Ethiopia marks Int'l Condom Day
- The Ministry of Health (MoH) and AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)- Ethiopia expressed that they are revitalizing efforts to end HIV/AIDSby 2030.
The organizations have disclosed their commitments to control the communicable disease while commemorating the International Condom Day organized by the ministry in collaboration with AHF-Ethiopia on Tuesday under the theme: 'Always in fashion'.
At the event, MoH Media and Communication Lead Executive Officer (LEO)Tegene Regassa (PhD) said that the government along with other partners has been carrying out various interventions to halt the spread of the virus thereby managing to lower the prevalence rate to 0.91%.
The LEO further remarked that commercial sex workers accounted for 18.7% out of the total and newly infected youths, female sex workers and students are among the highly vulnerable groups including refugees and returnees.
"Despite efficient access to information, the prevalence rate is higher in urban areas than rural areas. Similarly, the rate is higher in areas such as school, mega project sites, industrial parks," he added.
Currently, over 55 million condoms are being dispatched to the most vulnerable areas and hot spot sites, Tegene expressed.
AHF-Ethiopia Country Program Director Mengistu Gebremichael (PhD) on his part stated that the foundation has been delivering a comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment advocacy services in various African countries including Ethiopia.
As to him, lack of awareness, carelessness and other related factors are worsening the problem.Therefore, he said, streamlined condom distribution and media sensitization should be made in advance.
He indicated that the self-standing clinic in collaboration with the ministry has been commemorating the day thereby registering a significant achievement. Besides, testing, community mobilization and sensitization interventions should be further strengthened.
Lauding the government for its response to partners, restructure and other commitments to curb the epidemic, Mengistu said that the center also indicated that about 2.5 million brand condoms are on the pipeline to be imported.
AHF-Ethiopia Prevention, Africa Union Liaison and Advocacy Manager TolessaOlana said that propelling guidelines and special programs, the government along with their organization has been exerting efforts to avert the epidemic.
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Apart from marking the day, he emphasized on the need to sensitize the issue with the media to create awareness especially Valentine's Day and other gatherings by framing various platforms.
As HIV spreads primarily through unprotected sexual intercourse, Tolessa said that changing behavior to promote safer sexual practices, including using condom consistently and correctly, is fundamental to controlling the epidemic.
Articulating the national policy and strategy documents, he said the ministry is also carrying out social and commercial markets to provide the communities with condoms.
The manager reaffirmed commitment to work with the ministry to improve the current condom shortage in the country in the long term.It was learnt that AHF-Ethiopia in collaboration with MoH launched a new AHF-branded LOVE Condom in the presence of all regional health bureaus in 2015.
BY ASHENAFI ANIMUT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2024
