The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on media executives to scale up public enlightenment on the growing rate of HIV/AIDS among adolescents in Nigeria.
Mr Rabiu Musa, the Communication Officer of UNICEF, Kaduna Field Office, made the call on Wednesday in Keffi at a meeting with some media executives in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Musa said the fund was alarmed with the high prevalent rate of HIV/AIDS among adolescents in Nigeria and underscored the need for journalists to raise public awareness towards combating the menace.
He said UNICEF was partnering with the National Orientation Agency, State Governments, media, traditional rulers, religious leaders, healthcare experts and civil society organisations, among others, to enlighten youths on the dangers of the scourge.
He said the collaboration was focused on the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) and HIV/AIDs in order to tackle the spread of the scourge in the country.
According to him, the aimed of the meeting was to provide knowledge/orientation to media executives on PMTCT, AYP and HIV/AIDs situation so as to tackle the menace in the country.
“The aim is also to review and document programme of the media and organisations in the state in supporting the dissemination of PMTCT, AYP/HIV and AIDS messages.
“To leverage airtime and produce links for dissemination of PMTCT, AYP/HIV and AIDS messages. And also to develop media plans by the participating media houses for implementation,“ he said.
The official therefore enjoined the participants to appreciate the magnitude of and map out strategies on how to address the challenges on PMTCT, and Adolescent and Young Persons (AYP) in the society.
Besides, Musa called on the media to upscale to educate the public on the dangers of the scourge considering its negative effect to societal development.
He restated the commitment of UNICEF to continue to partner the state and other organisations in order to tackle the scourge in the country.
“We want to work towards addressing HIV/AIDS in Nasarawa State as the state that is one of the growing states in terms of HIV/AIDs,” he said.
Alhaji Galadima Soba, the Kaduna State Director of NOA, urged the participants to develop a good media plan for implementation and use of existing programmes for effective dissemination of PMTCT, AYP, HIV and AIDS messages worldwide.
Soba, who was represented by the state’s Deputy Director, Human Resources and Finance, Malam Hamza Audu, called for more systematic and improved packaging of the various messages in more effective ways on awareness creation of PMTCT, AYP, HIV and AIDS.
“I am optimistic that with the right attitude and inputs of the calibre of the participants here-present to develop a good media plan for implementation and use of existing programmes for effective dissemination of PMTCT, AYP, HIV and AIDS messages worldwide,” he said.
The meeting will undertake an overview of HIV/AIDS prevalence in Nasarawa State, share experiences from Kaduna State and adopt action plans for increased enlightenment, among others.
