GAC appeals to media to report accurately on HIV/AIDS

The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has appealed to the media to be circumspect and endeavour to report on the true picture of HIV/AIDS situation in the country.

The GAC says it is unhappy with the state of media misrepresentation and misinformation on HIV/AIDS, a situation which had created public fear and panic and impeding progress in fighting the disease.

It said HIVAIDS has no cure but could be managed if patients are put on drugs. Mr Atuahene Steven Kyeremeh, the Acting Director General of the GAC, raised the concerns in a speech read for him during an interaction with health reporters and senior editors drawn from Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo region at Abesim, near Sunyani.

The GAC in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) organised the day's meeting which was attended by about 60 reporters.

It is the third of five of such meetings designed by the GAC to get first-hand information from the media on their understanding and the challenges practitioners faced in reporting on HIV/AIDS in the country.

Mr Kyeremeh said HIV management is dynamic and there is the need for the media to appreciate new strategies to position them to report accurately new trends of HIV/AIDS.

He said the media remains a key player to control the spread of new HIV infections adding if journalists give the people true reflection and information on the disease they would protect themselves against HIV.

Madam Olivia Graham and Ahmed Ibrahim, HIV/AIDS Technical Coordinators for Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo regions respectively mentioned stigmatization as a major challenge facing the fight against the disease.

They appealed to the media to intensify public education and help erode the wrong perception the general public has on HIV/AIDS and patients.