epidemic when a national policy for counteracting HIV came into effect. In 2001, the National Council for Epidemic Prevention and Control announced HIV epidemic a national tragedy, which resulted in great interventions, targeted at preventing HIV, decreasing risks and changing behavior of the community. In 2003, the Ethiopian government presented an official HAART program aimed at decreasing morbidity and mortality, connected with HIV, raising the quality of lives of PLWHA, and alleviating the impact of the epidemic. In 2005, Ethiopia started to provide HAART free of charge. By the end of June 2008, more than 150 000 patients had received treatment. About 353 hospitals and health care centers are providing HAART in all of the regions of the country. A lot of refresher trainings were held for health care personnel. In 2006, they started to train nurses to prescribe first –level antiretroviral medication for stable patients and provide first aid. There is a strict control over training counselors who are in charge of pre- and post-test counseling for HIV in Ethiopia (so called «comforting faith counseling»). A great attention is paid to get non-profits involved in the process of providing support.
The HIV-epidemic is considered to be a national tragedy; and issues connected with it find understanding and are addressed at the highest level. So the National Council for Epidemic Prevention and Control is chaired by the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; its members are first parties of the government, ministries, and departments. The office for Epidemic Prevention and control is headed by the Prime Minister.
Currently, the decrease of the epidemic growth is registered, due to decisive actions undertaken by the Ethiopian Government and consolidation of the efforts to fight against the HIV epidemic.

In 2012, the 64-th Anniversary of Dedjazmach Balcha Russian Red Cross hospital is being celebrated. It has acquired a reputation as the best hospital in Ethiopia. Nowadays, 342 personnel are either on permanent or temporary contracts. 88870 people have been received; 5783 operations have been performed on; 117514 lab tests have been done so far this year.
Beside the compulsory work, the fully equipped hospital performs humanitarian work to governmentally-run hospitals, policlinics, patriots of Ethiopia (500 people), patriarchy, Dedjazmach Balcha school, state figures, and the poor. Hospital personnel and their family members are treated free of charge (about 2000 people). Ethiopian Cheshire Home Services post-polio patients are operated on.
The hospital also trains health care personnel of Ethiopia; thus, there are 300 interns every year.