“Some young women fear pregnancy more than the virus.”
Regarding the spread of HIV/AIDS, the Ministry of Health has noted that the efforts in awareness have been increasingly inconsistent. It is believed that addressing issues before they escalate is essential.
Since the virus entered Ethiopia, the implemented measures have recorded significant changes. However, the media’s hype about these changes has been excessive.
Currently, efforts regarding the HIV virus are focused primarily on certain vulnerable segments of society, including:
- Female sex workers,
- People who use injection drugs,
- Long-distance truck drivers,
- Young people, especially those engaged with social media,
- Day laborers,
- Those visibly struggling with social issues.
Despite the outreach efforts surpassing 1% of the population, there is a notable disparity across gender, social groups, and between rural and urban areas, with urban spread being up to seven times higher than in rural areas.
This disparity indicates that overall community engagement in response is not effectively progressing.
Related to this:
- The expansion of drinking spots,
- Chat houses,
- Shisha places are becoming more prevalent.
“Some young women fear pregnancy more than the virus. Although the new awareness among youth has not decreased; this itself is a critical issue.”
Particularly, the lack of nationwide engagement by the youth could have consequential implications for the country.
There is a strong belief that robust community engagement efforts are necessary to effectively manage the HIV virus in Ethiopia.