By Ishaq Haruna Hardawa
In a Bide to sustain HIV and AIDS response amidst Donors withdrawal, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA has trainned working Journalists on Sustainablity campaign in Bauchi State.
Speaking during the training, the NACA Northeast Zonal Coordinator, Mr John Tobias said the Media has a critical role to play in shaping public understanding of HIV and AIDS.
Mr John Tobias maintain that, the Media need to contextualize action and event such that relevant issues around the disease are explained to resonates public action.
He explain that the 2024 validated data indicate that not less than 100 people died as a result of AIDs related deaths due to stigmatization with over 200 new HIV infections across Bauchi State.
The NACA Northeast Coordinator emphasis that, when people are on HIV and AIDS treatment and achieved Viral Separation the Virus will not be transmitted.
He said the idea behind organizing the training is to provide platform where Media work in synergy with the State HIV and AIDS control agencies to provide public education on Prevention, treatment and care, which can stop AIDS related deaths
” Proper enlightenment of public make the Virus less severe while ignorance make it difficult and drive stigmatization, transmission and AIDS related deaths”
Mr John Tobias reiterate that, the recent US President executive order has really taking the country unaware, which necessite the Agency going back to drawing board.
” The truth about the issue now is we may no longer see somebody who is ready to sponsored airtime for us to run programme, but we are beginning to see the possibility in us, in our own commitment to create spaces that we can advance cause of education in HIV response”
The NACA, Northeast Coordinator charge Media practioners on strategic framing of public messages about HIV to influence public support toward ending the Virus by 2030.
Declaring the training open the executive Chairman Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria BACATMA Dr Adamu Sambo Said engaging the media practioners in the state is deliberate in achieving HIV and AIDs response.
Dr Adamu Sambo explain that base on the 2018 HIV and AIDS Survey the State has a prevalence of 0.4 percent.
He said the state government and all critical stakeholders are committed in achieving zero HIV and AIDs target by 2030
The Executive Chairman BACATMA who was represented by the Director HIV and AIDs Control Malam Abubakar Saidu appeal to Journalists in the state to redouble effort in enlightened the public to end the transmission of HIV and AIDs.
The training focus on the areas of Framing HIV and AIDs messages, Headlines Use of appropriate language, HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, Myth and Misconception on HIV and AIDS and Basic information on HIV and AIDS among others, with participants drew from Print, Broadcast and Online Media.
