NACA SSZONE HOLDS REFRESHER/AWARD FOR MEDIA & OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

The Director General of the National Agency for the control of AIDS, Dr. Gambo Gumel Aliyu has reiterated the agency's coordinating role in providing a conducive atmosphere for stakeholders to succeed both in the health and non-health sector towards the fight to end HIV/AIDS in the country.

The Director-General spoke through the South-South zonal director of NACA, Dr Uduak Daniel during a 2-day strategic media engagement refresher and maiden NACA South South zone award held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

According to him, after the decentralization of NACA into zones, it became needful to strategically work with the media as a key sector in the prevention component of the fight against HIV/AIDS both at the state and zonal levels.

He recalled when the first strategic meeting held in Calabar, Cross River State which gave birth to the south-south HIV/AIDS Media platform which is being replicated in the six South South states of the country.

Retrospectively, the NACA DG maintained that the past two meetings have evolved into a relationship of understanding on how the media, implementing partners (IPs) and Government (SACA’s) work; and production of a HIV Media reference package for the media.

Dr. Aliyu pointed out that the last component of the strategic media engagement “is to get those who were not available then to get updated with what is current in the HIV space” and that “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.”

Speaking on behalf of the Director General of Cross River SACA, Dr Etcheri- Ella Ansa, the head of prevention in SACA, Ifere Obeten commended the Cross River State Government for her commitment in the fight against HIV maintaining that it is possible to bring about reduction of HIV to a zero New infection and hence end transmission by 2030.

While presenting an overview of the HIV situation in the South South zone, Thomas Nnamso of NACA states that the prevalence rate in South South States is 3.1 as against the national prevalence rate of 1.4 thus making it worrisome and therefore, needful for a strong collaboration with the media in the zone to help in the reduction of the current prevalence.

Lecturing on understanding the SBCC process and the elements of SBCC, Fayman Omini called on the media to be intentional in their programming and reportage to bring about behavior change amongst people towards HIV survivors.

High point of the 2 day event was the commemoration of the South South zone of NACA which climaxed with the presentation to outstanding stakeholders in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the zone by the Deputy Governor of Rivers state, Her Excellency, Dr Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Bangui on behalf of the South South zone of NACA.

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