Media needs to be sensitized ....

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

Of late, I have been seeing in the print media, especially in Tamilnadu, news

about People living with HIV/AIDS getting flashed in the headlines for no

reasons.

Some of them to quote:

1.Lorry driver with AIDS gets married.

2.It is suspected that the person whose body was unclaimed by anyone had AIDS.

3.Prisoner dies of AIDS in Salem.

SO WHAT ….?

My dear journalists are you not sensitized enough to address this serious issue

of HIV/AIDS in a more productive manner, rather than causing further damage to

the already stigmatized lot. Have you people ever tried to assess the intensity

of the HIV/AIDS issue in

line with the economy of the country? Or have you people checked whether the

health system of the state / country is prepared to face this particular

epidemic in the days to come? Have you ever thought or written about the

pathetic situation of the increasing number

of Orphan and Vulnerable Children and the slow entry of a “big generation gap”

in the most productive age group in our country, which might destabilize our

economy.

Do any of the media associations at the district levelor at the state level have

any idea of the exact HIV prevalence rate in order to advocate for reducing the

new incidence of HIV.

“NO” should be the answer.

Because so many of you are still asking the organizations who work in this field

for “numbers” to fill up the space in your dailies during AIDS DAY every year.

My dear friends, HIV/AIDS is prevalent throughout the year and causing enough

damage among the most productive age group and “not only on the AIDS DAY”.

Please try to address this serious issue

of HIV/AIDS, in a much matured manner.

I request the editors of all print media to refrain from publishing

this kind of “_____ news” which is of no use to the general public.

I do not understand what you people gain from publishing a news like “Unclaimed

body of a man – Suspected to have AIDS”. What are you trying to convey from

this….. ? . Instead this space can be used

to publish some awareness messages about HIV/AIDS. (?)

Please understand that HIV/AIDS is a “Chronic manageable disease” like, diabetes

and Asthma.

I think “Person with Asthma also gets married” and “Prisoner dies of Diabetes

also” in our country.

Finally I request you all to take this in good spirits and refrain from

stigmatizing and discriminating a particular set of people living with one of

the chronic diseases, which is manageable.

Swami

E-mail: <catchswami@...>