Re-introduction of HIV/AIDS ads and PSAs to sensitise public

─ Aims to raise awareness of prevention, curtailing of the epidemic 

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, September 26, 2018

In an effort to re-sensitise the Guyanese public on HIV/AIDS testing, treatment and prevention, a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and advertisements were launched.

The National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) collaborated with the Advancing Partners and Communities project to produce the content to be aired on all media platforms especially radio and television. Also, partnering in the effort was the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The launch of these Ads and PSAs signal the Ministry of Public Health’s commitment to re-sensitise the population on the ongoing campaign for the prevention and control of the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud indicated that this is a part of several initiatives embarked upon by the ministry contributing to ending the Worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Further, the UNAIDS 90-90-90-Treatment for all goal is one that is being revisited, with specific focus channelled towards ensuring that by 2020, 90 per cent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90 per cent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy and 90 per cent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

Noting that the Guyanese public may have been de-sensitised, Dr. Persaud said there is a need for effective implementation and distribution of the information. “It’s good that we are back on the trail because we did have a lull in the active programme of informing the public.”

Four 30 second ads, four one-minute PSAs along with audio pieces for radio have been produced, all focusing on knowing one’s status, treatment adherence and the prevention of the spread of the disease. The productions are all high quality, digital animation, information videos and audios which are likely to be aired at all public health facilities, other agencies organisations throughout the country.

Mosa Teleford, the Writer and Producer for the scripts of the Ads and PSAs, said this is the first time she had prepared content for an animated production, however, the process has been rewarding given her previous years of experience in scripting for HIV/AIDS productions.

Telford said: “My writing career was actually launched by working in HIV/AIDS awareness through the March project which we now know as Merundoi and even before that as a teenager, I was part of a youth group and we were also doing a lot of HIV/AIDS awareness in the nineties, early 2000s.”

This is in alignment with Ministry of Public Health and support partners working towards fulfilling the tripartite health vision 2020 which aims to advance the well-being of all people in Guyana, reduce health inequalities, and improve management and provision of evidence-based responses to tackle health-related matters.

Delicia Haynes.

Images: Jules Gibson.