Addis Ababa, June 17, 2021(Walta) – To prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDs, Media should enhance its role in this end, said Addis Ababa City Administration HIV/AIDs Prevention and Control Office.
The Office held a discussion with Journalists yesterday on the role of Media in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDs. During the discussion, the office‘s Multisectoral Response Director Felekech Andarge said that although the spread rate of HIV/AIDs is falling from time to time, it still needs integrated work with all actors particularly Media.
Media have a vital role to create awareness about HIV/AIDs prevention and control methods by making human interest stories to the general public and can influence positively, she added. “HIV/AIDs is a disease of poverty. To come up with effective behavioral change and to prevent the spread of it, the media should take their part. Because it should not leave to a single government and all actors in the area need to step up participation in the endeavors.”
The office advisor Zimam Tebeje on her part said that Media have a social responsibility rather than profit/income generate. “Clap in one hand is not effective without the support of the other. So all citizens have a burden to develop social and economy of the country by preventing and control the spread of HIV/AIDs.”
According to the Ethiopian Herald, she added that we have to save youth by teaching them by using various social media. Currently, due to a lack of attention to the spread of the virus, many productive citizens are vulnerable. So integration work with all actors is essential, Zimam stated.