The Sunday News
Charity Chikara, Sunday News Reporter
NATIONAL Aids Council (NAC) chief executive officer, Dr Bernard Madzima has commended journalists from across all media houses in Zimbabwe for their continued dedication to raising awareness and informing communities on HIV/AIDS issues.
Dr Madzima was speaking during the AIDS Healthcare Foundation media awards where he noted that the media fraternity where essential in the dissemination of key HIV/Aids related information.
He urged the media practitioners to continue with the good work as they play a fundamental role in relaying prevention, treatment and other meaningful information to the people.
“We need to celebrate the media, all this can be attributed to the hard work that they have done, in terms of sending out messages and information to people,” he said.
He revealed that efforts to equip the media personnel are some of the activities which are a prelude to the World Aids day commemorations that take place every year on 1 December.
This year’s theme for the World Aids Day is “End pandemics, End inequalities, End AIDS”
Prior to the event, journalists from various media houses were taken to a tour of the Mpilo Center of Excellence clinic, where they were informed of all services offered there.
The tour was meant to familiarize the media personnel with the actual environment and adequate information to assist in dissemination of HIV related information.
AHF Country Programme Manager, Dr Enerst Chikwati said their partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care was permanent, pledging the foundation’s full support in any initiative that leads to the attainment of the global agenda of ending new infections by 2030.
“We have since partnered with the Ministry of Health And Child Care in setting up centers of excellence in HIV care and treatment. To date we have done Mpilo, Mutare provincial hospital and Parirenyatwa for patients with complex HIV related conditions and assisting the government in treatment, prevention and research,” he said.
Meanwhile, multi-award-winning Chronicle senior health journalist Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu scooped the award for consistent and accurate reporting on HIV/Aids issues in the Matabeleland region.
