It is now more than two decades since the HIV/AIDS epidemic started in Ethiopia.  Ethiopia jointed other UN member states at the UN General Assembly to approve resolution 60/262, popularly known as the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.  The declaration includes a commitment by UN Member States to move towards the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services by 2010 and to work with partners at country level in order to overcome prevention, care and treatment barriers. 

 

In response to this commitment, Ethiopia has provided leadership for the development of a multi-sectoral Plan of Action for Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support.  Furthermore, in 1998 the Government issued a policy on HIV/AIDS and established a National AIDS Council, National AIDS Secretariat and other relevant bodies that are dedicated to control and prevention activities.

  

As far as the status of the epidemic is concerned, a careful assessment of data gathered over the last four years suggest that the epidemic in Ethiopia has stabilized with HIV prevalence estimated at 2.2% in 2003/04 and 2.1 in 2006/07 and 2007/08 (G.C.).  The urban and rural prevalence rates are estimated at 7.7% and 0.9% respectively.  The rural epidemic appears to be relatively widespread but heterogeneous.  Gender wise, the prevalence rates in 2007/08 is 1.7% for males and 2.6% for females.  Recent studies suggest that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is stabilizing in urban areas and increasing gradually in rural areas.   

 

The priority intervention areas in relation to HIV/AIDS are Information, Education and Communication/Behavioral Change Communication (IEC/BCC), condom promotion and distribution, voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), management of sexually transmitted diseases, blood safety, infection prevention/universal precaution, prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), management of opportunistic infections, care and support to the infected and affected, legislation and human rights advocacy, disease surveillance and research. 

 

There have been remarkable achievements in several major HIV intervention areas.  The success can be attributed to the strong leadership and coordination, availability of funds, innovative initiatives such as the Millennium Anti-AIDS campaign, and strong technical support received from partner organizations.  Also the synchronized effort between the health sector and the non-health sector responses has had significant positive impact.