The cooperation between StarTimes Group and UNAIDS on enhancing awareness of HIV/AIDS has been rolling out quickly in different African countries as the 30th World AIDS Day comes.
On May 12th this year, both groups signed a memorandum of cooperation in Beijing to officialize a cooperation “to reduce the impact of HIV across Africa by disseminating messages to the general public to increase awareness of HIV and UNAIDS’ work and reduce stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV and populations affected by HIV”.
The first concrete action of this cooperation was realized for the World AIDS Day on December 1st, 2016 with StarTimes having broadcasted UNAIDS HIV prevention videos across their African networks in English and French from World AIDS Day until the end of the year.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region that is most severely affected by HIV and its consequences. Although significant progress has been made, sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for nearly 70% of the people living with HIV worldwide. Two-thirds of all new HIV infections, occur in the region, many among adolescent girls and young women. As a result, strengthening the AIDS response in Africa has been a priority for global anti-AIDS campaign.
After the establishment of partnership, StarTimes and UNAIDS are boosting their cooperation in different African countries, aiming to mobilizing all available resources to enhance the awareness of HIV/AIDS in the continent.
In Uganda, Zambia, Ghana and DRC, StarTimes branch companies and UNAIDS local offices have signed detailed agreements to raise awareness about HIV prevention among the adolescents and young people with a specific target on men.
According to a report that UNAIDS released today, in sub-Saharan Africa, men and boys living with HIV are 20% less likely than women and girls living with HIV to know their HIV status, and 27% less likely to be accessing treatment. In western and central Africa, a region that is struggling to respond effectively to HIV, only 25% of men living with HIV are accessing treatment. When people are not on treatment they are more likely to transmit HIV.
In South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda and Cameroon, similar agreements are expected to be signed around the World AIDS Day.
StarTimes and Ghana AIDS Commission are in extensive discussion over a collaborative roadmap targeted at delivering anti-HIV/AIDS TV and social media content for increased awareness and positive reorientation to Ghanaians on StarTimes network and partner TV stations during coverage of Ghana Football content. A TV Commercial of Anti HIV/AIDS campaign was played on StarTimes partner TV stations during Ghana FA Cup final on 28th October, 2017.
In Zambia, TopStar (joint venture by StarTimes and ZNBC) and UNAIDS are working together to engage first lady of the country in passing the message of HIV prevention to the people. First Lady Esther Lungu has recorded a short PSA (public service advertising) about AIDS and it is to be broadcasted on 15 TV stations across the country through TopStar digital TV network.
During the 2017 World AIDS Day, StarTimes Uganda Company and UNAIDS are to send a team of experts and doctors to test and counsel people of Kasese Town where local people have suffered natural disasters, tribal conflicts and civil wars in the last two decades. It will be a part of “Kasese Peace Festival” which is a three days event meant to bring back hope to the people of the town.
Earlier in this year, as the only private sector media organization, StarTimes attended the Inaugural Meeting of Global HIV Prevention Coalition held in Geneva on October 10th -11th. At the meeting, Vice President of StarTimes Group, Guo Ziqi, committed that StarTimes would makes all efforts to help Africa to eliminate the influence of HIV.
“I believe this will allow our subscribers watch all of their favourite programmes already lined up for the Christmas and new year season without any form of interruption.”