IMPHAL, Mar 31 : To fight against stigma and discrimination and to raise awareness and bring a change in the attitude towards marginalized groups and people living with HIV/AIDS, a media interaction cum releasing of three documentary films focussing on the lives of three PLWHAs was held this evening at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal.
The programme was organised as a joint venture of the AIHI (Australian International Health Institute), Avahan, OSD (Overcoming Stigma, Discrimination) and CFAR (Centre for Advocacy and Research) and was attended by project director of MACS Dr. Pramod and the three persons who were highlighted in the film programme.
The films were a part of the AIHI initiative on overcoming stigma and discrimination which will subsequently be used to raise awareness and build partnerships for combating the issues. It was supported by individuals and community based interpersonal communication intervention and structured around the mandate of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) to address issues of stigma and discrimination in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The films which were shown today will be used as a medium for raising awareness about the core issues of stigma and discrimination that PLWHAs and other vulnerable communities face and to inspire members of affected communities to take up the challenge in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It is also an attempt to look at partnerships with different stakeholders like service providers, church leaders, positive network groups etc. in a joint collaborative effort against battling stigma and discrimination.
Dr. Pramod who also honored the presentation of posters maintained that to fight against HIV/AIDS as well as stigma and discrimination such programmes are very much required in the state. He was proud that such programmes are organised in order to change the attitude of the people towards the PLWHAs.
Many programmes giving emphasis on HIV/AIDS were held in the state but such programmes were not organised till date and although 99 percent of the population of the state have the knowledge of HIV/AIDS they never really know how to control and prevent the disease.
Therefore, to change the behaviour and attitudes, the role of media and poster campaign will be very much important. And for these reasons the MACS are going to use the poster produced by OSD and films as eye openers for the public, he said.
The team leader of OSD, Dr. Joyee who highlighted on the campaign against stigma and discrimination maintained that in October-November 2005 Emmanuel Health Association, Project Orchid and AIHI had commissioned a rapid assessment of HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination towards marginalized groups and PLWHA was occurring in health care facilities, within families in educational institutions, work place, religious settings and the police.
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