Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE continues to lead other countries in HIV response which is a result of favourable policies and political support from Government.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister Kindness Paradza said this yesterday during an HIV and Aids workshop convened by the National Aids Council (Nac) in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West province.
Zimbabwe is among top countries in the world which have halved Aids-related deaths in the past three decades and was also recently removed from the list of 30 TB highly burdened countries worldwide.
The country has also managed to fight malaria and tuberculosis through its programming as shown by a decrease in new cases and deaths.
Zimbabwe is now focusing on ending Aids by 2030 as guided by the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), the Zimbabwe National HIV and Aids Strategic Plan IV and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Deputy Minister Paradza said the media remains a strategic sector in the national response to HIV and Aids and any others diseases.
He said Nac had excelled in partnering the media and conducting workshops to equip the fraternity with skills and knowledge around HIV.
“The rapid decline of the HIV incidence and prevalence and increase in the coverage of treatment, underpinned by political support and favorable policies, not least the National Aids Trust Fund, have led to our nation being known as a pathfinder in the global response to HIV. Widespread awareness of HIV among our people has also been a major factor in the achievements we have recorded,” he said.
“That awareness and the other achievements have benefitted immensely from the contribution of the media, which has framed HIV as a national agenda imperative and therefore rallying all sectors to play their role.”
The deputy minister applauded editors for ensuring HIV and Aids as well as other related ailments remain on the media agenda and in the public interest over the years.
He however added that the significant role the media has played over the years should not mislead anyone into complacency since the battle has not been won yet.
“As such, I would like to call on the editors to develop more innovative ways and programmes for covering HIV, in an environment where the media is polarised and heavily preoccupied with political coverage. In this regard, you as editors have to ensure the HIV story remains relevant and competitive,” he said.
“Now that Covid-19 is with us, it also very important that we keep these twin epidemics adequately covered and our nation informed about the benefits of relevant behavior change and the dangers there-of.”
He also applauded the evolution of reportage on HIV, which has significantly improved over the years, from the previously fear invoking stories to the current hope filled ones.
This achievement according to Deputy Minister Paradza is a result of continuous improvement in knowledge and appreciation in the media industry and the current advances in research
“The media, being agents of social change must no longer continue reporting HIV and Aids as just a news story, but must be concerned about achieving epidemic control and eventual ending of Aids by 2030. This dovetails very well with the Second Republic’s vision of His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa to have an empowered upper middle-income society in nine years,” he said.
Deputy Minister Paradza added that editors must not abuse their role of determining what is news but rather use it for the betterment of the nation and help Zimbabwe face the challenges of addressing HIV and Aids.
“As information torch bearers and policy makers, you need to raise such issues, which are killing our people and call for both policy changes and behavior change among our people in reducing consumption of harmful foods. Most of the fast foods we consume are carcinogenic, largely due to the process of preparation and storage,” he added. — @thamamoe
Online Reporter