NACA Tasks Media, Stakeholders On HIV/AIDS Prevention

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  • As South-South Zone holds refresher/award programme in PH

BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI – Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Gambo Gumel Aliyu says the Agency will not relent in providing a conducive atmosphere for stakeholders in both health and non-health sectors to succeed in ending the HIV/AIDS scourge in Nigeria.

He also said NACA’s decentralization into zones has made it imperative to strategically work with the media as a key partner in the prevention component of the fight against HIV/AIDS at the state and zonal levels.

Speaking through the South-South Zonal Director of NACA, Dr Uduak Daniel, at a 2-day strategic media engagement refresher and maiden NACA South South zone award in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Dr Aliyu said having the media as a key partner would further boost efforts at effectively handling this global health challenge in Nigeria.

Recalling that the first strategic meeting held in Calabar, the Cross River State capital gave birth to the South-South HIV/AIDS Media platform currently being replicated across the six states in the region, the NACA boss expressed happiness that the last two meetings have evolved into a better understanding and robust relationship involving the Media, Implementing Partners (IPs) and Government (SACA), as well as the production of a HIV Media reference package for the media.

He said the last component of this strategic media engagement “is to get those who were not available then to get updated with what is current in the HIV space”, adding; “because it is the 2nd year anniversary of South South NACA, we thought to recognize those who have been responsible for the HIV prevention response so far.”

In her remarks, the Director General of Cross River SACA, Dr Etcheri- Ella Ansa, lauded the Cross River State Government for being committed to the fight against HIV, noting that it is possible to achieve a zero new infection and reduction

Dr Ansa, represented by the Head of Prevention, SACA, Ifere Obeten, said effective collaboration by all stakeholders would see to the end of HIV transmission by 2030.

On his part, NACA’s Thomas Nnamso, who presenting an overview of the HIV situation in the South South region, said it is disturbing that the prevalence rate in the zone is 3.1 compared to the national prevalence rate of 1.4, noting that the development calls for a strong and robust media collaboration to help reduce the current prevalence.

In a presentation on ‘Understanding Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) process and the elements of SBCC’, one of the facilitators, Fayman Omini charged the media to be intentional in their programming and reportage to bring about behavior change amongst people towards HIV survivors.

SBCC is the strategic use of communication to promote positive health outcomes, based on proven theories and models of behavior change. It employs a systematic process beginning with formative research and behavior analysis, followed by communication planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.

The two-day event witnessed the celebration of NACA’s South South zone with the recognition and presentation of awards to outstanding stakeholders in HIV/AIDS prevention by the Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr Mrs Ipalibo Harry Bangui on behalf of the Zone.

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