About HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Sector (HAPCS)

Vision

Realisation of an AIDS-free society

Mission

To prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS and mitigate its negative impact on the society through better coordinated, intensified, effective, sustained and comprehensive national response with the committed, full and active participation of all partners in SNNPR and Ethiopia including the assistance of the international community.

Goal

Reduce the number of new HIV infections by the end of 1998 so that the regional prevalence rate of 3.7% does not increase, focusing mainly on the youth and mitigate its impact on the individual, family, community and region at large.

Values

The issue of fighting against HIV/AIDS is not like other usual health problems. In fact, it is no longer considered as an exclusively health-related problem. It is now accepted that HIV /AIDS is an overwhelming developmental challenge to many countries all over the world, especially to the third world countries. In this context there needs to be a high standard of values by which commitments are reflected and guided. Following are principles and values the job entails:

• Holistic and comprehensive approach
• Multi-sectoralism
• Efficiency in the use of human and financial resources
• A fight against social stigma and discrimination
• Human rights of PLWHA and orphans and greater involvement of these groups
• Gender equity
• Transparency and accountability
• Flexibility and sharing of knowledge & experience acquired
• Urgency and an extraordinarily high over all commitment
• Community capacity enhancement through decentralisation and full participation
• Appropriate evidence based and result oriented intervention

Structure

The region is headed by the Regional AIDS Council Secretariat (RHAPCO) based in Awassa, which reports to the Regional AIDS Council.

Reporting to the RHAPCO are Zonal AIDS Council Secretariats (ZACS) in all 13 zones of the region. Finally there are Woreda AIDS Council Secretariats (WACS) which report to the ZACS and RHAPCO and are responsible for administering funding and evaluating, monitoring and evaluating community level projects in the kebeles in their woredas.

The RHAPCO and ZACS were formed in 1994 EC, however due to lack of manpower, high turnover, lack of resources and other problems have not been fully functioning and effective until 1995 EC. WACS have also been formed in all those included in the Woreda Grant Program, however not all of the woredas have been fully staffed and resourced by the zonal and woreda level authorities, although this is in process and should be complete in 1996 EC.

Reason for Establishment

The SNNPR HIV/ AIDS Prevention and Control Secretariat established to undertake the following duties and responsibilities :

To reduce and eradicate the social, economical, and psychological impact of HIV/ AIDS in the region

To facilitate favourable situations for the realisation of the multi-sectoral AIDS response program launched against HIV/AIDS at the regional level and thus ensure that resources are efficiently utilised at different levels across the region.

To coordinate the launching of a coordinated AIDS prevention and control program by working in close contact win the Regional HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Council through the participation of governmental and non- governmental organisations and the general public.

By consolidating the HIV/AIDS prevention activities in the region in a coordinated and consolidated manner and by enabling the community to protect themselves from the epidemics and therefore, by making sure that both the present and the next generation should not be attacked by the HIV/AIDS and therefore, to lay a reliable foundation for the next development journey.

To mobilize the community with the view to solve the social, economic and psychological impacts that the HIV/AIDS is causing and to ultimately eradicate the problem.

Click here to see HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Sector (HAPCS) Intervention Areas

Click here to see list of organizations engaged on HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities in SNNPR