Challenges in the Response to the HIV / AIDS Problem: The Case of Nekemte Town
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Date
2006-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to assess the role played by local level !-flV I AIDS
implementing organizations in coping with the HIV/AIDS ep idemic in Nekemte town, and
hence the performances of GOs, NGOs, FBOs and CBOs were assessed. In this study, two
organizations (OSSA and EECMY) were considered as the major implementers of the antiHIV/
AIDS activities and eva luated with regard to the services they being provided to their
benefic iari es. The act ivities of other community institutions were also assessed based on the
qualitative data obtained from these organizations. Hence, samples of 400 beneficiaries (227
females and 173 males) were successfully interviewed. To supplement the quantitative
method, 69 representatives of implementing organization were interviewed by admin istering
un-structured (qual itative) quest ions. Moreover, two focus group discussions were conducted.
Accordingly, the performance levels of both organi zations in IEC and care and support for
AIDS orphans were rated as medium while counseling serv ice, care and SUPPOll for PLWHA
and training undertakings were low. Few efforts were being made in coping with the prob lems
of HIV/AIDS by the local government and very few NGOs were working in the area of
HIV/A IDS interventions during the time of the study. The exist ing and recently adopted
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initiatives were those in which very few organi zations (NGOs) took part. The activities of the
se lected organizations and other communi ty in stitutions ranged from capacity building to
provi sion of IEC, care and support for AIDS patients and AIDS orphans.
The overa ll performance of the program being undertaken by implementing organizations was
reported as being not satisfactory by more than half of the respondents of the study. This
shows that the beneficiaries were not satisfied with the services being provided, indicating the
existence of challenges that hinder effective implementation of the program. These were
reported to be mainly because of limited capacity (financ ial, human), coord inat ion problem
and lack of awareness creation about the program by the implementing organ izations.
Based on the findings of the study, further improvement in the provision (allocation)
of adequate financial and human resource, coordination as well as undertaking
sustainable awareness creation and training about programs by designing local level
strategies are recommended to improve the situation of the identified problems.
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Keywords
HIV/ AIDS