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Dr. Monica Nolan, left, was made an officer in the Order of Merit of Cote d’Ivoire for her work in fighting HIV/AIDS. Ivorian Minister of Health Dr. Allah Kouadio Remi awarded her the medal.

PEPFAR official earns Côte d’Ivoire’s Order of Merit medal

Dr. Monica Nolan, former CDC chief of party in Côte d’Ivoire, has been awarded the African nation’s Order of Merit medal in recognition of her extraordinary leadership in helping to build a national response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Minister of Health Dr. Allah Kouadio Remi cited Nolan’s six years of tireless and creative service to the people of Côte d’Ivoire, including three at the head of PEPFAR, in awarding her the prestigious medal, which is rarely given to foreigners.

Nolan, an Australian citizen trained in medicine and public health, joined the CDC team in Côte d’Ivoire in 2000 and became chief of party in 2003. After the launch of PEPFAR in 2004, she also served as the initiative’s technical coordinator.

During her tenure, Côte d’Ivoire was torn apart by a coup d’etat and a civil war, but despite severe staff shortages, U.S.-supported HIV/AIDS programs continued to expand. Côte d’Ivoire, which has the highest national HIV prevalence rate in West Africa at 4.7%, is one of 15 focus countries for PEPFAR (the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), a five-year, $15 billion initiative to turn back the tide of the pandemic.

Under Nolan’s leadership, PEPFAR’s programs grew from $24 million in 2004 to more than $46 million in 2006. In 2007, PEPFAR will spend at least $65 million on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment programs in Côte d’Ivoire.

PEPFAR’s financial and technical support to more than 100 partners and subpartners – from government ministries to local community- and faith-based organizations – has produced significant results in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Côte d’Ivoire, including:

• ART treatment for more than 25,000 patients, provided at 77 treatment sites (up from 16 in 2004) throughout the country.
• Palliative-care services for more than 44,000 people living with HIV/AIDS.
• Care and support for more than 24,000 orphans and vulnerable children.

The medal ceremony, one of a long string of ceremonies marking Nolan’s departure, included as guests of honor U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Vicente Valle and Nolan’s replacement as CDC chief of party, Dr. Bruce Struminger.