AIDS to claim over one million in three years

ETHIOPIA: AIDS to claim over one million in three years

JOHANNESBURG, 15 Apr 2005 (PLUSNEWS) - HIV/AIDS could claim the lives of close to two million Ethiopians by 2008 if the virus continues to spread unchecked, an official document warned this week.

According to the country's 'HIV/AIDS Emergency Plan' report, high population growth; poor nutrition; limitted health services; low literacy; and overwhelming poverty are among factors hampering efforts to address the pandemic.

According to the local Daily Monitor newspaper, the report says: "Ethiopia lost 900,000 of its population in 2003 due to HIV/AIDS and this is projected to reach 1.8 million by 2008 if the present trend continues."

Government statistics estimate that 1.5 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, while close to one million children have been orphaned by the disease and 5,000 new infections occur weekly.

[ENDS]

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