Addis Ababa — The HIV/AIDS prevention and control office under the Prime Ministers Office yesterday formed a national partnership, which will enable it to fight AIDS in Ethiopia.

The partnership forum, including NGOs, governmental offices, private sectors faith based organizations and the media is aimed at helping the society understand and protect themselves from HIV/AIDS.

"This partnership is very important to fight HIV/AIDS since it helps to cover vast areas for those who can't get access to information. It has been stressed at the AIDS summit in 2002 in Barcelona and the 2002 UNAIDS report that forming a partnership is a better way of reaching people," Ato Nigatu Shimelis head of the HIV/AIDS prevention office said.

The overall objective of the National Partnership Against AIDS in Ethiopia (NPAAE) is to contribute to the implementation of the national strategic plan through effective partnership approach commitment and step-by step joint resource allocation, planning, reporting, review and learning.

"With 2.2 million people living with AIDS out of which 200,000 are children and another 1.2 million AIDS orphans, the government has implemented a 5 year multi sectoral strategic program, and it is being implemented since the last two years. The funding for this comes from loans from World Bank, Government and other donors."

Ato Nigatu added that the same partnership formation has been conducted among the NGOs and faith based organizations.

The organizers believe that this partnership will enable to sustain effective multi-sectoral and multi institutional response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic which is creating the greatest development and human challenges to the nation.

"The number and category of organizations participating in the fight against AIDS is growing, but in uncoordinated fashion. Our partnership is essential to mount a maximum effort, bring about an impact and minimize duplication of efforts. It will also provide an opportunity to maximize benefits from the limited resources available," Ato Nigatu stressed.