Strong infection prevention and control (IPC) programs are essential to protect healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and communities. Although the World Health Organization has identified budgets as a core component of national IPC programs, only 50% of member states currently have dedicated domestic funding. Our team worked with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health to develop its first-ever domestic budget allocation for IPC, allowing its national program to be more sustainable and effective in the long term—while ultimately protecting healthcare workers, patients, and communities across the country.