The National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council (NAC) has received commendations from Eastern Province media personnel after a two day orientation on the subject of key populations in the HIV response.
The journalists from all the 9 old districts of Eastern Province acknowledged their limited knowledge on key populations compounded by negative societal beliefs especially around transgender, gay and other men who have sex with men.
The training which was held in Petauke on 20th and 21st September 2018 at Eriboma Executive Lodge drew participants from Chipata, Chadiza, Katete, Lundazi, Mambwe, Sinda, Vubwi, Nyimba and Petauke districts.
The participants described the orientation as an eye opener on the harmful effects of stigmatising and discriminating against key populations based on insufficient knowledge which breeds prejudices and homophobic tendencies.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Chadiza Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) Information Officer Daniel Billy said the knowledge on key populations acquired by journalists in the province would ease their work by using first-hand information in their respective editorial platforms.
The journalists appreciated NAC’s recognition of their role in influencing the decisions of their respective audiences through various forms of information they provided.
“The valuable information you shared with us was the best investment that you could make in us because it will ease our day today work in providing our respective audiences with firsthand information on this important subject,” said Mr Billy.
The journalists recommended that the training on key populations be extended to other groups and organisations like health workers, leaders of faith based organisations, traditional leaders and labour leaders.
And closing the orientation, NAC Communications Manager Justine Mwiinga called upon journalists to develop a culture of researching widely to improve the quality of their editorial content and ultimately better save consumers.
NAC is conducting countrywide media training on key populations for practitioners to understand that the undetected and untreated HIV in key populations has an effect on the HIV response in the general population.
The National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework 2017-2021 identifies 13 sub population groups as key populations because of their marginalisation and vulnerabilities to HIV. They include persons living with HIV, adolescent girls and young women, young men, inmates, migrants, people who inject drugs, sex workers, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, children and pregnant women living with HIV, displaced persons, persons with disabilities and people aged 50 years and older.
The Eastern Province media training was support by SAFAIDS.
This News flash was prepared by the Communications Unit.
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