Communication specialists in HIV Prevention meet in Dar for strategic consultations

THE Executive Chairperson of the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) Dr Fatma Mrisho, yesterday opened a three day practicum on community-based communication for comprehensive HIV Prevention in Africa.

Ms Matebogo Mapane of South Africa making a presentation on how Soul City--her organization carried out a community dialogues targeting MCPs

She was represented by the Commission’s acting Director of Advocacy and Information (DAI), Jumanne Issango.

Organized by the African Network for Strategic Communication in Heath and Development (AfriComNet)—a network of more than 1,500 strategic communication practitioners from 52 countries, the practicum focused on interpersonal and community HIV Communication Initiatives in Africa: Evidence and Lessons.

 Held in Dar es Salaam from 12-14^th November, the event has attracted between 80-100 participants from the region including communicators, HIV programme implementers, policy makers, community-based organizations, university partners, and donor representatives to share practical experiences, tools, research and educational materials, and synthesize and package lessons learned for wide dissemination.

Organizers said one of the practicum’s purposes would be to explore communication approaches for tackling normative and cultural change required to influence behavioral drivers of HIV in Africa. Likewise, it intends to make recommendations for improving the effectiveness and scale-up of community-based and interpersonal communications for HIV prevention.

One of the papers presented as keynote address to the delegates was about the recommendations for maximizing scale and impact of social and behavior change interventions. This was presented by Professor Douglas Storey, an associate director of communication science and research at JHUCCP in the USA.

Professor Douglas Storey

Over the years, the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and other donor programmes have supported Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC), which has mos likely averted many HIV infections.

After more than two decades of HIV SBCC, there is a wealth of experience and evidence to guide future efforts. According to the organizers, Mass media can maximize reach of HIV messages and can influence behavior.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) accounted for 70% of new infections in 2010, although there was a notable decline in the regional rate of new infections. The total number of new infections in SSA has dropped by more than 20%, to 1.9 million from the estimated 2.6 million.

Though antiretroviral (ARV) medications have become more widely available, effective HIV prevention remains a top priority

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