Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Cambodia urges media to help raise public awareness on HIV/AIDS

The Cambodian government on Monday launched a Media Guide on HIV/AIDS, asking journalists to help enhance publicity and awareness of the epidemic in the country.

"Media plays significant role in the HIV/AIDS program and is also a key player in disseminating true information about HIV/AIDS and changing attitude of the community toward the most vulnerable victims," Hong Sun Huot, president of the National AIDS Authority (NAA), said at the launching ceremony.

The 186-page Guide has 21 sections, including facts and data about HIV/AIDS in Cambodia and in the world; HIV/AIDS and the media; the impact on children and young people; exploring the role of men and older people in the epidemic; HIV testing and counseling; treatment and care as well as the targets of the next 10 years.

"We need to expand media coverage rather than to cause restrain to the effort," he added.

A formal survey in 2003 indicated that Cambodia has 123,000 HIV carriers, which is equivalent to 1.9 percent of all adult aged between 15 and 49.

An Ministry of Health's estimate shows an increase rate of transmission from husband to wife among new cases.

"The rising scale and pace of AIDS epidemic in the rural areas throughout the country sparks an increasing concern, particularly the spread of AIDS to housewives and its transmission to their children, which remains the most prevalent in Cambodia against the overall trend in Southeast Asia," said Hong Sun Huot.

He called on national and international journalists to help enhance people's awareness in order to protect their families, society and the whole nation from HIV epidemic.

Cambodia diagnosed the first case of HIV in 1993, and HIV prevalence once rose to as high as 3.7 percent of the adult population in 1997.

The country has made much effort in response to the epidemic. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan underlined in last June that "The world has witnessed successes of preventive and prophylaxis program such as in Brazil, Cambodia and Thailand."

Source: Xinhua

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREATER IF CAMBODIA CAN URGE MEDIA TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS, BORDER INVASION, AND THE BETRAYAL OF HER OWN LEADER- A KWAK TO THE PUBLIC.

Anonymous said...

some news paper in Cambodia do and some radio station too. Some of journal lists and radioa anouncers were killed and jail for the cause since 1992 till now. May their spirits help our cause to win someday.
Viva Democracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

To reduce and rid-off HIV/AIDS in Cambodia, 2 main things need to happens:

1)Stop Vietnam from sending it's flogs of killers, over 90% of prostitudes in Cambodia are from Vietnam, illegally.

Vietnam is capable of tracking down and arrest almost any of their nationals in Cambodia. Yet, Vietnam never put enough effords into stopping this saga of human trafficking and prostitution. Why? Is it because this kill 10s of thausands of Cambodian every year?

2)Some Cambodian males need to live up to their once pride traditions and social models. Stop living life in the fast line like no tomorrow ie. Alcoholism, womenisation.
After all, Cambodian national belief is Buddhism. It is not unreasonable to try and practice just some of it's principles. Starting from the top levels, leaders need to show the way.