Under the programme, the Clinton Foundation will fund the progamme at a cost of 250,000 dollars (200,000 euros) and provide 23 medical experts from Yale University to work in 13 hospitals across the country for one year.

"My foundation will provide the clinic with necessary equipment and medical supplies in addition to train health officials and boost hospital management systems," Clinton said as he laid the foundation stone for a clinic for orphans.

According to Addis Ababa, some 1.5 million people out of the impoverished Horn of Africa nation's 70 million population are infected with HIV/AIDS. The World Health Organization puts the figure at 2.8 million.

Nearly a million Ethiopian children have been orphaned by the disease and about 5,000 new infections are recorded weekly.

"We are honoured to work with your foundation to save lives," said Tewodros Adhanom, Ethiopia's Health Minister.

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