Unmasking the Missing Links in the Discourses of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Policy on the Ground in South Wollo, Ethiopia

Abstract

Although the whole globe declared war against HIV/AIDS for the last three decades, it has been still infecting and affecting adolescents mainly in sub-Saharan African, including Ethiopia. As a result, it was estimated that over 30 million people were died of HIV/AIDS for the last 30 years up to 2010 in the world. Therefore, this study unmasked the missing links in the Discourses of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control policy on the ground. To unpack the problem, pragmatic paradigm, mixed research design, and methods were employed. Data were collected in the natural settings of Dessie zuria, Kutaber and Tehuledere districts in south Wollo by using both qualitative and quantitative data gathering techniques. The analysis was done on emerging and existing discourses in connection with Knowledge, Attitude and Practice/Skills (KAP), Abstinence, Be faithful and Condom use (ABC) and People Living with and HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Moreover, risks posing social practices were given meticulous attention to unpack the subtle power and KAP differences gearing towards the emerging discourses which have been enacted, inculcated, reproduced and consumed in the society. The overall results revealed that there were lacks of potent communication effectiveness in bringing realistic changes in behavior towards sexuality, HIV/AIDS, ABC & PLWHAs. Therefore, pragmatic social vaccines of HIV/AIDS should be designed and implemented through life skills trainings to assure Zero new HIV related infection, Zero HIV/AIDS related discrimination and Zero AIDS related death.