By Our Reporter
Media practitioners in the South-South region have been urged to continue to give visibility to HIV/AIDS in their reportage particularly as there are many competing health issues in the country.
South-South Zonal Coordinator of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, Dr Uduak Daniel came out with this during a two day refresher training held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Dr Uduak Daniel noted that the media serves as a veritable tool to positively influence public opinion on HIV/AIDS which would help to achieve epidemic control.
” Despite all other public health issues such as COVID-19, HIV/AIDS is still a part of us and we need to bring it to the limelight again so that we can continue to find ways to reduce it’s prevalence especially in the South-South where it is quite high” she added.
While delivering a lecture on “The Media: Social and Behavioral Change” Mr Fayman Omini noted that media practitioners should be intentional in their reportage inorder to achieve attitudinal change in their specific audience.
Mr Omini who also highlighted the role of the media in advocacy explained that advocacy should be organized and based on research to achieve set objectives.
He urged the media to utilize the knowledge acquired from the training to improve their programs, features and other reportage.
On her part, Chairperson of the South-South HIV Media Advocacy Group, Mrs Sogbegba Dokubo who spoke on behalf of the participants appreciated the management and resources persons from the NACA South-South Zonal Office for organizing a refresher training.
Mrs. Dokubo called on all participants to use their media platforms to publicize stories and programs on HIV that would change the negative narrative in the South-South as well as to bring policy makers accountable in the provision of HIV services.
