The HIV/AIDS Epidemic and its Devastating Consequences on the Lives of Women in Nekemte, East Wellega
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Date
2005-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The research has tried to make deep investigations into the consequences of the
HW / AIDS epidemic on the lives of women in Nekemte, Ea t Wellega. The study
has mainly fo cused on women and tried to explore their coping mechani ms with
the disease. The data for the research has been gather d mainly through the
field work and all the pertinent anthropological research methods have been
applied. Observations of p eople living with the viru s, mainly women, were made
at various p laces: in Nekemte Hospital, at OSSA, and at their residential areas.
Group discuss ions of the individuals were conducted to analyze I heir reactions.
Further, detailed interviews were made with most of the infolmant to know more
about their perception of the virus and to comprehend th causes of their HJV
contraction.
The case of women in our country in this regard can not be an exception to the
turmoil in general. Further, the features of HW contraction in the study area
shows that the area now stands above all others in its [-[IV contraction rates
when compared with the remaining major towns in Oromia. 1 esides, women in
the area whether they are married, divorced, widowed or separated are not on
the safe side because of the economic, social, political and biological factors
under which they li ve. From the analyses of the cases, it has been found out that
the virus is serious ly ravaging the area at an alanning rate. The other useful
point to be mentioned from the research is the fact thai the fight against the
epidemic is at its infancy and that a lot more is needed to edu cate the masses to
help them attain behavioral changes in this respect.
It has been found out that most of the women who were interviewed and are now
living with the virus are engaged in having multiple sexual partners as a means
of securing the deteriorating living conditions. Because they live under harsh
economic conditions, it has become a common place for them to practice unsafe
marnage and remarriages usually on temporary bas is . in these cases, the
marnage is accomplished based on little or no intimacy between the couples.
Hence, it is obvious that such a marriage collapses sooner or late r.
On the other hand, when women and young girls realize that they are already
infected with the virus, they are more likely to escape to other areas where they
are given little or no attention than their male counterparts. Accordingly, except
very few of them, those women who were interviewed and many others who are
identified as HIV positive came from other towns and villages in the vicinity.
These women and the young girls do not have the intention to vis it their pare nts
and relatives back in their villages, or see them in one way or another.
Under some ins tances, there are couples who make HIV test on their own, but
hide their statuses from their partner. This situation has been found to be one of
the most press ing issues for m dical personnel because they are obliged Lo
refrain from exposing one's HJV taLu if the patient doe not want to. 0, the fa ct
that such couples tend to cheat their (better) half has already proved a real
difficulty for the success of the battle against the epidemic in the study area.
The research is organized in to six chapters . Chapter one introduce the worlc
and gives highlights about the need to study HIV/ AIDS, the purpose for which
the research has been conducted and the s ignificance of the research and the
methods used in data collection. Chapter two is all about the re view of relevant
literature. In chapter three, the general backgrounds of the study area vis -D.-vis
its location, climate, culture, language and religions of the p eople in the area are
examined. Besides, the various traditional marriage practices in the area ha ue
been explored and their implications fo r HIV / AIDS have been analyzed. The
place of women in the midst of the AfDS pandemic has been found that women
are now number one victims of the virus especially in those countries were the
s ocial status of women is generally low.
The remaining chapters, five and six, basically deal with the roles of institutions
in the fight against the epidemic in the area, and the analyses and findings of the
cases. It has been realized that there are f ew government and non governme ntal
organizations in the area which deal with the issues of HJV / AID S.
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Keywords
The HIV/AIDS Epidemic