AddiS Ababa, April 26(ENA)--The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says it has been carrying out integrated HIV/AIDS intervention activities in Ethiopia with an over 48.2 million Birr allocated for this year.

Newly appointed country representative, Bjorn Ljungqvist told ENA that the overall objective of the HIV/AIDS program was to support the government and other partners in implementing multi-sectoral community-based interventions to reduce the spread of the epidemic among the youth, women and other vulnerable groups.

The HIV/AIDS intervention activities being carried out as part of the 2002-2006 five-year master plan of operations of UNICEF and the government include youth involvement and prevention, prevention of mother to child transmission as well as providing care and support to AIDS victims, he said.

The major emphasis of the HIV/AIDS program will be to work with young people as a key resource in responding to the epidemic, Ljungqvist said, adding it would also focus on equipping the youth with the necessary knowledge and life skills to protect themselves as well as on addressing gender gaps and the social vulnerability of girls.

The country representative also said UNICEF has been cooperating with other partners in expanding voluntary HIV counseling and testing centers as well as in making available anti-retroviral drugs to people living with the virus.

In response to the current food shortage in the country, UNICEF has been facilitating the supply of nutritious food to drought-affected children and mothers in various parts of the country, Ljungqvist said.

He said UNICEF has assisted in the establishment of 26 therapeutic feeding centers across the country, where severely malnourished children get medication and supplementary food.

The UN agency has also been sponsoring capacity building training on nutrition and other health services, he said, adding measles immunization campaigns were also carried out in drought-hit areas of the country.

He said more than 83.8 million Birr has been earmarked for the execution of health and nutrition programs in the year 2003.

UNICEF has also been undertaking, among others, water and sanitation, education as well as gender and childhood protection programs in Ethiopia with a total of over 82.8 million Birr allocated for this year, Ljungqvist said.

The country representative also said apart from its regular budget allocations, the organization has released an over 41.7 million US Dollar budget requirements for emergency activities in Ethiopia in the year 2003.

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