Madang using posters to drive messages on HIV

THE Madang Provincial Health Authority has developed its HIV-related messages into posters to combat the increasing dreadful disease.
It continues to keep driving home messages on HIV prevention, stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and tuberculosis (TB),
Madang HIV response coordinator Conrad Waduna said the purpose of developing the posters was to highlight the main issues in relation to HIV, stigma and TB that were a major concern in the province.
Among the issues, he said, stigma caused by HIV was the notable concern and that had led to the poster on stigma featuring Madang Provincial Health Authority chief executive officer Fidelis Waipma.
Waduna added the second poster on HIV prevention was to educate people about the cost of being infected with HIV and the importance of protecting oneself from acquiring the virus.
Besides HIV, tuberculosis was another common problem which he said should not be ignored.
“For me, I was thinking TB is for old age people, people who smoke and chew betel nuts and drink alcohol a lot but that is not the case,” Waduna stressed. TB affects everyone, including youths, families and communities.
The other reason for coming up with these posters was to address the short supply of information, education and communication materials. The HIV posters are distributed to health facilities, schools, and stakeholder organisations in Madang.
NACS manager for Advocacy and Social Mobilisation Valentine Tangoh applauded Madang for taking the initiative in developing its own HIV posters, adding that if other provinces could do likewise, it would be great.