HIV/Aids: Media fueling stigma among artistes

By Agnes Nantambi

Media platforms targeting Ugandan musicians’ HIV status has been blamed for fueling self-denial among the group.

Joanita Kawalya, the coordinator of the artistes on the new HIV/Aids commission response, says this has partly kept many entertainers from going for HIV counseling and testing.

“The media has made it a point that whenever an artiste wants to test, they immediately begin to publicize that so and so is infected. This makes us fear to come out to test for HIV because we feel embarrassed.”

She was speaking at an event celebrating three years of sharing knowledge and contributing to the nationwide HIV response by the HIV/Aids Knowledge Management & Communication Capacity (KMCC).

Kawalya said many local entertainers have died from the disease due to stigma fuelled by the media, warning that if this is not addressed, many more will follow the same path.

One local newspaper was particularly cited in this – that it targets some artistes, publishes their HIV status, and even goes on to follow them up to health facilities where they access treatment from.

Media ought to change its mode of operation by ensuring it does not infringe on the rights of people by making public their sero-status without their consent, said the experienced musician.

“It is my role, it is your role, to contribute to an Aids-free nation instead of stigmatizing those who are infected with the disease. Let the media wait for those who have come out on their own, “she said.

Sarah Margiotta, the project manager KMCC observed that effective communication is very essential in reducing stigma among the population.

She observed that miscommunication is one the issues that was highlighted to be contributing to the increase in the burden of HIV/Aids.

KMCC is a three-year knowledge management project funded by the DFID and UKAID and has been conducting five major knowledge-and-communicating researches using evidence-based knowledge to broader audience syntheses.

These syntheses include the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, behavioral change communications, most-at-risk population, fishing communities, long distance truck drivers and sex workers.

The main objective of the project was to challenge misconceptions regarding modes of transmission of HIV, Increase demand for condom use and also demonstrate and evaluate innovative communication activities which can be scaled up for wider roll out.

“During our time of service we have tested, developed, and standardized our approach to provide the evidence base for those running programmes, writing policies and advocating for policy change, “ said Margiotta.

Meanwhile, Maria Kwesiga, a research consultant working with KMCC said that for the last three years, they have observed that the fishing communities, the long distance truck drivers and the sex workers are the most vulnerable, with more efforts needed to reverse the trend.