Media Should Spread Proper Information About HIV/AIDS

[Guest guest]

Media Should Spread Proper Information About HIV/AIDS

By Nava Thakuria, September 22,2009

The media, while avoiding sensationalism in reporting on HIV/AIDS, should play a

proactive role and disseminate the proper and correct information regarding

different aspects of the sensitive issue, argued V.S. Bhaskar, IAS (Commissioner

& Secretary to Health & F.W. Department, Government of Assam). Inaugurating a

State level advocacy workshop at Guwahati Press Club on 22nd September, he

however appreciated the role of media in making people aware of HIV/AIDS in

Assam.

The day long media workshop was organized by the Assam State AIDS Control

Society (ASACS) in association with the press club, where good number of media

persons took part and participated in the interaction programmes.

" Assam is a low prevalence state, but it has more vulnerability, " Bhaskar

asserted adding, " Being the gate way to the Northeast, Assam witnesses more and

more people coming here from high prevalence neighboring States for various

regions. "

He of course claimed that because of the government efforts and media support,

the awareness level among different sections of people in the society is

increasing. The senior official expected continued media engagement to make more

people aware of the HIV/AIDS issue.

V.S. Bhaskar, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary to Health & F.W. Department,

Government of Assam, is seen inaugurating the advocacy workshop in Guwahati

Press Club on Tuesday morning.

Mentionable that Manipur and Nagaland, both bordering Burma (that way the heroin

producing Golden Triangle of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand) have high rates of

HIV/AIDS cases. The entire Northeast with around 5 crore population has

thousands of HIV Positive people. The HIV Positive persons have to fight against

the infection as well as the social stigma and discrimination.

Addressing the gathering Ms M. Hagzer Barman, IAS (Project Director, ASACS)

informed about the State government scheme of free transportation to the HIV

infected people for attending the Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre.

" Under this scheme the government bears the travel expenditure of the HIV

infected persons who come to the ART centre for treatment, " she said.

Ms Barman also requested the media to spread the information about the

Integrated Counselling & Testing Centre (ICTC) and Prevention of Parent to Child

Transmission (PPTCT) centers, which are being empowered to function for the

respective causes.

Participating as a resource person, Ms Rakhi Chakravorty (Consultant CSM, ASACS)

highlighted about various activities of the society. She revealed that a total

number of 3,308 persons have been detected as HIV Positive in Assam, and over

900 people are diagnosed as AIDS patients. She insisted for more people coming

to the Voluntary Blood Testing centers and hence expected media's sustained

support.

" The HIV Positive persons have the same right to leave a dignified life like

others in the society. So the society should provide proper care & support to

the infected and affected HIV persons, " Ms Chakravorty insisted.

Talking about voluntary blood donation programme, Dr. N.N. Tishya (Deputy

Director, ASACS), said that any healthy person of age 18 to 60 years with more

than 45 kg weights can donate blood without any problems. He advocated for

voluntary blood donation practices among the people such that the safe and

sufficient blood can be ensured in need.

Dr. N.N. Sonowal (Assistant Project Director, ASACS) suggested for frequent

media awareness programmes and appreciated the imitative of Guwahati Press Club,

while offering the vote of thanks.

Nava Thakuria is a Guwahati, Northeast India based independent journalist and

contributes to various media outlets throughout the world. Contact him at

navathakuria@...

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