World AIDS Day Commemorated

The United Nations entities in Ethiopia, including UNAIDS, WHO, UNFPA and UNHCC jointly commemorated the World AIDS Day (WAD) in the UNECA compound. This year’s WAD was commemorated under the theme “Equalize – Unite to end the inequalities holding back the end of AIDS”. 

The “Equalize” slogan is a call to action. It is a prompt for all of us to work for the proven practical actions needed to address inequalities and help end AIDS.

Ahead of World AIDS Day on 29th November, UNAIDS launched the report Dangerous Inequalities. This report shows that unequal access to rights, services, science, and resources is holding back the end of AIDS. It is showing that with urgent action to tackle inequalities, we can get the AIDS response on track.

The report highlights the impact on the AIDS response of gender inequalities, of inequalities faced by key populations, and of inequalities between children and adults. It also sets out how worsening financial constraints are making it more difficult to address those inequalities.

The commemoration in the UN compound included HIV self-testing and counselling, education social activities and photo exhibition.

HIV remains to be a major public health threat. According to UNAIDS, globally in 2021, 38.4 million were living with HIV, 1.5 million were newly infected with HIV and 650 thousand people died from AIDS-related illnesses.

In Ethiopia in 2021, more than 600, 000 were living with HIV, of which, 360, 000 are women aged 15 and over, 210, 000 are men and 42, 000 children aged 0 to 14. Some 12,000 were newly infected with HIV, of which 6,100 (above 50%) are women aged 15 and over, 2,700 are men aged 15 and over, and 3,200 (above 30%) are children aged 0 to 14.