Indian Minister Wanted Media To Propaganda HIV/AIDS Awareness

Mr. S. Jaipal Reddy Union Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Culture, India has asked the Indian Media to increase awareness to public regarding the prevention and treatment of HIV infections. He said that the awareness should have intense social relevance. The media could play an important role in spreading the message of AIDS awareness by using the different broadcasting tools such as radio, websites, SMS, Television programs and print media. The Minister wanted the media to effectively propaganda awareness regarding AIDS and HIV infection, the media should play a catalytic role by making the public understand what are the factors by which they are vulnerable to the HIV infection like safety during blood transfusions, use of disposable syringes and having safe sex.

The Minister said, “HIV/AIDS must be portrayed as an issue of intense social relevance and media is in a position to correct the damage by changing the stereotyped reporting on the issue. Media leadership is critical in tackling the pandemic of HIV/AIDS and he said that our knowledge and awareness about the disease could check its spread since these epidemic breeds on ignorance, silence and inaction. Reporting about what is happening at the regional level would help formulate an informed national policy response and co-coordinated national action.”