By Patricia Watson, Staff ReporterTHE SUNDAY Gleaner and The Star on Wednesday received awards for dedicated service to public education and awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Yitades Gebre, director of the World Bank programme on HIV/AIDS at the Ministry of Health, said the Breaking the Silence, Dispelling the Myths about HIV/AIDS series published in Outlook magazine and AIDS Affair of The Star were rewarded for presenting factual information about HIV/AIDS.
"The column has been instrumental in aiding the national programme in its bid to keep HIV/AIDS on the national agenda by generating public discussion on selected and sensitive issue," Dr. Gebre noted. He said The Gleaner Co. Ltd. was a member of the Media Alliance, which is made up of several local media houses. The alliance has joined the national programme to fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS by education and raising the awareness level of the public.
The "AIDS Affair" column is published weekly in The Star and its main objective is to address questions on HIV/AIDS poised by members of the public. The column was started in 1994.
The series Breaking The Silence, Dispelling the Myths about HIV/AIDS began in December 2001. It came out of a recognition that HIV, although a fatal infection, was not being taken seriously by Jamaicans. In addition, persons living with HIV were treated as less-than-human, either out of ignorance, fear or simply because people did not care. Both columns are geared to promoting safer sex and dispelling myths about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections.
The Mustard Seed Community also received an award for its work in informing the public about HIV/AIDS through its "life voices" radio programme and for Dare to Care - a home for children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.
In addition, the South East Regional Health Authority was recognised for HIV/AIDS programme development and active participation at the field level, with an individual award going to Sharon Dawson, for care and support of clinic-based persons living with HIV/AIDS.
