Ethiopia: HIV Prevalence Among Women Reaches 5 Percent

Source: allAfrica
Summary by Nasir Al-Amin

ETHIOPIA SEES A RISE IN PREVALENCE AND INFECTION RATE AMONG WOMEN
Globally, Ethiopia has one of the largest populations infected with HIV. Conservative findings indicate that nearly two million people in Ethiopia are living with the virus; however, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) contend that the number is over three million—at the national level, the prevalence rate of infection is 4.4%. (allAfrica, 2006) According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MoH), the country has observed a rise in the infection rate among women, as well as a rise in the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among women, which is presently at 5%. (allAfrica, 2006) In Ethiopia, like other developing countries, women’s health and child survival are place at greater risk given the presence of both HIV/AIDS and poverty. In an effort to curtail the spread of HIV in the country, the government of Ethiopia, established a free ART initiative that since its inception in January 2005, has serviced 35,000 beneficiaries, of which 46% were females and 4% are children. (allAfrica, 2006)

In order to read the article click the link: Ethiopia: HIV Prevalence Among Women Reaches 5 %