Prime Minister Hailemariam, in a message on World AIDS Day on Saturday (December 01st), said encouraging results are being registered in efforts to prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia.

The Prime Minister noted that said the policies, strategies, programs and other activities put in place by the government have played a key role in achieving these results. The rate of new HIV infections has been reduced by 90 per cent while the deaths from HIV/AIDS have decreased by 53 per cent as a result of the integrated efforts of government, public and development partners in the last decade.

The Prime Minister said the fight against HIV/AIDS would significantly contribute towards the success of the Growth and Transformation Plan and the ongoing efforts to reduce poverty. He said the government would strengthen further the provision of accessibility to HIV/AIDS services and of prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission as well as providing increased support to people living with HIV and for AIDS orphans.

The Prime Minister also called on the public, people living with HIV, religious institutions, media, governmental and non-governmental organizations to cooperate further and increase their ongoing efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS. World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1st each year.