Media, Unicef come together for dialogue on HIV/AIDS

Over 52 lakh Indians are afflicted with HIV/AIDS and only 10 per cent of this figure is aware that they are carriers of the deadly virus. While not on the list of High Prevalence states, Uttar Pradesh is soon to make its debut on the Highly Vulnerable list. A first ever Media Dialogue on HIV/AIDS is taking place in the state capital at the behest of Unicef and the UP State AIDS Control Society (UPSACS) along with the Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS. Speaking on the occasion the new Unicef State Representative, Mr Nimal Hettiaratchy outlined the strategies adopted by African countries like Botswana and Uganda which have successfully strived to curb the AIDS epidemic with the latter bringing down the incidence from 28 per cent to 6.2 per cent in a very short time, largely through targetted intervention, media mobilisation and strong leadership initiatives. “It is imperative that the media continues to actively report on the threat in UP,” added Dr Yogesh Chandra, Joint Director, UPSACS. With NGO activity on HIV/ AIDS near to negligible, only a fraction of the amount allocated through NACO gets utilised. A large fraction of the National Aids Control Organisation(NACO) grant remains unutilised every year because of lack of NGO activity on the issue in the region at a point when UP has been cited as a highly vulnerable state. It is due to media reports that we are apprised of cases like the case of the Muzzafarnagar boy or the Kishinagar couple driven to suicide because of the stigma attached to the disease. This meet is an essential step in creating a two-way communication channel between organisations working in the field of HIV/AIDS and the media in UP,” said Dr.Chandra. More

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