The Premier said the government also carried out various activities towards increasing access to HIV/AIDS services as part of the efforts to contain the spread of HIV. He said the rate of new HIV infections has been reduced by 90 per cent while that of death due to HIV /AIDS decreased by 53 per cent in the country following integrated efforts of the government, the public and development partners during the last ten years.
Hailemariam said the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS also indicated the decrease in its 2012 report. He said the fight against HIV/AIDS significantly contributes towards success of the Growth and Transformation Plan and the ongoing efforts to reduce poverty. Ensuring accessibility of HIV/AIDS services, prevention of mother to child HIV transmission as well as support to people living with HIV and also AIDS orphans will further be strengthened, he said.
The Premier stressed the need for the public, people living with HIV, religious institutions, media, governmental and non-governmental organizations to further strengthen ongoing efforts to register better results in the fight against HIV/AIDS. World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 each year across the world.
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