Collateral challenges of reporting on HIV/AIDS

Media practitioners share their experiences about reporting on the dreaded disease

November 6, 2005

Monalisa Sen

Today India stands at the crossroads in its battle against HIV/AIDS. In spite of being a low prevalence country, India has the second largest population of HIV-infected individuals at 5.134 million. Consequently a mere 0.1% increase in prevalence translates into 0.5 million new infections. The epidemic is moving from ‘high risk’ groups and urban centres to general population and the rural hinterland. The number of women infected is steadily rising as one in every four cases reported is a woman.

Some of the key factors behind the spread of HIV in India are commercial sex, high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections, large scale migration of workers from rural to urban areas, and low level of literacy particularly among women.

In order to address these issues, Internews Network in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Leadership Forum on HIV & AIDS, sponsored by the US Agency for International Development, organised a media summit in the Capital recently. [This event took place Thursday October 27 in New Delhi.]

Media leaders from English and regional language media came together to accelerate the media response to HIV/ AIDS in the country.

Union minister of information and broadcasting Jaipal Reddy emphasised in his key note address that media leadership is critical as we move forward. “This gathering underscores that media has a significant role to play in our country’s response to the epidemic, shaping public opinion and civic engagement in helping to create an environment that will be supportive of HIV prevention, care and treatment efforts,” he said.

The summit provided an opportunity for print and broadcast media executives from across the country to share their experiences and challenges while reporting on HIV/AIDS. They also deliberated on finding solutions for strengthening the media’s response to the epidemic.

The Indian media leaders HIV/AIDS Initiative was the first in a series of meetings of media leaders from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Thailand under the aegis of the UNAIDS Asia Pacific Leadership Forum on HIV and AIDS (APLF).

The APLF aims to promote effective leadership and to intensify commitment at all levels. A regional media summit with representation from countries across Asia - including India - will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, soon after the World AIDS day on December 1.