Media underused in AIDS/HIV fight

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Information on AIDS and HIV must spread faster than the disease.
This was the conclusion of the 100-odd delegates who attended the Asia Media Summit 2007 here during the discussion on global media strategies on AIDS and HIV.
The delegates said the media was under-utilised when it came to spreading awareness on the disease.
They also said the issue was not covered in a continuous basis.
Among the speakers at the discussion session on Monday was South African Broadcasting Corporation chief executive officer Advocate Dali Mpofu, who said the lack of knowledge, stigmatisation and discrimination on the disease made it even more difficult for AIDS patients to face the world.
“While the media is a powerful tool, it is not doing enough to connect with young people and educate them.
“Many know about AIDS and HIV but exactly how much they know and understand is a completely different matter.
“The media has the responsibility to connect and speak the language of young people for they are the ones most susceptible,” he said.
Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia (ISIS) chairman and chief executive officer Datuk Mohamed Jawhar Hassan cited a recent report of Malaysia’s situation bordering on an HIV epidemic.
Released by the World Health Organisation, the report stated that in 2006, more than 81,000 Malaysians were found to be HIV positive or had AIDS.
“The rate of infection is staggering and seeing as we have many cultural constraints, the media’s role in creating awareness here is limited.
“Networking among media partners, long-term programmes and powerful media campaigns are needed if we are to improve,” he said when met at the summit.