Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 27:
A one-day workshop on the 'Roles of media in HIV/AIDS programme� was held at Manipur Press Club today under the joint initiative of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) and Social Awareness Service Organization (SASO) with support from OXFAM, GB.
Participated by social workers in the field of HIV/AIDS, mediapersons and eminent persons from different walks of live, the workshop discussed at length the role of media in combating the dreaded disease as well as difficulties faced in filing reports and its social impact.
AMWJU president W Shyamjai, project co-ordinator of NEIHRN and SASO joint secretary RK Tiken attended the workshop as chief guest, guest of honour and president respectively.
After a long deliberation on the issue, the workshop concluded with the observation to hold frequent interactive session between the NGOs working in the field of HIV/AIDS and the media persons for proper dissemination of information among the people.
AMWJU and SASO have also been entrusted with the task for initiating such session for the time being.
Speaking at the occasion, Shyamjai stressed upon the fact that mediapersons need to be sensitized with the right information of HIV/AIDS and its socio-cultural impacts to present the positive perspectives as the issue has assumed a new dimension affecting general population.
While suggesting a proper network between the NGOs and the media, Shyamjai pointed that media should take a bigger role in initiating effort to present spread of the dreaded virus as well as in dealing with its expanding issues.
RK Tiken, while recalling the formation of SASO, stated that it was set up by a group of former drug users in 1991 as a voluntary unit to help drug users' community.
Though SASO was started without any specific planning, it has now reached out to the needy people through various programmes, he said.
Kh Basanta observed that information on HIV/AIDS needs to be updated regularly to make mediapersons understand the issue for a meaningful reporting that would be immense value to the public.