ASSESSING THE MULTI-SECTORAL RESPONSE OF HIV/AIDS-T HE ROLES OF HIV/AIDS COMMITTEE ON PROVISION OF CARE AND SUPPORT WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS IN CARING HIV/AIDS ORPHAN AND VULNERABLE C HILDREN- CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS-THE CASE OF FITCHE TOWN

Abstract

The impacts of HIV/AIDS, in Africa in general, and sub Sahara Africa including Ethiopia, in particular, is tremendous. In most countries inclu ding Ethiopia, OVC infected and affected by HIV are among community members who need essential care and support services . Despite the efforts exerted by stakeholders that have been invo lved in providing care and support services, one could not be naïve to assume that the problems associated with HIV and AIDS or even OVC have been controlled. Yet, in countries such as Eth iopia, the effort that communities exert to combat and address the problem and extent of the re sponse has not been fully documented. This thesis begins to address this gap in existing schol arship by presenting the prevailing community response, structures, particularly roles, challenge s and prospects/opportunities of HIV/AIDS committee. Its purpose is to collect and analyze da ta on the responses of community and roles of HIV/AIDS committee in the provision of care and sup port with special emphasis on roles and responsibilities of HIV/AIDS committee in caring or phan and vulnerable children infected and affected by the HIV/AIDS . The study was conducted in Fitche town of North S hewa Zone of Oromia Regional State. The methods employed are both quant itative and qualitative, utilizing data collection techniques such as interviews with key informants d rawn from GOs and NGOs, focus group discussion with OVC caregivers and HIV/AIDS committee members. Self administered questionnaires were filled-out by OVC. The research methods also include two case interviews with OVC and field observation. The main findings suggest that HIV/AIDS problem of OVC is relatively high in the study area, but response to the problem is low. HIV/AIDS and poverty are the ma in factors that attribute to the vulnerability and problems of OVC and their caregivers. OVC and their caregivers live in abject poverty and are unable t o meet their basic needs. The extended family and loc al HIV/AIDS projects are the main providers of care and support to OVC in the community. Nevertheless, some initiatives, mainly donors’ support, exist. Th e types of care and support provisions are mainly edu cational materials; other services critical minimum services are not, generally, provided adequately. T he main challenges that encountered in providing ca re and support to OVC care and support are stigma and discrimination, poverty and lack of adequate knowledge in OVC guideline and unclarity on the rol es and responsibilities of the HIV/AIDS committee. Iv The research demonstrated that involving OVC as par tners in the effort of alleviating their problems is crucial. It suggests building the capac ity of community members to care and support and strengthening local responses is part of the pr ocess. The study concludes that provision of care and support given by local projects has to con tinue and other new projects are necessary as the number of OVC is increasing at a faster rate th an the community response. The study also revealed that care and support alone does not allev iate OVC problems in the community unless the long lasting and sustainable well being of chil dren is secured. Some of these approaches would be community development, community empowerme nt, and community assessment, resource mobilization that should be taken critical ly and analyzed before designing a certain community-based intervention programs focusing OVC