Media plays a major role in the fight against AIDS by spreading information and creating awareness, the head of South Sudan AIDS commission said.
Esterina Nyilok made these remarks yesterday in Juba to journalists attending a two-day training to increase their understanding of HIV and AIDS in order to use the media to check the spread of the virus through information.Ms. Nyilok said the media could lead to a change of behaviour and reduce the rate of infection.
She added that intensive media campaigns on HIV AIDS would clear misconceptions about the virus and stigmatization of patients.
Ms Nyilok said the first case of HIV in South Sudan was identified in 1986 and currently that are more than 300 thousand people infected by the virus.
She added that prevention is done through what she called the social vaccine of education and awareness and it begins with information.
The training was attended by journalist from different media houses across South Sudan.