HIV Counseling and Testing Day Campaign Week
Addis Ababa August 31, 2010 – A lot remains to be done for HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) services to be accessible to individuals with disabilities in Ethiopia, according to Ms. Yetnebersh Nigussie, Program Manager at the Ethiopian Center for Disabilities and Development (ECDD). Individuals with disability still find accessing services like HCT difficult due to the physical inaccessibility of facilities as well as lack of skilled counselors that can accommodate special needs, added Ms. Yetnebersh, at a half-day panel discussion organized by ECDD to discuss the improvements needed to make services available to individuals with special needs. “The number of HCT service centers has grown to 225 in Addis Ababa. Yet, the buildings are still inaccessible for people with disabilities,” she indicated.
WHO estimates that 10% of the Ethiopian population (approximately 8 million people) is living with disabilities. Their vulnerability to HIV and the challenges they face in accessing HCT services was at the forefront at the panel discussion. This event followed a conference organized by the Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (FHAPCO) in Adama city this past May, which discussed the HCT service needs and accessibility of services for people with disabilities.
Mr. Tesfaye Mekibib, from Addis Ababa HIV Prevention and Control Office (AAHAPCO) spoke about the progress made thus far to accommodate the special needs of individuals with disabilities. He said that such forums are important in correcting wrong assumptions as well as in learning what the needs are. He mentioned that among AAHAPCO’s accomplishments are the establishment of forums dedicated to different types of disabilities and the training of 25 sign language interpreters assigned to HCT centers in Addis Ababa. Furthermore, he disclosed AAHAPCO’s plan to establish a resource center dedicated to providing HIV information in appropriate formats for people with different types of disabilities. Mr. Tesfaye added that AA HAPCO will continue to work more to insure availability and accessibility of HCT services to people with disabilities.
The event was organized by the ECDD in collaboration with AAHAPCO and was part of the National HCT Day Campaign. Various organizations representing people with disabilities, support groups, health care professionals, members of the media, and representatives from AAHAPCO attended the event.
Even if people with disabilities have physical access to HCT centers, there is a lack of trained health care professionals that can accommodate the needs of people with disabilities such as sign language interpretation. “Health care services in Ethiopia do not accommodate the privacy and counseling needs of people with disabilities,” affirmed Ms. Yetnebersh, “there is a need to use politically correct terms when addressing people with disabilities,” she stated.
Ms. Weyneshet Mulusew, the General Manager at Equal Opportunity Association, an organization that works to provide support to people who have disabilities and are living with HIV, suggested that health care providers be trained on sensitivity and how to address the needs of people with different types of disabilities. “Medical professionals are not prepared to handle HIV positive results of people with disabilities because they often consider having a disability to be a devastating sickness instead of a condition; and assume HIV makes it worse,” she indicated.
The panel agreed on the need for a better understanding of people living with disabilities including their sexual needs and vulnerability to HIV. It is expected that these types of events will continue to bring the HIV service needs of people with disabilities to the forefront.
Contact information
Helina Terefe
AIDS Resource Center
E-mail:
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Website: www.etharc.org
Tel: 011 550 3584
Fax 011 550 3749
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
