Addis Ababa, July 15(ENA)--A two-day national media panel on critical aspects of HIV/AIDS begins here this coming Saturday at the UN Conference Center.

The HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (HAPCO), Walta Information Center (WIC) and Centers for Disease Prevention and Control-Ethiopia (CDC) jointly organize the panel.

In a press briefing the they gave on Tuesday, the organizers said the major objective of the panel discussion is to contribute to the efforts of making HIV/AIDS everybody's daily agenda.

The panel also aims at making the leadership role of the highest policy makers visible and increase the awareness of the people in critical issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS, the organizers said.

The themes include: the magnitude and impacts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ethiopia, stigma and discrimination as obstacles of fighting the epidemic, mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in all activities, and leadership role and capacity.

More than 350 participants are expected including federal and regional government higher officials, heads of civil society organizations, NGOs, professionals and members of public associations and community based organizations.

About 16 study papers will be presented to the panel. At the end of the deliberation a resolution will be passed on key issues that will assist in articulating the future directions in fighting the pandemic.

On Friday July 18, a Billboard will be unveiled at the Meskel Square in the presence of higher government officials, and Ambassadors. The billboard is to serve as symbolic representation of the themes of the symposium and will keep these issues in the minds of the people for a year, the organizers said.

Only about 30 percent of the over 63 million Birr national budget for the three year implementation of the HIV/AIDS program has so far been implemented although the program has entered its second-year.

The low-financial execution is attributable to lack of capacity by the executive bodies, HAPCO head, Nigatu Mereke said.